My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Vol. 1

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (single issue editions) #1

by Katie Cook, Andy Price (Illustrator), Bobby Curnow (Editor)

The ponies have noticed somethings not right in Ponyville, as some of the town's inhabitants are acting very, very strange! Its up to the Mane Six to find the source of the weirdness before its too late!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Childrens, Unicorns, Young Adult, Manga

24 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

I graduated from the College for Creative Studies in 2004 with a BFA in illustration, my love of cartooning and comics has led me to where i am today.

I've done licensed work for DC, Marvel, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic, Fraggle Rock and more. I love being a nerd, so being able to draw nerdy things for a living is the best thing ever.

I'm married to the best guy ever. Ryan keeps me grounded.

I have a daughter, Grayson, who is my booger-y little destroyer of worlds.

I like my cats... a LOT.
...Our dog isn't too bad.

I live in a state shaped like a mitten.

The constant support of my family, pets, friends, and even complete strangers, is what drives me to succeed in art. Thank you everyone, because of you, I am what I am.

Which means... I'm all your fault.

Reviews

[Marlene Ocampo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this comic. I only bought it and the second volume because I fancied the covers (one has the Doctor and Derpy on it, and the other is of Vinyl Scratch), but I didn't expect the comic to be anything more than something slapped together with little concern for the fans. I was wrong!

The artwork is vibrant and colorful in the same style as the show, and all the characters were properly made. I enjoyed several of the background ponies and other details that were put in there for an adult audience to enjoy (I spotted the Blues Brothers and a book called "To Serve Ponies"). The Mane Six behaved in-character throughout the whole comic, and there were several instances where I chuckled at the writing.

The plot was also a clever idea, involving the return of Queen Chrysalis and her evil plan to take over Ponyville and exact revenge on the Mane Six. The creators of this comic did that well, and have made me anxious to read the next volume!

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

*What I liked:

- The art looks amazing. There is so much to discover in the background, and I love the expressions of the ponies
- Great references to movies like IT
- Tongue-in-cheek humour
- Even though you know no one will get hurt, the story is exciting and keeps you turning the pages
- All ponies have distinct different personalities

What I didn't like:

- The story is told in five parts; I didn't care much for the first part
- Feel-good message overload. Yes, I get that love conquers all and I don't mind the ponies actually saying it out loud, but please not again, and again, and again
- Sometimes the art was so all over the place that I didn't know where to look first (I'm a complete comic noob though - it might not bother other people)

Verdict: Load of fun, would love to read next parts

* This is a review of all the Friendship is Magic comics combined, which I received for review from Netgalley

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know that My Little Pony had a comic! *Squeals*

Story-wise, it was good. I imagine that if this was the cartoon, it would be a two-part episode that comes either at the start of the end of the season.

Basically, the main story is that the queen of the changelings (she's the one that tried to impersonate Princess Cadance and drain Shining Armor of his powers) has kidnapped Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. To save their sisters and Scootaloo, the ponies set out to rescue them.

Along the way, the changelings try to break up their friendship. Will the ponies survive? (The answer is "look at the name of the show!")

It really is a "friendship is magic" story, and I think any fan would love it. But for some reason, the graphics look a little different from the animated series. Perhaps it's just me, perhaps the artists were different.

Apart from the main story, there is one or two other short stories in-between. These are really cute, and I would have loved to see more.

For the die-hard My Little Pony fan, this is a must-read. For those looking for a gift for a little girl, this is a safe bet. And if you want a joke gift for someone who scoffs at My Little Pony (and I have a long list in mind mwahahaha), buy this immediately!

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this galley from NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile

[Kaitie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This comic is better than some of the actual episodes of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic! The detail and artwork are great, and the actual storyline is good and flows all the way through. With that said, I feel there are 2 components outside of the comics that a person would need to enjoy this and appreciate the little things in it: 1) Is having watched the show and to know and understand the personalities of the ponies themselves & 2) Is having watched specifically the Royal Wedding episode which is heavily referenced and where the villain comes from. This comic is also not the best for young children, it's clearly aimed at the older teen and adult fan base. Not that the content is not good for children, but it's not going to capture their attention and they won't catch on to the added jokes and references. If you are a fan of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic then I would highly recommend this!

[Terica Brester · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's cute!

I really like this story line so far, it's cute and fun, and I'm left in suspense! Time to get #2.

[Charlotte]

I love it

[. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(It's not weird that I'm reading MLP stuff.. just bored. ;)

[Haaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the illustrations though they were very involved. I felt like it made the plot feel a little overwhelmed. However, there is plenty to go back and look at.

[mimi spark · Rating 4 out of 5]

¿tengo la perspectiva de la realidad tan alterada que creo que podré acabar esta historia hoy? probablemente JAJSJA, al menos una ventaja de los comics es que se leen SÚPER rápido, así que quizás acabe las cuarto partes del cómic hoy (que no se note mi positivismo)

en fin, por lo que llevo de la historia está tan bien manejada que perfectamente puedo imaginarme la adaptación que pudo tener en la serie original de FiM, además fue divertido de leer

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The horses have consumed my life as of late lol. I blame my sister since she wanted us to watch the show with her (but it is pretty good).

This is also a good start to the comics, continuing where season 2 left off and bringing back Queen Chrysalis with a story sec about how she returns to try and take over again (since she fumbled her otherwise solid plan in her debut at the end of season 2 lol).

It's pretty good, and I like how dynamic the art can be. The character expressions are also great.

