The untold, personal story of what happens to Jason, Kim, Trini, Zack, and Billy following in the days after they first became Power Rangers. Fighting evil is hard, but surviving high school may be even harder—welcome to real life in Angel Grove.[1]
The comic opens on a flashback to the events of Day of the Dumpster, with the Rangers fighting Goldar in the Megazord for the first time. The team expresses confusion, excitement and uncertainty as they try to take in all that just happened today. Kimberly thinks they won against the bad guys, but Trini notes that Goldar retreated and that doesn't count as a victory. Zack tries to be optimistic by saying they saved Angel Grove, no one died and they "Legoed five baby giant robots into one giant bad *censored* giant robot" on their first try. Thus, it technically is a win for them. Trini is mildly insulted Zack called her "Kitty-Saurus" a baby robot. Zack is shocked that she gave her Zord a nickname. The team sits on the shoulders of the Megazord watching the setting sun, Kimberly admiring the view but Trini is a bit freaked out as she is scared of heights. Billy expresses concern that the military will show up and question them about what happened, but Zack says they should be thanking them as they saved the world and they should be making their own Zords to back them up. Jason is staring off into the distance and silent during the conversations of the others. Trini asks if he is okay and Jason says that they may have won the battle, but now the war is going to start and nothing will ever be the same.
Three Months before "Arrival Day," Jason is doing martial arts training very early at 6am in the morning inside the Angel Grove Youth Center. Ernie sees him there and asks why he is in the Youth center at this time of day. Jason apologizes for disturbing him and tells Ernie he is just getting a morning workout before heading to school. Ernie does not understand why Jason needs to defend himself as Jason is "six feet tall of handsome and so polite he's almost Canadian".
Jason says he is not just doing it for self defense, but for self-discipline, as he tells Ernie a story about when he went to summer camp when he was ten. Jason reveals he used to be a bully when he was younger and saw just how bad it hurt someone when he broke an archery bow a kid worked really hard to make at camp. He wants to be a better man and make sure that he never loses control to his impulses again.
Back in the present, later that day, Jason arrives at school and meets up with Zack, who comments that Jason takes too much of his time studying and teaching. High School only comes once in a person's life, so they need to make their own adventures as Angel Grove High is the "Most boring school in the world". As he walks through the halls, Zack interacts with the students and teachers, including a few girls who ask Zack if they can be his date for the homecoming dance. Jason says being friends with him can be exhausting, but Zack likes to think that everybody is his best friend.
Trini and Billy are walking to school talking about a romance as Trini has a crush on someone. Billy tells her to just confess her feelings, but Trini thinks that will only end in humiliation and potential rejection. Trini also says it is hard to stay in relationships because her parents moved so much. As they continue their discussion, Bulk throws a water balloon at Billy's head, getting him soaked as both he and Skull laugh at him. Trini tells Billy to just forget about them, but Billy says it is fine as he just has to endure the torment and he will eventually never see Bulk and Skull again after graduation. Zack sees Billy with a dripping wet "flock of seagulls" hairdo and someone overhears the conversation about Bulk bullying him. Matthew Cook appears and jokingly says to Billy to just say the word and Bulk will be tied to the goalpost by the football team and gives him his hat to cheer him up.
Meanwhile, on the Moon, Rita is preparing her forces for her revenge against her imprisonment and given how the Power Rangers appeared, plans to strategize Zordon's defeat and not attack blindly. The astronauts who freed her from her space dumpster are bound in a wall of Putties. One of them, Colonel Aoki Toshikazu, gives the standard military anti-interrogation tactic of stating his name, rank and serial number. Aoki refuses to talk and wishes to be released. Rita says that Aoki misunderstands, as she is grateful to them for freeing her and no harm will come to them. She will release them, provided they give detailed information about their "little blue planet" to her as Rita's staff begins to glow red in an attempt to threaten them.
Jason, Zack, Billy and Trini meet up at the Youth Center, but Kimberly is absent as she is on a date with Matt. The four go inside and discuss the aftermath of the attack. Billy is concerned that someone might have noticed them and may try to investigate. Some of the roads are severely damaged, so some kids are late to class or in a state of trauma to the point loud noises cause them to panic or cry in terror. Ms. Appleby took off from her Third Period class to give blood to the Red Cross for those who needed it. Zack suggests they morph to try and clean up their mess, but Jason thinks while that is a good idea, they need to lay low for right now. The US military is investigating the attacks and reporters from across the country are covering it. So their identities are not only in danger of being found out by their friends and family, but by the government and the media, as both of the latter are searching for the Power Rangers. Jason tries to say something about being the team's leader and making a decision, but is interrupted by the others. Zack doesn't fully trust Zordon who appointed Jason leader, as he knows nothing about him and feels uncomfortable taking and obeying orders from someone who just hands them out superpowers out of the blue. Billy and Trini say that they need alibis for their missions as both their parents are in "full helicopter mode". Jason says he will think of something, but then gets a call from Alpha 5 on a red phone about an emergency mission. Zack is a bit jealous of Jason for getting a "space phone" for communicating with the Command Center and wants one too, with Billy commenting that idea sounds "intriguing". Jason tells them they are back on duty and someone needs to text Kimberly.
