The action-packed third arc of the reimagined Power Rangers saga begins as a mysterious figure descends on Angel Grove, tipping the balance between the Rangers and the VR Troopers forever.
With Rita’s manipulations escalating and the first Prime Zord revealed, the team is pushed to its breaking point—both on the battlefield and within themselves. With the pressure mounting, how will this new villain from the Rangers past define their future?
Superstar writer Melissa Flores and acclaimed artist Michael YG continue their bold reinvention of Ranger mythology in this high-stakes volume where every decision reshapes the future of the Morphin Grid.
[Review is for all 3 volumes, first 12 issues read at once]
I was skeptical going into Power Rangers Prime. The last time Power Rangers tried something like this, telling a new story with existing characters from across the universes back during Beyond The Grid, it didn't go as well as it could have. Prime however is a complete restart, with a new setting, new heroes and villains, and some familiar faces that meld classic Power Rangers with some of the more recent incarnations like Samurai and Megaforce, plus the VR Troopers as well for good measure.
Flores's characters feel real, and although we hit their stories in mid-flow, it's easy to catch up and see both where they're coming from and where they're going. Jun in particular is compelling, and Prime's version of Rita is the right kind of mystery for me. I'm nowhere near as familiar with the VR Troopers, but they fit into the series well enough, pushing the plot forward in the right ways without stealing too much spotlight from our newer characters.
I also thought this would be a 12 issue run, if that, and then that'd be the end, but Flores is clearly playing a longer game. It takes eight issues or so for us to really get the full Ranger team, and we've only got one Zord before the twelve issues are out, and I'm genuinely excited to see how else this world gets fleshed out, and what other characters get roped into the action.
I tried really hard to enjoy this book, but it keeps feeling like there are pages or chapters missing. For example: book 10 ends with the big bad knocked out and his hostage rescued. But then book 11 starts with the big bad having taken his hostage to a new location. She was free on one page and the next time she's seen she's been captured again. There are many other examples of dialogue not following what's happening on the page, jumps in the story that I guess we aren't supposed to notice and the like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
*3.5* Some of the best Rangers-related material I’ve read/watched in recent years yet the publisher is still seemingly canceling it for another Mighty Morphin-based series. SMH. Justice for Prime, man.