3:44 ARE WE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS PANEL???? "losing patients is why we didnt get our cutie marks in dentistry" WHAT IS THIS IMPLYING. _WHAT IS THIS IMPLYING_
I read the Cosmos arc and it's hilarious how they made Discord a victim of a toxic relationship that he overcomes. It's even funnier because it's well written.
It’s SUCH a good arc. Besides being gorgeous and really funny, it’s incredibly dark for MLP- the word “kill” is actually used- and using a character who’s usually uncaring and omnipotent as the victim of said relationship makes it very impactful.
My theory that could validate his account to some extent, though, is that he didn't realize what he was doing when Celestia and Luna turned him to stone. He decided to be turned to stone in order to take the fall for Cosmos, especially since everyone seemed to believe that everything she did was his fault. I mean, if he wasn't a toxic, immoral person beforehand, a thousand years of essentially being in limbo (AND was conscious the whole time) had to have driven him to become a sociopath.
Just so you know, they *do* mention Starswirl in Rainbow Rocks. The Dazzlings themselves don't, but Twilight does. She does a whole exposition speech of who the Sirens are and how they got banished.
It's funny how Shunks presents it as the show making something from the comics canon, seeing as what actually happened was the comics expanded on an event mentioned in Rainbow Rocks and then more recent comics and the show itself completely retconned the initial comic. Still something from the comics made canon by the show I suppose, but it was more the show intentionally using the comics to expand on the Pilars lore.
idw tends to do a pretty good job with their licenses i think, they tend to hire people with fresh ideas and an affection for the franchise. also, as a transformers fan, trust me, the stupid is part of the fun
I wonder how the main franchise would be if Hasbro did the same - took more chances on hiring people with fresh ideas AND a deep affection for the franchise... 🥺🥺
@@DanknDerpyGamerto be fair they have branched out with transformers over the years. Lost light was a big departure from the norm and one of their coolest comics to date.
@@strayiggytv I definitely gotta check that out! I guerss part of me thinks "hey, if Hasbro did the same thing - people with fresh ideas AND a deep understanding of / love of the franchise," then maybe the MLP franchise on the whole can continue to be in a good place in terms of quality TV shows that attract wide audiences (or can foster a healthy and thriving fandom IRRESPECTIVE of if it becomes titanic like FiM or not), that make some sleep deprived person actually WANT to get up on a Saturday morning!
the comics are weirdly obscure for such a large IP. Most fans I’ve met unironically think Nightmare Rarity is a fan made thing like Nyx and Screwball being discords daughter and not an actual official character.
The discourse regarding “canon” of the comics is so funny to me. Especially since the comics are canonically written from the perspective of an adult Spike implying he made up most of the “non canon” stuff
It kind of annoys me that people always treat them as non canon. Besides it being wrong, things are much more fun when you have more nonsense to work with.
I always just thought these things could've taken place in a different universe and aren't necessarily show cannon, but that's just based off of the issues I read from my libraries
Well they tacked that Spike narrative on at the end, after years and years of fans debating whether they're canon. So it was more of a reaction to the problem than a solution that was offered from the start.
I love how easily the best iteration of Sombra by far is also the only one that happens to basically be non canon. Hell him being an umbrum is funny cause he’s an entirely different species from his show counterpart who’s just a unicorn
Well, he is still an umbrum. The unicorn thing is because it wasn’t known at the time what he was. The only part that’s not canon (incredibly unfortunately) is his happy ending.
@@heatherrockwell9012 I mean aside from that one detail pretty much everything from his mom his personality his motive his goal his past and radiant hope etc is non canon so I wouldn’t be shocked if they dropped the umbrum thing entirely considering it only exists in the comics
@@MILDMONSTER1234he doesn’t have a cutie mark in the show, because he’s not a pony, so I think that and his non-pony characteristics + large amounts of power kinda confirm he’s not a regular old pony but rather something else, even if they don’t specifically name it.
