Comic Book Review - Mighty Morphin #22

Rob reviews Mighty Morphin #22...

With Kimberly and Tommy still captive within the pocket dimension, Mat Groom signs off his Mighty Morphin tenure with optimism, endings, and a look at how great the colour pink is!

Mighty Morphin picks up straight from where the last issue left us with Kimberly and Tommy testing the new metallic armour within the picket dimensions. Due to weird 'Morphin Grid' shenanigans, the pair find themselves cut off from reality, and at the mercy of a few foes of future Rangers - mainly those from Jungle Fury, Dino Charge, and Lost Galaxy. When then follows is a pretty decent action scene as the duo comes under assault from these new foes. With Tommy receiving the brunt of the punishment, this forces Kimberly to retreat further into the Pocket Dimension with an unconscious Tommy. 

With Kim already having a conscious of faith, things don't look too good. Well, that's until the Pink Emissary shows up. While the celestial being doesn't fully intervene on Kim's behalf, it does offer some assistance in the evening the odds. This "help" comes in the form of sixteen other Pink Rangers which span across the entire Power Rangers franchise. If you're a fan of Kimberly, Kat, Cassie, Dana, Sydney, Vida, Rose, Jen, Mia, Emma, Chloe, Shelby, Sarah, Amelia, Karone, and Kendrix then does Groom and Moisés Hidalgo have a double-page spread for you! 

What comes next is a Pink Ranger team-up as Kimberly discovers it's not her future that will define her role as the Pink Power Ranger, but the legacy she leaves behind. Of course, this lesson also includes a lot of fighting as the Pink Ranger force takes the fight to the manifested Morphin Grid shadows. 

If any issue is to define the Groom/Hidalgo/Angulo era then it's this issue. While the main focus is set on Kimberly Hart, it's also a celebration of all things Mighty Morphin. Not only does Groom hint towards where the "Mighty Morphin" name comes from, but he also uses the Pink Ranger team-up as a way to recall Kim's lost memories from 'Shattered Grid'. And while THAT groundbreaking 100th issue is just around the corner, for now, the Earth-based Rangers are at peace. 

Hidalgo's illustrations pop straight off of each page. The opening scenes of Kimberly and Tommy getting assaulted by the shadows does a great job of showing the Ranger's often unseen fragility. Seeing Time Force's Ransik breaking Tommy from his White Ranger armour is an incredible "holy shit" moment that's further enhanced by Raul Angulo's colours. 

While I initially had my reservations over this new direction, it's a shame that Mat Groom's tenure of Mighty Morphin only lasted across six issues. Aside from the somewhat lacklustre side quest to find a new Command Center, Groom's writing has focused on the person inside that iconic armour. With Rocky, Matt, and now Kimberly getting some much-needed "me time", there's still a lot of life left to explore in these very well-documented characters. 

With a new creative team waiting in the wings, it's safe to say that much like the Ranger teams themselves - it's the legacy we leave behind that defines us. And for Mat Groom, Moisés Hidalgo, and Raul Angulo, it's been a pleasure! 

Rating: 8/10

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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev