The Power Rangers’ latest crossover unleashed a new type of their iconic Samurai Rangers.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1 finds the eponymous team of teenage superheroes caught in a deadly battle with one of Rita Repulsa’s many monsters, only for them to be suddenly whisked away from the battlefield and into the middle of a world that only somewhat resembles their own. As the Rangers soon discover, this place is not unlike the ancient Japan of their world, apart from the talking, anthropomorphic animals who inhabit it, including Usagi Yojimbo. Unfortunately, there is no time for sightseeing, as an ancient evil is about to be unleashed if the Rangers and their new allies can’t stop it. Luckily, the heroes are far from powerless and receive some astonishing upgrades for seemingly no reason.

Written by RYAN PARROTT Art by SHAWN DALEY Colors by JAMES FENNER Letters by ED DUKESHIRE Design by MADISON GOYETTE Main cover art by TAURIN CLARKE Variant covers by STAN SAKAI & EMI FUJII, TAURIN CLARKE, JARED COLLUM, and GOÑI MONTES

Created by Stan Saka, Usagi Yojimbo tells the story of Miyamoto Usagi, a former samurai turned rōnin who fights valiantly against all manner of threats. The franchise as a whole derives much of its influence from the works of Akira Kurosawa, especially Lone Wolf and Cub and Zatoichi. Over the years, Usagi Yojimbo and its characters have crossed over with several other icons, most frequently the eponymous amphibious heroes of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The Power Rangers have similarly been pop culture icons for decades, with the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers television series making its world premiere back in 1993. Over the course of more than thirty years, the Power Rangers franchise has shifted and evolved to encompass dozens of teams from across the realms of TV, comics, and even feature films. In August, BOOM! Studios’ long-running Power Rangers comic book series finally came to a close with the release of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1, which marked the culmination of years-long storylines involving the biggest threat the Teens with Attitude have ever faced – Dark Specter.

Fans of the franchise are currently eagerly awaiting the release of BOOM! Studios’ next comic book adaptation, Power Rangers Prime, which begins in November. Although not much is known about the title yet, Power Rangers Prime brings back fan-favorite writer Melissa Flores and stellar artist Micahel Yg for a whole new take on one of the most iconic stories of the ’90s. While Power Rangers Prime has given fans something to look forward to in the comics, recent developments surrounding the future of the small screen side of the franchise have also left those very same fans about where things will be headed when it comes to the next Power Rangers TV show or feature film.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1 is on sale now from BOOM! Studios, Dogu Publishing, and Dark Horse Comics.

Source: BOOM! Studios