Written by Tom G. Wolf
Back in August 1993, a little TV show debuted that would change the face of TV forever – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Cobbled together from a mix of the Japanese series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (itself part of a much larger franchise) and newly shot American footage, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers offered a younger audience unadulterated martial arts action, combined with all the wonderful silliness of Japanese monster movies.
With 2018 marking the 25th anniversary of the franchise, it’s a great time to be a Power Rangers fan. Here are just some of the things to be excited about for this year.
The most comprehensive published history yet
Set for release in September 2018, Power Rangers: The Ultimate Visual History will be an essential addition to any fan’s shelf. Covering the history of the franchise up until Power Rangers Ninja Steel and the 2017 movie, this handsome tome will be the ultimate behind-the-scenes guide to the entire pop culture phenomenon of Power Rangers.
More toys!
One of Power Rangers’ strongest selling points has long been the toys. To commemorate the 25th anniversary, Bandai are releasing a number of items aimed at collectors, including 1:4 scale helmets and new toys of the Zords from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Long-time fans will also have the opportunity to own some of their childhood toys again, thanks to the re-release of the “flip-head” auto-change figures, which originally hit store shelves in the mid-‘90s.
A major comics event
Since BOOM! Studios launched its Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic series in 2016, it’s garnered praise for its fresh take on the existing mythos. But things are set to be shaken up this year, with Power Rangers: Shattered Grid. This crossover event will see its first issue – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #25 – shipped in a black polybag, in order to prevent spoilers from leaking.
With the tagline “No Ranger is Safe”, Shattered Grid is just the start of BOOM! Studios’ celebration of Power Rangers’ 25th anniversary. Things kick off on 21 March 2018 – will you be ready?
A new series debuts
Exciting as the other stuff may be, 2018 marks the debut of Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel, the 25th series in the franchise. A direct sequel to 2017’s Power Rangers Ninja Steel, this season will see the return of numerous familiar faces – both friend and foe alike. It’s currently airing and you can view the trailer for episode one below.
Supa-Stars
With so much going on, it’s fitting that fans will be able to meet beloved Mighty Morphin Power Rangers stars at Supanova Comic Con & Gaming this year. Walter Jones (aka the original Black Ranger) will be jetting into the Melbourne (21–22 April) and Gold Coast (28-29 April) events, while David Yost, who played the Blue Ranger in the original series and Karan Ashley, the second-generation Yellow Ranger, will stop by Sydney (15–17 June) and Perth (23-24 June).
Pic: Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel
