Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers #34

Bennett handles the massive action sequences, that the book is packed full of, and the emotional beats with equal grace. Read Full Review

This year has been phenomenal for Power Rangers fans. Shattered Grid was a truly spectacular story and a complete love letter to the franchise. But somehow, for me, this new creative team has surpassed it. Bennett, Di Meo, Baiamonte and Mortarino have given us the Power Rangers comic of the year, and with this first arc over, I cannot wait to see where they take us next. Even if youre not a fan of Power Rangers at all, if you like good comics, you owe it to yourself to give this one a read. Its truly amazing. Read Full Review

Beyond the Grid is breaking new ground for Power Rangers, and we're glad to be along for the ride. Read Full Review

I Review Comics

Jun 05, 2019

"Beyond the Grid" has been an uneven arc for me. Primarily because I'm disconnected from most of the characters involved.  The story isn't bad, but I think fans will get more from the arc if they are invested in the characters and lore. The issue picks up immediately following the conclusion of the previous issue. Our heroes are discovered by the Praetor and the situation seems grim.  The key strength of the issue is that It finally made me start to feel a connection to these characters. The Praetor plays mind games and begins using the Power Rangers own insecurities in his attacks and nearly gets the best of them throughout the battle.  ​​ Ari still gets the coolest moments in the issue and Kimberly comes into her own as t he leader of this makeshift group.  Simone Di Meo's pencils in the issue are particularly solid during the action sequences. The Rangers get their Zords and they look amazing. There is another page where Ari has to defend another Ranger and it's simply stunning and highlights the heart on display throughout the issue.  The colors are also inspired throughout the comic. It's almost as if the issue was drawn on black paper and then colored over. The effect is that the issue is simply gorgeous to look at.  Heroes defending each other despite overwhelming odds stacked against them is something we should see more of. We usually get the hero part but too many modern comics seem to miss the part of the narrative where heroes are supposed to face adversity.  ​​ There is tension throughout the issue and also a breather as our heroes finally get a respite at some point during the issue. I really think that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers would really benefit from a handbook similar to the official guides that Marvel/DC used to release periodically.  These would really help out readers that may feel lost. I want to give an issue an A rating, I really do. The disconnect is that the story relies too much on me having more than a working knowledge of these characters. ​ I'm getting there, the longer the story goes on but its really hard to latch on to any of these rangers outside of Ari and to a lesser extent Kimberly.  There isn't even a recap to identify the characters for new readers.  It sucks but as good as the issue is some of the design decisions need to be tightened up. This is more of an editorial complaint than the fault of the creative team involved.  more