Review: “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Pink” #1 from BOOM! Studios
Coming off the smash success of BOOM! Studios’ Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers series (my reviews for the first three issues can be found here, here, and here) the company is looking to branch out with their first supplemental material. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Pink is a six issue mini-series from writers Brenden Fletcher (Black Canary, Batgirl, Gotham Academy) and Kelly Thompson (A-Force, Jem) along with artist Daniele Di Nicuolo (Mirror’s Edge: Exordium, Starbrand and Nightmask).
While the main title tells the story of the entire ranger team dealing with the fallout from the Green with Evil saga, this series fast forwards us to the events of season three. Kimberly has recently left Angel Grove and the Power Rangers in favor of pursuing her gymnastics career at the European Pan Global Games. She lives with her mother and father-in-law and from there we pick up on her solo adventure. What makes this series unique is that is has no template. No skeleton from which to work. Outside of a Dear John letter that Tommy receives in Power Rangers ZEO and her brief appearance in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, Kimberly Ann Hart is ostensibly written out of the Power Rangers universe once she gives the pterodactyl coin to Katherine.
The depiction of Kimberly will come off somewhat familiar to fans. Her chosen attire (both civilian and morphed) bears a striking resemblance to modern female warriors like Katniss Everdeen and Lara Croft. Kimberly herself calls out to the Mad Max franchise. She leaps into battle with little more than a bow and some arrows. Her dogged determination is the biggest strength of this debut issue. Make no bones about it: this is Kimberly’s story.
Fletcher and Thompson are in a somewhat precarious situation trying to deal with just how much needs to be explained to the reader and what exactly they can get away with in the scope of Power Rangers lore. Fans of the series are nothing if not sticklers for detail after twenty-three years of history. Explanations are offered and it is up to the fan to decide if they are satisfactory. The beginning of the issue is a bit heavy on exposition but it does firmly plant the story in unique yet familiar territory that will catch fans up on how our hero’s life has progressed since her departure from the team.
For Di Nicuolo’s part, his style is dynamic. Even in the more verbose scenes he makes the action deliberate and vibrant. His unmorphed, Hawkeye-esque Kimberly is not to be trifled with under any circumstance. While fans will surely debate the merits of the new Pink Ranger costume, it unequivocally makes an immediate impact. Much like the story, it is both conventional and quite unconventional.
For its part, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Pink is in uncharted territory and finding its legs. It introduces a lot of new elements and melds them with the old. It’s hard to say where the series plans to go from here and just how different it will dare to be. If it embraces its unique opportunity and expounds on Kimberly as an individual it could be the first in a long line of character deepening mini-series.
Score: 3 out of 5
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Pink #1 goes on sale June 1, 2016. To find it at your local store, visit findacomicshop.com or comicshoplocator.com.
(Image Courtesy: Comic Book Resources)