So, this week sees the release of the most pre-ordered comic
in the world, this month at least. IDW’s latest licenced property is the hugely
popular cartoon My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and by the looks of
pre-orders, it’s going to be HUGE. Take that, Marvel NOW and DC New 52!
Curious about the
hub-bub surrounding the franchise, and wondering why it had garnered such high pre-orders,
I came to this book from a position of utter ignorance. I’m aware that this book is eagerly awaited by
kids and adults alike, its’ source material being a cartoon of such popularity
that the earth vibrates with a communal “SQUEEE!” every time a new episode
airs.
Coming from one of the story artists for The Powerpuff Girls
(Another cartoon that transcended superficial gender & age-group boundaries)
the cartoon My Little Pony: Friendship is
Magic has been a huge hit for a franchise that hadn’t seen any new episodes
on TV for almost 20 years and ultimately spawned this new comic book.
However, prior to picking this up, I had no idea why some
ponies were pegasi, while others were unicorns. I had no idea what a cutie mark
was, nor why some ponies wore clothes & accessories while others went au
naturel, but none of that mattered in the slightest. What I found was a fun,
smart, self-aware comic that has as much to offer the older more cynical readers
as it does younger ones. I found the same feeling of light-hearted fun as I got
from (The much-missed) Tiny Titans and
that’s no bad thing.
Written by Katie Cook, with art by Andy Price, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
takes its’ name straight from the cartoon and carries the same feeling of
light-hearted fun with just enough humour that works for all ages. Cook’s
webcomic Gronk (www.gronkcomic.com webcomic fans!) has a
very sharp eye for the absurdity of modern life seen through an innocent’s eyes,
coupled with the wit of a much savvier personality than that of the main
character. I must admit, Katie’s name being attached to the book was what
caught my eye. Ever since her self-published, insightful, seminal work on
Domesticated Animal Psychology “Fuck you, Box” I’ve enjoyed her work and
eagerly awaited her next project.
Your MLP Writer, in Pony form
As a first issue it ticks all the right boxes; the premise,
status quo and core are cast introduced quickly and concisely. The issue feels
self-contained enough to be satisfying, but
has a cliff-hanger to bring you back for the next issue. Too often I feel that
many new series treat their first issue as just part of a larger story and assume
you’ll be back for explanations in later issues (DC New 52, I’m looking at you
here…) but here we’ve got a perfectly paced and packaged parcel of Ponies.
We meet the younger siblings of the main characters, then
the leads themselves and within a page of meeting each, it becomes clear as to
what differentiates each. While some may cry “Archetypes!” that’s no bad thing
in a book like this. Better to have clearly defined personalities than vague
ones, surely?
“But, Dapper Dan!” I hear you cry “What actually happens in
this issue?!” Well, in brief; the plot is a (surprisingly dark) body-snatchers
affair with the leads slowly realising strange things are a-foot/hoof in the
land of Equestria.
It’s hard to overstate how well Price has performed here. His
work on the facial expressions really gives the book life. Exaggerated and over
the top, funny and well-executed nonetheless.
One other aspect of MLP:FIM (Sorry for the acronym, but it’s
a long title to keep typing) that I really enjoyed was that the issue features
visual and plot-related pop-culture references coming out the wazoo. Cook and
Price #(As I’m guessing these details were a collaborative effort) have worked
overtime in cramming the splash pages and panels full of visual gags.
Two words for you: Magnum. Pony.
This would have been hilarious even without the cutie mark
OK, one more; Three words for you: Blues. Brothers. Ponies
They’re on a mission from Dog
For the OCD fans among you, there’s a TON of variant covers
for the book, some exclusive to specific stores, like Larry’s Comics, and some
standard alternate covers available at most retailers. Gotta Catch ‘Em All!
(Wait… No… Wrong franchise…) I suspect Midtown Comics “Derpy Hooves” cover will
prove quite popular.
In closing, to answer your questions:
Yes, you should pick this up, especially if you have younger
kids who like the show, or if you or anyone you know misses Tiny Titans.
Yes, I am going to watch an episode or two of the show to
see what it’s like.
No, I don’t have a favourite Pony*
*Yes I do, it's Rainbow Dash
*Yes I do, it's Rainbow Dash
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