COMIC REVIEW – Power Rangers Universe Issue 1

On Wednesday, December 29th, Power Rangers Universe Issue 1 will be released from Boom Studios. A first look of this issue was shown earlier this month.

What is the true origin of the Phantom Ranger? And what is his connection to the Morphin Grid? From the moment he first appeared 24 years ago, fans have wondered about the origins of the powerful and mysterious Phantom Ranger and how they tie to the greater Power Rangers Universe. These are questions which have never been answered—until now—in the game-changing series event that no Power Rangers fan can afford to miss! 

Host Eric (@trekkieb47) had a chance to read the issue in advance and shares his review:

“After months since the initial announcements, Power Rangers Universe is finally in our hands. This title intrigued me from the beginning since it’s not that often we a deep dive into the lore of Power Rangers, specifically for the Phantom Ranger.

The Phantom Ranger is getting a lot of focus this year, from Power Rangers Unlimited: Edge of Darkness to his own Lightning Collection figure. Now, Power Rangers Universe seems to be tackling his origin. Right from the start, we see the suit is colored white and referred to as the Morphinaut, speaking to a scientist named Chendil. The suit name is a play on the word “astronaut”, designed to go into the Morphin Grid itself.

The Morphinaut encounters a dark presence in the Morphin Grid, another connection to the show and comics – Dark Specter. Dark Specter has been teased the past couple of years in the comics and I wonder if this story also deals with his origins. In sacrifice the Morphinaut blows up the connection to the Proto-Arch, the prototype of the Master Arch, another concept pulled from Mighty Morphin and Power Rangers.

And those connections make the Power Rangers Universe live up to its name. The “A47 Galaxy” mentioned before in Go Go Power Rangers: Forever Rangers and in the flashbacks of Mighty Morphin IS the Milky Way Galaxy. We see different Masterforges mentioned, devices seen and described in “Edge of Darkness”. Details like this used by different writers for the comics makes everything feel more interconnected.

We are then introduced to “Ori” / Orisonth, the new Blue Ranger and their brother Kartor. They try to power their Morphin Heart, previously since in Shattered Grid and Beyond the Grid as the Heart of a Master, which gave Drakkon his ultimate form. What follows in the rest of the story lays the groundwork and introductions for the 6-issue miniseries. Rhian is the Red Ranger, Phiro is the Yellow Ranger, Aleia is the Pink Ranger, Telosi is the Green Ranger and Xev could be the missing Black Ranger.

I list them out because this first issue throws a lot of alien names and locations at the reader. It’s a daunting task that writer Nicole Andelfinger balances gracefully with setting up the conflict for the rest of the miniseries. This issue definitely requires a few readthroughs to absorb everything that is presented.

Artist Simone Ragazzoni continues as the Power Rangers event artist from his runs on Drakkon New Dawn and Power Rangers Unlimited. His art really works for exploring the deep past, with a looser sketch feel – no hard line work, that makes the comic feel like a dream. Colorist Mattia Iacono makes Universe vibrant and pairs well with the continued lettering by Ed Dukeshire.

Power Rangers Universe Issue 1 is a lot to take in, but the setup is established for a miniseries that could be groundbreaking and live up to its name by opening a new universe of possibilities.”

POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #1
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Retail Price: $3.99
Writer: Nicole Andelfinger
Artist: Simone Ragazzoni
Colorist: Mattia Iacono
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Cover Artists:

