FiM Microseries: Twilight Sparkle Thread

[Bellosh]

So, who here remembered to pick up the first issue of the new microseries this week (featuring best pony)? How do you blokes like the story and art?

I'll chime in with my thoughts later tonight. ^_^

[SteelEagle]

It was a solid comic, around 7/10. It starts off weak and the art is never amazing, but it does hide a charm and knack for facial expressions that grows on you as the comic goes on. It won't dislodge any of the first three issues of the ongoing as best pony comic, but my twelve dollars was well spent.

[weesh]

Neat.

This is the best of the four comics thus far and not because the others are weak. Is it perhaps more accurate to say it starts off deliberately slow paced? This matches the progress that Twylek/Spotlight/Flashlight/Try-like/Spackle/Twilight makes.

In addition to the interesting story, redemption, and Celestia at her best. It is nice to see Celestia participating closely in Twilight's training and giving her meaningful and important assignments. Furthermore, the last line was perfect.

Here are the puns/references that I noticed:

• "series with the vampire pony" (Twilight!)
  
• Ponies (pride) and Prejudice
  
• Horseback (hunchback) of Notre Dame
  
• How to train your [baby] dragon
  
• Mare (mad?) about you
  
• Neigh (way) of the warrior
  
• Marble (Marvel) Universe
  
• "I know it's crazy, but call me mane (maybe)" Ugh. Even Twilight!? What terrible taste in music!
  
• "Boogie Woogie Pony (Bugle) Boy of Company C"
  
• I have no snout (mouth) yet I must whinny (scream)
  
• Barns and No Bell (Nobel)
  

Not to mention the graphic novel quip aimed at us!

And a few things that felt like they could be references:

• Canter in the sky (ah, I cheated: Catcher in the Rye)
  
• Jade Singer (J.D. Salinger, follows from above)
  
• Cesium Grande
  
• Lipizzaner
  
• Re-Cant
  

If any of those mean something, let me know.

Edited March 1, 2013 by weesh

[FrankT]

Won't ComiXology have it?

[RarityDash]

Took a while getting here, but my copy has come and I just read.

I liked it. Was it as good as the monthly? No, but it was quite charming in its own right. Lots of nice puns, as Weesh was good to point out.

The most striking thing is how different the art is from the main pony comic. Thomas Zahler really shoots to give us show style art way more than Price does. This approach maybe fails him to some extent, as there are spots where the art just really isn't as good as what you'd see in the show... though on the other hand it really helps to give it very familiar tone and atmosphere. I can see this expanded out a bit and made into an episode.

Plot was good. I dunno; maybe not anything super special and it's kinda hard to do much with just 22 pages to work with, but eh, it was fun to see Twilight be Twilight and obsess over books and stuff. The new character was well realized I think too; I liked her. Kinda makes me want to see more new characters in the comics. Guess that's something we'll have to really decide; comic characters and how they will work for the Mane RP; probably end up being considered Tier 3s.

So yeah, first micro series was pretty cool. Eager to get my hooves on the Rainbow Dash issue next time.

[weesh]

The most striking thing is how different the art is from the main pony comic. Thomas Zahler really shoots to give us show style art way more than Price does. This approach maybe fails him to some extent, as there are spots where the art just really isn't as good as what you'd see in the show... though on the other hand it really helps to give it very familiar tone and atmosphere.

Ah, perhaps that is why the art felt better. And maybe the main series art will grow on me but it is still unsatisfying at this point.

It is also refreshing that the slice of life nature of this comic matches the show better than the main series.

Plot was good. I dunno; maybe not anything super special and it's kinda hard to do much with just 22 pages to work with...

I don't understand. Were you coming into it expecting an epic adventure? If you liked the puns, the plot, the characters, etc, then why the disappointment?

[RarityDash]

I never said anywhere I was disappointed with it. I'd say it was more or less what I expected going in, and I was satisfied with what I got. It was just a fairly simple, straightforward story without many surprises for me. I thought it was good, just not something especially remarkable... though I do acknowledge Zahler didn't have much space to tell a bigger story. For what it is, I'd say I was definitely happy with it, but yeah, I still like what Cook and Price are doing so far a little more.

I'd still recommend anyone, and particularly Twi fans to check this out when they can.

[Inkwell]

Oh, I definitely like this one. The art was off, though. In some cases I could see the hind legs of ponies bending the wrong way, the way you'd expect someone who'd never looked at a horse's hind legs to draw them. But the story was nice enough that I could overlook that. It's nice to see that Twilight loves reading fiction as much as she does nonficion.

While I was reading the discussion on Equestria Daily, there were a few people who were very disappointed that Twilight was so dismissive of Jade Singer's taste in music. They said it was out of character for her. I'm not really seeing it. Musical taste is a tricky thing to predict. For instance, I would have preferred it if Twilight was singing Somebody That I Used to Know, but them's the breaks.

[weesh]

For instance, I would have preferred it if Twilight was singing Somebody That I Used to Know, but them's the breaks.

Wow, "somepony I used to know" would have been incredible. It would make you wonder about her past, rather than associating her with the painfully shallow "call me maybe" But yeah, a more passive dislike would have been better.

I never said anywhere I was disappointed with it. I'd say it was more or less what I expected going in, and I was satisfied with what I got. It was just a fairly simple, straightforward story without many surprises for me. I thought it was good, just not something especially remarkable... though I do acknowledge Zahler didn't have much space to tell a bigger story. For what it is, I'd say I was definitely happy with it

Fair enough. The post sounded disappointed, even if it wasn't said outright. How many surprises do you want? Or did you just see through almost all of them?

[FrankT]

Dare I ask if it's in digital form at all...?

[weesh]

Dare I ask if it's in digital form at all...?

I don't see any digital copies on Amazon. You could get it there if it isn't in your local comic shop.

[frostfauna]

Dare I ask if it's in digital form at all...?

This early on? I doubt it. Unless they're selling digital copies online somewhere, which wouldn't surprise me too much.

[starswirlthebearded]

Dare I ask if it's in digital form at all...?

Comixology and iTunes.

[weesh]

Can I request that the name of this thread be changed to "FiM Microseries: Twylek Spackle Thread"?

[/terrible joke]

Dare I ask if it's in digital form at all...?

Why do you prefer digital?

[Rosewind]

Why do you prefer digital?

Could be the convenience of having it right now, and being able to take it anywhere on a mobile device?

[FrankT]

Well... yes.

[weesh]

Could be the convenience of having it right now, and being able to take it anywhere on a mobile device?

Both of those are nice. But are those perceived to be benefits over the speed at which you can buy the comic for the same price at a comic shop (supporting local business) and over the highly portable, share-able and tactile format of a physical comic?

[tacobob]

The art didn't bother me as much as I thought it would...But YIKES! What's the deal with Princess Celestia's head in the first few panels she's in? Her head doesn't even look like it's properly connected to her head..Which is a shame, cause I love the sly little look she gives Twilight in the last panel of that page. I like that image..But then my eyeballs go back an few inches and AHHHHH!

[Kodokuna]

To be quite honest, out of the main comics and the rest of the Microseries up till Fluttershy's, I thought this was the best one. I really wish at some point they convert this into an actual episode.

Also, Tacobob is right. Celestia's naughty eyes is just... filled with mischief. What the heck was she planning?!