Last time on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers:
The Power Rangers are still recovering from the Death Ranger incident, when the moon reappears. The team receives a distress signal from Rita/Zedd’s palace. The power rangers make their way to the moon base, only to find that Rita is back and stronger than before. Going by the name Mistress Vile, she makes quick work of the team before the rangers manage to escape with Zedd in tow but leave Matt behind.
Now on the same side Zedd and Zordon have to put their past aside to stop Rita. Back at the moon palace Rita and her new cohort manage to obtain the Zeo Crystal under the palace and take off for deep space with Matt in tow.
Lots of unanswered questions, but only one gets answered this issue. Just how did Rita become Mistress Vile?
Written By: Melissa Flores
Art By: Kath Lobo with Simona Di Gianfelice
Colors By: Fabi Marques with Raúl Angulo
Letters By: Ed Dukeshire
Cover By: Taurin Clarke
Price: $3.99
Recap:
Mistress Vile tries to turn Matt to evil by comparing the two of them with a bit of story time. She starts reminiscing about how she got out of the space dumpster that Zedd had trapped her in. Turns out she was saved by Divatox, who was hired by Rita’s father Master Vile to bring Rita back to him.
Upon returning to Master Vile we are reintroduced to Alpha-1 who has been selected by Vile to be Dark Specter’s new vessel. That turns out to be the wrong choice as Dark Specter gets angry. Seeing an opportunity Rita, with help from Alpha-1, defeats Master Vile and volunteers to be Dark Specter’s new general in exchange for power. Tasked with obtaining the Zeo Crystals; Rita, now Mistress Vile, takes Alpha-1 to pick up a new Vessel for Dark Specter. Flash Forward to the present and Matt is unable to resist the torture. End of issue.
Review:
Flashback issues are a nice treat as it gives the writers a chance to add to the lore that wasn’t really touched up until recently. And that brings me to the writer Melissa Flores. For those who don’t know her, she was one of the main people behind Power Rangers over the last fifteen years and worked closely with the different writers of the book until her departure from Hasbro. Her knowledge of the series shines in this issue with all the nods to the future and all the references sprinkled in. She also wonderfully weaves together all the different side stories we’ve gotten for Rita, Divatox, and Dark Specter, to name a few. I think the series is in good hands with her at the helm.
The art is wonderful as usual, and I like the mix of in-show design and the creative choices the artists , Kath Lobo and Simona Di Gianfelice, make in this issue.
My only “complaint” with this issue is that there were no rangers in it, besides Matt. But given this issue wasn’t about them, I’ll forgive it. I look forward to what’s next from this series and what Melissa and company will come up with next.
Rating: 4/5
It’s a really solid issue. With it being a set-up/back story issue it does require the context from the previous three issues as well as a general knowledge of the book.
Until next time,
May the Power Protect You