My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #23 Review

Written by: Jeremy Whitley

Art by: Amy Mebberson

Publisher: IDW

The word “adorable” has always been an apt adjective when describing My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, but Issue 23 takes that description to a whole new level. This comic is just too cute for its own good.

Issue 23 is a one-off, neither the start to a new arc nor the end to one. It’s a contained story. This is far from what I expected given the other MLP:FiM issues I’ve read in the past, but I like the departure. It’s nice to pick up something and not have it end with a cliffhanger and the requirement of another monthly purchase.

Departures are what this month is about though, for Issue 23 doesn’t follow any of the ponies around at all. Instead, we are treated to an entire comic focused on the main six’s pets: Angel, Gummy, Owlicious, Opalescence, Tank, and Winona. I like the cast of pets; the writers of the MLP:FiM show managed to put a lot of personality into them while leaving them far in the background, and now all of that personality gets to shine.

We start with Angel waking up to house devoid of Fluttershy and his morning coffee. Confused, he sets out to find her only to find a Ponyville that’s completely empty. He recruits the other pets, and off they go! They stumble upon something I didn’t expect, and something I’m not sure I want to spoil either. Being surprised is fun, and I don’t want to ruin that for you.

Issue 23 is good. It’s filled to the brim with laughs and drips cuteness to the point where it’s almost too sweet. It introduces some new magical items, a new set of creatures for Equestria’s beastery, and ends well, though too abruptly (which at this point is normal for an MLP:FiM related anything).

My only complaint is the lack of dialogue, which is understandable given the cast. But no talking means the comic reads very quickly. It’s a contained story, but there’s less here to grasp than previous issues. However, the art is top notch all the way through (save some clumsy renditions of Twilight Sparkle), and it’s easily worth a reread.

Of all the issues I’ve read so far, this one is sure to brighten your day up.