Ranger Academy #8 is written by Maria Ingrande Mora and published by BOOM! Studios. Illustrations are by Jo Mi-Gyeong, colours by Joana Lafuente and letters by Ed Dukeshire. Main cover art (left) is by Miguel Mercado.
Ranger Academy #8 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Dark Specter’s corruption has arrived at Ranger Academy, and Sage will have to fully morph into a Ranger for the first time if she hopes to defend her friends.
But the nature of Sage’s transformation and its connections to one of the campus’ shadowy past will have serious consequences… but not for the one readers might expect.
Review
With a Green Ranger revealed and the threat of Dark Specter growing even larger the Ranger Academy team is back today with the eighth issue of what has already become a surprisingly compelling original entry in to the Power Rangers franchise.
Writer Maria Ingrande Mora has given Sage a pretty tough journey in just the space of a short few months. Her introduction to world outside of the rocky moon where she lived with her father hasn’t gone smoothly. On top of the usual teen dramas, something this book has done a great job of representing, there’s been the reveals, betrayals and threats. Just another typical day as a Ranger I guess? It seems somehow timely that Ranger Academy has really begun to ramp us as the main Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series is coming to a dramatic conclusion.
If you take a moment to zoom out and look at the overall progression of the storyline across eight issues there’s a tantalising sense of building tension. Mora has slowly dialled up the more traditional Power Rangers aspects of the storytelling as the audience has become more familiar and accustomed to these new characters. It’s a more measured approach than any of the franchise’s TV counterparts but that’s, firstly, refreshing and, secondly, part of the beauty of bringing the franchise in to the comic book world with rich storytelling and compelling characters.
Of course that doesn’t mean Ranger Academy is lacking in action. This issue we get to see Sage’s Green Ranger fighting alongside Tula’s Red Ranger in the kids first real life or death battle. Jo Mi-Gyeong shines in adding a more energetic quality to the artwork. This issue more than a previous one has the characters moving around and becoming part of the action. The artwork succeeds in bringing all of those qualities to life. Qualities which are then enhanced by Joana Lafuente’s cool colour scheme.
Verdict
Ranger Academy #8 throws the first major challenge towards the friendship of our young heroes. Maria Ingrande Mora is building them up for an emotional showdown just as Dark Specter is looming large on their doorstep.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
