ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke native is stepping into the spotlight as a comic book writer with the exciting new series of Power Rangers!
JD Sutphin, known for founding Roanoke’s Big Lick Comic Con, is thrilled about his debut. “Line, set up, punch, classic comic book fun,” he shares.
Fans around the globe will soon have the chance to dive into the brand-new series, Power Rangers: Across the Morphin Grid, launching on October 30th, where Sutphin’s name will be featured in the credits.
Reflecting on his childhood, he says, “I can remember being 10 and wanting, so badly, to say, ‘It’s Morphin time!’ and become my favorite ranger. And I got to write that line. It’s absolutely bonkers.”
For Sutphin, this opportunity is a childhood dream come true. “It’s all we did, just tracing them. We would have a flashlight under a glass table to try the X-Men image and make them look cool. So, to come back to that now and be like, ‘Wow, comics changed my life and put me on a certain path.’ There’s definitely more to come.”
But it’s more than personal achievement for Sutphin; it’s about highlighting his roots and shining a spotlight on the Roanoke Valley.
“To me, I always want more people to meet this city. So if someone in Idaho is reading a Power Rangers book and asks, ‘Who’s JD Sutphin?’ and Googles it and finds out... Roanoke, Virginia, they have a giant neon star, I’d love to see that. Anybody that could become interested in visiting this area because they are reading a Power Rangers comic is amazing to me,” he says.
In the series, Sutphin contributed to an original story featuring the Yellow Ranger—a rescue adventure set in space.
“The name of the story is Tanyas Heavy Metal Rescue, and I’m definitely a heavy metal guy. We threw in some really cool bits of the series and even touched on the movie as well.”
To celebrate the release of the new Power Rangers comic, Big Lick Comics will host a costume party and mocktail event on October 30th. Don’t miss the chance to join in the festivities and celebrate this exciting milestone for Sutphin and the Roanoke community!