This past Wednesday, February 16th, Power Rangers Issue 16 was released from Boom Studios. We had an exclusive first look of the issue last week.
The Omega Rangers travel back to Safehaven to keep an eye on the rest of the galaxy, while Eternity Point falls under the supervision of a new assistant. As the Blue Emissary departs and the remains of three Emissaries are laid to rest, the universe seems relatively safe for now, but how long can that peace last before it’s shattered?
Host Eric (@trekkieb47) had a chance to read the issue in advance and shares his review:
“After 32 issues (counting both Unlimited Power and the Eltarian War) the saga of Zordon and his past concludes with a satisfying finale. Serving as an epilogue of sorts, Power Rangers Issue 16 wraps up most of the plotlines while still leaving open so many possibilities for the future. Earlier this month, Mighty Morphin Issue 16 was an action packed spectacle and this issue slowed things down as the future of both teams is in question.
The opening is a fascinating conversation between Lord Zedd and Zordon about the philosophy of ‘The Power’. Lord Zedd spares Zordon, even calling him a friend, but this is probably the closest understanding they will ever have. The rest of the issue deals with the fallout of the Eltarian War with Sentry Force Four surrendering to Zeyla. Trini has a final conversation with Drakkon as he depart with the Spectrum II for parts unknown. Their dynamic has been something that I really enjoyed throughout this story, Trini in particular has shown amazing growth in her convictions and role as a leader.
Grace and Zordon also patch things up and Zordon gets to have a moment to himself outside on top of the White Tiger Dragonzord. Zordon’s journey in this story has been a delight to read, particularly seeing so much of his past when he was younger. Zordon is not infallible and it’s great to see him triumph and overcome his personal demons from the past. Fate has tied him to Earth, and he endorses Zeyla as the Supreme Guardian. As he says, Eltar needs a fresh start and I hope we see more of modern Eltar in future issues of Power Rangers.
We also get a great scene with the Blue Emissary saying goodbye to the Omega Rangers. I liked the closure here because the Emissary tells the Rangers what they still don’t realize about themselves – they have the power and courage to protect the universe, no mentor required. The Minions reunite with Lord Zedd in the broken remains of the Moon Palace, having made their choice to not live free in Safe Haven. Here, it’s revealed that there is another plan that Zedd has cooked up, showing he is always trying to be two steps ahead of Zordon. Finally, we get a very touching moment between Skull and Zeyla. This scene was very sweet and finally gives Skull the closure he needs, on a trajectory to his growth in the show during Zeo.
Overall, Ryan Parrott has taken the Herculean task of wrapping up this arc with emotional closure and leaving the door open for Mathew Groom, who takes over Mighty Morphin next month. Ryan isn’t going anywhere though, he is still writing Power Rangers with more adventures planned for the Omega Rangers. I will miss the art by Francesco Mortarino. His art has been so tied to the franchise for the past few years. Wherever he ends up next, I will be keeping an eye on his future projects.
The future is wide open for both series and I can’t wait to see what’s next for both teams. Don’t miss our next episode of the podcast as I interview Ryan Parrott and do a deep dive on the Eltarian War.”
POWER RANGERS #16
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Retail Price: $3.99
Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Francesco Mortarino with Ink Assistance by Christian Prunesti
Colorist: Raúl Angulo
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Cover Artists:
- Main Cover: Gerald Parel
- Legacy Variant Cover: Daniele di Nicuolo
- 1:10 Incentive Cover: Gerald Parel
- 1:15 Incentive Cover: Daniele di Nicuolo
- 1:25 Incentive Cover: Goñi Montes
- FOC Reveal Cover: Jo Mi-Gyeong
- FOC Reveal 1:10 Incentive Cover: Jo Mi-Gyeong
- Unlockable Cover: Goñi Montes
POWER RANGERS #16 features main cover art by acclaimed illustrator Gerald Parel (Symbiote Spider-man: King in Black), and variant covers by Daniele Di Nicuolo (Seven Secrets) with Walter Baiamonte, Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), and Jo Mi-Gyeong (Eve).
Currently, Power Rangers is celebrating 29 continuous years on the air, making it one of the longest-running kids’ live-action series in television history, with over 900 episodes aired to date. Created by Haim Saban and launched in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the series will celebrate its 29th overall season in Spring 2022, with season two of “Power Rangers Dino Fury,” airing exclusively on Netflix in the U.S.
POWER RANGERS is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; We Only Find Them When They’re Dead by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo; Seven Secrets by Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora; Abbott by Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä; Proctor Valley Road by Grant Morrison, Alex Child, and Naomi Franquiz; The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; and Eve by Victor LaValle and Jo Mi-Gyeong. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Atreides from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Dev Pramanik; and Magic from Jed McKay and Ig Guara.
Print copies of POWER RANGERS #16 will be available on February 16, 2022 exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the one nearest you), or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers like comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.
Softcover and hardcover collections of MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS and other Power Rangers releases from BOOM! Studios are available now, everywhere books are sold.
For continuing news on the POWER RANGERS series and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.
For more on Power Rangers, please visit www.powerrangers.com and follow Power Rangers on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
