Rob reviews Power Rangers #18...
News of the Omega Ranger's desire to protect the universe has spread far and wide. With two distress calls being received at the same time, the group decide to tackle both. As Zack and Trini encounter a seemingly derelict spacecraft, Jason and Yale discover a familiar face.
This issue splits its time in following both teams Zack & Trini, and team Jason & Yale as the response to both distress calls. Zack and Trini find themselves amid a conspiracy as they discover a wrecked spacecraft, complete with its long-dead crew. As the duo wonder, if they've walked into a trap, a colossal creature heads straight for the craft and has its sights set on the Rangers. What follows is a well-choreographed action scene as Trini and Zack battle this "space dragon" in their Omega Zords. There's a lot of back and forth as Zack uses humour to hide his nerves, as Trini channels her inner Daenerys Targaryen to ride the dragon into submission.
With the space dragon now vanquished, Xi manages to locate the distress signals source - an escape pod. However, the pair are unprepared for what they find.
The other arc of this issue follows Yale and Jason as they head to KO-35. Much like Zack and Trini, the duo discover a long-dead civilisation with no one left to save. So who sent the signal. As it transpires this one is a trap, and a band of cannibal aliens attack the pair. During the resulting battle, these aliens refer to Jason's Omega Red armour as looking familiar. It's a great bit of foreshadowing, as come the issue's finale we find out exactly who this other mystery red armoured Ranger is...
Once again Ryan Parrott manages to pull a blinding issue out of his bottomless hat of tricks. Not only does Power Rangers #18 keep you guessing, iit'svery interesting to see just where he's taking the Omega Rangers. With both groups discovering vastly different outcomes to their missions, it can't be a coincidence that this isn't part of a much wider game. Especially when you consider who Jason discovers on KO-35. I'm avoiding mentioning this person by name to avoid spoilers, but for anyone who grew up watching Power Rangers Turbo, you'll know exactly who I'm on about.
Marco Renna and Walter Baiamonte (and team) bring some spectacular art and colours to this issue. There's a great variety on display as we go from the vibrant world of Safehaven to the cold of space. Renna captures these locations incredibly well with plenty of wide-angle shots that capture what the Rangers are walking into. Character work is also spot-on. Not only do we get some amazing fight sequences, but we also get to see more of Yale. And who doesn't want to see more of a giant space tiger in a blue suit kicking ass?
All in all, Power Rangers #18 is another important issue for the Omega Rangers. There's a lot to digest here as Parrott gives us a lot of talking points. It also raises a lot of questions as to where the narrative will take the Omega Rangers. With BOOM! Studios having already teased the 'Charge to 100', we know that both Ranger teams are set to unite later this year. While I have my suspicions, I also have a feeling that the universe is going to get a whole lot bigger.
And with Ryan Parrott, Mat Groom, and their respective teams at the helm, there's no better time to be a Power Rangers fan!
Rating: 10/10
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