On the one hand, I think Tom Taylor is relying too much on tried-and-true formula to crank this one out. On the other hand, Tom Taylor can make tried-and-true sit up and bark. So even though there aren’t any big surprises in this, DC/Boom! Studios’ 3rd issue of the team-up of the Justice League/Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, it’s still an entertaining read that will probably work well in a trade–particularly for younger audiences.
And it’s worth noting that the editors have finally included the credits in the digital version of this comic–huzzah! So for the first time, I can confidently bring you:
Thank you Kristy Quinn for making sure this happened.
And now I can also, with equal confidence say Karl Kerschl’s cover is awesome, except nothing it depicts actually happens in the comic. After many decades of reading comics, this does not surprise me, but it never fails to annoy me. Especially when, once again, there is actual action in this book that would have made great grist for a cover. Like, oh, I don’t know, maybe all those octopods that are wreaking havoc all over the world. It looks pretty cool inside the book–so why not splash it all over the outside too?
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy this!
Perhaps the marketing machine doesn’t think giant octopi gobbling up cities is exciting enough. So they slap on a big robot guy because, hey, that’s what kids like. Except then there’s no big robot guy in the comic! How does this make sense. It doesn’t. But they keep doing it anyway.
So aside from tentacles, what else does this issue serve up?
Zords, certainly. Teleportation. Arguments about the inevitable team-up, which are mercifully kept short and to the point–Taylor really is good at pushing story points along, especially when they are foregone conclusions.
We get lots of Justice League action: many cameos in a nice array. For sheer volume of fun characters packed into a single event, this is definitely a bang for your buck adventure.
Not much focus on the bad guys this time around. We see some Braniac drones who add to the whizz-bang of it all and help our heroes put together a theory that Lord Zedd is not exactly working alone.
And like all good middle of the narrative pieces, this one ends with lots of doom and gloom: with our evil duo having the upper hand and the Power Rangers in particular straits.
So. Much. Angst.
Last issue I misspelled Stephen Byrne’s name every bloody time I wrote it, and for that I apologize (especially to Byrne himself!). I really enjoyed the art and colors here (he does both). Mostly because I love octopods. But also because I think the colors are done particularly well and are well worth waxing on about.
Byrne goes from hot to cool, screaming pink to bright yellow and yet it all makes sense. And it gives the book a nice kaleidoscope feel overall. Particularly because the colors are well-coordinated to the Power Rangers themselves, so you get a sense of thematic coherence rather than dissonant eye-wrecking palettes that make you want to put the book down. Having gone through the psychotic explosion of color that was the hallmark of the 90s, I’m sensitive to the use of color willy-nilly as opposed to with purpose and Byrne definitely has purpose, so I want to appreciate that!
Recommended If…
- You just enjoy all this colorful costumery!
- You need something cool to read to your younger siblings/children/attentive and enthusiastic pet.
- You’re a fan of Tom Taylor (hey, let’s face it, sometimes that’s enough!)
Overall
This feels formulaic, but in a winning way. If you just want a nice clean adventure, this fits the bill and then some. The context of the team-up works, everyone is getting along in a way that makes sense, and the Justice Leaguers are just fun to watch as they zip around battling great krakens all over the world. If you want Zord action, there’s very little of it here, and the end of the issue sort of slips into some heavy scientific folderol, but the story is moving along and I’m expecting big things from the Lord Zedd/Braniac team-up on the other side come issue No. 4!
SCORE: 7/10
