The Power Rangers might be wrapping up their run at BOOM! Studios, but the teenagers with attitude are going out with style. Case in point: Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Return #4, which wraps up the limited series from Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson, Nico Leon, and Dono Sanchez-Almara. Picking up immediately where Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Return #3 left off, this issue pits Olivia Hart – the daughter of Kimberly Hart and Tommy Oliver – against Selena Repulsa, daughter of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. Will Selena bring her mother back from the dead? Will Kimberly pick up her Morpher again? And what of the other Rangers who Selena’s kidnapped?
The answers are best left for the audience to find out, but I can safely say that this issue wraps up all of its threads surprisingly neatly (with a mid-issue twist that adds another layer to the subtitle “The Return”.) Johnson and Hotson don’t skimp on the emotional moments either; there’s a thrill watching Jason, Billy and Zack leap back into action or Kimberly and Olivia fighting side by side. Selena, far from being a one-note antagonist, is shown to be struggling with the death of her parents; despite Rita and Zedd being evil, this adds more tragedy to their final confrontation with the Rangers. The fact that Johnson and Hotson put this much thought into the story makes it a great read and elevates it above a mere nostalgia play.
Leon packs Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #4 full of action, from Selena and Olivia squaring off to the Power Rangers being fully reunited. It’s insane how gorgeous this comic looks; every punch and kick being thrown has weight and seeing the recreation of classic Ranger poses is a treat. Leon even debuts a few new Ranger designs I expect to see on the cosplay circuit sooner rather than later. Even simple conversations draw the eye, especially when paired with Sanchez-Almara’s colors. A Power Rangers project should have great color, and Sanchez-Almara delivers; the wreckage of Rita’s castle being this dark, towering fixture contrasts with the bright landscape of Angel Grove.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #4 closes the book on one of BOOM!’s most compelling Power Rangers stories. The amount of care that the creative team put into bringing The Return to life is on par with X-Men ’97, which makes it perfect for longtime Ranger fans and newcomers alike. I also am excited by the future teased in the final pages; whatever happens next with the Ranger comics, there’s a solid foundation left for future creators.
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