Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #4 is written by Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson and published by BOOM! Studios. Illustration is by Nico Leon, colours by Dono Sanchez-Almara and lettered by Ed Dukeshire. Main cover art (left) is by Goni Montes.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #4 is available now, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
With the Green Dragon Power Coin in the hands of someone’s identity that will shock the rest of the Power Rangers, a fateful battle on the moon commences! But as climactic events unfold, who will remain to carry on the legacy of the Mighty Morphin Powers Rangers? Will the world still need them?
Review
The finale of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return is here and whilst I’m not ready for it writers Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson certainly are. Across three issues to-date the team has crafted an incredible story which slots perfectly in to the legacy of the franchise without repeating anything which has come before. But with this fourth and final issue, can Johnson and Hotson stick the landing with a blockbuster satisfying conclusion?
Of course they can!
We come in to this final chapter with plenty of plot threads (and lives) hanging in the balance. Olivia Hart, daughter of Kimberly and Tommy, has suited up as the Green Ranger. The newest Power Ranger is staring down the daughter of the heroes two most lethal foes, Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. Selena Repulsa also has a plan in action to bring her mother back which could lay waste to everything the Rangers have fought to protect.
There’s a lot of ground to cover but Johnson and Hotson seem to effortlessly drive the plot forwards through a potent mix of action and emotion. I don’t want to dive too deeply in to the story as the conclusion has enough thrilling moments which fans should absolutely discover on their own. But speaking broadly the emotional pay off of The Return lands exactly where I hoped that it would. What has been rewarding as both a reader and a fan of these characters is how unpredictable The Return has been. At no point have I been able, with any certainty, to pinpoint exactly where the story was headed. That remains true of this final issue.
Of course Power Rangers come for the spectacle and this issue doesn’t disappoint. There’s pure joy in seeing Jason, Billy and Zack back in action against a horde of Putties. Again Johnson and Hotson really impress in being able to deliver fan service which feels earned rather than forced. Story beats feel meticulously placed to provide the most epic experience possible. It doesn’t feel a million miles away from the structure of an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, on purpose no doubt. The reverence for legacy and how that is woven in to the idea of mothers and daughters is superb. Someone seriously needs to hire these two to write for the next season of the TV series.
Being the big finale Nico Leon has a lot to do and really gets to have fun with this issue. The gloves are off both figuratively and in actuality in the story. With plenty of action taking place in the former moon base of Rita and Zedd there’s a huge scope for cool visuals. As you can tell I’m trying to talk around spoilers but there are bountiful opportunities to see the Rangers in action both in and out of costume. Even without giant monsters and Kaiju-sized Lords, Leon is still able to deliver a frenzied and exciting experience which stays true to Johnson and Hotson’s more grounded, poignant vision for the story.
Verdict
A five-star landing for the team of Johnson, Hotson, Leon, Sanchez-Almara and Dukeshire. The final issue of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return is the perfect mix of action, character, legacy and original. I can only hope for more storytelling from this team in the future because this franchise and its fanbase deserve more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
