Wait, I thought this series was on hiatus while we focused all of 2014 on Fandomanual? Well, yeah, it is but after a weekend living it up in Power Ranger nostalgia there was no other way I could present Power Morphicon except to do it in a Guide fashion. So for those who didn’t follow my teeny bopper magazine meets geeky realm articles, you’re in for a treat — I hope. So here we go!
Power Morphicon is a convention that happens every couple years. Over a few days towards the end of the summer Power Ranger fans from near and far take over the Pasadena Convention Center. You can imagine the amount of spandex the locals are subjected to. It’s always a good time but going on my third time there, I was more excited to see fans’ reactions than my own. I’d gotten to meet my two favorite Rangers in the past and all I wanted to do was show Karan Ashley my Yellow Ranger tattoo because she’d been my favorite one since the start. Yes, I was one of the very few little girls who didn’t flock towards Kimberly.
Enough about me; let’s talk more about some interesting facts picked up at this year’s Morphicon, and chat about why you and I will forever love the Power Rangers.
Event: Power Morphicon
Started: 2007
Place of Origin: Los Angeles
Twitter: @PowerMorphicon
Best Known For
Power Morphicon is best known for being the premiere event for Power Ranger fans to come and meet favorite Rangers from all the different series. It’s not just Mighty Morphin who is there and it’s always surprising to see how many people who started out with MMPR continued to watch as they grew up. Hey, more power to them. The Power Rangers, however, are known for being a pop culture phenomenon. It was started back in the ‘70s in Japan but in 1993 was revamped for American kids and we ate it up like you wouldn’t believe. From that point on, new Rangers were born and series developed but, no matter the premise, it was the same basic concept. What’s that saying? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
5 Quick Facts Learned at Power Morphicon
- Catherine Sutherland’s favorite day on set will always be the very first one.
- When asked when he realized the impact the show had on people, Steve Cardenas said it wasn’t until he attended the first Power Morphicon in 2007 and got to talk to fans as adults and hear what the show really meant to them.
- Jason David Frank, AKA the hottest Ranger, once got injured at a KoRn concert in the mosh pit.
- When it comes to gross fan encounters, David Yost may have everyone beat. He was once asked to sign a pair of jeans that had a pee stain.
- Austin St. John is nothing but humbled by everything that has to do with his Ranger past.
Reasons You Love Power Rangers
Here in the states the Power Rangers may’ve started with MMPR but it didn’t stop there. It’s insane to think someone in their 30s is still watching new ones. It’s also amazing to know that there is still children’s television out there. I swear kids today only have apps but that’s a different article for a different day. Anyways, when I think about why everyone else loves Power Rangers I think back to all the stories I’ve heard over the years at this con and just smile because fans’ love for this show isn’t simply based on the fact that it was a cool thing to watch after school when they were five or that they liked the fight scenes. Some have really deep connections to it and that’s what I love to hear about.
Often times during the Q&As, fans tell whichever Ranger they’re talking to why they loved them. These are usually followed by some form of a question but most of the time at the microphone is spent paying their Ranger much respect and admiration. There are countless fans who took up martial arts, many who felt a connection because of the racial diversity, and there was one girl who was bullied for being mentally challenged and liking the show. She said she didn’t care though, and that at 33 years old she’d love the Rangers for the rest of her life. All you could really do at that moment was clap and cheer.
So you will always love the Rangers because it’s a reminder of a great show from your past but also because it inspired you to get out and take up a new hobby, finally showed a face on TV that looked like you, and maybe helped you through some rough times growing up.
Reasons I Love Power Rangers
For those who are around my age who didn’t partake in the hysteria that was MMPR when it first hit the scene, I’m sorry you missed out on a full childhood. Looking back it was the cheesiest show on earth but at the time it was your whole universe.
Here’s the thing, I thought the Power Rangers was the absolute coolest thing when I was younger. I remember one day in particular my nephew and I were outside playing in the mud and my sister-in-law was yelling at us that our show was about to start. We perked up and ran inside. There was no time to clean off, our show was on. Also, who doesn’t remember the stress of Tommy going from the Green to White Ranger? My mom’s generation has the moon landing and, well, mine has that saga.
However, I didn’t continue on with it and when I go to Power Morphicon I’m lost by all the other Rangers because by the time the second movie rolled around I was growing out of it — or so I thought. As I write this I’m staring at a Yellow Ranger bow I picked up this year and a trading card of the Saber Toothed Tiger on one of my collage boards. So while I stopped watching years ago, that love is forever present in me, but why?
Power Rangers was a really cool show to watch and I think that anyone can agree that at a young age doing karate moves and kicking butt is all the rage, no matter what year it is. For me, though, I do have to say the racial diversity is what hits home. I loved the Yellow Ranger first and foremost because Trini didn’t seem as girly as Kimberly, and I was a tomboy (still am with the exception of my love of floral dresses). But when Trini was replaced by Aisha I was like — oh hell yeah. A black girl was the Yellow Ranger and, hello, that was awesome to me. There weren’t many black female characters on kids’ shows so I grasped onto her as my favorite and she still is to this day.
If you know me, you know that I’m forever stuck in the ‘90s and that’s a huge reason I love the Rangers and for me it goes a bit deeper because of the connection to Aisha’s Yellow Ranger. So there you have it. Maybe this series will pick back up officially come 2015? Until then, keep on keeping on with Fandomanual.
