Power Rangers/Justice League
Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated by Stephen Byrne
Published by DC Comics & BOOM! Studios
Here’s a softball on getting me to read anything, do a crossover. Though here’s the catch, you want me to buy the book (instead of using the library [Inter-Library Loans are your friend]) make it weird. Here’s an example, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and [Blank]. It’s really that easy, so far I have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles filling that blank spot (and Godzilla [seems to be a theme, I really enjoy giant reptiles {though is Godzilla an Amphibian}]). Anyhow that’s why I talked it over with my local library and they assisted me with procuring a copy of the newest Justice League crossover; guest-staring the Power Rangers. I just heard the title and wanted to consume this book the instant it reached my hands! Since both sets of characters I really enjoy, so why not watch them run through the trope and cliche handbook, it’d’ll be a fun time. And it was, though it was like a ride at an amusement park that had lines a little too long for the amount of adventure and excitement at the end. Though while we’re waiting here, let me go into more detail about my experience.
Pro:
-Good Writing on the characters for both publications
When dealing with multiple sources of Intellectual Properties you really want to find a blend between them, though that can always be a challenge given the amount of members within a cast. If you have ever tried to be within a crowd and have your voice heard you’d know that if the speaker of the room doesn’t allow others to speak then no one speaks. This is the same thing when it comes to comics or movies or any type of media when there’s a large cast. Some people are focused on more than others, that in itself is a problem, since Intellectual Properties have property owners that want their star to shine. That’s one of the hardest things within this piece, there’s a lot of moving parts that need more definition or a more simple plot. Not one character was written poorly, since they all fit into the mold of who they are and should speak or act like, between both sides of the publication. In the entirety of the six issues there wasn’t a person that was left out of place, drawn or written.
Con:
-Focused WAY too much on Superman
Though my hardest criticism is not within the story, since it’s fair and interesting, but the use of the cast, or to better define the size of the cast. The magnitude of events were too great for the amount of characters needed to foil the villains, or the amount of issues were too slim to fully realize the story to it’s potential. What I keep skirting around is, the plot succeeded in giving the good guys something to do and work toward a common goal, but it felt like a lot was happening, though nothing completed. Most of the story was focused around Batman and Zach (at first), though interesting characters, the drawback was it didn’t reflect their personalities established here. The ties that centered them to each other didn’t knot. And at times we just left that plotline to focus on whatever Superman was doing in the moment. At times, it felt like there were more hands adding ingredience than plating dishes.
Also the main villain Brainiac switching with Zed, who started as the central villain. Brainiac was a good choice, though not for Zach and Batman (the story’s focal characters) this was more of a villain for Billy and Cyborg, since a lot of the problems were solved with super science, than with might or skill. Then we have the Dino-Bots, which were there, then disappeared, once Brainiac was in the picture more prominently. Zed was the inaugural villain of the limited series, but not really there. It was weird that a highly intelligent being of magic was more of a laky to another being that was not his superior, in strength nor abilities, mystical or tactical. I felt that Zed was the least defined character in the limited series, which kind of bothers me the most, since the heroes need a reason to stop a common enemy, so they can work together. This felt less like Zed and more like Goldar, though they needed a means to connect both Worlds. Zed felt less like his true form and more like a vehicle for the Rangers to meet the League. Goldar would have been the better choice for a blind follower, but a fix that might be too dramatic for the plot at hand.
