by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor

ComicsOnline is back with more installments in our Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Exclusive Interview Series! Our latest interview features Amy Jo Johnson, best known as Kimberly Hart from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers!

Amy Jo discussed her new BOOM! Studios limited-series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, the creative process of bringing this particular story to life, her lasting friendship with David Yost, favorite memories of Thuy Trang and Jason David Frank, as well as some of her unique experiences during her time with Power Rangers.

SPOILER ALERT: This interview includes details of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #1.

Matt: BOOM Studios has been working so hard on the Power Rangers franchise over the last few years with 100+ issues and so many talented creators, and now we’ve got your 4-issue event series that had a stellar (or morphinomenal if you will) Kickstarter! $594,000 raised with over 5,800 backers and your main goal achieved within 45 minutes…that’s gotta feel like a great way to start this experience.

Amy Jo Johnson: It was overwhelming and exciting. Matt and I had this idea almost four years ago. At first, I came up with an idea for a TV show or series, but then I realized that was going to be a really difficult route to go, especially with it being from a franchise that already had its agenda with how they were going to proceed with it. It was around when the pandemic hit that I couldn’t get this idea out of my head. Matt is just this massive comic book reader and has been a fan since he was 9 years old and has thousands and thousands of comics. I know that this is his world (I write screenplays and I’ve hardly even read comic books) and he suggested that we do this as a comic book. I thought that was an avenue to explore, so we developed the story together and reached out to BOOM! They were excited by the idea, and so four years later, here we are with that Kickstarter. I can’t tell you how excited we are for people to finally read the story.

MS: For those people who haven’t been following along, can you briefly summarize the events that lead us to this first issue?

AJJ: In the prelude that we did in the short story series last year, we setup the question of what if the original Rangers had stayed together? What would that look like and where would they be now? The comic book takes place now, with everybody 30 years older, but what has happened in the past speaks to what is currently happening in the present. I know that’s a bit vague! (laughs)

MS: As we start into the first issue, we get a sense as to where people are now. Zach and Billy’s backstory gets revealed, along with a very interesting twist for Jason, but I wanted to start off talking about the wonderful tribute to Trini with the christening of the Trini Kwan Memorial Park and Juice Bar. Can you talk about why that particular moment was so important for this issue?

AJJ: The book starts off with this memorial for Trini who was the Mayor of Angel Grove who had passed away. It brings Kimberly back to Angel Grove. Something had happened years ago that made her change her name to Emma and decide that there are “No More Power Rangers”, which is also the name of the first issue. Something very devastating had happened, and we learn early on in that first issue that Tommy had passed away as well. We don’t know what had fully happened, but it has changed her life completely. Billy and Zack are at the memorial and celebrating Trini’s life, and what we discover is that Billy, Zack, and Jason have been still using their power coins for good things besides being a Power Ranger (except for Jason). This really pissed Kimberly off because they had all made a pact that they would not use those power coins anymore. We are left with this mystery as to what happened to make Kimberly so adamant that they are not to use these coins, and it alludes to the fact that it had something to do with what happened to Tommy.

MS: Before we move on, I want to go back to the Memorial scene, because there was a great moment that featured Ernie, Bulk, & Skull. Will they be playing a role in the book, or was that more for the fans?

AJJ: That was definitely for the fans. They were intrinsically a part of the original cast and that whole time period, and they had to be in there. They may return later in these four issues, but they needed to be included in that moment because they would have been there no matter what.

MS: That felt like the perfect place to put them and definitely made me smile when I turned the page. It felt very organic.

AJJ: So since you’ve read it, did you like it?

MS: Yes! I think you guys did a great job. I really enjoyed the setup. Obviously, you had to set the stage for where these characters are after so many years, but also within your universe. I think the setup for Billy and Zack and the context as to what they’ve been up to was great, and it sounds like Jason has been a little busy over the last few decades…I think pacing and timing wise with all of the elements that you included in the first issue, you hit all the markers. It’s exciting to see these characters explored in a new fashion.

AJJ: Cool! I’m glad to hear it.

MS: We know that Jason is facing down a mysterious threat in the present, but I really enjoyed how you incorporated Austin’s real-world experience into the story. Did you end up talking with any of your fellow castmates about where they thought their characters would be at this point?

AJJ: No, we didn’t talk story with anybody else. I do talk to David (Yost) all the time, so I sorta told him everything that was happening as we were going, but they are a reflection of the characters and there is a tiny bit of meta in there. As an actor, I think we all are a bit of who we play.

…

Our exclusive interview with Amy Jo Johnson continues at the link below! Make sure you check it out for more insights into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, as well as stories and reflections on her time as the Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #1 is now available at your local comic book store.

Special thanks to BOOM! Studios for arranging this interview. Special thanks to our friends at BOOM! Studios for arranging this interview.

We’re getting back to action as new installments in our Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Interview Series are now online!

Join host Matt Sernaker as he catches up with the Ranger family for a unique series of conversation. This series currently features Walter Emanuel Jones (Zack), Catherine Sutherland (Kat), Steve Cardenas (Rocky), Nakia Burrise (Tanya), David Fielding (Zordon), Ron Wasserman (Composer), Richard Horvitz (Alpha 5), Tony Oliver (Supervising Producer), Melissa Flores (BOOM! Studios’ MMPR & Power Rangers Hyperforce), and Meghan Camarena (Power Rangers Hyperforce & BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers Unlimited: Hyperforce).

More installments will be released throughout the year, so make sure you check out our social media links below.

Part 9 of our interview series featuring Tony Oliver:

Part 8 of our interview series featuring Nakia Burrise (with special appearance by Catherine Sutherland):

Part 7 of our interview series featuring Richard Horvitz:

Part 6 of our interview series featuring Melissa Flores & Meghan Camarena:

Part 5 of our interview series featuring David Fielding:

Part 4 of our interview series featuring Steve Cardenas:

Part 3 of our interview series featuring Ron Wasserman:

Part 2 of our interview series featuring Catherine Sutherland:

Part 1 of our interview series featuring Walter Emanuel Jones:

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