The Psycho Rangers were first introduced to Power Rangers with these lines.
“We’re the Psycho Rangers.”
“We’re faster than you.”
“Smarter than you.”
“Stronger than you.”
“But we’re evil!”
And that was… pretty much it. The Psycho Rangers have stuck in the minds of Power Rangers fans for so long because of the threat they posed to the In Space team… but that’s it. The Psycho Rangers didn’t have character. They were one-dimensional mindless killing machines. They were the Rangers… but evil.
Until now.
Power Rangers: The Psycho Path the new graphic novel from BOOM! Studios, finally, after so many years, makes the Psycho Rangers compelling. They’re given personalities. They have character arcs. Their story drives the plot instead of the other way around.
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Taking place after Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, the story follows Karone and Andros’ attempts to stop the Psycho Rangers once and for all. But wait, you may be wondering, weren’t the Psychos destroyed? Nope! They’re back and done with simply being tools of destruction… and who better to bare the bront of that then the one who created them?
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Formerly Astronema, Karone feels a personal responsibility to take care of the Psychos. Andros is ready to destroy them at any cost but the more Karone learns about the Psychos the more she wants to take a different path.
The way this graphic novel weaves together the stories of Karone and the Psycho Rangers is nothing short of brilliant. It makes incredibly bold choices that cast a whole new light on Karone especially. It may take some fans aback at first but the more you read the story, and how the Psychos play a part in it, the more it makes sense. It also takes the Psychos’ greatest narrative weakness, their lack of character, and makes it their biggest strength. They force Karone to implement her most self-destructive attempt to make up for her past wrongdoings yet.
The comic is slow to start and you may be a bit confused on why exactly the Psychos have returned and what’s going on with Karone but it becomes clear soon enough. The Psycho Path is a fitting sequel to not only the TV series but the various comic appearances of Karone and the Psychos as well. Everything is taken into account, from Psycho Green’s first appearance, his backstory, and ‘The Trial of Astronema’. It’s a fantastic entry in the saga of Power Rangers in Space and the Power Rangers Boom comics.
If you’re a Power Rangers fan you need to pick up this book. Not just because it’s a damn good story but also because it’s a story that isn’t focused on MMPR. Look, I love the MMPR focused comics from Boom. They’re amazing, the best stories the franchise has ever done. But let’s not lie; it’s a breath of fresh air to see the In Space team take center stage. The Psycho Path proves there’s a wealth of untapped potential for Boom to mine from non-MMPR seasons. They can continue the MMPR comics, of course, but I would love to see more original graphic novels like this focusing on other teams and characters. The universe of Power Rangers is rich, let’s see more of it!
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If you want more comics focusing on non-MMPR teams? Buy this book. If you want to see Karone face her deepest regrets and struggle to find some form of redemption? Buy this book. Most importantly, if you want to see the Psycho Rangers evolve from being more than just faster, smarter, stronger, and evil? Buy this book. You’ll never look at them the same way again.
If you want a preview of the book, head on over here to read the first fourteen pages of the comic!
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Shamus Kelley is a pop culture/television writer and official Power Rangers expert. Follow him on Twitter! Read more articles by him here!