‘Godzilla vs. the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ is the blast you want it to be

Silly, good-natured escapism with blockbuster visuals. What’s not to love?

November 9, 2022

The King of the Monsters faces off against teenagers with attitude in Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Yes, this is exactly what you think it is. Yes, it’s awesome. End of review. No, in all seriousness, the creative team led by writer Cullen Bunn and artist Freddie E. Williams II understood the assignment.

It should really come as no surprise that the Godzilla and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers franchises mesh well, especially because they come from the same family tree: Godzilla special effects director Eiji Tsubaraya would create the famous Ultraman series, which helped popularize the tokusatsu superhero genre in Japan, which would result in the Super Sentai franchise being created and then later exported to America as the Power Rangers. In a way, Godzilla is the Power Rangers’ great uncle.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

Still, the comic had to execute on the promise of such a perfect crossover opportunity, and it does so spectacularly. Cullen Bunn centers the plot around villain Rita Repulsa, as she seeks a dimension devoid of Power Rangers that is ripe to conquer. In doing so, she stumbles upon the Godzilla universe and things spiral from there. Bunn’s decision to center the plot around Rita’s machinations not only fits the familiar format of the Power Rangers series, it also allows for a more natural connection between universes as the sorceress meets an unexpected ally in the Controller of Planet X. Given that Godzilla can’t talk, the crossover utilizes the villains to bridge the gap between franchises, allowing for the King of the Monsters and the Power Rangers to have what can only be described as a tenuous alliance of convenience.

As well done as the plot is, that isn’t exactly the appeal of the crossover, and it’s here that artist Freddie E. Williams and color artist Andrew Dalhouse crush it. The artwork in the book is electric, with over-the-top colors that don’t obfuscate the line art. The fights live up to the promise of the crossover, and even as the book turns the action up to 11, the actual artwork continuously exceeds expectations. There are massive action sequences in this book (Godzilla vs. the Dragonzord is the first round, people!) and William’s line art doesn’t dip in quality throughout.

The consistency by the art team makes the book feel incredibly cohesive. So many books these days are hindered by an artist’s inability to meet the publisher’s deadline, resulting in shifts in creators. Sometimes writers are able to work that into the story structure, but it is nice that a single art team was able to give Godzilla vs. the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers a cohesive feel.

Godzilla vs. the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a crossover that delivers on every level. A fun story that stays true to the characters and universes it combines – this is what crossovers aspire to be. It’s silly, good-natured escapism with blockbuster visuals. What’s not to love?