  • Main Cover: Dan Mora
  • 1:10 Virgin Main Cover: Dan Mora
  • 1:25 Dark Ranger Variant Cover: Miguel Mercado
  • 1:50 Negative Space Variant Cover: Goñi Montes
  • 1:100 Incentive Cover: InHyuk Lee
  • FOC Holofoil Variant Cover: Derrick Chew
  • FOC Unlockable Holofoil Variant Cover: Derrick Chew
  • BOOM! Studios Exclusive Variant Cover: Simone Ragazzoni
  • BOOM! Studios Exclusive Variant Cover: Kath Lobo
  • Jolzar Collectibles / 616 Exclusive Variant Cover: Bon Bernardo
  • Frankie’s Comics / Golden Apple Comics / Forbidden Planet Exclusive Variant Cover: Ivan Tao
  • The Comic Mint Exclusive Variant Cover: Karen S. Darboe of Magnus Arts
  • Encased Comics Exclusive Variant Cover: Diego Galindo
  • ComicsToAstonish.com Exclusive Variant Cover: Guillamue Martinez

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COMIC REVIEW – Power Rangers Issue 14

On Wednesday, December 29th, Power Rangers Issue 14 will be released from Boom Studios. A first look of this issue was shown earlier this month.

The new Blue Omega Ranger, along with the rest of the Omega Rangers, retreat to Safehaven to plan their next steps. With information gathered from Zordon and the Blue Emissary, our motley crew of heroes and villains set their sights on defeating the minions of their former ally and conducting a rescue mission. But in a galaxy full of enemies, who… or what…  awaits their rescue?

Host Eric (@trekkieb47) had a chance to read the issue in advance and shares his review:

“It’s time to take back Earth in the newest installment of the Eltarian War arc with Zordon is leading the charge. Not just as a mentor, but as a fully capable warrior. Back on Earth, Matt morphs into the Green Ranger, attracting Sentry Force Four while the remaining Rangers find Grace and her staff. The rest of the issue is non-stop twists and turns as both Rangers and enemies of old team up unexpectedly to take down Zartus. 

Overall, Issue 14 of Power Rangers (the fourth part of the Eltarian War) does a fantastic job of advancing the ‘war’ part of the story with all of the Power Rangers taking the fight to the enemy. The story is packed with action on two different fronts showing readers Zordon’s true power as a warrior from 10,000 years ago. And it won’t stop with this issue as the end moments tease one of the most anticipated battles for any long time fan.

Writer Ryan Parrott is able to keep things somewhat light in the middle of serious battles, with a war cry moment that had me chuckling. The dialogue throughout the issue is filled with little moments and quips that are only possible after years of buildup with these characters’ personalities. On the art side, Francesco Mortarino delivers with one of his most ambitious issues yet. Ambitious because of the shear amount of characters he has to draw while maintaining continuity with fellow artist Marco Renna on Mighty Morphin. The last three pages set up some serious groundwork for Marco to build on.

Do I have to say it again? I highly recommend this issue. Mainly because if you got this far, there’s no turning back!”

POWER RANGERS #14
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
  • Incentive Cover: Goñi Montes
  • FOC Reveal Cover: Jorge Corona
  • FOC Reveal Incentive Cover: Jorge Corona
  • Incentive Cover: Goñi Montes

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Ranger Command Power Hour Episode 192

It’s time to Ranger Up with your hosts as they talk all things Power Rangers on the Four Eyed Radio Network with RANGER COMMAND POWER HOUR!

Eric is joined by special guest co-hosts Rai (@CollectorShuki) from Geek Each Week (@geekeachweek), Ro (@RoliverQueen_) from the Comics Code UH-thority Podcast (@ComicsUhthority), Dr. Ben (@doctorbenMD), and Callum of the Lightning Collective Podcast (@prlcollective) to continue our review of Boom! Studios Mighty Morphin’ and Power Rangers comics. We review the year of Unlimited Power.

We also discuss the news including Mighty Morphin Issue 14, new Power Rangers hats from New Era Cap and EOne’s Michael Lombardo interview mentioning the future of Power Rangers on Netflix.

Omega Now, Omega Forever!

