TokuNet Comics Corner: MMPR Pink #1 Review Roundtable

The TokuNet Comics Corner gets together to review the new MMPR: Pink #1.

Welcome to the TokuNet Comics Corner! Today we’re trying something new with a roundtable review of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink #1, by writers Brenden Fletcher and Kelly Thompson, and artist Daniele Di Nicuolo. This roundtable consists of Nick Bush, Kitty Lampier and Brian Dagley.

Nick: Let’s start off talking about the issue’s premise. Unlike the main book, Pink begins after Kimberly is done being a Ranger. What did you two think about this decision?

Kitty: I thought it was a really interesting choice. I really liked to see Kimberly branching off on her own and trying to define herself outside of the superhero team that she spent so much time with. I also love that her first instinct was to jump in, knowing that the team is at her back, only to remember that they weren’t, and how that changed how she approached the situation. The comic is really showing her and her skills off in a great way.

Brian: I really enjoy the choice made. The main comic is telling a tale hot off the heels of “Green with Evil”, so it’s nice to see another series set in a much later time during the Rangers’ journey. Many fans wondered what happened to Kim after she left, and the series is a wonderful way to tell the story of Kimberly that we were never able to see.

Nick: I was a little confused/disoriented, as the last time I watched MMPR was when it aired so I didn’t remember who Katherine was. I think the book still worked for me despite that. The strength of these new comics is how they flesh out the interior lives of the Rangers. A big comics thing I’m a fan of is interior narration, and I liked getting in Kimberly’s head here. It’s stuff like that that makes the book work for new readers and old fans alike.

Brian: The explanation of her source of the new powers was something else I enjoyed quite a bit. Fans of the original series remember how odd the Sword of Light was originally, so it’s neat to see it used once again to tap into her residual “Pink Energy” as they call it. Plus the new suit is beyond cool. Who agrees?

Kitty: I totally agree. I also like that her internal monologue still feels very 90’s.  It makes it feel very reminiscent of the TV show with all its campy, 90’s glory. There were a couple of moments where, while reading it, I cringed a bit, thinking, “Ugh, this reads as so typical of some older TV show dialogue! Okay, maybe not that much, but still…” And then I remembered the context for this book, and it changed my mind completely. This is still Kimberly, who was a teen in the 90’s and made morphin’ puns all over the place, and this is how that character would talk to herself. Really good on the writers for working with that base material and improving on it. 

Nick: Yeah, the throwback dialogue was fun. And speaking of the new suit, I thought it was a cool way to update the original. I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m glad they did it. Daniele Di Nicoulo’s design was both modern and recognizably derived from the MMPR suits. I’m not very good at analyzing art, but as far as I can tell the art fits the book’s tone excellently. It kind of brings to mind the style of books like Batgirl, which is the best direction for something like this. 

Brian: I wasn’t expecting the new suit at all, given all of the covers showcasing the original suit, so seeing this new design was a terrific surprise. I need an action figure immediately.

Kitty: Make it two!

Nick: Man, that would be great. Back to the book itself, the twist at the end was telegraphed nicely. It’s something we’ve seen before, but the book doesn’t treat the dangling mystery like the centerpiece. The real star of the book is Kimberly’s post-Ranger life, so I liked the little touches like her Mad Max battle gear. Another big part of her new life is a new character with the potential to be her love-interest. What did you think about the addition of Serge?

Brian: I’m indifferent towards Serge being a love interest character, but I absolutely adore the concept of Kim slowly gathering a team. A part of me is really hoping we see more characters join Kim and Serge later on in the six-issue series. My hope at the end is Kim leading her own team of “Rangers” even without powers. To answer the actual question though, I thought Serge was pretty cool. I think the two characters bounced off each other effectively for the little time we knew the character.

Kitty: So I’m sure I’ve said this on a million different platforms, but I am just so TIRED of romance being a driving story-line. Serge seems like a great guy; he cares about his family and does his best to do the hard, courageous thing. I have zero interest in this guy becoming her new boyfriend, though. I do think it would be really cool, as Brian said, to see her bring together her own team, even if they don’t have superpowers. I want to see Serge become her man-in-the-van backup guy who has lots of awesome quips and learns about strong women. I want to see the struggle with him that a lot of people face when trying to let another person be the strong one, because even in this first book, he tries to take over and save the day, only to find out it’s totally unnecessary. I want to see it either never be a problem or turn into a problem that he overcomes. I can’t say that it’s a super important story point that has to be made, but it’s always one that I love to see and that is close to my heart.

Nick: I’m a little wary of the idea of her getting a new team, just because this is billed as her solo and it’s rare we get to spend that much time with a single Ranger. On the other hand, I doubt Goldar’s big plan can sustain the six scheduled issues, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a new team or something to deal with the next threat. So to finish up, I liked Pink #1 and I’m curious to see where it goes. Any last thoughts?

Brian: Agreed. I was initially skeptical of a solo Ranger series at first, given the usual team dynamic of Power Rangers, but they pulled it off incredibly well. I’m looking forward to more issues down the line for sure. I’ve seen a few of the solicits for future issues, and it seems like it’s gonna be a pretty awesome series. Thanks, Boom!

Kitty: I am tentatively excited for future issues. Everyone working on this project seems to be treating Kimberly with great respect, and I think that’s the most important thing to making this a really great read. I hope it stays good!

Nick: Alrighty! I’d like to thank you two for dropping by the Comics Corner, and I hope we can do something like this again soon.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink #1 hits stores on June 1st.