Thirty years after their high-profile debut, the VR Troopers return to action! And this time, the Power Rangers won’t show them up, right? Right? Your Major Spoilers review of VR Troopers #1 from BOOM! Studios awaits!
VR TROOPERS #1
Writer: Mairghread Scott
Artist: Sebastian Piriz
Colorist: JP Jordan
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Editor: David Mariotte
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: June 25, 2025
Previously in VR Troopers: After the runaway success of Power Rangers, Saban Entertainment turned their attention to another Toei Studios tokusatsu property, Metal Heroes. Unfortunately, they couldn’t capture lightning in the same bottle back in 1995. Now, in the pages of Power Rangers Prime, the VR Troopers are back, representing the most elite of the Eltarian empire’s human heroes on Earth, but what secrets are the Eltarians keeping? Trooper leader Ryan Steele may not like the answers.
TROOPER TRANSFORM!
Though he is a well-respected jack-booted thug hero of the Eltarian occupation of Earth, Ryan Steele finds himself unable to sleep. As is his custom, he distracts himself by going for a run through the streets of Angel Grove, ruminating about his problems. An orphan who has been trained to be the best of the best, Ryan is still shaken by the reveal that his girlfriend is a renegade Power Ranger, as well as the still-unexplained death of his dad. That’s when he encounters an alien Skug who has broken into the city’s power plant. Before he can take care of the alien foot soldier (who is one of the VR Trooper show’s equivalents of the disposable Putty Patrollers), a mysterious hooded figure shoots the Skug down. When Ryan moves to intervene, he is easily overcome by the unknown being, who apologizes, but mentions that he’s been doing this “a lot longer than you.” Only the arrival of Ryan’s fellow Troopers stops the scene from being a bloodbath, but when they return to headquarters, it turns out that there’s a perfectly good reason why the best warrior in the world could be so easily beaten.
Turns out, he’s only the best in THIS world.
WHO IS THE MYSTERY MAN?
As someone who remembers VR Troopers only for non-show-related reasons, I was actually a little irritated when the first issues of Power Rangers Prime featured Ryan, Caitlin, and JB heavily with almost no Ranger presence. Having seen the first few issues of that series play out, I found myself invested in the trio, especially since they’re so clearly being manipulated by the Eltarian Earthgov. Add in a mystery man whose identity has a few interesting candidates, and you’ve got a real grabber of a story. There are more than a few moments in this issue where the art feels influenced by Mike Mignola, with the design of Ryan’s armor (itself inspired by Metalder) making for some really stunning panels. It’s aided by some strong coloring, giving me the clearest views of this alt-Angel Grove to date, and expanding the Power Rangers Prime universe in an exciting and unexpected way.
BOTTOM LINE: THE BEST VR TROOPERS MATERIAL TO DATE
Having read all the comic book appearances of the Troopers to date (RIP those poor brain cells), I can say with authority that VR Troopers #1 is a very good comic book, wrapping a mystery in a story of misguided heroes and threatening to reveal terrible truths to the team’s leader, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. If you’ve been reading Power Rangers Prime, this is a no-brainer purchase. If you only know the heroes as ersatz Power Rangers, then it’s an issue that’s worth your time.
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VR TROOPERS #1
This issue surprised me, both in its contents and in their quality, and I'm happy to say that I was wrong about whether a VR Troopers spinoff could work in the new reality of Angel Grove. It's a strong story, with some bold choices in the art, and well worth a look.
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Writing8
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Art7
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Coloring7
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.