Listen now: Ranger Command Power Hour Episode 192 – “Ranger Merch Review: Boom Studios Power Rangers Comics Part 11: Unlimited Power”

APPLE PODCASTS – GOOGLE PODCASTSSPOTIFY – ANDROIDSTITCHERPODCHASERLINKTREE

Timestamps:

  • 0:00:00 – Intro and Podcast Topic
  • 0:04:07 – News – Comics Preview, New Era Cap, EOne on Power Rangers universe
  • 0:25:50 – Unlimited Power Review for Mighty Morphin 1-12
  • 1:06:00 – Unlimited Power Review for Power Rangers 1-12
  • 1:49:41 – Ranger Nation Answers

Links mentioned in show:

NEWS – Omega Rangers Retreat to Safehaven in POWER RANGERS #14

Omega Rangers Retreat to Safehaven in POWER RANGERS #14

Discover a Dangerous Rescue Mission in the Next Chapter of the ELTARIAN WAR This December 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 17, 2021)BOOM! Studios, under license by Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), revealed a first look at POWER RANGERS #14, from writer Ryan Parrott (Mighty MorphinPower Rangers), artist Francesco Mortarino (Go Go Power Rangers), colorist Raúl Angulo (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and letterer Ed Dukeshire, in conjunction with the Mighty Morphin series for the epic crossover event, delivering the explosive fourth chapter of the ELTARIAN WAR, in December 2021!

The new Blue Omega Ranger, along with the rest of the Omega Rangers, retreat to Safehaven to plan their next steps. With information gathered from Zordon and the Blue Emissary, our motley crew of heroes and villains set their sights on defeating the minions of their former ally and conducting a rescue mission. But in a galaxy full of enemies, who… or what…  awaits their rescue?

POWER RANGERS #14 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 Jorge Corona (Star Wars) with Sarah Stern.

Currently, Power Rangers is celebrating 28 continuous years on the air, making it one of the longest running kids’ live-action series in television history with nearly 900 episodes aired to date. Created by Haim Saban and launched in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the franchise celebrates its 28th season with, “Power Rangers Dino Fury” currently airing on Saturdays at 8 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon and streaming on Netflix in the U.S., UK, NZ, AU & CA.

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 #14 will be available on December 29, 2021, 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 MIGHTY MORPHIN and 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.

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NEWS – Announcing Godzilla and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Crossover IDW Comic Series!

Godzilla and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Meet for the First Time in Crossover Comic Series from IDW

 Titans of Film and Television Smash Cities and Join Forces In The Five-Issue Miniseries Event of 2022

SAN DIEGO, CA (December 16, 2021) – IDW, under license by Toho International, Inc., and in partnership with BOOM! Studios and Hasbro, announces today an all-new five-issue comic book event, Godzilla Vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, bringing together two titanic franchises for the first time!

Launching in March 2022, this monthly miniseries will be a collaboration between two of the comic industry’s most exciting talents, writer Cullen Bunn (DeadpoolGreen LanternGodzilla: Cataclysm) and artist Freddie Williams II (Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesHe-Man/ThunderCats).

When Rita Repulsa uses an ancient artifact to transport herself to a universe without Power Rangers, she finds herself in a world with aliens, kaiju, and… Godzilla! Hoping to annihilate this new foe, Rita hurls her own terrible creatures into battle. But she never expects that the Rangers have followed her to this alternate reality, pitting the Dinozords themselves head-to-head with the King of the Monsters!

“I am honored to bring two iconic franchises like Godzilla and the Power Rangers together. I’ve been a massive Godzilla fan since before I could read, and my love for the King of Monsters has never faded in all those years. Likewise, I’ve always loved Tokusatsu superheroics, and vividly remember watching the first episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers when it came out. This is a crossover that I suspect will take readers by surprise—but it makes complete sense!” says Bunn. “Writing for these characters is a dream come true for this giant monster-loving kid-at-heart, and when readers pick up this book, I want them to feel that sense of awe and wonder that these characters have inspired for decades!”