At a cliffside, Kimberly is sitting on Matt's car with him looking at the Moon and the city lights below. She thinks she knows what Matt is trying to do, taking her to a traditional make out spot. Matt denies this but is terrible at lying, but does confess he isn't here just for romance, he was worried about Kimberly during the attack as she disappeared and stayed behind when everyone else was running to look for her. Matt knows their relationship is only about three months and seven days in, but really cares for her and wants to stay a couple. Kimberly is flattered by this and both prepare to kiss, but the moment is interrupted by a text from Trini. Kimberly apologizes to him as she has to go, but Matt is understanding about it thinking its about important "girl stuff". Matt does ask if she can come over to his house to study the trigonometry test, which she agrees. Kimberly however does say she doesn't have to leave right this second, blushing.
Later at the Command Center, Zordon informs the Rangers that Rita is planning another attack and the astronauts that freed her are most likely held captive in her palace on the moon, as they have not reported back to Earth from their mission. Jason insists they go to the Moon to rescue them, but Zordon refuses such a thought as Rita's place is too well guarded and Rita herself alone would overpower them. Zack agrees with Jason and is eager to go to the Moon, though Trini is thinking about how high up she will be from Earth and Billy is hesitant. Jason understands the risk but thinks it should be a simple extraction mission, get in, get the astronauts and get out via teleporting fast with Alpha’s help before any defenses or forces can overwhelm them. They may be new at the job, but if they are smart about this mission, they can succeed. The team agrees and have to take care of problems with their normal lives before heading out. Trini gets pressured by her mother on the phone to come home in an hour for curfew or she is grounded as Trini tries to explain to her a "lab project" she is helping Kimberly with over at her house. Kimberly texts Matt to tell him she can't come over as she has to study. Outside, Billy is showing confidence issues about his abilities, but Zack is supportive and says he will be great and won't slow them down.
The entire team morphs and teleport straight to the Moon. Once they arrive, Billy is relieved that he can breathe in a vacuum in his Ranger suit while Zack and Trini make comments on Rita's Bandora Palace. Kimberly is staring at the Earth and tells Jason she wishes she could let Matt in on her secret and show him the Earth from the Moon, but Jason says not telling protects Matt from danger. Kimberly draws her Power Bow as a massive hoard of Putties charge at them. Jason orders the team to keep their weapons drawn while Trini has a bit of trouble adjusting to fighting in lunar gravity. Jason clears a path to the entrance and the Rangers rush in and slam the door before any Putties can get in. He then orders the team to find the astronauts while he holds back the Putties from getting in and covers their escape. Kimberly gets worried about Jason as they leave but Zack reassures her Jason is tough enough to take on twice as many as he's facing now. Zack and Billy find the astronauts chained up on a cell wall guarded by Goldar. Zack and Billy distract Goldar, who is very offended that Power Rangers would dare set foot in his "home" and wants to behead the Black Ranger as a trophy for his Empress. As the boys distract Goldar, Trini and Kimberly free the astronauts who are still alive despite being in poor shape and barely able to stand, forcing the two to carry them.
The communications are being jammed, so none of the Rangers can call Alpha to extract them. As they try to leave, the corridor to the palace exit vanishes and traps them inside a hallway. Trini notices that Jason isn't coming for them and is absent. Jason is seen entering Rita's chambers with his Power Sword, with the sorceress thinking the brave Red Ranger is a fool for coming to face her alone. Jason says he simply wishes to end this as she will not hurt anyone else, preparing to attack her. He is too slow however and Rita casts a lightning bolt spell. One such attack sends Jason flying through the wall, slamming deep into another and stumbling upon his team still trying to find their way out of the ever changing palace corridors.
Rita then finally meets all of the Power Rangers face to face for the first time and says "Hello", surrounded by her minions and a huge army of Putties right behind her. She reveals she could hear every word they said while they were here on the Moon and worse, now knows their real names. She wanted a "proper introduction" to her foes so she manipulated the palace with her magic to bring them straight to her.
"My name is Rita Repulsa and you have all made a terrible mistake."
This issue features two things that are mentioned in Issue 17 of the main series:
Kimberly's future ex-boyfriend Matt debuts in this issue. In the events of this comic, the two are still dating. By Issue 17, the two have broken up and any mention of what happened or Matt upsets Kimberly.
Trini mentions repeatedly that she is scared of heights and shows a bit of anxiety about being on top of the Megazord's shoulder and traveling to the Moon, something she overcomes later in her time as a Power Ranger.
This issue takes place immediately following the events of "Day of the Dumpster."
Colonel Aoki Toshikazu states during his reciting of name, rank and serial number that he is from NASADA, an organization that would later help the Power Rangers in the Turbo and In Space seasons of the show.
2 special variant cover versions of the issue were given out at SDCC 2017, which if combined with 2 other comics sold at the event would form a gatefold poster. If Issue #17 of Power Rangers and the 2017 Annual variant were combined with it, it would form an artistic homage to the 1991 gatefold cover of X-Men #1 made by Jim Lee.
Copies of the Heroes and Fantasies cover variants were sold at the first Japan World Heroes convention in 2017, with the cover's artist Matt Frank at the booth to sign autographed copies if fans asked for it.
This article is about an issue in the Power Rangers comic sub-franchise by Boom! Studios.
