There was a big end of an era with the Darkest Hour event closing out the eight-year journey of BOOM! Studios’ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. We know from a recent announcement that the BOOM! Studios will continue the franchise with Power Rangers Prime #1 this November. But as we await a new beginning for the franchise it is time to look back at the last eight years of comic books for the Power Rangers. It spoke to the achievement that was BOOM! Studios Power Rangers comic books that every creative team delivered something memorable. With so many moments to choose from it was incredibly tough to select just ten but that is exactly what I did. After much deliberation here are the Top 10 Moments from BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers.
10) Ranger Slayer Claims Lord Drakkon’s Throne
Comic Book: Power Rangers: Ranger Slayer One-Shot
The Coinless Universe version of Kimberly Hart was arguably the breakout character of BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers comic book universe. She went from being the right-hand soldier for Lord Drakkon as the Ranger Slayer to a key ally for the Power Rangers in almost every key storyline. Ranger Slayer Kimberly had one of the greatest character arcs in the franchise.
A great example of this was what Kimberly as the Ranger Slayer had to do once she returned to the Coinless Universe. While as the Ranger Slayer she was able to help the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers team defeat Lord Drakkon it does not mean the Coinless Universe had a reset. When Kimberly returned to her own universe, she found that a zombified Rita Repulsa took control
Ultimately Kimberly was able to lead her Coinless Universe surviving allies to defeat Rita Repulsa. That still left a big gap to fill given how Lord Drakkon left the Coinless Universe. Which made Kimberly’s decision to not only reassume being the Ranger Slayer but taking Lord Drakkon’s throne such a striking visual. It was truly a new, unknown beginning for the Coinless Universe and a full circle moment for Kimberly as the Ranger Slayer.
9) Omega Rangers Defeat Lord Zedd
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #45
Even though Shattered Grid concluded with the universe being reset we saw a lot of changes being made right afterwards. Jason, Trini, and Zack used the Peace Conference as a cover to become the Omega Rangers. They would then secretly work with the Blue Emissary to battle new unknown threats rising up due to how the events of Shattered Grid causing a new Power Rangers universe being formed rather than resetting the classic universe.
Though the Blue Emissary was much more hands off when it came to acting as a mentor to the Omega Rangers. That led Jason, Trini, and Zack confronting Lord Zedd after the villain almost killed the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers team. This confrontation showcased how powerful Jason, Trini, and Zack were as the Omega Rangers, alongside new ally Kiya. They did not waste time in invading the Moon Castle and taking on Lord Zedd’s forces and defeated them.
In many ways the Omega Rangers defeating Lord Zedd is what kicked off everything we saw go down in post-Shattered Grid all the way through Darkest Hour. Because by defeating Lord Zedd in a way that left the lead villain in a near-death state it allowed other new threats like Kiya, the Annoited, and Dayn to take the villain spotlight. Those threats wouldn’t go away, rather escalate to the point Dark Specter plans were able accelerate the timeline of events.
8) Astronema Kills The Prism Rangers (aka Choushinsei Flashman)
Comic Book: Power Rangers Unlimited: Heir to Darkness
Astronema is not only one of the best villains in Power Rangers history but Karone as whole is one of the best characters in the franchise. Throughout Power Rangers In Space, we got a glimpse of how Karone was turned into Astronema. But what we got was kept to a minimum since for as dark as things got in Power Rangers In Space it was still a kids show at the end of the day and could only show so much.
Which is what made Power Rangers Unlimited: Heir to Darkness so special. It gave us a look at how Karone fully became Astronema. And there was no better way to kick things off than seeing Karone before she fully became Astronema kill the Prism Rangers. become Mercilessly killing an entire Power Rangers team established that even before becoming Astronema, Princess of Evil, that Karone was trained to be the ultimate warrior by Ecliptor. The added touch by artist Simone Ragazzoni of blood on her face from the Prism Rangers that she killed made Karone come off as ven more of a brutal badass.
The other part of this opening for Power Rangers Unlimited: Heir to Darkness was the first full adaptation of the Choushinsei Flashman as the Prism Rangers. Before this all we had of the 10th Super Sentai team was a hint in the files Tommy Oliver had about other Power Rangers teams, including one with the symbol associated with the Choushinsei Flashman, in the “Bully for Ethan” episode of Power Rangers: Dino Thunder. Whether this event also happened in the TV universe or not it is a interesting idea that Dark Specter had his subordinates kill the various Super Sentai related Power Rangers teams he saw as threats. It gives added importance to what the Mighty Morphin and all teams that followed them accomplished by finishing the job of their predecessors in ultimately stopping Dark Specter.