Fix:
-Change the villains
There was a side plot that I thought could have been explored a little more, though with the remaining issues of the comic it wouldn’t make the page count for the amount of action that still needed to be taken by our heroes. Though I’d like to talk about it here, within the “Fix”, since this would change the whole dynamic of the comic and avoid any real change to the villains in whole. The Artificial Intelligence philosophy bridge, that’s what I’m coining it, so here’s my two-cents, enjoy. Pretty much, we have Alpha-5, Brainiac, Cyborg, and Billy (the Blue Ranger), they’re all communicating to each other about the idea, since the curiosity of Brainiac was peeked with the interaction of Alpha-5. The possibilities that Brainiac saw, I feel, will one day lead to the Brainiac that we’ll see in the future for Legion of Superheroes, but that’s a tale for another day. No, today we have two Artificial Intelligence Automatons, a Cybernetic man, and a teenager that “Does Machines” (borrowing that one from a Turtle), all of who have shown within this limited series can understand the basics and practical application of inter-dimensional travel chatting about the possibility of having thinking machines beyond the two functional beings posing logical conclusions. It’s maybe my favorite part of the book and it wasn’t explored enough.
Anyhow, that’s how I’d fix the book, focusing on these four talking it out, debating on the nature of what it means to be Artificially Intelligent and having organic thoughts, while reflective battles are happening on Earth. In short, I’d dial back the interaction between the Justice League and Power Rangers, showing a plot-A (main-plot) and plot-B (sub-plot). Plot-A being that of the conversation between our main villain (Brainiac) debating with our heroes (Cyborg & Billy), though here’s the interesting part Alpha-5 as a neutral party. Since for the most part Alpha-5 isn’t the first Alpha and won’t be the last Alpha for the Rangers, meaning the stakes are meaningless, but his friends (the Power Rangers) are important to him. Which again is a powerful sentiment and statement coming from a robot, that Brainiac has the most curiosity from, since emotions are a mystery to him at this time. Again this would all be a great background fight between what it means to be human and have all four of them verbally battling for the planet, while the Justice League and Power Rangers fight Zed and his cybernetically powered army. Long and short for the B-Plot, they’re fighting and there’s only one thing that can stop the army and it’s forming a giant robot with a sword, but it’s being hurled by Superman and has Batwings, sure why not, it’s all a formality to keep the pacing of the comic so it doesn’t dry out with the Artificial Intelligence talk. Toss in fanservice, like Batman in a Ranger costume or Wonder Woman using the Power Daggers in a fight, it doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, since there’s about six issues and two of them can be summed up with being a Prologue and an Epilogue. Four of which will be action and conversations on moral judgement with a splash of armchair philosophy.
This is my fix, it’s not THE fix, but it’s how I would change the elements within the story to reflect the basic problems I have. So no focus on Batman and Zach, less Superman, and more text boxes, again not a fix that will land. I’m essentially saying “Hey, you know the money making characters that everyone wants to see in this limited series, let’s put them in a sub-plot and focus on anyone else” yeah, I’m gonna win an Eisner for writing this book. Though if you’ve read The Infinity War (comic crossover event [from 1992 {written by Jim Starlin & drawn by Ron Lim}]) from MARVEL they focus on everyone other than the main Marvel Characters (Spider-Man is knocked out with Hawkeye within the second issue and is at the Hospital for the remainder of the limited series), they’re in the sub-plot. Everything is focused on Doom/Kang, Warlock/Thanos, and the moral judgement that Warlock made to create these events. It’s a really well developed story about characters making grand gestures and the repercussions of doing so within reality. And I feel that would be perfect for teaching teenagers from a different dimension, through conversations with alien robots.
Closing:
Well I hope this clears up some matters, though I’ve wrote this, read this, and edited it and again this is my mind and I’m screaming into the void on my opinions about fictional characters and how they interact with each other. The whole concept is bizarre and yet you’re still reading. Meaning you’re most likely waiting for me to wrap things up and I will. This comic was a surprise on many levels, it’s biggest flaw was the pacing, but other than that it has a whole lot throw into the pot and there was a ton of flavor, though that was it’s biggest short coming, since there was too much for the spoon. Suggesting that I was expecting a certain flavor, but still had a good bowl of soup, um, comic. Should you read this comic, of course, read, though is this going to titillate your tongue, it may not, but the juxtaposition of Giant Robots and Superheroes is a beautiful sight worth the admission of the time you spent reading.
