MMPR X TMNT PT II Issue #2 [Review]

We are back with more MMPR x TMNT! Long story short, the Rangers and Turtles have to join back up in the last issue because Casey Jones disappeared. At the end of the first issue, they run into an Evil Ranger Stranger that is obviously Casey Jones.

NON-SPOILER REVIEW below!

Dimension X Marks The Spot!

Seeing these Motley crews of evil groveling on the first page makes you wonder who could command such authority. It’s the empress of evil herself, Rita Repulsa! Looking hotter than ever (sorry Mistress Vile over in MMPR 104), she immediately goes to task holding her minions accountable for their lack of action.

Ranger Casey Jones mouths off while Rocksteady is making excuses, and even Goldar gets in on the verbal assault. Rita squashes that nonsense and focuses them back on the job at hand.

Meanwhile at the “Command Lair”

The Rangers and Turtles head “back to the sewers” and meet with Master Splinter. They go on to explain the situation to their mutual sensei with a mini version of Zordon on a holoprojector. Mikey goes on to name Casey as Ranger X, because of the X on his suit.

Then the Rangers explain this isn’t the first time that Rita has created an Evil Ranger. The Turtles rebut and explain it’s different because Casey is like family. Tommy then says reluctantly that it was him. Raph is obviously pissed but Tommy suggests that Casey is probably under some sort of spell, and by breaking something personal that Rita enchanted – like the Sword of Darkness in Tommy’s situation – Casey SHOULD be able to break free.

The Brains Behind the Operation

Casey goes and has a chat with Krang. While in Krang’s lab, he sees four other Morphers. Krang explains that Dimension X used to have Rangers, but they were thwarted by the Utrom before they could rise up. Also, his (presumably pink) is the only one that works.

Krang questions Casey about this sudden change of heart. Seems he’s tired of being sixth wheel to the Turtles and April. He kneels to Krang to show loyalty. Rita is more concerned about where The Shredder is than posturing. Krang says that they need to be careful with having that power in someone else’s hand. They might lose control over Casey.

Paternal Predicament

Splinter and Zordon have a heavy conversation over a game of chess. Zordon and Splinter BOTH run a thin fine line acting as General and Father to their respective teens in their tutelage. It weighs heavy on them that both teams didn’t get the chance to be children and had become soldiers.

NO SPOILERS

At this point my fellow Rangers and Ninjas. I can’t in good conscience once again spoil this comic. I can swear on the Morphin Grid itself that this 28-page issue is everything you can imagine and more, and comes with a plot twist ending that will have you BEGGING for the next issue. You’ve been treated to the first 10 pages! The next 18 are going to take everything that you loved about the first crossover and amp it up to 11.

Thoughts from THE GRID & Sentiments from the Sewers

Knowing that this is another 5-issue run, Ryan Parrott isn’t holding back in his storytelling. Knowing that we have an established lore in this continuity lends to the dive-right-in pacing. Speaking of diving in, Dan Mora once again has taken Rita Replusa, and after diving into Dimension X between series, I have big evil mommy yes ma’am vibes!

When you see all the characters both good and evil gathered in the later pages, you’ll think you are the youngest child getting to play in your 80s-born older siblings’ toys box in addition to your toybox a decade later.

There is a line that hits SO HARD that you might as well have made it a full-page panel and ripped the page out, completely breaking that fourth wall with a technodrome-sized wrecking ball. I LOVED IT!

I love the fact that Splinter and Zordon were playing chess. It adds so many layers. Chess can be seen as a game between friends, a game of wits and skill, or a game of war. Having the mentors try to process their feelings of guilt and balancing that with the ability to lead their people and be parental all at the same time over a chess board is heavy writing, very cerebral.

Now we get to the X morphers… These could go one of two, maybe three or more ways. Let me theorize:

1. The Turtles will use them because they are ALREADY color-coded (WORST OUTCOME)
2. The Rangers will use them and we will get the Mighty Morphin Mutant Rangers as we saw on the preview covers already (BETTER OUTCOME}
3. Somehow they get recharged and we get the villain Rangers led by Casey Jones (OK OUTCOME)
4. They are a total red herring (BEST OUTCOME) and how come we never got a TMNT villain named Red Herring?!
5. They do nothing NOW but they could be used for PT 3 with our frog friends in Florida (FAR-FECTHED FANBOY THEORY)

Covers That Will Make You Say Power-Bunga!!

There is a Command Centers amount of variant covers and I haven’t even mentioned the number of retailer exclusives. Which have limited availability themselves.

Whatever one you plan on getting, make sure they are in your pull at your LCS. Because the more YOUR STORE orders the higher the chance to get that incentive cover!

ALSO OUT TODAY

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 Deluxe Edition Variant: The Deluxe Edition will include 1 of 10 intermixed trading cards and an EXCLUSIVE print celebrating this epic crossover event!

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Keep Reading:

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #104: A Vile Beginning