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Preface
Ok, it’s 2020 now, the start of a brand new decade, and we’re starting the year off with something special.
No, I’m not referring to this IDW crossover (which I recently found out that they have done a lot of crossovers with their own series). I’m referring to the fact that for the first time, we have six weeks straight of Power Rangers comics. Yeah, after this issue, next week, we get Go Go Power Rangers #27, and then the week after that, we get Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #47, and then Go Go Power Rangers #28, and then MMPR / TMNT #3, and finally Go Go Power Rangers #29. This is the biggest amount of content for PR comics we have ever gotten in such a short period of time. It honestly serves as a reminder as to how much more consistent and varied content we now have for Power Rangers than before.
The Cover
It’s the classic team vs. team, hero vs. hero, cover. I’ll be honest, I feel two different things about this cover. On the one hand, I love the contrast of two different backgrounds, the sunny Angel Grove countryside vs. the dark New York City skyline. Its’ two different styles clashing together, separated by a thunderbolt design and putting everything off balance. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of how they positioned the heroes combating each other. There’s too much space between them all. I know it’s an effort to have them all in there, but some of the heroes don’t even look they’re actually fighting, just leaping to get in the shot.
The Story
Continuing right from the last issue, both the Turtles and the Rangers call the fight a draw until they figure out what’s going on. The Rangers agree to follow the Turtles back to their base (and reveal their identities to them) right before April O’Neil films her broadcast at the tech factory about the Foot Clan’s break-in. Meanwhile, the Shredder takes Tommy back to the Technodrome, a mobile tank/fortress, in Dimension X and Tommy makes his move. He finds one of the Foot Clan’s soldiers, named Tyler. Tommy explains to Tyler that Tyler’s stepfather contacted Tommy weeks ago about his son’s involvement in the Foot Clan and wanted Tommy for help in saving his son. However, when Tommy’s back is turned, Tyler zaps him and hands him over to Shredder.
The next day, after Kim works with April to find any clues regarding the Foot Clan’s whereabouts and Billy works with Donatello to create a Morpher tracker, the other Rangers and Turtles attack a construction site where the Foot Clan is hanging out. During the fight, we see more of the interactions with the Rangers and the turtles, including the most important conversation of them all.
“It’s a hot take, I know. I’m a contrarian by nature.”
With their combined forces, they easily take out all of their soldiers and captures Karai in the process. However, she refuses to give them any information on Tommy’s whereabouts. At the Moon Palace, Rita suddenly detects a shift in the Morphin’ Grid and teleports herself and the rest of her group to Earth. There, she finds Bebop and Rocksteady and Shredder as well. Rita demands that the Green Power Coin be handed over to her, but Shredder has a surprise in store…
It’s a sad day when you see a grown man wear a teenager’s clothes…
Ending Thoughts
The first issue was good in setting up and teasing a lot of the fun dynamics and interactions that can occur between these two teams and this issue doesn’t disappoint in delivering some fun character moments between everyone involved. The Zack and Mikey conversation above was just one example. The characters are able to bounce off each other easily and give plenty of memorable dialogue like Jason and Leonardo exchanging karate strategies and Donatello trying to impress Billy with all of his inventions.
In addition to that, it does a good job of integrating more the worlds of both teams by slowly introducing us to characters from both sides. From the first issue, the comic made the impression that the only characters we’d be focusing on are the Rangers, the Turtles, and the Foot Clan. But now we have these extra characters like Bebop and Rocksteady and Rita and her minions. It shows that as long as they have a purpose to this story, there’s no limit to the number of characters that can cross over.
With the artwork still strong as ever, MMPR / TMNT #2 progresses the overall story and gives us more of the moments you’d want from a team-up.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- I do like the mention of the Ranger Station. It’s a good touch for how other people know about the Power Rangers and does make Bulk and Skull’s contributions with their channel more important.
- Also, lacking in TMNT knowledge, but I have to ask. Does the cameraman usually know about the Turtles when they’re secret? I don’t even know his name here. Is he supposed to be important?
- In my TMNT “research”, basically using Google, I found that the Technodrome is supposed to be used by Krang, basically Omni from SPD. I now have to wonder whether or not he’s going to show up here or if he’ll ever be mentioned because a random ninja clan having a spherical fortress makes a casual think.
- Donatello: “Ah man. They’re just… regular people.” Mikey: “I don’t know… Two are above average.” He’s obviously talking about Billy and Zack. (Also, since they’re still secret, odds are the Turtles haven’t met that many humans yet, so between just April and probably Karai, yeah… our Rangers are above average.)
- So, about Tyler, I’m interested in seeing him. Tommy trying to save an old friend from the Foot Clan sounds like a good plot for this team-up and I can see a scenario where his dad would’ve contacted some of his old friends. But, for the next couple of issues, he’s going to have some focus for me to care about whether or not he should stay in this ninja clan.
- Though I will also say, it’s Tommy’s fault for not coming up with a better plan than trying to drag him back home.
- “Jellybeans, onions, and butterscotch. The breakfast of champions.” Ok, for a strange reason, I get the jellybeans and the butterscotch, but what do the onions do? Do they add nutrition or something?
- So, the Green Shredder Ranger design? The helmet’s easily the best part about it. My only real complaint is that some of the purple clashes the main green aesthetic.
