Power Rangers Infinity #1 is written by Sam Humphries and published by BOOM! Studios. Illustration is by Brandt & Stein, colours by Triona Farrell and letters by Ed Dukeshire. Main cover art (left) is by Paulina Ganucheau.
Power Rangers Infinity #1 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
In the wake of an event that has shook the Power Rangers universe to its very foundations, the stage is set for a brand new adventure when a diehard Rangers fangirl named Lola somehow finds herself mixed up in a wacky mess spanning multiple universes!
Get ready for total mayhem as the new Infinity Force team faces off against the bombastic and fantabulous villain Poisandra, a D-lister with a dangerous level of insecurity, with all of reality at stake!
Will Poisandra’s world-wrecking rampage lay waste to the fragile multiverse, or can this totally ludicrous team come together in time to stop her?
DC superstar Sam Humphries (Harley Quinn) and acclaimed art team Brandt&Stein (CROWDED) create a truly unique and outrageous Power Rangers tale that brings a morphinominal spin to multiverse stories such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Review
What do you get when you add a generous helping of Power Rangers action, a dash of self-awareness and a strong sense of humour? You get brand new one-shot Power Rangers Infinity which hits comic book stores today from BOOM! Studios.
Following on from the lengthy and devastating “Darkest Hour” arc which has brought the near decade-long Power Rangers Universe to an end. BOOM! has enlisted former Harley Quinn writer Sam Humphries for a story which celebrates the infinite diversity of the franchise. Infinity marks a shift in tone for the franchise. Taking the usual action-adventure style and adding a heady mix of self-deprecating humour alongside a tongue-in-cheek nod the absurdity born of the franchise’s ability to reinvent itself.
Power Rangers Infinity starts out as you may expect, celebrating teams of the past and showing off some familiar faces in the process. Humphries uses the first page to make it clear this book isn’t here to mock Power Rangers or its fans. It’s here to celebrate them. Those expecting Infinity to simply invent a new team of Rangers from another point in history will find themselves mistaken. The book actually uses part of its oversized runtime to setup a fun premise which weaves in Poisandra, a villain last seen in Power Rangers: Beast Morphers.
Poisandra is on a mission to wipe out every Ranger team in existence from all across the Morphin Grid. She’s sucking up their powers for her own good but needs help in making that job a little easier. To do so she targets Lola Navarro, our lead and a Green Ranger cosplayer. That’s right, Power Rangers Infinity is going super meta by setting the story at a Ranger Con. Lola is a Rangers super fan and aspiring comic book artist who is looking to pitch the next incarnation of the franchise to publisher Highland Studios. See what Humphries did there? Art imitates life Super Friends.
Poisandra’s attempt to kidnap Lola is thwarted by another group of cosplaying Rangers soon to become known as the Power Rangers Infinity. There’s Captain Magnus Storm, aka Pirate Ranger (Black). Coach Kumo Skogaard aka Polar Bear Ranger (Red). Lady Penelope Prescott, aka Pride and Prejudice Ranger (Pink). Braylee Blackthorn, aka Pom Pom Ranger (Yellow). Then finally there’s Peggy, aka Peggy Ranger (Blue). They’re a completely disparate group of individuals melding their everyday lives with their love for Power Rangers. That’s something most of us who pretending to be a Ranger can identify with I’m sure.
With Lola working alongside them, the Power Rangers Infinity has to find a way to work together to stop Poisandra. The lines between fact and fiction within the story begin to blur as Lola is caught up in an adventure which Humphries uses to teach her some serious life lessons about confidence. If only she had been brave enough to own her power and present those comic book ideas to the studio? In the end everything comes full circle in to an ending which allows this very special team to exist in their individual corner of the franchise. It’s all tied up in a very neat bow with Lola completing a satisfying arc in the process.
The book works on so many levels thanks to Humphries confident ability to walk the tightrope between parody and powerful. The underlying message of Lola’s journey lands so well because Power Rangers Infinity is such a fun read. Using recognisable elements like Poisandra ties the book in to the wider world without it relying on A-list cameos for support. Each of these characters stands on their own because they’re given just enough history and context to make them feel established and that’s not easy in the space of one, over-sized issue.
Brandt & Stein’s illustration, teamed with the bright colours of Triona Farrell, feed perfectly in to the world which Humphries creates with the story. The opening page, depicting the original Mighty Morphin team alongside others, is very classic and elegant in its representation of the franchise’s long history. Whilst well invented teams like Power Rangers Paladin Force, Personal Trainer Force and Power Rangers Paisley are lean in to the absolute absurdity of their names. There’s fun to be had in reading Power Rangers Infinity. But it’s also clear that a lot of fun was had in making Power Rangers Infinity.
Verdict
Power Rangers Infinity is a fun, meta exploration of what it means to be a Power Ranger as well as a fan of the franchise. Sam Humphries creates a dynamic cast of characters led by Lola, whose arc underpins the valuable message of the story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
