At the launch event for BOOM!
Studios new Power Rangers comics we spoke with Kyle Higgins and Mairghread Scott.
Hey, did you hear?Power Rangershas a new comic series!
After a long history of mediocre at best comics, Saban Brands has teamed with BOOM!
Studios to bring us a new ongoing series with top creative talent.
The event was packed with press, fans, and writers from the comic.
First up, we spoke with the head writer for the new comic series, Kyle Higgins.
So, youre a fan of VR Troopers?
I could say Im a fan, but I dont remember much about it.
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Probably better that way.
I liked the concept of it.
Yeah, it was on in syndication.
So heres the question to start with.
When are we getting aVR Trooperscomic?
-laughs-I dont know, it wont be from me.Power Rangersis about my wheelhouse.
I didnt know a lot aboutPower Rangerscontinuity and chronology as much as I thought I did.
I had to go back and look at a lot of stuff, I know even less aboutVR Troopers.
Theres not much to learn, Ill tell you that.
Well theres only three of them, right?
So right off the bat thats half the work.
Well, I knew it was going to beMighty Morphin.
That was the era that most interested me as well.
I knew I kind of wanted to do a contemporary take on it.
Then it became a matter of what was my way in.
So I didnt want to start with a brand new origin or anything like that.
Grounding the series emotionally in a way the series was never really able to.
Thats kind of how I work.
Then you kind of just start building and weaving threads from that point.
But theyre few and far between and that was the thing that kind of sparked me.
No, its not like Im going, Well theyve never told an origin of Zordon.
So Im gonna build a story to tell the origin of Zordon.
I dont really get into filling continuity holes or backstory or things like that.
If that answers your question.
Right now, youre telling the story of how Tommy comes onto the team.
Thats a great question.
Its a little early to say.
The story that Im telling right now is 12 issues.
Its multiple arcs but in total its about 3 arcs that make up twelve issues.
So I cant really say, even within those twelve issues… Basically I cant answer your question.
So yeah, I wouldnt read too far into that.
Its also awesome for Jason and his character.
I was always a big Jason fan and the armor just looks cool.
Plus when he goes double blade?
Hes double fisting bladed weapons, how can you go wrong with that?
That would make a cool incentive cover.
Dragon dagger and sword of power?
Im gonna file that away as something I will definitely do.
Credit that to Den of Geek.
Was that your decision?
So what brought that decision on to set it in modern day?
Its doing something thats more contemporary.
So from a logistic storytelling standpoint, theres that.
But from a creative standpoint?
I was actually much more interested in doing something that was modern day.
2015, 2016 was really intriguing to me.
So does that mean were going to see plots that include things like social media or something like that?
The zeitgeist, whats going on in culture like these are things that inform characters and inform stories.
And they definitely in the case ofPower Rangersinform these kids that are high school students.
One of the things I always said when I was writingNightwingis like, no matter what I do?
The good news is that I cant break Dick Grayson.
He has survived all these different interpretations theres nothing you could really do to break him.
I feel the same way aboutMighty Morphin.
You cant break it, you cant break these characters.
So lets try something different.
So by setting it in another time period it also frees you from any continuity quibbles.
Was that a main motivator?
I wouldnt say it was the main motivator but its a nice side effect.
Im not interested in filling gaps in continuity.
So its more about the spirit of these characters and less about this is set after episode 18.
That process has a ceiling on it.
Its the same reason I dont really like prequels, for a movie for example.
Those are all questions that I think are valid with the set up that we currently have.
So for the more continuity minded this could almost be considered more of a branched, different continuity?
But its more of an alternate timeline.
But what youre saying to me is that its more focused on the possibilities of these characters.
Its more a character piece then resolving XYZ continuity error.
Anything else youd like to say toPower Rangersfans out there?
And pick up issue #1 coming in March of 2016.
Check out the next page for our chat with Mairghread Scott, fellow writer on issue #0.
Mairghread Scott is no stranger to writing for licensed properties, including her well received run onTransformers: Windblade.
Shes also written her own creator-owned comic series,Toil and Trouble.
Well this one was a real whirlwind, doing issue one.
I had to binge watch in 48 hours the first two and a half seasons ofMighty Morphin.
Because they only show up like two times.
Yeah, it only shows up twice.
Power Rangershas a big fanbase, what sort of response have you gotten for your work on the comic?
I was really surprised by how much love there was out there.
This is definitely one of the happiest brands Ive ever worked on.
I feel like everyone is like, Yes, this is great!
Good for youPower Rangersfans.
The story you told was short for Comic-Con.
It can go so many ways.
That is kind of amazing.
You could go really dark, you could do a whole Tommy PTSD arc if you wanted.
Im sure Kyle will do a great job.
Youve mentioned in other interviews that youre a big fan of Billy.
Yes, I am.
Hes basically a superhero before anything happens and then also hes a superhero.
Hes super underrated and I love the power chains.
The power chains are really cool.
Just tactically, from a battle situation?
That is a great thing.
It seems like something a Transformer would shoot out of its self.
Its kinda fun to get into true Kaiju territory when youre really smashing a building, stuff like that.
How do you feel about Billy and his ultimate fate in the show is that he married a fish?
At this point, Scott was silent, trying to form a response.
Well, a fish person.
You love who you love.laughs-
So in the comic itself there are three stories.
Obviously the main story, the Bulk and Skull story, then theres your story.
Out of three, yours ends up being the most true to the original campiness ofPower Rangers.
How do you feel your story is the most traditional?
Just balls to the wall awesome, hitting that as hard as possible.
Corin Howell, she does good work.
What sort of guidelines, especially from Saban, are you given on a project like this?
But I kind of like that.
They were great to work with.
Any other messages forPower Rangersfans?
Keep loving yourselves and keep loving each other,Power Rangersfans.
Den of Geek would like to thank Gallery Nucleus for hosting the event and BOOM!
Studios for the chance to interview the writers involved in the comic.
The art gallery will be running until January 31st.you could find more information at the gallerys official website.
