One thing I want to do in this new decade is get into more comic books that are from other companies not named Marvel or DC Comics. This is something I’ve been doing slowly over the previous year, reading a lot of highly acclaimed comics in trade paperback form. Now that we are in 2020 I want to keep up with more of the current comics that companies like BOOM! Studios, Image Comics and IDW are publishing. So with that said, I’ve taken a look at the April 2020 solicitations that these comic companies have released to see what stood out.
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS CELEBRATES MILESTONE
April is going to be a big month for the Power Rangers franchise in the comic book world for multiple reasons. Getting the sad news out of the way, April will see Go Go Power Rangers #32 be the final issue of the series. It is definitely sad because Go Go Power Rangers has done a good job creating modern day versions of the original Power Rangers team before Tommy joined the team. Though now that Go Go Power Rangers timeline has become even closer to the current Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series it is not surprising. What I hope we get in the aftermath of Go Go Power Rangers cancelation is the announcement of a new series for the franchise.
Now with that said, on a much happier news side April 2020 will also see the franchise hit a big milestone with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #50. Hitting the 50th issue released is a great for the franchise since it is the first time we see it happen for the Power Rangers. It shows how well done with the comic books revisiting the original Power Rangers team.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #50 is also teasing big things to mark the milestone with several redacted character returns. We already see how the Coinless Kimberly Hart, who is better known as the Ranger Slayer, heavily featured on the cover. So she is likely not one of the redacted characters that is returning.
Given how “Necessary Evil” has tackled the events from the second season of the show and the fallout from “Shattered Grid” these characters could be a combination of Drakkon, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa. Drakkon would obviously be the big return, something that has been teased with how “Shattered Grid” ended. Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa returning also would be a big deal given how they were unceremoniously taken out of the equation in recent issues of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
ORIGIN OF MOST IMPORTANT SLAYERS IN BUFFYVERSE REVEALED
BOOM! Studios has been slowly expanding their version of the Buffyverse with their various Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel comic books. Now they are going to be adding to the mythos of this modern day remake of the Buffyverse with Buffy: Every Generation. This new series looks to spotlight some of the most important Slayers that will likely become even more important down the line. I’m very intrigued as to what BOOM! Studios has planned with these new Slayers since we’ve seen a lot done with modern day Slayers. It’ll be good to see more done with Slayers that predate Buffy and a lot of the events we currently know of.
What’s specifically intriguing is how they will affect what is going on in the current Buffy and Angel comic books. Buffy: Every Generation and the other BOOM! Studios comics for their Buffyverse seem to be building towards a much bigger storyline down the line. This could possibly be a big event like they did with the Power Rangers’ “Shattered Grid.”
MATT FRACTION AND THE DODSONS LAUNCH ADVENTUREMAN
Looking at the new comics coming from Image Comics the one that stood out immediately is a new comic from Matt Fraction, Terry and Rachel Dodson called Adventureman. What immediately sells this comic for me is the names of Fraction and the Dodsons on the cover. This is an excellent creative team that gets the attention of any comic book fan. Each of these creative team members have done excellent work throughout their careers.
Adventureman looks to be a fun series that will be a great look into what makes a hero and the journey of a family looking for what happened to that hero. Having the main characters of mother and son be the only ones to remember the titled Adventureman adds to the interest of this series. That is a great hook to have as there is this mystery of why Adventureman disappeared from the history of this world Fraction and the Dodsons are creating.
KIRKMAN AND SAMNEE BRING THE FIRE POWER
The names of Robert Kirkman and Chris Samnee are more than enough to sell any comic. Putting them together is an immediate must buy whatever the comic book may be. Both creators have Now they are giving fans a great surprise as they are going to be launching a prelude to their Fire Power comic book with an original graphic novel in April.
Based on the cover and solicitation for the Fire Power OGN I’m getting a lot of Iron Fist and Kill Bill vibes from this series. Kirkman has shown with his work on Invincible and The Walking Dead he is a master at crafting worlds that are absolutely riveting. Similarly, Samnee has established himself as one of the best artists in the comic book industry. So this new series will not only be built with fascinating characters but look great. Because of that Fire Power immediately shoots up as the comic I’m most looking forward to this year at the moment.
IDW LAUNCHES NEW STAR WARS: CLONE WARS COMIC
Disney and Marvel’s deal is so interesting when it comes to the comic book world. One reason for that is how Disney does not seem to hesitate when it comes to having other comic book companies publish comics for their properties. You would think with Marvel as their comic book publishing house that they would stay in-house for their properties. That should be especially the case for all the Star Wars comics but it is not.
We have further proof of that with a new Star Wars: Clone Wars comic book that is being published by IDW. Making this even more notable is the fact that it is being timed around when people will likely still be thinking about this era of the Star Wars Universe thanks to the final season of the Clone Wars coming out at the end of February.
NINJA TURTLES MAKE LONG AWAITED RETURN TO NYC
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are in such an interesting place after the events of “City At War.” Every Ninja Turtle is in a different place. Whether is Jennika and Raphael in Mutant Town or Leonardo, Donatello and Michalangelo at O’Neil Farm, everyone seems to be doing their own thing. That looks to be changing with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #105 with Leo, Donatello, Raphael, Michalangelo and Jennika reuniting inside Mutant Town within New York City. That alone should make TMNT #105 a major issue as Sophie Campbell wraps up her first story arc as the main writer for the series.
With the Ninja Turtles all returning to NYC it will also mean that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #105 will likely be the issue that defines how they all deal with Mutant Town. There are a lot of political ramifications for whatever the Ninja Turtles decide to do once they are together. Just them reuniting inside Mutant Town will surely send shockwaves outside the walls of the town.
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