7) Zack Taylor Original Choice For Green Ranger
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #5
The “Green With Evil” saga is no doubt one of the most memorable and consequential storylines in Power Rangers history. But things could have been very different as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #5 revealed Tommy Oliver wasn’t Rita Repulsa’s first choice for being her Green Ranger. Rather she tried to recruit Zack Taylor for the role.
How did Rita come to select Zack? Well, as she watched the Power Rangers fight her monsters Rita noticed Zack possible jealousy of Jason as the Red Ranger getting most of the public’s attention and adoration. While Rita tried to play into this when she captured Zack and tried to tempt him to become the Green Ranger it did not work. As Zack showed, it wasn’t so much jealousy but his own heroic nature that he felt he could do more. That leads Zack to showcase his willpower to not give in and resourcefulness in escaping Rita’s castle.
Adding to the importance of Zack turning down Rita’s offer was the fact that he, Zordon, and Alpha knew a month before Tommy’s debut that Rita was aiming to have her own evil Green Power Ranger. Not knowing exactly what this meant, Zack, Zordon, and Alpha kept this massive secret from the rest of the team. Not to mention how different things could’ve been if Zack did become the Green Ranger. Maybe we’ll get that in a possible What If series for the Power Rangers.
6) Mistress Vile Makes Her Debut By Defeating Lord Zedd
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101
When it comes to glow ups Rita Repulsa had the best from BOOM! Studios comic books. While she still had her lighthearted elements the BOOM! Studios version of Rita Repulsa was much darker and methodical. Which made her sudden disappearance after the Shattered Grid reset be felt more. This disappearance was easily explained as the timeline went back to mostly aligning with the TV show universe, so Lord Zedd stepped in as the main villain.
Slotting Lord Zedd in as the main villain created the question of when we would see Rita back and if she would also go down the path of her TV show counterpart? The answer was a definitive no. As we saw at the end of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101 the BOOM! Studios’ Rita Repulsa wasn’t going to return as a joke.
She made that clear in her first action when redebuting as Mistress Vile was to leave Lord Zedd completely broken. The visual of Mistress Vile stepping on a broken Lord Zedd while looking announcing her presence to the White, Pink, and Green Rangers was a massive statement. Simona Di Gianfelice nailed giving Mistress Vile an unstoppable aura. By immediately establishing Mistress Vile threat level Melissa Flores and Gianfelice set the stage for the finale of the eight-year era of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to be as epic as possible.
5) Lord Drakkon’s Debut
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #9
Above all else, what BOOM! Studios Power Rangers comic books will be remembered for is the introduction of Lord Drakkon. Which is what made the execution to his full debut such a hype moment. Up until Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #9 we only heard Rita Repulsa interacting with a mysterious shadowy person. There was no clear indication of who this person was other than they had knowledge about the Power Rangers and Rita Repulsa.
All of the build up starting with the first time we heard Lord Drakkon’s voice in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #4 led up the big hook ending for the second story arc of the series. The final four pages of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #9 is what set the tone for the rest of the series. Going from Rita talking with the voice she’s been talking with for five issues to the full reveal of Lord Drakkon it all hit.
Kyle Higgins was on point with all of the dialogue with Hendry Prasetya taking things to the next level with the phenomenal design of Lord Drakkon. The wicked fusion of the Tommy’s iconic Green and White Ranger designs looked great with Lord Drakkon sitting on his throne adding to his aura of the ultimate villain. Lord Drakkon’s big reveal combined Tommy Oliver and Billy Cranston finding themselves in the Coinless Universe standing in front of massive statues of Rita Repulsa and Drakkon’s Green Ranger was all epic.
4) Phantom Ranger Origin Story Revealed
Comic Book: Power Rangers Universe #5
One of the biggest Power Rangers mysteries that was left unanswered for decades was the Phantom Ranger’s origin story. There were various theories on who was the Phantom Ranger from being Bill Cranston to being Zordon’s son. The truth was that when they were simply known as the Morphinaut their obsession with the Morphin Grid attracted Dark Specter’s attention to discover the power source. The Morphinaut would end up teaming up with the Squadron Rangers against Dark Specter’s forces.