“This will be the biggest, most stratospheric crossover I’ve ever drawn!” says Williams. “It’s the combination of so many big genres: Giant Monsters vs. Mechs, martial arts vs. science and magic, with lots of collateral destruction! I’ve been watching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes and Godzilla films to submerge my brain space, and have been reminded how fantastic and charming these designs are and how much fun prior creators had with their designs. I’m excited to contribute to the long legacies of these franchises!”

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about this latest crossover event at IDW Publishing,” says editor Tom Waltz. “Not just because a story featuring both Godzilla and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers checks off every awesome box on a comic-book crossover list, but also because we’ve got two of the best in the business — Cullen Bunn and Freddie Williams II — combining to bring it into being.”

“When BOOM! Studios first stepped into the world of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, we had some big plans and huge dreams, so it’s amazing to be able to bring to life the biggest and most exciting monster mash-up of the century,” says Dafna Pleban, Senior Editor, BOOM! Studios. “It’s been an incredible process to put together this epic series with our friends at IDW, Toho, and Hasbro. We can’t wait to show fans everything they could ever hope to see and more from the King of the Monsters and the Power Rangers universe.”

Godzilla Vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover A by series artist Freddie Williams II, Cover B by E.J. Su (Transformers), and a special connecting Retailer Incentive edition by Williams II which combines with the RI covers for issues #2-5 to make a glorious panorama of kaiju and Zord conflict!

For information on how to acquire Godzilla comics and graphic novels from IDW, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

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NEWS – Secret Origins of Phantom Ranger Revealed in POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #1

Secret Origins of Phantom Ranger Revealed in POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #1

Discover the Power Rangers Universe in an Explosive New Series in December 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 10, 2021)BOOM! Studios, under license by Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), today revealed a first look at POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #1, from acclaimed writer Nicole Andelfinger (Dragon Prince: Bloodmoon Huntress), artist Simone Ragazzoni (Odessa), colorist Mattia Iacono, and letterer Ed Dukeshire, that will delve into the deepest origins of the Power Rangers, exploring the hidden secrets of the universe like never before!OM! Studios, under license by Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), today announced that acclaimed writer Nicole Andelfinger is the writer for the limited event series, POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE, with artist Simone Ragazzoni, that will delve into the deepest origins of the Power Rangers, exploring the hidden secrets of the universe like never before!

What is the true origin of the Phantom Ranger? And what is his connection to the Morphin Grid? From the moment he first appeared 24 years ago, fans have wondered about the origins of the powerful and mysterious Phantom Ranger and how they tie to the greater Power Rangers Universe. These are questions which have never been answered—until now—in the game-changing series event that no Power Rangers fan can afford to miss! 

POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #1 features main cover art by Dan Mora (Once & Future) and variant cover art by illustrators Miguel Mercado (Magic), Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), InHyuk Lee (Wolverine), and Derrick Chew (Power Rangers).

Currently, Power Rangers is celebrating 28 continuous years on the air, making it one of the longest running kids’ live-action series in television history with nearly 900 episodes aired to date. Created by Haim Saban and launched in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the franchise celebrates its 28th season with, “Power Rangers Dino Fury” currently airing on Saturdays at 8 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon and streaming on Netflix in the U.S., UK, NZ, AU & CA.

Print copies of POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #1 will be available on December 29, 2021 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 MIGHTY MORPHIN and 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.

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COMIC REVIEW – Mighty Morphin Issue 14

On Wednesday, December 8th, Mighty Morphin Issue 14 will be released from Boom Studios. A first look of this issue was shown last week.

With the destruction of Zordon’s tube, the Mighty Morphin team seeks new allies to help them in the Eltarian War. But with Lord Zedd at their back and the Eltarian Supreme Leader gathering his forces to launch a massive attack on the Earth, can the Rangers survive being surrounded on all sides?

Host Eric (@trekkieb47) had a chance to read the issue in advance and shares his review:

“The Eltarian War is in full swing after the explosive events of Power Rangers Issue 13. In Mighty Morphin Issue 14 we regroup with all of the Rangers, both on Earth and the ones who retreated to Safe Haven. 

