The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers comic book series from Boom Studios has taken the beloved television franchise and expanded it. The series follows the original Power Rangers from the first season, including Tommy as the Green Ranger.
Recently, Tommy discovered a version of himself from a parallel world who calls himself Lord Drakkon. This version of him is the epitome of evil, which has led to the death of a lot of characters. On February 15, issue #12 discovered a whole lot more about Drakkon, and we talked to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers editors, made up of Dafna Pleban, Alex Galer, and Matt Levine, about where the series is headed.
GameSpot: Emotionally, how is Tommy dealing with seeing another version of himself as Rita's newest villain?
MMPR Editors: One of the the big emotional questions driving this series has always been, "Can Tommy reconcile his past and find his place on the Ranger team?" Plagued by visions of Rita and gripes with Jason and Zack, Tommy pushed through it all and was just starting to feel like himself--like he had a path and purpose. But meeting Drakkon has challenged all of that. Drakkon symbolizes Tommy's fear that there is still evil within him and that becoming Lord Drakkon could very well be in his own future.
This issue opens up the idea of Power Rangers from parallel dimensions. Will we be seeing parallel versions of other characters?
We will. And keep in mind, we're not only in a parallel dimension, but a future parallel dimension. We're further along in the Ranger timeline here, which leaves the door open to more characters from future iterations of Mighty Morphin.
During the fight sequences in the past/parallel world, we see other Rangers. Does this mean we'll be seeing other Rangers (Zeo, Turbo, Ninja, etc.) in the main world a possibility? Personally, as editors, who would you like to see?
The "Mighty Morphin" canon extends from Season 1 up through "In Space." That's our sandbox. It's all fair game. There is still so much more that happens to these characters and this world—from new Zords to new Rangers—that we want to explore, but we want to make sure it feels earned and that we've exhausted all we can with the story we're currently telling. Personally, I love the mythology that comes with Zeo. It really cracks open the world and introduces a lot of new and interesting elements to the series, like the new Power Chamber and The Machine Empire, one of the more formidable foes for the Rangers. Also, who wouldn't want to see Hendry draw the Gold Zeo Ranger?
Speaking of new Zords, will we be seeing a "changing of the Zords" or will the comic continue to focus on the first generation?
There is still a lot of story to tell with these characters and Zords, but we would never say never. If and when do get to new Zords or Rangers, we want to make sure the change feels necessary and organic to the story we're telling.
In a broader sense, how will this event shape the future of the comic? Will it have lasting repercussions?
Writer Kyle Higgins is always thinking of the bigger picture—anything he throws at these characters is tied to future emotional and narrative stakes that we plan to follow through on. Over the next couple of issues, as we head toward the climactic finale of our parallel universe story line, I think readers will really start to see the seeds of what we have in store for the future of the series.
What can you tell us about the people at the end the issue #12?
Saba tells Tommy and Billy about a battle called the Fall of the Rangers and a "makeshift army" that was formed to try and combat Lord Drakkon. The three people we meet at the end of the issue are part of what's left of that army... they're the resistance. And Bulk, Trini, and Aisha aren't the only past and future Rangers in the group.
What separates Tommy from Drakkon? Is it something as simple as a momentary decision or is it larger?
This is actually what our Tommy would like to know, too! We plan to explore where Drakkon and our Tommy diverted—what happened to Drakkon emotionally to set him down this road.
Each issue ends with a two-page Bulk and Skull adventure. Are there plans to expand it or will it stick to the 2-page format?
We'll continue the two-page back-up format. However, #12 is the big finale to The Ongoing Adventures of Bulk & Skull. With issue #13 introducing "Year 2" of the series, readers will be in for a treat with a new creative team on back-ups. "The Ongoing Misadventures of..." well, you will just have to wait and see.