When Dark Specter infected the Squadron Rangers the Morphinaut absorbed Dark Specter’s evil energy to become the villain’s vessel. To save their friend the Squadron Rangers sacrificed themselves to become the Emissaries of the Morphin Grid and rid Morphinaut of Dark Specter’s influence. While saved the Morphinaut ended up becoming the Phantom Ranger and representative for the Emissaries of the Morphin Grid.
There was a lot more in Power Rangers Universe as to what influenced the Morphinaut to become the Phantom Ranger. Ultimately, the Phantom Ranger’s origin was more tragic than thought. The Phantom Ranger’s own obsession with the Morphin Grid turned out to be what caused Dark Specter to become the Power Rangers ultimate villain and the events that took place in the Zordon Era. While he certainly played his part in helping the Power Rangers ultimately defeat Dark Specter, their hands will forever be dirty with the role they played in starting everything.
3) Jason Shattered Grid Speech To The Power Rangers Of The Multiverse
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #30
Jason Lee Scott set the standard for Red Rangers. He lived up to what it means for the Red Ranger to lead the other Power Rangers to overcome all of the odds against overwhelming evil forces. And throughout BOOM! Studios comic books we saw Jason tested many times in having to make difficult choices.
Jason’s biggest test came during Shattered Grid as Lord Drakkon was taking out Power Rangers one after another across the Multiverse. With all the surviving Power Rangers across the Multiverse gathering in the present era of the Mighty Morphin team there needed to be a uniting voice. That’s where Jason stepped up huge to rally everyone in an epic speech that was the greatest reminder of why he is the standard for Red Rangers.
Adding to this moment, Jason immediately followed up his uniting speech by transferring the Dragon Dagger and Shield to Kimberly. This showed Jason understood that Kimberly was the best to lead the Megazords and carry Tommy’s legacy. Both combine to showcase Jason as a great leader whose greatest strength is understanding what his friends and allies need to hear or see him do.
2) Kimberly Hart Assembles The Multiverse Pink Rangers
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin #22
While things got reset at the end of Shattered Grid the ramifications of that event was still felt in the new Power Rangers timeline. Kimberly learning about the Shattered Grid events and that that there where future Power Rangers that would follow her team from Trini was an example of that. Understandably, since she didn’t get the full details as Trini had to rush off on Omega Ranger business, Kimberly started wondering if she and her team where expendable since other Power Rangers follow them.
Kimberly taking it as being expendable was a reminder that she and the others were still teenagers. Since she didn’t have her full memories of Shattered Grid returned to her like Trini and the others she didn’t view this from a legacy perspective. It wasn’t until she and Tommy found themselves attacked by villains across the Power Rangers Multiverse attacking them that the Pink Emissary helped Kimberly understand her legacy.
Taking the knowledge of how important she and the Mighty Morphin team were to setting the standard for the Power Rangers legacy we got one of the most hype moments in the franchise. Tapping into the Morphin Grid Kimberly was able to summon every Pink Ranger from across the Multiverse to help her defeat Trakeena, Ransik, Sledge, Dai Shi, and Santaura. Seeing Kimberly lead all of her Pink Ranger successors in battle was a great reminder of the legacy created by the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers team.
1) Lord Drakkon Kills Tommy Oliver To Kick Off Shattered Grid
Comic Book: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #25
When it comes to defining the BOOM! Studios Power Rangers comic books as such standouts for the franchise look no further than what kicked off the Shattered Grid event. Lord Drakkon returning by stabbing and killing Tommy Oliver with Saba was next level villainy. In the one spread page Daniele Di Nicuolo made you feel how personal this was that drove Drakkon to do such a thing to his original timeline counterpart.
It really set the tone for Shattered Grid being an event where anything could happen. While it wasn’t the first Power Rangers death we saw in Shattered Grid, as most of the Time Force Rangers were wiped out to start Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #25. But what made you feel Tommy’s death more was that it wasn’t normal to see a character stab another character in such a brutal way in the Power Rangers franchise.
This moment certainly took Lord Drakkon from great to possibly the best villain in Power Rangers history. Taking out the most popular Power Ranger in Tommy Oliver ensured Drakkon had the most heat possible throughout all his future appearances. It drove home Shattered Grid is a must-read event for all Power Rangers’ fans.
For more opinions on anime, comic book, movies, and sports you can follow Kevin on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter/X.