There’s so much going for this comic, an excellent tease with issue #0 two months ago, coming right off the casting announcements for the upcoming movie, and the new season in full force. There’s pressure for this series to deliver, but also a lot of enthusiasm towards it. Power Rangers hasn’t been this popular across all demographics in many years. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1 begins with a broadcast from Bulk and Skull who follow and report on the adventures of the Power Rangers, defenders of Angel Grove, California. Bulk and Skull try to get the opinion on the events in MMPR #0, and the Green Ranger joining forces with them to what seems a rocky start among mixed opinion, Bulk asks Billy Cranston and Trini Kwan, then the new guy in town, one Tommy Oliver. As Bulk pressures questions on Tommy, he seems unsure of having an honest answer of what the Power Rangers mean to him. As he also seems unsure of what his new role is on the already established and battle tested team of Rangers.

This issue explores more on the hallucinations Tommy has with Rita trying to give in to his former evil self, the feeling of isolation he has from the other Rangers who seem to have forged unbreakable bonds after defending the Earth time and time again. MMPR #1 is completely Green Ranger centric, showing his character more than any other, with some bits of Kimberly’s interest for him and establishing the rest of the team in their characteristic, almost stereotypical self. Jason is assertive and sure of his decisions, Zack is the great friend who lends an ear to people, Trini and Billy compliment each other as she translates his nerd talk (still not as bad as the show itself), and Kimberly earning the popular spot in the school. Kyle Higgins continued to draw from the Green With Evil storyline and nothing else. There is a B-story happening with Rita and the last page of issue #0 but it is just too little to be invested in it at all, and half of that interaction was already needed to re-establish what happened, it may be a story surrounding the first Sixth Ranger, but it barely shows.

Henry Prasetya and Matt Herms are doing great work on art duties. Their work is best shown during fight sequences and showcasing all the Rangers fully morphed and kicking ass. Unfortunately there’s only two panels of Morphed Rangers and then goes into everything else we might’ve not missed from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Classes, talking about other classes, getting detention, and then actually having detention happen. The more interesting pages are few and far between, but not for lack of art skills, but misuse of them. As they shined in the action-packed issue #0, with grimm opening pages, modern kaiju-like detail on the monster and full range on the Megazord; a lot of it is lost in MMPR #1. There’s straying away from the episodic formula of fight, morphed fight, Zord fight, Megazord battle, to throwing it completely away to favor an identity crisis surrounded by one-sided characters.

The backup story is full of action as the lovable duo of Bulk and Skull continue their never ending love-hate relationship with the Power Rangers. Bulk and Skull decide it’s time they get their just deserve (and dessert) and steal the win away from the Rangers in the knick of time. One page of Mr. Bulkmeier and Skullovitch driving senseless right into a giant robot fighting a monster is more action than 3/4 of the main story.  It kind of makes me wish Steve Orlando takes over writing duties for the main story after Higgins is done with his arc. Or that the writing roles could have been switched altogether.

A lot of the steam issue #0 gathered is lost in this issue. It ain’t Morphin Time yet in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1, but I definitely hope we’ll get there sooner rather than too late. As far as picking it this issue up, the many great variant covers will probably hold more appeal than the issue, but my personal policy is: since Green With Evil is a full five part mini series within the season itself, it’s only fair to give this series a good 3 issues before it falls off the Morphing grid.

Score: 3/5

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1 Writer: Kyle Higgins Artist: Hendry Prasetya Colorsist: Matt Herms Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 3/2/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital