Saban's Power Rangers Original Graphic Novel: The Psycho Path (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)

Without much spoilers, this is a great revival for the psycho rangers and is very much about those guys, not the In Space Rangers. A must read if you were into the Psycho Rangers or Power Rangers in general.

Having watched the original series as a kid, I was excited to see that the Psycho Rangers were getting a graphic novel. The ending sets up the possibility of them returning or (hopefully) getting a series of their own.A must read if you liked In Space and Lost Galaxy!

Muy buen producto

Paul Allor’s “Power Rangers: The Psycho Path” features art by Guiseppe Cafaro, colors by Marcelo Costa, and letters by Ed Dukeshire. The story picks up some time after the events of “Power Rangers in Space” and “Power Rangers Lost Galaxy,” with the Green Psycho Ranger escaping from the Moon where the 1969 Power Rangers buried him during the events of “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” no. 20. He gathers the other Psycho Rangers and seeks out Astronema, who continues working to reform from the life she led while under Ecliptor’s brainwashing in the service of Dark Specter. She sought to find her identity as Karone and even joined the Galaxy Rangers at one point, though this story picks up after she gave up being the Pink Galaxy Ranger. She once again lives as Karone on KO-35, the planet she and Andros, the Red Space Ranger, originally called home. Though Astronema did not create Psycho Green, he considers Karone and he siblings as they were both once in the service of Dark Specter. Karone, meanwhile, has learned that she and Astronema are merely two facets of the same person. She was not necessarily the result of Ecliptor’s brainwashing, but just a part of Karone. That blending allows her to negotiate a different path. While Psycho Green wants to rebuild Dark Specter’s empire, Karone/Astronema works to help the other Psycho Rangers discover identities separate from blunt killing machines in service to another.Allor’s graphic novel works much like Brenden Fletcher’s “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink” or Kyle Higgins’s “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon,” in that it offers an epilogue for fan-favorite characters, but with writing fitting the more mature tone of Boom! Studios’ “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” comics. Those who watched “Power Rangers in Space” or “Power Rangers Lost Galaxy” between 1998-2000 will find this a fitting extension of those storylines, particularly as it continues both series’ habit of complicating the black-and-white morality of earlier “Power Rangers” seasons. For that alone, Allor’s work is particularly fitting as the fourth “Power Rangers” graphic novel (following the two previously mentioned and Ryan Parrott & Lucas Werneck’s “Power Rangers: Aftershock”). As a bonus, this volume reprints “Psychotic” from “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” no. 20, written by Trey Moore with art by French Carlomagno, introducing Trek, the Green Supersonic Ranger who betrayed his team to become Psycho Green.

This is the first of the BOOM! Studios Power Rangers comics that doesn't focus on at least one of the rangers from the original Mighty Morphin series. Karone/Astromena is the protagonist. The Psycho Rangers first appeared in In Space and returned in Lost Galaxy. The Green Psycho Ranger was previously introduced in the main comic series. Keeping all that in mind, this graphic novel may seem like it has the most barriers to entry than any other of the current comics but I think there's enough given context and a self contained story that you don't have to be too familiar with all the characters. You just need to know the basics of Power Rangers or be willing to do some RangerWiki searches.I absolutely loved this book. You're dropped into the middle of the action with little exposition. The necessary information is given in a natural way. I'm hoping for more books like this that follow more obscure characters to come in the future. I'd even be up for a follow-up to this book.Karone/Astronema is the star of this book. The moral grayness is a welcome change for Power Rangers. Boom! Studios is taking the stories from a campy, fun children's show and giving it more depth. The depth is there in the show, but it isn't delved into like these comics. This book is about finding your own identity. Your own community. Your own family. Names are also a big part of this story. The idea that contradictions create personalities. My favorite quote that really sums up the story is "Learning about other people's stories helps us take control of our own."This is a modern story about empathy, identity and moral complexity. I would love to see a continuation of this story, whether in a direct sequel or having these characters appear in one of the main series comics.At the end of the book is a short comic story featuring the Supersonic Power Rangers and the origin of the Green Psycho Ranger. I was so happy to finally read this story. It was originally printed in the Year Two Deluxe Edition collection.I give this book a 5/5. This is what Boom! Studios is doing so well with the Power Rangers franchise. Adding interesting stories that give a different perspective while adding to and inhancing the expansive Ranger mythology.