Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers #6 Review
For those following along, don’t worry, we didn’t skip an issue. Well… we did, but last month’s issue didn’t continue the story but was instead a flashback issue detailing some backstory on Zack. Fortunately, today’s outing puts us back on track with the main story and the big cliffhanger from issue four.
We open with something almost never seen in Power Rangers (the Mighty Morphin’ days anyway), one of the Rangers’ parents. Tommy’s mother is watching the aftermath of a Power Ranger battle on the news and is regretting her decision to move to Angel Grove. She calls up to Tommy, but doesn’t get an answer. Thinking that he’s still in bed, she goes up to his room to yell at him, only to find him not there.
We finally rejoin the Rangers, now confronting the mysterious black-armored warrior who leveled the command center back in issue four. The monster introduces himself as The Black Dragon and offers the Rangers a chance surrender despite knowing full well that they won’t back down. When the rangers prove him right, the dragon says that he’d think less of them otherwise before unleashed a sonic attack so powerful it painfully forces the rangers to partially de-morph. A lucky shot from Kimberly’s bow gives the Rangers an opening to attack but even five-on-one the Black Dragon is far too powerful for them. Jason orders a retreat and the Rangers teleport away, but the Dragon grabs Billy before he can escape.
In a pocket dimension within the ruins of the command center, the Rangers contemplate the futility of their situation now that they’ve been cut off from Zordon and Alpha. Given that the Dragon was summoned using the green crystal, the Rangers deduce that the Black Dragon is somehow tied to Tommy. This revelation once again puts Tommy and Zack at each other’s throats but Kimberly talks them down, and they agree that they need to do everything in their power to get their friends back and stop this new threat.
Outside, Rita joins the Black Dragon and we learn that it was the Dragon who initially sought out Rita with the plan to destroy the Rangers. The Dragon is also aware that the Rangers have fled to a pocket dimension where he and Rita cannot follow them. However, the Dragon doesn’t believe following them will be necessary. Using Billy’s power coin, the dragon uses it’s sonic attack and seemingly cuts off the Rangers’ (save for Tommy) access to the Morphin’ Grid.
What Works: The Black Dragon is an awesome villain. He’s confident, he’s powerful, he knows how to get in the Rangers’ heads and he’s shrouded in mystery. This issue shows us exactly what we need to see of him while leaving just enough questions to keep the readers’ interest. His fight with the Rangers was great, showcasing his deadly sonic attack as well as his immense physical strength. He’s much different than the typical Power Rangers villain, which in this case is a good thing. While the show would often put the Rangers in seemingly impossible situations, this villain represents a threat that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before.
What Doesn’t: I don’t like that it was Billy who got captured (and not just because Billy is my favorite). While Billy is the one with the technical expertise on repairing the command center’s computers making him a logical choice to be the one taken out of action, I feel it may have created a more interesting set up if it had been Jason who was taken, thus making the tension between Zack and Tommy all the more poignant.
Overall: 5/5
This issue ups the ante for this series and leaves the reader begging for more. It’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from this series, something that captures the feel of Power Rangers that can still be enjoyed by a more mature audience.