Comic mini-reviews: main-series #29 and FF #15 (AJ/MM)

I'm still not really up to writing full-scale reviews, but since I know there are one or two people who like to know what I felt about the IDW comics, here's a very quick summary of each one. Both issues were coloured by Heather Breckel. Above are my copies: Cover B of #29, drawn by Katie Longua, and Cover Sub of FF #15, drawn by Brenda Hickey.

Main-series issue #29 wasn't bad. I have no interest whatsoever in wrestling, so I probably missed any number of in-jokes, but I still found the issue reasonably enjoyable. Ted Anderson's story was more Friends Forever in tone, really, so I'm not sure what it was doing in the main series. Jay Fosgitt's art is growing on me, and at least he didn't make a hash of Ponyville's architecture this time. ★★★

Friends Forever issue #15 (Applejack/Mayor Mare) was very nice, the best comic since the Twilight/Pinkie FF. The team-up worked well, quite a lot of the jokes were funny, Brenda Hickey's art was attractive and Bobby Curnow seems to be a pretty decent writer of AJ. The weird turn near the end will probably split opinion, but in context I think they got away with it. Recommended. ★★★★

Twilicorn is coming to the IDW comics!

"DAFUQ" Twilicorn by ZuTheSkunk, Mar 2013. CC by-nc-sa 3.0

Yes, that's right! This is official news, from Bobby Curnow on the IDW forums, so whether you're delighted, distraught or indifferent ain't gonna stop it happening. The Princess Twilight cometh from issue #13 onwards, though rather weirdly she's starting out in what seems to be a pirate-themed arc. For what it's worth, which isn't much: given a straight choice, I'd probably still vote for UniTwi over AliTwi... but it really doesn't bother me much any more. At any rate, I'll be waiting to see what Season 4 brings on that score.

Curnow has also said that Twilight will not be a Princess in the Spike micro, which is the next in that series to appear. His take on the whole thing, having seen "a good chunk" of the scripts for S4, is that the dynamics between Twi and the rest of the Mane Six have changed no more than if she'd got a driving licence. New responsibilities yes, new things you can do yes... but you're still the same person underneath. Or, in this case, the same pony. It's not a perfect analogy, but I do see where Curnow is coming from.

Comic review: MLP:FiM Micro-series issue #6: Applejack

Brenda Hickey's very likable cover B

And so we come to the end of the Mane Six's spotlight issues, though the Micro-series itself seems set to continue for quite some time yet. Applejack fans might think it entirely typical that her comic has been left until last — but sometimes that's where the best is saved for. Series editor Bobby Curnow makes his debut as a My Little Pony writer — and yes, he edited himself here! — while artist Brenda Hickey is also a newcomer. As usual, I bought my copy from Birmingham's Nostalgia & Comics shop, so let's see what my £3.15 bought me...