Comics Corner: BOOM! Studios Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #12 Reveals Truth Behind New Adversary [SPOILERS]

BOOM! Studios Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic series continues to bring a refreshing take on the iconic series. 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers issue #9 revealed the true hand behind the conflicts between Rita and the Rangers to be none other than the White Ranger, who calls himself Lord Drakkon. As noted in previous previews, the true identity of the White Ranger was revealed in issue #11 and with the advent of #12, readers finally see Drakkon’s origin story.

Personally, a parallel universe / alternative timeline wasn’t something I expected from this series, which made it a very pleasant surprise after completing issue #11 and #12. This is why we reached out to the BOOM! Studios editing team behind Mighty Morphin Power Rangers— Dafna Pleban, Alex Galer, and Matt Levine— with some questions about #12 and collaborating with Saban Entertainment.

We noticed that spaces like the Zordon’s Pocket Dimension and Goldar’s Dark Dimension play pivotal roles as plot devices throughout the series, was having an alternative timeline as another plot device space something the series was working toward since the beginning?

MMPR Editors: Having pieces like the Pocket Dimension and the Dark Dimension on the table work wonders for the series. They are these malleable places that [writer] Kyle [Higgins] uses to explore interesting themes or character interactions—like the “crumbling” city-scape in the Pocket Dimension when the Rangers are cut off from their powers, or Billy and Goldar held prisoner in the Dark Dimension. He uses these places almost like characters. But the alternate timeline was something that was always in play for Kyle. However, it came from an emotional place—pitting the mysterious Black Dragon against the Rangers with the goal of bringing them to their lowest point and revealing a familiar face as the “puppeteer.”

Does this alternative timeline open the door to having other Power Rangers teams show up more in the comic? (i.e. seeing the Alien Rangers / Kakuranger suits during the final Ranger war)

MMPR Editors: That door is wide open to all of Mighty Morphin canon. Any of those characters—Zords or Rangers—are a possibility. But don’t discount any future Rangers from showing up in our own timeline as well!

Chip Lynn wrote a really fantastic introduction to the first volume of the MMPR trade paperback. How much input from Saban goes into creating the timeline (both current & alternative) in the comic? Does connecting the plot lines to the original television series present any specific challenges?

MMPR Editors: We have a fantastic relationship with the folks at Saban. They know the shows’ canon inside and out. Kyle and the rest of our editorial team work in tandem with them every issue to make sure we’re honoring the original material, both creatively and chronologically, while also striving to break new ground with these characters and this world.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is written by Kyle Higgins and illustrated by Hendry Prasetya, with coloring by Jeremy Lawson and Matt Herms and lettered by Ed Dukeshire and Jim Campbell. Issue #12 is currently out now at local comic book stores. To find one near you and subscribe to the series, visit Find a Comic Shop.