As a cautionary piece of advice seen in the preview, Kimberly tells Jason not to make the same mistakes of Zordon. Throughout the run of Power Rangers, Jason has been struggling with his choices and questioning his leadership. I think any person in a leadership position goes through these types of doubts at some point, and it’s easy to forget that the Rangers are all still teenagers. The issue also deals with Zordon confronting his mistakes and doubts with the help of Billy, Yale and the spirit of the Blue Emissary. The parallels between Zordon and Jason don’t go unnoticed. Their misunderstandings go all the way back to the first few issues at the start of Unlimited Power.

What I love about this story and this issue in particular is Zordon. There is a powerful moment where Zordon takes someone else’s advice for once, proving that even wise sages can still learn after 10,000 years. It’s a very well written scene that shows how vulnerable Zordon can be at one of the lowest moments in his incredibly long life. I also loved that the split in the groups gives characters who haven’t seen each other in awhile a chance to reconnect and work together. Writer Ryan Parrott has done a fantastic job of reconnecting characters in this issue, emphasizing how important teamwork is to the core of the franchise. Not just old friends, but unlikely teamups with enemies.

I say it in every review, but the art team of Marco Renna and Walter Baiamonte are incredible. There are a few locations in this issue – both ethereal and real – each one of them with a rich color profile that sets them apart. Marco does a brilliant job of packing the issue with characters rich in emotion.

As always, I will recommend that readers continue engaging this exciting story. For new readers – jump on those trades and catch up! This is an exciting arc that is earned with everything that has come before it.”

MIGHTY MORPHIN #14
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Retail Price: $3.99
Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Marco Renna
Colorist: Walter Baiamonte with Color Assistance by Katia Ranalli
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Cover Artists:

    • Main Cover: InHyuk Lee
    • Legacy Variant Cover: Eleonora Carlini
  • Incentive Cover: InHyuk Lee
  • Incentive Cover: Eleonora Carlini
  • Incentive Cover: Rian Gonzales
  • FOC Reveal Cover: Keyla Valerio
  • FOC Reveal Incentive Cover: Keyla Valerio
  • Incentive Cover: Rian Gonzales

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NEWS – The Power Rangers are Surrounded in MIGHTY MORPHIN #14

The Power Rangers are Surrounded in MIGHTY MORPHIN #14
Discover the Dangerous Stakes of the ELTARIAN WAR in December 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 2, 2021) – BOOM! Studios, under license by Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), revealed a first look at MIGHTY MORPHIN #14 from writer Ryan Parrott (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), artist Marco Renna (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), colorist Walter Baiamonte with color assistance by Katia Ranalli, and letterer Ed Dukeshire, continuing the epic series event, ELTARIAN WAR, in December 2021!

With the destruction of Zordon’s tube, the Mighty Morphin team seeks new allies to help them in the Eltarian War. But with Lord Zedd at their back and the Eltarian Supreme Leader gathering his forces to launch a massive attack on the Earth, can the Rangers survive being surrounded on all sides?

MIGHTY MORPHIN #14 features main cover art by acclaimed illustrator InHyuk Lee (Seven Secrets), and variant covers by artists Eleonora Carlini (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Rian Gonzales (Eternals), and Keyla Valerio (Rise of Dracula).

Currently, Power Rangers is celebrating 28 continuous years on the air, making it one of the longest running kids’ live-action series in television history with nearly 900 episodes aired to date. Created by Haim Saban and launched in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the franchise celebrates its 28th season with “Power Rangers Dino Fury,” currently airing on Saturdays at 8 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon and now streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

MIGHTY MORPHIN 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; Proctor Valley Road by Grant Morrison, Alex Child, and Naomi Franq; 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; 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 MIGHTY MORPHIN #14 will be available on December 8, 2021 exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one), 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 MIGHTY MORPHIN 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.

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