Martial arts, giant robots, and space monsters: if that is what you’re looking for, you can trust in Ryan Parrott to deliver. Parrott’s Mighty Morphin #7 continues to pull exactly what it needs from the legendary source material to create a true-to-form Power Rangers comic. Like the television program itself, Parrott’s competent sense of structure comes together well within the procedural and simple storytelling reminiscent of ’90s children’s television programing; that type of noisy, mind-numbing glee made for the consumption of impressionable minds — including the worringly violent, scapegoaty content that is the bane of protective and overburdened parents.
SPOILERS AHEAD for Mighty Morphin #7!
Issue #7 opens with an embodied Zordon (pre-disembodied-floaty-head) as he his Eltarian Gaurdian compatriots explore distant planets for very pertinent peace and justice reasons, continuing the flashbacky, sub-plot from the previous six issues. There they meet some gray, leafy aliens and are given a mystical prize. Hard cut to the Ranger gang under the big, glowy dome doing what they do so, so well. Making PG threats, with all snarky zang of teens with attitude, and committing acts of martial violence!
The combating Rangers eventually come face-to-face with none other than the skinless, “Hellraiser Demon look-alike” Zedd! Who offers the tenacious teens, a wild proposition. Mainly a ‘filler’ issue between what will likely be a big reveal or plot point, #7 is a welcome reprieve from the regular excess of silly, melodrama-ridden subplots that spring up and are then resolved in between lengthy presentations of exposition and wild blasts of action. Instead, this issue allows the reader to refocus on the effective paneling and design and intricate coloring within the pages.
The uncomplicated, easy to follow pacing, set from the beginning of series, flows naturally well — and along with it, all that Ranger fun that Parrott creates so seemingly effortlessly. At a glance, the plotting can seem be a little tedious and often predictable, but within that is an awful lot of character and charm that make reading it so damn satisfying. Of course, Parrott includes all the action and cheese one would expect, but along with that is a plenty of sincerity.
How much cynicism do we really need to consume? Sometimes a simple, inoffensive marshmallow makes for an enjoyable treat. Taking some solace in the dowdy, undemanding and irreverent qualities of Mighty Morphin feels good. This comic continues to manage just enough while risking very little, and that’s okay.
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