KYLE HIGGINS
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DF Interview: New Power Rangers comic morphs from Kyle Higgins’ brain in January By Byron Brewer The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are returning to comic books – and revisiting a classic era from the franchise. Yep; Tommy’s back. In January, BOOM! Studios will launch a new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ongoing series by writer Kyle Higgins and artist Hendry Prasetya. To learn more about it, Dynamic Forces chatted it up with Higgins, whom we found to be as excited as the franchise’s fan base. Dynamic Forces: Kyle, I have to tell you: I have a friend who is nuts about Power Rangers. I mean it is a major influence on this guy’s life! What is it about these characters through all the years of changes that has made them so enduring? Kyle Higgins: I think we all have friends who grew up big fans and stayed big fans. I haven’t followed the franchise that much since I was younger, but during my time working in comics I’ve met a ton of people my age who still follow the Rangers. It’s super cool, actually. Through their passion, I started going back and re-exploring the original series and catching up on what happened to certain characters and plotlines, remembering why I loved the series in the first place. So, to answer your question—and I’ve talked about this a bit before—I think the core concept is quite empowering, and also offers fantastic wish fulfillment. They’re ordinary kids made extraordinary, who have to keep secret identities as they battle to save the world. Who doesn’t love that? I also think that, aesthetically, there’s something super cool about their designs. The Rangers are sleek and streamlined, instantly recognizable and heroic. A powerful group made up of individuals, visually demonstrated by the way each one has their own flourishes on the overall team suit design. Honestly, when I first watched MMPR, that was what I was attracted to immediately. And, as I started working more and more in comics, I’ve been reminded of this time and time again—never underestimate the value of good design. DF: Elephant in the room early: Were you a fan of the team? Kyle Higgins: I wouldn’t have pitched for the book if I wasn’t! DF: So who do we have coming to this new BOOM! Studios book in the way of Rangers (my friend tells me there are hundreds of them from the TV franchise) and at what point in Rangers history does this occur? Kyle Higgins: We’re just focusing on the original series at this point—Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. So, it’s the core six—Jason, Zack, Billy, Trini, Kim and Tommy. Our first story takes place just after Tommy joins the team. He’s our way into the world, as he previously spent time brainwashed and working for the main villain, Rita Repulsa. DF: For the uninitiated, will we get any kind of origin story? Kyle Higgins: No origins. That said, I’ll definitely be hitting the major points of what the Power Rangers are, how they work, etc. We may have a little recap page that gives the necessary info too. We’ll see. DF: Tell us about the book’s storyline. Kyle Higgins: I can’t tell you much beyond what I just said—Tommy has joined the team, and everyone’s getting used to working together in this new dynamic… as Rita begins a plot to tear them apart. That said, while Tommy is our way into the series, he’s by no means the only storyline. This is a big, serialized story about a TEAM of Power Rangers. So, everyone kind of has their own subplot. The other thing I can mention is that we’re going to be doing some cool things on the production value side of things. Meaning, since we don’t have the kind of budget limitations that the show had, we’ll be exploring a lot of different environments and I’m building some gigantic set pieces that the show would have never been able to do—other cities, other dimensions, the insides of the Zords, training sequences, underwater sequences, etc. DF: As I have learned, the Power Rangers have a very, very, VERY loyal core following worldwide. How do you please those fans and yet make it open and updated enough for new readers/those not familiar with them? Kyle Higgins: It’s tough. You want to be respectful of what’s come before and accentuate the qualities that make Power Rangers so resonant for millions of people. At the same time, as a writer, you’re trying to do new things and explore different territory. So, it’s a bit of a tightrope walk. That said, I try not to think about it too much. I’m approaching the book the same way I approach everything I write—I’m looking to tell a really cool, emotional story that excites me and that I would want to read. Hopefully, others will dig it too. DF: What does artist Hendry Prasetya bring to this endeavor? What makes him right for the Rangers? Kyle Higgins: Power Rangers is a tricky book—I’m telling a very character-driven story that also happens to feature huge, blockbuster action. So, it’s a lot to juggle. The quiet, intimate moments need to emote on the page, and the action needs to jump off it. That’s super tough to bounce between, and it was super tough to find someone who could handle both. Hendry’s an absolute treasure, though. His first couple of pages look fantastic. I’m really looking forward to people seeing what he’s up to here. It’s going to be a special project for both of us. DF: Finally, Kyle, any fan-fave bad guys rearing their ugly heads here? Kyle Higgins: Of course! But, if I told you … Dynamic Forces would like to thank Kyle Higgins for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #0 hits stores January 6th! For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces Get your copy of NIGHTWING #0 FIRST PRINTING SIGNED BY KYLE HIGGINS! today!
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