New cover art for an upcoming Power Rangers comic issue is showcasing what could have been one of the best arcade games ever. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3 is blending the two teams in an amazing way, throwing back to an iconic '80s video game starring the pizza-loving turtles. The Teenagers With Attitude are taking on their classic foes in an overdue gaming crossover.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3 has the creative team of Ryan Parrott, Dan Mora, Raul Angulo, and Ed Dukeshire. This series is the second crossover of the two iconic hero teams. This Power Rangers/TMNT combo comic began in December 2022 and will span five issues. A variant cover for the third issue from Diego Sanches has been revealed, and it is a brilliant mash-up that longtime fans of both hero teams will love.
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Meet Turtles in Time
Sanches' cover of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3 combines the Power Rangers with the classic arcade game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time from Konami. Released in 1991, the game served as a sequel to previous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games which began releasing in 1989. In Kang's place, the Power Rangers' classic Megazord can be seen, as the team replaces the titular heroes fighting above the streets of New York City. Also visible are health bars for each of the Rangers, showing the wide range of options players would have to choose from.
The Power Rangers & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a Dream Team
This comic series has done an amazing job of blending iconic elements of both franchises, bringing in altered versions of the Shredder as the Green Ranger and Casey Jones as the mysterious Ranger X. This variant cover is a brilliant way to not only continue the franchise combo, but also to pay homage with a nod to readers' early years of fandom for both teams. However, this cover also serves to provide a glance at what could have been a fantastic game. Turtles in Time is a classic, but crossing over both teams would have taken it to the next level. The Power Rangers had a couple of games - including a side-scroller and a tournament fighter - but nothing that garnered the same love and attention as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' games. This cover shows a world where the heroes of Angel Grove saw the same success as the Heroes in a Halfshell.
The attention to detail of Sanches' cover for this Power Rangers/TMNT crossover shows how much potential this partnership has. It is action-packed, very true to its retro inspiration, and it looks like it would be incredibly fun were it to actually exist as a real game - a real possibility, as the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge took the Turtles back to their beat 'em up era, garnering significant acclaim. Given the lengthy history of both teams in television, comics, and gaming, there is a lot that could still be done in the future. Comic-loving gamers can check out the latest issue - and this incredible variant cover - when Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3 releases February 22 from IDW and BOOM! Studios.