Written By: Thom Zahler
Art By: Andy Price
Published By: IDW
First thing’s first: IDW, you got like six books worth reading this week. That’s insane. Like bravo and all, but I only have so many hours in the day, and most of those are taken up by work, booze, and sleep. Would you please think of the alcoholics from the Midwest next time? Thanks. Okay, now second, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #65 is super cute.
The plot is one I believe we’ve seen before. It’s that time of the year where Princess Cellestia disguises herself as a normal pony so she can travel Equestria to see what other ponies really think of her. Evidently they don’t have Twitter in Ponyville. Or the Enquirer. However, unlike the last time this happened, Cellestia’s amulet gets stolen and she’s stuck without her powers. Dun dun dun!
Now, on the whole, I’d prefer a strict character piece where thievery doesn’t happen and Cellestia is forced to confront some ills about herself sans action. However, this issue makes it work. Cellestia’s banter with everyone she meets is really good, and half of it wouldn’t exist were she not in trouble. There are some brilliant moments between Cellestia and Twilight and Cellestia and the villains, with an ending “reveal” moment that feels pretty special.
Now to be sure, the villains aren’t anything amazing. It’s a grumbling trio of thieves that exist to move the plot along and teach Cellestia a lesson. I would have liked more from them, but this is a single issue with a single story, so we get a lot crammed into a little. It mostly works, but there’s not much room to breathe or grow attached to anyone.
What really stands out with #65 are the jokes. There are tons of gags in the background, and a few really good ones in the foreground too. I laughed out loud a few times, which is more than the recent I Hate Fairyland can say. Luna is awesome, even if she’s only around for a few pages.
As to the art, it’s solid. Andy Price is gonna Andy Price. His facial expressions here are top notch and where some of the better jokes reside, and while a few poses come off as a little flat or stiff, it’s all good stuff on the whole. He has a great eye for background gags.
It’s been awhile, but we’ve finally got another really solid entry into the MLP:FiM comic scene. This one has a simple premise but a lot of fun, and while I’d have liked some of the conflict to be spread out over two issues to give the characters more room to breathe, I enjoyed the topic and the jokes. It’s worth a look if you’re a fan of the property.
