A Mighty collection.
In any annual, most of the fun comes in allowing the various creators to play freely within the universal playground sans the regular trappings of the series’ ongoing narrative. It’s a formula BOOM! Studios nailed with its first Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Annual and, wouldn’t you know it, they’ve done it again with their second.
Again featuring five different stories from a collection of industry talent, this annual offers a little bit for everyone. Regular MMPR writer Kyle Higgins and annual artist Goni Montes kick things off with the one story directly tied into the flagship title's ongoing narrative. Anyone following that book knows that an alternate version of Tommy eventually goes full Vader on his former allies, and here we see how the initial fractures are formed. It'd be easy to lean into Tommy's loner machismo, but Higgins actually gets more mileage by playing the character as the odd man out. As Rita manipulatively points out, Tommy wasn't one of the five initially selected by Zordon, making his status as a Ranger comparatively second tier. There's not a whole lot that Higgins can unpack in the limited pages provided, but its enough to add further layers to this particular portrayal of Tommy.
From there we get two equally entertaining stories from Jamal Campbell and Caitlin Kittredge. The former taps into the sprawling history and various offshoots of the Black Ranger, while the latter offers a kooky look at what happens when Scorpina and Goldar try to have a day off from villainy. Both are character driven pieces, and offer plenty of opportunity to show a different side of their respective focuses.
For our money, however, the two best stories are also the most widely opposite from one another. The first, from Tom Taylor and Dan Mora, follows Yellow Ranger as she too tries to get in some much needed R&R. Taylor, who himself is currently writing the Rangers' crossover with DC's Justice League, turns in an effortlessly personable and delightfully witty script. He gets more out of the brief pages here than anything we've yet seen in the his other Ranger crossover, which is downright baffling to say the least. Mora too is a standout, his crisp lines and yellow-heavy color palette making for a refreshing breeze of a read. On the very opposite of the spectrum is Trey Moore and Frazer Irving's Finster-centric romp. The new Rangers series has had its darker moments, but this is some next level stuff, and to say any more would only spoil its impact. It's a bit scary how well Moore's script works within the framework of what we know about the character, and while Ranger purists may not approve of the new direction, Fraser's oppressive art certainty gives it weight. Needless to say, you'll look at Finster in a different light after this one.
Annuals are all about having fun with the characters involved, and in that regard BOOM! Studios hits the mark. The chapters presented here are diverse both in content and tone, the many creators leaving their own lasting imprint on a similarly lasting property. The $7.99 price point is an undoubtedly tough pill to swallow, but this one annual that actually proves its worth.
The Verdict
As far as annuals go you cant get much better than this. The content is varied, the scripting and art strong, and the attention to character pays entertaining and even surprising dividends. Whether you're a fan of the original series or someone just looking to fill the gap between MMPR issues, there's something for everyone here.
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