It’s A Family Thing — Reviewing ‘Power Rangers Prime’ #11

At a glance, superhero style comic issues with little to no overall big bombastic action can seem like they’re quiet. On the contrary, they are often some of the most informative issues that can be delivered in these ongoing stories.

Power Rangers are about fighting monsters but also about relatable things centered around teenage characters. We feel that, in a unique universe way, through Power Rangers Prime #11 from Melissa Flores, Michael Yg, Joana LaFuente, and Ed Dukeshire.

Family.

That is one of the key themes right now centered on the emerging group of Rangers. Funny enough, it’s the same theme plaguing their antagonists (possibly soon allies) the VR Troopers over in their own miniseries. Red Ranger Lauren has been searching for her family since before stumbling across these others who are now her fellow Rangers. Black Ranger Jun is the son of Eltarian Guardian Admiral Janessa and Eltarian General Voltar, forces aligned against the Rangers.

So basically, family is a bit of a messy topic for these people right now.

There is just something amazing in what Flores has accomplished in these eleven issues so far. Taking a cast of mostly unknown or underdeveloped or only used in the TV show characters and crafting something with them. Adding such vibrancy and depth. Allowing them to feel fully fleshed out as if we’ve been reading them for years at this point.

Whole issues of mostly character chatting are just as gripping as fully action-packed ones. Their interpersonal drama, their goals, their desires, and their wants splashed across the pages.

Even more shocking is that at this point the full Ranger team has barely fought together, or even gained all their Ranger accoutrements (Zords, weapons, etc.). It doesn’t phase anyone one bit because what is on the page is compelling enough.

Something with such emotional depths needs to really reflect that at all turns. Yg has nailed it time and time again, really giving these characters their dues as their features are so sharp and detailed, every bit of feeling etched into their faces and body movement. It helps keep the dramatic tension so much more palpable as we just bounce around spaces.

When there is bigger or smaller action, it all flows so smoothly and comfortably. The dense nature of it all really gives this world more power. He takes this thing we know so well and altering it to fit the new aesthetic and tone, making it all their own, just like the book as a whole.

Darkness is far more inherent in things because of aforementioned nature of this story, really adding pervasive weight to all things. Even the Ranger suits and accessories have a darker shade to them, while still remaining something flashier and hopeful. LaFuente really does wonders with the palette as it shifts and changes at every turn.

Balancing it all out is the more natural or neutral tones used for the backgrounds, backdrops, and more. It hits those familiar feelings with the buildings and outside world, while keeping to the darker or lighter color splashes around them.

Hitting on that color and other aspects is what the lettering does so well too, popping character voices with utter emotional depth power. It sprinkles in little unique modifiers that allow the voices to keep their separate identities and needs. Dropping in those giant bold shots for characters shouting, like the morph sequences, so that they cause that chill up the spine. Dukeshire just really hits every note and it’s clear why BOOM! turns to him so much for lettering work.

Power Rangers Prime #11 is now available from BOOM! Studios.