The Power Rangers have taken the comics world by storm, and editor Dafna Pleban is a big reason why 2018 will be even better.
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Pleban has been involved with the series since the beginning, and 2018 is already looking to be another huge year for the franchise thanks to Shattered Grid. Pleban took some time to talk to ComicBook.com about Mighty Morphin, and what she thinks is behind the book’s continued success.
“I think the critical element is that no one working on this book is cynical about the characters or the world,” Pleban said. “We really set out — Kyle, Ryan, Daniele, Dan, everyone at BOOM!, Saban — to really showcase the world and characters we fell in love with as kids, and I think that has carried through in every story we’ve told. At the end of the day, fans have come back to the show and to the world because they love these characters, and we want to tell stories that remind readers of why they fell in love with these characters and this world in the first place. That and we don’t have a budget in the traditional sense — we have a scene in issue #24 where the Rangers face off against 10 monsters across 10 different cities at once! It’s a giant challenge for our artists, but they rise to it every time!”
The scale of the Zord and Megazord battles is awe-worthy, but the action isn’t where the series has grown the most.
“Definitely character,” Pleban said. “The deeper we get into the story the more opportunities we get to show the interior life of these superheroes — the weight of leadership on Jason’s shoulders, Tommy’s struggles with his past, Zack discovering what it means to be part of a team, Kimberly defining herself outside of her family, Trini trying to keep her friends together, Billy discovering confidence in himself. All of that comes into play both when we’re exploring the epic side of the Power Rangers universe in a way that will matter to the readers and to us. It’s been really cool to be given a chance to explore all that!”
All of those small character touches will come into play during the big crossover Shattered Grid, a series that will explore the far reaches of Power Rangers’ long-running continuity.
“Every story changes in the telling of it, so while the initial arc of the story is still very much in play, we’ve discovered all sorts of fun character interactions and arcs as we’ve unfolded each chapter a little more. And Saban has been incredible — they’ve given us access to every nook and cranny of canon and really have let us explore the universe in a way I think will really excite and surprise fans!”
The Power Rangers comics have already added their own characters to the canon, with new additions like Lord Drakkon and former Ranger Grace Sterling, who now runs Promethea. They’re not stopping either, with a new Ranger set to debut in Shattered Grid.
“It’s so rewarding to see the fandom embrace these characters — the response to Drakkon, to Grace, etc., has been amazing, and with Shattered Grid, we’ve definitely got some fun folks fans have yet to meet. I can’t say more without spoiling, but we’re very excited for the readers to meet our latest addition…,” Pleban teased.
The Power Rangers franchise has no shortage of teams to feature in a comic series of their own, and there are some Pleban would no doubt like to see. Still, she sees plenty of potential left in the core team.
“Definitely, but if I tell you any more it’ll be a spoiler! Let’s just say everything is on the table with Shattered Grid,” Pleban said. “The biggest joy working within the Mighty Morphin era is definitely the sense that we get to tell the defining stories of the Power Rangers universe — these characters have a lot on their shoulders, and to be able to tell stories early in their development is a gift!”
You can see more of Pleban’s work when Shattered Grid kicks off in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #25 this March.
