Guess how I screwed up, kids! Last week’s comic was the final issue but because I messed up the order in my collection this was in the wrong spot. I fail at organization…which is sad considering my other site is all about organizing my crap.
What are you punching? The jets are behind you.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Ninja Rangers #4
Marvel (March, 1996)
“Loyalty” WRITER: Fabian Nicieza PENCILER: Bart Schmidt INKERS: Don Hudson, Sam DeLarosa, Steve Geiger, Pondscum, and Wayne Murray Wait, FIVE inkers for a comic this short? Really? COLORIST: Mike Worely LETTERER: Janice Chaing EDITOR: Mariano Nicieza EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Carl Potts
Ummm….this cover exists. I’ve got nothing.
VR Troopers #4
Marvel (March, 1996)
“Ghost Of A Chance” WRITER: Frank Strom PENCILER: Steve Ditko INKER: Jim Amash COLORIST: Jim Hoston LETTERER: Mike Higgins EDITOR: Mariano Nicieza EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Carl Potts
I think Fabian forgot what universe he was writing for. The citizens of Angel Grove are not going to toss their heroes under the bus the way the citizens of the Marvel universe do. During a fight with the Rangers, Goldar tells the citizens that they only attack because the Power Rangers are here…which is dumb because Rita launched her attack before there were Power Rangers, at least on Earth, and everyone knows it. They fall for it until the Rangers call the Ninja Zords to battle a giant Goldar, roughly a few minutes time. This story really wasn’t trying at all and I don’t know how much blame is put on the Marvel-induced runtime.
So it took until the last issue for the VR Troopers comics finally get Kaitlin Star’s last name right. This issue? No last name in the character credits even though Ryan and J.B. have theirs. Did I mention they are in the second season of the show by this point? Tao takes the gang to a museum to show off a display of Chinese artifacts, which includes weapons and a statue representation of a Gynosi, the Chinese version of a vampire. Later that night Grimlord has his Skugs steal the artifacts and when the Troopers interfere he pulls a Lord Zedd and turns the statue into a cyborg monster that can only be defeated by those artifacts. Strom didn’t watch a single episode of this show, did he?
This is the last of the Marvel Power Ranger/VR Troopers comics…and NONE of them are worth my continued keeping. This saddens me because the idea of the Rangers fighting weaker threats with only their ninja powers was a nice idea that was never used, and the only VR Troopers comics in existence are so unlike the show that it wasn’t worth the bother making them. Maybe we can talk Papercutz into trying to do something with it?
Next week it’s one last attempt for Marvel to adapt a Saban product with Masked Rider. Let’s hope that comes out better. Due to certain events next week there will be a special edition of Scanning My Collection in the Friday Saban review slot as we get to the next installment of Linkara’s History Of Power Rangers with Jungle Fury while I do a project for my cousin.
BW Media Spotlight 