@@MILDMONSTER1234 the comics are canon even if they contradict the show as chrysalis arc in the comics contradict another comics arc and the canterlot wedding eps but the authors said that the chrysalis arc was canon and even the authors made a whole issue talking about how contradictions can exist that doesn't denote the whole comic as spike was the reason for contradictions existing within the comic we can still conclude that radiant hope exist and his mom exist and him being an umbrum is true and his past is true (that would add alot of depth to his character) as they wouldn't affect the overall narrative of the character anyways the only reason sombra came back was because of radiant hope healing him and amping him the only way to fit the arc within show is after season 9
@@nrzqe-97 Any inconsistencies can be chalked up to Spike being an unreliable narrator either forgetting details or making stuff up for a good story. This actually lines up pretty well as s9 Sombra and comic Sombra don’t even have the same personality as the latter is far more serious and could easily be seen as spike just wanting to tell a story about an interesting villain, the way I see it is that some things happened, other stuff didn’t happen, and some things are just left unclear cause again Spike is revealed to be an unreliable narrator. Sombra being an umbrum? Yeah thats probably true, radiant hope? Eh maybe, Sombras redemption? Yeah that one’s definitely down the toilet
I adored the King Sombra backstory one. It legit made me cry when I was younger. I still love it and read it all the time. It really adds, like- a softer side to him. Especially since we didn’t get much about him when he showed up in the show.
It’s amazing how the comic actually made him a character lol. I was also so happy that he got a good ending, and even if it wasn’t technically canon to the show, it was pretty easy to assume it could be canon…until the show brought him back for literally no reason and killed him off immediately :(
@@heyomybruh4500 exactly. I always found him losing a little too rushed, you know? He’s supposed to be this big bad villain that took over the kingdom, but he’s defeated so easily and for what? You know what I mean?
@@randomasshumanbeing2078 EXACTLY….it’s just like. Why even bring him back if you’re not gonna do anything WITH him??? I know they probably didn’t do it just to spite the comics enjoyers but dang…I felt spited.
@@randomasshumanbeing2078 HONESTLY. Not to mention it killed what little hope I had left of idw ever exploring a possible ‘Sombra and Hope bring back princess Amore’ plot line which would’ve been COOL….Rip in peace Sombra you deserved better 😔
14:02 Shunks doesn't know? _They don't know!_ This is one of those pieces of pony trivia that's been living in my head for years, but Tony Kuusisto is better known in some pony circles by their internet alias "Pencils"; the artist behind the questionable comic "Anon's Pie Adventure". Those weird vibes are because they were in fact an "oddly suggestive" pony artist prior to being hired. It was quite shocking to me when I heard they were getting hired by IDW given their content.
The comics really felt like what the show would've been if it wasn't required to be a sanitized toy commercial and had room to expand upon existing lore and characters. Both are good in their own right, but I am surprised older fans never really followed the comics since they have so much to offer in terms of appealing to adults.
i was in SO MUCH PAIN listening to Shanks diss Transformers, like i promise if you read the right comics they ALL have tiny waists and big hips, not just the she/her ones. also we got trans Transformers and gay married Transformers now. PLEASE come join the dark side
4:324:42 The Sombra backstory stuff, and those creepy looking creatures, are the reason I have my username that I still use to this very day since 2015.
I mean a lot of the male Transformers also look like they're wearing underpants, I think that just comes down to Super Hero influence on the design of action characters (& maybe the amount of times that the toys' molds are broken up in a way that puts the thighs & crotches into different colors.) & Transformers is a good franchise.
The comic Pinkie and Dash pie story wasn't a repeat of the cartoon, it was a followup. Pinkie decides that since Rainbow doesn't like sweet pies, she'd try other types instead. It's basically a part 2
I met Andy Price at a comic con back in the day as like a little kid and I HAD A PRINT OF THE ISSUE TEN FAN FAVS and the nostalgia THE NOSTALGIA. seeing that gave me. I wish I still had it OML
It's too bad you didn't recommend Nightmare Knights, or at least highlight outside of its cover a few times. Maybe because it's one of the most actually fanservicey series, but it's also the series that makes the best use of the antiheroes in both the show and comics, especially those that were abandoned after their debuts like Tempest, Capper, and Stygian.
@@MILDMONSTER1234 He also got the lead role in Legends of Magic Vol. 2, retelling the events prior to Shadow Play from Stygian's perspective, rather than Star Swirl's.
@@toonacyedits8521 We've thankfully gotten a lot of them, but most of them are their own comics, and only a few of them are part of the main series (some Friends Forever issues like Spike and Celestia or Shining Armor and Blueblood, to be specific). Even the ones focused on other characters, most of the time, still feature at least one member of the Mane Six as a main character.
10:41 this cover is actually a reference to DC comic's justice league international #1! It's an iconic cover in of itself that idw has referenced plenty of times ontop of dc also frequently referencing it.
