REVIEW: ‘Power Rangers Unlimited: Countdown To Ruin,’ Issue #1

Power Rangers Unlimited: Countdown To Ruin #1 is written by Marguerite Bennett, illustrated by Anna Kekovsky Chandra & Giuseppe Cafaro, colored by Sara Antonellini with assistance from Sharon Marino & Fabi Marques, and lettered by Ed Dukeshire. It’s published by BOOM! Studios. Years ago, a boy named Andros and his best friend Zhane were some of the sole survivors of an attack on their home planet KO-35, with Andros’ sister Karone being kidnapped. They and a handful of other orphans were rescued by the Blue and Pink Space Rangers, and form a makeshift family — yet Andros is still obsessed with finding his sister, no matter the cost.

The Power Rangers Unlimited one-shots have done a great job of fleshing out the Power Rangers universe, particularly fan-favorite characters like the Phantom Ranger and popular seasons such as Power Rangers in Space. Ironically, the very first Unlimited special even covered Karone’s transformation into the malevolent Astronema! And while I love Mighty Morphin Power Rangers I’m glad that Unlimited allows BOOM! to explore different facets of the Ranger legacy. After all, this is a show that’s lasted nearly 30 years— a large part of that longevity comes from how different seasons have introduced new characters and takes on the Rangers’ worlds.

What makes Countdown To Ruin a worthwhile read is the return of both Bennett and Cafaro to the world of Power Rangers. Bennett previously wrote the “Beyond the Grid” storyline which features a group of ragtag Rangers, including Andros, struggling to stay alive in an alternate universe and bonding along the way. She uses a similar setup, as Andros struggles to fit in with his new family while still searching for his sister. And through it all, Zhane stays by his side, further solidifying their friendship. In a franchise first, Bennett also writes Andros’s adoptive parents Maavi and Dhaza, the original Blue and Pink Space Rangers, as a lesbian couple. Seeing two women raise a group of adoptive kids and fight the forces of evil is wonderful, especially in these times.

Cafaro is also another Rangers veteran, as he illustrated the Power Rangers graphic novel Soul of the Dragon. His illustration for Andros is almost a dead ringer for his actor Christopher Khyman Lee, as are the morphing sequences where Andros and Zhane transform into the Red and Silver Rangers. But the standout is the monstrous Darkonda, who Andros encounters in the back half of the one-shot. Darkonda looks utterly hideous compared to his live-action counterpart, and he winds up trapping Andros in a living nightmare. Thanks to Antonelli’s color palette, which grows black as the night sky, and Dukeshire’s blood-red letters for Darkonda, this two-page spread has a chilling effect.

Power Rangers Unlimited: Countdown To Ruin #1 is a must-read for every Power Rangers in Space fan, as it reveals the events that made Andros into the Power Ranger he is today. Given that Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #100 is set to shake up the foundation of the Power Rangers comics, I’d love if we got to see more of the In Space Rangers. 

Power Rangers Unlimited: Countdown To Ruin #1 is available wherever comics are sold.