Boom! Studios’ follow-up graphic novel to Saban’s Power Rangers movie releases today!
Titled Saban’s Power Rangers: Aftershock, the novel takes readers into the events immediately following the conclusion of the Power Rangers movie, which is in theaters now. Fans will meet an all-new pair of villains, dive deeper into each Rangers’ personality, and follow the team into their latest battle against evil.
For more on how the story came together, check out our exclusive interview with writer Ryan Parrott below, along with a preview of Saban’s Power Rangers: Aftershock. Fans can also click here to check out our spoiler-free review of the novel.
And be sure to pick up Saban’s Power Rangers: Aftershock, by Ryan Parrott with artwork by Lucas Werner, in stores now!
Click here to buy the comic on Amazon.
When Saban’s Power Rangers movie ends, there’s many doors left open for the future. How did you decide what direction to take this story in?
Without spoiling anything, there’s a clear direction at the end of the film, so the key with Aftershock, as a side story, was to find a smaller narrative that it didn’t interfere with the movie but one that was important enough to warrant its own graphic novel. With all the big superhero films over the years, we’ve seen a lot of massive, city-wide destruction, but we rarely see the days immediately following. This felt like a perfect opportunity to glimpse the aftermath, to see a city trying to rebuild, the public still deciphering what happened and, most importantly, the Rangers still trying to find their place in a world that doesn’t know who they are yet.
Did you receive much of a brief, or input, from Saban Brands or Lionsgate on how to continue the story of Saban’s Power Rangers movie?
The wise people at Lionsgate, Saban Brands, and BOOM! were instrumental in shaping this story with me. I thought I liked Power Rangers, but those people not only love the franchise like their own children, they know everything—and I mean absolutely everything—about the Power Rangers! Although I presented them with the general story, they were key in making sure it didn’t step on anything in the past or future of the Power Rangers franchise. And just to cover, if it does, it was probably because I do try to carefully push boundaries here or there.
Was there a particular Ranger you had more fun exploring or writing about?
My father was a high school football coach for 16 years so with this version of Jason—who’s a star quarterback—I got to flex my football knowledge in a way I hadn’t with other projects. So, that was a lot of fun. But in regard to writing—and I know I’m cheating by not just picking one character—but Trini’s general cynicism for just about everything made her very entertaining to write. Characters that claim they don’t care but consistently do the right thing have a special place in my heart.
In the story, we get to see some of the relationships the movie didn’t get to explore much, such as Billy’s relationship with Zack or Trini’s relationship with Kimberly. How did you approach building those relationships in further detail?
I was very lucky in that the film did most of the heavy lifting, especially in the second act. For this story, I just looked at what made each character special and tried to propel them naturally to the next step. Most importantly—and I’m still learning how to do this—I tried to use the action to reveal facets of each Ranger’s character. Each one should fight differently, win differently, and lose differently. It was important to continue to evolve the story of these Rangers.
How did you decide who would play the villain role in this story?
Instead of trying to make a bigger, badder villain, I tried to come up with one that resonated with the Rangers on a smaller, personal level. We also wanted to be somewhat unexpected and keep people guessing. I thought a lot on who the Power Rangers are and what they represent and then for the villain, we looked at who the opposite of that is and what might drive that character in that direction.
How many times did you have to watch the movie before putting together this story?
Actually, because we were creating the comic and movie at the same time, I read an early draft of the script and was kept abreast of any changes as we went along. Because it is a side story, this was a natural and effective way to work and once I did see the film, I definitely geeked out at how great it is!
I read Power Rangers: Aftershock and thought it was good. It was fun to read and more mature than some Power Rangers storylines!!!
Me podrias contar que pasa en el comic?
loved it give me more Jason and Kimberly 🙂