(Disclaimer: Please buy the comic before reading this review available at your local comic shop!) They can also be found by visiting findacomicshop.com or comicshoplocator.com
Preface
This is the final PR comic for 2023! How does it play out? Well…
The Cover
Zordon: “NO! WHY DID WE DECIDE TO PLAY BATTLE WITH THE GRID HERE? THE GAME IS SO OVER!”
Yeah, it’s kind of a goofy-looking cover, but I’m fine with it.
The Story
On Safehaven, Rita taunts Tommy and tries to get him to voluntarily bow for her, but he laughs right in her face, even pointing out that she abused him the same way that Dark Specter is abusing her. But, she completely denies it.
On Earth, Matt is telling us all the info we already know but has an anxiety attack in the middle of it. Luckily, Aisha is the one to calm him down.
Anyway, Zack and Trini tell everyone about a secret tunnel at Safehaven that they can use to get to the Arch without a full assault. However, they will still need a lot more firepower. So, they contact Zedd and offer him full control of the Serpentera Zord in exchange for his help. Before they go, Kim meets with Jason and asks him to fight for Earth if they don’t make it back.
On Safehaven, the villains aren’t chilling. Dayne starts to wonder that maybe a guy making people into mindless slaves might not be the best employer for him. Death Ranger is getting his butt kicked for trying to be proactive in the previous issue, which Rita then performs a spell on to end him permanently.
Soon after, the Chronos Hyperforce Megazord and the Serpent Zord cause a distraction, attacking the grounds. The rest of the Rangers (sans Billy and Kendall) try to sneak through the tunnel, but Alpha-1, the garage-sale robot that merged himself with Xi’s body, fights the Rangers and a lot happens in the commotion. Kim gets demorphed, Mistress Vile and the Vessel find out about the whole plan and come down, and Drakkon enters the Arch on his own with a possessed Ranger Slayer right behind him.
So, you know, it’s nothing to worry about. This is how most of their plans go.
Ending Thoughts
The latest chapter for Darkest Hour, the final PR issue for 2023, is… eh.
As a large event, this issue does take the time to see the perspectives of people on both sides: heroes and villains. Our heroes are struggling with what to do next and how they can solve this problem, even as they enact their plans. Our villains are starting to think for themselves, whether it involves new weapons or strategies or learning who their true enemies are. It works for a transitional moment for the story with the reveal of the possessed Ranger Slayer and both her and Drakkon going into the Morphin’ Grid, but as a standalone issue, a lot of these scenes are underwhelming. They’re either too quick for us to fully indulge what little character we are given or too generic or predictable to catch us off guard.
There are, of course, one or two standout moments here and there.
The idea of exploring the abuse from Rita and Tommy’s original relationship to compare it with Rita’s current relationship is certainly an interesting take that I wouldn’t have expected. I respect it for acknowledging that it was a form of abuse. And, even though I have a few nitpicks here and there, I fully appreciate having the scene with Jason and Kim interacting. Even though Jason doesn’t need to be in this story, their conversation does two things. First, it conveys the seriousness of the situation and fits with the overall dark tone that Kim doesn’t know whether she will return or win this fight so she says goodbye to the one person not a part of the fight. Second, and this is more important in my opinion, it shows the excellent friendship and respect that Kim has for Jason. That, even though he’s no longer a Ranger, not even a part of Promethea, Kim still trusts Jason’s leadership and skills to give the Rangers and Earth some hope that the world will be protected.
MMPR #115 is a weak standalone issue with only a few character moments to support it but still serves as an excellent gateway into the second half of Darkest Hour.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- … You know, for a girl that has to deal with anxiety attacks, apparently, Aisha doesn’t know that you shouldn’t touch someone unless you have their permission because it could be triggering for them. Of course, this is dependent on the person, but still…
- There’s a photo in Jason’s room that I’m almost positive is just a photo from real life given a watercolor filter to make it look cartoony.
- Speaking of Jason’s room, why is there a wall where there are so many picture frames overlapping with each other? That’s weird.
- Kim: “There won’t be Rangers here to defend [Earth].” After she says this, a few pages later, we see Kendall and Billy at the Command Center so, what are you trying to say, Kim? (I mean, Kendall has her own personal Megazord. You don’t have one, Kim!)
- Ok, there was a lapse in communication somewhere because in one of the Safehaven panels, in the background, there’s an evilized Hyperforce Red… even though there’s a real one fighting in the Megazord.
