Almost 23 years after they first debuted on American shores, Saban's Power Rangers are making a media comeback with adult audiences vying for a nostalgia-fueled reunion with their favorite team of mighty morphers. With a new movie and an upcoming rebooted streaming-based series, the next logical step would be an homage-filled comic book -- and that's exactly what the Eisner Award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios is bringing to the table in collaboration with Saban Brands with their upcoming Power Rangers #0, which is set to debut January 2016.
Staying true to the original show, the Power Rangers comic, written by Kyle Higgins and Mairghread Scott, with art by Daniel Bayliss and Hendry Prasetya, "will have "appeal especially to super fans who grew up watching the show in the '90s," according to an official press statement released by BOOM!. The story follows the adventures of the teenage superhero martial arts-fighting squad, comprised of Jason the Red Ranger, Zack the Black Ranger, Trini the Yellow Ranger, Billy the Blue Ranger and Kimberly the Pink Ranger, with Green Ranger-to-be Tommy joining the team later on in the series.
Here is the official synopsis for the debut issue:
"After escaping Rita Repulsa's mind control, Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, joins the rest of the Power Rangers to combat her never-ending evil plans. Any semblance of a normal life is now gone for Tommy, but with his newfound family there lies hope for a brighter path."
Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon expressed his excitement over bringing the Power Rangers into a new medium for most older audiences who grew up expressly watching the television show.
"We've been teasing this launch for a while now, so it's nice to finally unveil some of the big plans we have in store for the fans," said Gagnon. "We've worked to create something that is fun and fresh, yet still carries the authenticity of the original Power Rangers series we grew up loving and continue to be fans of today. We're exploring one of our favorite Ranger's toughest times and doing it in a way that we, as fans ourselves, are excited to dig deeper into."
The release of the comic comes with a true Power Rangers renaissance, especially in the wake of the next rebooted Power Rangers movie, which is currently in production, and the news of both Saban and Nickelodeon bringing the next iteration of the Power Rangers television show to Netflix in 2017.
"The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers served as a launching pad for the now global Power Rangers franchise and it's been exciting to see it come full circle through our partnership with BOOM! Studios," said Marcy George, who serves as Saban Brand's VP of Global Consumer Products.
"BOOM! has brought on notable artists, including Paul Pope and Kevin Wada, to bring to life these iconic characters. It will be fascinating for fans to explore completely new adventures through the comic books and learn more about the original team of Power Rangers," she added.
Check out the covers for Power Rangers #0 by Goñi Montes below.
Source: BOOM! Studios
