Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 (of 5) Review

Rita Repulsa and The Shredder are on the warpath! Can even TWO teams of heroes bring them down? Your Major Spoilers review of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 from BOOM! Studios awaits!

Power Rangers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 5 Cover — **You can purchase this issue via comiXology**

MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #5

Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Simone di Meo with Alessio Zonno
Colorist:Walter Baiamonte with Igor Monti
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Editor: Dafna Pleban
Publisher:BOOM! Studios/IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 17, 2020

Previously in Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: It’s the ultimate showdown between the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, up against the joint forces of Rita Repulsa and Shredder! Cowabunga!

YOU HAD ME AT ‘GIANT BEBOP AND ROCKSTEADY’

In the middle of Central Park, an unprecedented scene: The Megazord, piloted by the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, faces down with an enlarged Bebop and Rocksteady, with the fate of the world in the balance! Things go well at first, but a combination of unfamiliar controls, big Turtle fingers and the arrival of the Dragonzord under the command of Shredder turn the tide against them. Just as the fatal blow would have been struck, though, the Power Rangers arrive… in an enlarged version of mechanical turtle Metalhead! Two Zords are, as they say, better than one, and the two teams fight off Shredder, even combining their bots into a giant Turtle Megazord formation! It’s… pretty awesome, honestly. Bebop and Rocksteady are thwarted, the Terrordrome destroyed and Shredder returns to Rita’s base on the moon… only to find treachery from the evil space-witch. They try to stab one another in the back just long enough for the heroes to arrive for their final battle.

GIANT ROBOT CHAOS BATTLE

First and foremost, I have to nominate the line of the issue, and perhaps the entire series to date: “We’re ninjas! If you see us, we’ve done something wrong.” This issue really leans into the tone and aesthetic of the classic Turtle cartoons (as well as more of the silliness of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers early seasons) but still manages to create an effective tension and some heavy duty drama for much of the cast. I even like the end of the issue, with various pairs of characters enjoying some down-time (Billy and Donatello have an earnest discussion about how you can always use a giant robot), ending with Tommy and Raphael renewing their rivalry, Rocky II-style. The art is likewise excellent, especially in it’s ability to capture the various martial artists in action. A full-page shot of Leonardo and Jason, swords drawn, leading their teams into battle is poster material, but di Meo can also make the quiet moments, like Kim and April relaxing with some tea, look inspired and lively.

BOTTOM LINE: A NICE MASH-UP

There will always be limitations to what a crossover can achieve, but Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 pulls it off with aplomb, wrapping up the story with action, character moments and a clear love of both properties, with clean, expressive art bringing it all to life, earning a very impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. The various permutations of morphin’ and ninja’ing will make this a fave-rave for several segments of the comic population, and I recommend it not only for fans of either team, but for those who want to know what’s so special about either.

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