I own a copy of Friends Forever issue 20 and I’ve loved it since I was a kid. Luna has to solve why Discord has been sleepwalking recently, and through exploring his mind she comes to understand him better as a person. It’s a cool little story and I really like their dynamic
I'm not a huge fan of MLP (I only really watched a few episodes and played the Gameloft game when I was little) but I really enjoyed this video, though it didn't mention something I've heard about the comics that was the main reason I clicked on this video. So I thought I'd share it here! There's a character in the comics called the Observer who's a reference to the characters of the same name from the show Fringe, which was a sci-fi FBI drama that aired on Fox from about 2008-2013. Basically, in the lore of the show there's a group of mysterious bald men who appear during and observe important historical events, and also they appear in the background of every episode of the show. The character based off them in the MLP comics seems to have a similar thing with appearing in the background. You can see the character most clearly in the panel shown at 4:08 (the bald pony with the hat, necktie, and black expression) and the cover on the left at 4:25 as a shadowy figure in the background. Those covers also seem to be another reference to Fringe, with the title "There is More Than One of Everything" being a clear reference to Fringe's season one finale "There's More Than One of Everything" TL;DR: In the MLP comics, there's a bald pony wearing a hat and tie that's a big reference to the show Fringe and the comics titled "There is More Than One of Everything" shown at 4:25 are also a reference to it
nah fam, transformes is pretty darn sweet most media features humans due to hasbro's demands, since they think kids wont identify with a robot imo, if you want a show to dip your toes in i recommend transformers animated, its a pretty darn good reboot that packs a bunch or corners of the franchise into a neat little package
As a TFA fan, I can vouch for this. Or reading IDW’s MTMTE and LL. Those are some of the best comic runs from Transformers, as it definitely knows how to be serious and funny with amazing art.
Andy price's art was such an influence to me and to my own art as a young kid. I bought every trade paperback I could and I loved and reread them all. The og ones and a few assorted friends forever are so wonderful and have a special place in my heart!
I get not getting G1 Transformers cause personally as a Transformers fan I also don't see anything interesting enough in it BUT there are generations lkle Prime,Animated and Earthspark that are literally everything they're so good (and they're cartoons)
me and my sister would read some of the comics, i own the arc with queen chrysalis. i also remember me as a kid reading a part of the arc with king sombra and being very invested for obvious reasons but also because kid me was invested in the romance.
11:50 Jay Fosgitt. Always dreaded seeing his name in the comics cause his character style remind me of Tweety Birds from looney tunes. Remember seeing a good lookin cover looking hype, to open it and see Fosgitt's art. Heart breaking.
As a fan of the funny horse show and as someone who is only vaguely aware of Transformers canon through friends, I feel it’s unfair to automatically label Transformers as stupid when you enjoy an all-ages show about magical horses getting up to hijinks. I agree that the obviously sexualized designs for some of the robots isn’t great, though.
What are you saying?? He has more screen time than any pony character. He features in both specials and the movie, getting several songs. There are two episodes in the series where he is the main character. He's very prominent.
I just started reading the comics and I wish that more people were into them. The original designs of the new supporting cast and background ponies in the comics are so creative, like Radiant Hope and Hoofbeard, and Luna and Celestia's butler. Even pop culture references (like the background Daenerys pony) are charming, and I don't usually like those type of references.
One comic I want to add for any fans of EQG is the 2013 Annual. The story is meh, but it contains something very special....Sunset's origin story. We hear of it in the movie for like, a few seconds vaguely but that annual actually shows us what happened between Sunset and Celestia. And I'm not going to spoil it because it's great and you should read it.
My favorite issues that i read was the one where the mane six turned evil because of the magic water or something, the Accord volume and most of the comics drawn by andy price. But i love most of the comics
I don't know if anyone pointed this out, but at 7:24, the Sirens don't mention Starswirl specifically, but when Pony!Twilight catches wind that they are in the EqG world after Sunset sends a message through the journal for the first time, she *does* mention Starswirl being the one to banish them to her friends in the movie. Just wanted to let that inconsistency be known, heh.
My mom wouldn’t buy me any MLP comics when I was a kid because my mom had no idea where to buy them or if they even actually existed (I would show her so many fan comics that Im pretty sure she thought I was just confused about published and fan content), so I never really knew what happened in these comics, they looks so fun and are stylized in such a fun way. Maybe I can get them now that I’m adult.
always wondered what these comics were like cause I always thought the main artstyle of these comics translated the look of the show super well. I have seen 0 FIM episodes but this got me to sub!
I completely get what you're talking about when it comes to not growing up with transformers and especially the way the girls are designed but as someone who grow up with transformers and not mlp the idea of them not being relatable is kinda funny considering how much most transformers media goes out of their way to humanise all of the characters. To me a giant robot that can turn into a car is about as relatable as a magic horse. Altough the inherent stupidity of the premise of the franchise is half the fun I'd say if you ever wanted to get into any transformers media I'd recommend earthspark, fun, wholesome, all the characters are very relatable, especially the robots.