[James Edward Brogren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Comic

One is the best comics I ever read Thank you but wish I had money to pay for more of them

[Bailley Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Give me the full story right now

Give me the full story right now I am going to 👎 to you
Love the first 2 chapters now give me more or I will call th ok ok on you

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

:/

It's not horrible but not AMAZING, it's not bad
You might want to put more pages in the book ,it's good

[Erin Schacht · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love your book

I love your book it's nice it's good for kids And just I love the characters there really funny xoxo

[john]

My Little Pony

[Bhavana Desai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the motion book.its cute.
The book is attractive and the story is ok.

[Trisha Gricken · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent cliffhanger

[Christen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love my little pony book collections, so I definitely enjoy this book as well! Children also love watching and reading about these ponies.

[FinishingMyTBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is great! <3

[Miki Rybicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

of course I loved it

[Austing Fabrizio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Johnnie Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing art, so detailed and lively

[Kuroyuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun art, lots of little Easter eggs in the backgrounds, humourous writing

[Carmín González · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estoy tratando de consumir todo el contenido de MLP de nuevo y el qué no he visto, este es el comienzo

[krystle E McNair · Rating 5 out of 5]

That all become friends

[Lucie &#x1f31e; · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars ⭐️
➡️Reading for work (lire à la plage)
So cute following the story of the Pony’s of Ponyville through a Comics !

[Airreen Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much.

[MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I will admit it. Braces self and admits the truth, I am a fan of the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Yes, that's right.... I'm a brony (male Pony fan). So what? I'm being facetious with the melodramatic embarrassment, but that is to introduce this topic. I love this show, because it is actually really good. It has plot lines that children can enjoy, with depth, characterization, jokes, references that adults can like as well. All of the above is because Lauren Faust, when originally tasked to created the newest generation of My Little Pony set out to make this newest iteration of the franchise one that both parents AND kids will want to watch.

Anyone who has paid attention at all to the number of comics and manga I have read know that I love those genres. As a fan of the show, I was pleased to hear that they had started releasing comics that are part of the same continuity as the show.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Vol. 1 is a really fun adventure. The plot is simple enough, in that the evil Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings has returned to set up a trap for Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the Mane 6 (Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Jack). Though simple, the plot is actually pretty clever, in that it is well-thought out, and one that the characters all know is a trap that they have to walk into, because Chrysalis has forced their hands that effectively. But the trap at the end is not the only trick the evil Queen has up her sleeve. The trek to her kingdom is fraught with peril, and they will need all of their wits to make it through.

The main draw for me is not the over-arching story. As I said, it is quite clever, though simple, so it is worth a read itself, though the end is a tad spoiled by seeming like a complete Deus ex Machina. That is the only real criticism I can come up with here, though. For me, however, the draw is the characterization and the way the story is told. The book is filled with shout-outs and clever and funny references to everything from horror movies like The Shining, to works such as The Phantom of the Opera, and characters from The Lord of the Rings and Transformers, among others. And the comedy and the interactions of the characters are hilarious. This is not some lame kiddie-story.

At the end, there is the lesson learned and the good guys winning, and it is a tad more explicit than I liked, but that was only about three pages worth of panels. The rest of the book was written with subtlety and wit. There was a great section at the end where they had a short mini-comic that seemed to be half filling in plot holes, and half a Western comic book take on the Yonkoma sections in Japanese manga.

This was a really great comic that I am sure both fans, and non-fans, of the current MLP franchise will enjoy.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, here we go. I’m finally reading these comics I’ve heard so much about.

First off, I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the art style—not because it differs from the show, but just because I don’t like the style itself. I do like all of the detail put into the backgrounds, as some of them are nods to the bronies and some of them are clever/funny.

As for the story itself, I really enjoyed it. It’s hard to judge it too much as each issue of the comic is rather short, so I don’t feel like I’m very far along in the story. However, what is in this issue is certainly interesting, as Queen Chrysalis is one of my more favorite villains (behind Nightmare Moon and Discord) and it’s nice to see her returning.

This might be a little bit SPOILERY, but it does seem a little weird to me how the changelings seem to decrease in skill level once transformed into other ponies… They act very much like mindless zombies, but then are a legitimate danger to the Mane 6 in fights. Granted, some of this does hearken back to the show itself, with how the bridesmaids acted, but in the comic expanding on the changelings, it really highlighted how odd the whole thing is. They’re very crafty, but yet can’t even attempt to play the part of the pony they’ve transformed into. Maybe this will be expanded on later in the comics, but I tend to have my doubts.

Still, I did enjoy this comic and how much effort went into the writing and the art. I could “hear” the Mane 6 all speaking their lines in my head, and it’s very easy to tell with the art that these comics were made with the older fans in mind.

The downside is I want all of the covers but I don’t have money to blow on buying the same book a hundred times over just for one page of difference.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the short comic at the end. There’s a special two-page comic with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. I thought it was cute, and I love seeing glimpses at small, everyday things, as often we only visit these characters when things are going wrong.

[Sarah Maddaford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I had reviewed this one back when I read it because it was an arc, but I guess not since this is almost 5 months later.

I was glad that I read this while my boyfriend wasn't around because he would make fun of it (and he did when he saw me add it to my read list). I loved My Little Pony as a kid, but I've been hesitant about Friendship is Magic because it doesn't have any of the old characters and so many adult men like it... Rather than try the show I gave this a try. You don't need to have seen the show for this one because the characters are pretty one dimensional. Some of them are still interesting, but one or two are annoying. The story is about as cliche-filled and fluffy as expected. It has moments of genuine humor and intelligence that make up for a lot of it though.

All in all, while I understand this is a crossover for younger girls and adults, it manages to connect to both without leaving either out. There isn't anything that would offend parents and make it inappropriate for the kids, but there is still clever stuff for adult (nerd/geek) readers to catch.