Warning: Spoilers for The Powerpuff Girls #5The newPowerpuff Girlscomic from Dynamite may have understandably decided to highlight the return of the Dynamo mecha warrior on the main cover of its latest issue because it is so recognizable, but fans who take the time to read this fifth issue will notice that it also quietly pays homage to Mojo Jojo’s best episode - the 2008 TV special,The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!
The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!can easily be regarded as Mojo Jojo’s most defining moment from the original series because of the incredible twist that takes place at the very end. Turns out that the reason why he wanted to defeat the Powerpuff Girls was so that he could, as he says himself,“End world hunger, stop global warming, save the whales, cure all disease, end all war, and [provide] free puppies for everyone.”
The Dynamite comic seriesclearly explores a similarly unexpected side of Mojo Jojo inThe Powerpuff Girls#5 by Paulina Ganucheau, Silvia De Ventura, Guilia Lafranceschina, and Jeff Eckleberry whenhe ventures to the moon for some much-needed peace away from the annoying Powerpuff Girls. Once he arrives, Mojo Jojo becomes agitated by how quiet everything is. Although he doesn’t necessarily reference peace, he does fixate on the quietness of his new surroundings, which was the second-to-last annoying aspect he attributed to world peace inThe Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!before going crazy and reverting to his old ways.
Dynamite Quietly Pays Homage toThe Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!By Having Mojo Jojo Pursue Peace
The NewPowerpuff GirlsComic Book Honors Its Past
Upon Mojo Jojo’s eventual takeover of the world for the better in the TV special, all of these unexpected developments actually do in fact come to pass,completely deconstructing everything the audience and especially the Powerpuff Girls understood about him. After all, as the girls themselves say, his methods to achieve global peace just felt so bad. ButThe Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!brings everything back to normal with one more beautiful twist. Mojo Jojo gets so overwhelmed by how boring everything has become because of peace that he quickly reverts to his old self and starts attacking everyone.
However,ThePowerpuff Girls#5 does offer some major deviations from the 2008 TV special. The issue clearly defines Mojo Jojo’s agitation as beingdriven more by lonelinesswhen he tries to befriend a rampaging alien on the moon.
Dynamite is definitely investing in beloved cartoons; for even more nostalgia, don’t miss May’sFree Comic Book Day 2025: ThunderCats / The Powerpuff Girls#0, available May 3rd, 2025 from Dynamite.
Earlier scene transitionsbetween him and the Powerpuff Girlsalso referencethe common trope where a character revels in the prospect of their absence having a negative effect on otherswhen the objects of their ruminations are actually doing quite fine without them. In this case, these thoughts serve as a projection of Mojo Jojo’s own feelings onto the girls and to further isolate Mojo Jojo, even though he’s unaware of the fact that they don’t even realize he’s gone.
Dynamo’s Comeback Is Truly the Best Part ofThe Powerpuff Girls#5
Not Even Mojo Jojo Can Beat This Appearance
However, Dynamite soon completely breaks from its quiet homage toThe Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!by failing to have the overbearing quietness on the moon force Mojo Jojo back home and embrace the chaos of the Powerpuff Girls that he initially fled from. After all,the boring peace is what causes the peaceful Mojo Jojo to resort to villainy again inThePowerpuff Girls Rule!!!.Instead, some unfortunate events beyond Mojo Jojo’s control require him to ask the Powerpuff Girls to save him, leading to Dynamo’s appearance.
I Love How the New Powerpuff Girls Series Just Fixed the Original Show
The Powerpuff Girls #1 from Dynamite has adopted a form of storytelling that I wish the original and rebooted TV shows attempted back in the day.
To some readers who caught this quiet homage, the issue’s failure to fully follow through on this correlation may feel like a missed opportunity. But, luckily, the vast majority of fans are delighted by Dynamo’s well-executed return, appreciating the twist of how the mecha warrior is uncharacteristically more helpful to thePowerpuff Girlsthan not.
Powerpuff Girls
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The Powerpuff Girls is an animated comedy series that chronicles the adventures of three super-powered little girls created by a professor in an accidental lab experiment. Setting out to make his own little girl, Professor Utonium’s experiment goes awry and creates Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, each with unique powers. The three girls are then asked by the mayor and other citizens to help protect the city, all while attending kindergarten and trying to live an everyday life.
