RangerStop and Pop Comic Con headed to Atlanta June 21-23

When talking about their “Power Rangers” experience, most of the actors say the same thing: they didn’t really know what they were getting into.

“I had never done any acting before,” said Steve Cardenas, who played Rocky DeSantos, the second Red Ranger in the first television show in the franchise, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” “I had no aspirations to be an actor, or anything like that.”

“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” – and every iteration of the show that followed – were popular among kids throughout the 1990s and 2000s. But even to this day, older fans will gather and reminisce about the past when they can. RangerStop and Pop Comic Con, a convention celebrating Power Rangers, anime and pop culture, is headed to Atlanta June 21-23.

According to a press release, the event will take place at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park. Guests will have the chance to meet their favorite Rangers and other actors from famous franchises in person.

Power Rangers actors who are expected to be in attendance include Austin St. John, Steve Cardenas, Catherine Sutherland, Nakia Burrise and Karan Ashley. Other guests include Kel Mitchell (“Good Burger,” “All That”) and cast members from the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated series.

“I still am in awe that 30 years later, people remember my character,” said Burrise about her experience with the franchise. Burrise, who appeared as the Yellow Ranger in “Power Rangers Zeo” and “Power Rangers Turbo,” helped co-found the convention , along with fellow Ranger Karan Ashely and Michael Buoni.

“The crazy thing is, I have been blessed to do a ton of things since ‘Power Rangers,’” she said. “But it always comes back to Power Rangers.”

Many of the Rangers think part of the reason they have retained some notoriety over the years is because of the rise of social media. When they were working in the 1990s, they would receive fan mail. But social media has made it easier for old fans to seek them out and share how much the franchise meant to them.

“I knew it was big then, but I did not know that years later, once everybody grew up, that they would have such nostalgia for it,” Cardenas said.

Ashley, who played the second Yellow Ranger in “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” said she thinks part of the reason the show has stayed so popular is because of its diverse nature.

“If you think about it, every single kid has had a power ranger that looks like them,” Ashley said. “Every single kid has seen themselves as a hero.”

Catherine Sutherland, who played the second Pink Ranger in “Mighty Morphin” and then went on to star in “Power Rangers Zeo” and “Power Rangers Turbo,” said she took the responsibility of being a hero role model for kids very seriously and feels proud that the love for the Power Rangers has stuck around.

“It’s a huge blessing in my life that I did not expect,” Sutherland said. “It was a job … you leave that job, you go on with your life and you do other things. I just feel so honored to be a part of this franchise that people love so much.”

Tickets and more information about the event can be found online.

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