Bulk & Skull: Heroes?! In Go Go Power Rangers #24

Bulk & Skull have been the dumb school bullies for as long as I can remember. The Power Rangers have made quite an impression on them though. These two have been recording the heroics of the team for their Ranger Station video channel and some of those tendencies could be rubbing off on them. Go Go Power Rangers #24 gives us a look at their perspective on the terrors that hit Angel Grove.

With the way they’re framed, Bulk & Skull never catch a break. Sure, they were first on the scene with Range Station, but some upstart rich kids are muscling in on their turf. They crave a little of that fame and recognition, but they’re also kind of dumb and mean. This issue shows that moment of transformation when they start to think about more than just themselves.

This comes together in a pretty powerful way, in the midst of a huge battle between the Power Rangers and Lord Zedd’s latest villain, Lady Grumptruck. Artist Daniel Bayliss gives us the man on the street perspective that shows just how scary these fights can be for the normal people just trying to live their lives in the city. Can you imagine going to work and then having to evacuate your office because a giant dump truck monster is fighting a big robot dragon outside your window?

Bayliss presents this battle as larger than life because in many ways, it is. We’re often in the middle of these fight scenes, so Go Go Power Rangers #24 offers us a different point of view. The opponents don’t even seem to acknowledge the people on the ground or the destruction they’re causing. They’re focused entirely on each other and winning the fight.

Colorist Raul Angulo further differentiates this battle from others, giving it a grittier feel. We’re not seeing the bright, flashy colors we’re used to in a Power Rangers action sequence. Instead, we’re seeing the dust and debris that’s kicked up as a result, coating everything in a dingy grey. I can only imagine the lawsuits that have come about because of these fights.

There’s a nice sequence that ties all of these elements together. Bulk & Skull are racing to get closer to the action when Lady Grumptruck is knocked into a building, sending all kinds of debris onto the two would-be filmmakers. They’re lucky to be alive, yet neither combatant noticed they were there.

Go Go Power Rangers #24 culminates in a heroic scene from the unlikely duo. Letterer Ed Dukeshire highlight the dire straits some folks find themselves in with some rough word balloons. They’re trapped with no hope of escape…until Bulk & Skull show up.

If you would have told me 25 years ago that there would come a time where Bulk & Skull would be humanized and I’d actually relate to them, I would have thrown my after school snack at you. That’s exactly what Go Go Power Rangers #24 does. Writers Ryan Parrott & Sina Grace have made these two idiots relatable. They’re not just bumbling buffoons. There’s a lot more going on with these two.

This issue also serves as a moment to catch our breath from the fast-paced onslaught of “Necessary Evil.” While I’m eager to see where that storyline goes, this is a welcome sight to cleanse the palette a bit.

Go Go Power Rangers #24 from Boom! Studios is currently available at your local comic shop and digitally through ComiXology and Amazon Kindle.