Although not really consistent plot-wise, the MLP Comics are much better than the cartoon MLP in terms of storytelling and lore. My favorite part was the Sombra Arc, which was much MUCH better than cartoon Sombra.
Im so glad to see someone talking about the comics! Especially Andy Prices work on them. I have some pony sketches he did and they are a part of my collection I absolutely love
I started to wonder if the Sombra we saw in s9 is actually the alternative Sombra who was lovers with our Celestia since our Sombra became reformed after he denied his destiny with the help of Radiant Hope
3:07 - 3:13 hehe man that takes me back to seeing the Sonic Archie comics in the magazine section of bookstores like Waldenbooks and Borders... and even up until the end of the Archie Sonic series, finding the mini digests of the comics (including both modern, and classic stories) at the checkout of my local supermarket.
Can't believe I was sleeping on these comics. For some dumb reason when I was younger I thought they would be just adapting episodes in comic book form. But oh no I was very wrong and found out it was it's own thing, still I need to get around to reading them at some point but probably never will I have too many things to read.
Transformers and MLP both being a Hasbro license means it makes more sense for the IDW crossover to happen. And I believe Jack Lawrence did a great job integrating the two very different styles in his art. TF is definitely a much more diverse thing than you’d imagine, and I think it’s funny as a huge fan of both, when somebody doesn’t understand the appeal of either one. To correct one comment, “That only exist in 1986.” Transformers actually have existed in multiple different time periods depending on the continuity, once in the 2100s as of TFA, or the Hearts of Steal comic taking place way back then, or the movies and most shows taking place in modern times. Usually, it’s only been G1 and the Marvel comics to stay in the 80s as per them coming out during then. A fun fact I’m sure most TFP fans are aware of, Megatron’s favorite show is MLP. Or how Weird Al has played a character for both franchises, Cheese Sandwich and TFA Wreck-Gar respectively. And there being two characters called ‘Spike’.
ive been watching your stuff the past few days and id like to say its really nice content you make! you have a good voice and its great background noise while i draw. really fuleing my mlp fixation again :) thank you for all the work you do shunks!
It's fine that you don't like transformers but arcee and windblades designs are just vague female forms broken up by robot parts. The "undies" you see are just the pelvic outline common in classic mecha designs, Soundwave has it (in the comic you've shown) Classic Megaman and Megaman x designs have it, hell some kamen rider designs have it.
Not me here with a Huge blast from the past with that MLP Transformers crossover stuff Ah man. The 2000s or such. UA-cam series Does.... Anyone else remember 'My Little Transformers'? I know, sounds weird to anyone who doesn't know about that stuff, but at the time to kid me it was great lol. One of the episodes just lives in my brain. 36 or something, the one where the ponies had moving heads. What a time
The reaosn Toni Kuusisto's art is very reminiscent of fandom art is because he WAS a dedicated member of the fandom. He actually drew two MLP webcomics: Marble, Mare Manquée; and the famous one for lots of /mlp/ users -- Anon's Pie Adventure! Gotta love his style, both detailed and goofy at the same time!
Honestly, Shunks, I'd love it if you did a video like this about the Tails of Equestria ttrpg. I don't think many people know about it and its got some really good ideas in it. On a side note, I bought an art print from Price at the Last Brony Con. It's of his 'Crazy on You' cover from the Cosmos art. An Absolutely beautiful piece.
I used to go to my local comic shop with my parents and pick up whatever mlp one had my favorite cover!! I had ALL the fiendship is magic ones though because I thought they were super cool and I wanted to have the full set. I remember I only had the first issue of Reflections I got at a comic con and it drove me mad cause I wanted to read the full thing. Fiendship of magic is really good though!! Definitely recommend, when I was rewatching the show I was surprised Tirek’s backstory wasn’t there until I remembered it was from the comic
The FiM series has some of the coolest art and colouring I've ever seen in a comic book. And the millions of gags for adults in several of the issues are very fun to find. This video reminds me that I have no clue where I left off in the series. I'll have to check that at some point, for sure. Great overview!
I remember as a kid I had Return of Queen Chrysalis in my posession. At the time I couldn't read very well (I was very smol) but I just rembered being facinated and a bit disturbed by the art. That comic has some creepy imagery man.
Okay but I have the rainbow dash's really bad day one and that art FREAKED ME OUT, like something about those expressions just unnerved me to no end and put me off that artist like completely lol, kind of a shame assuming not all of them have such uncanny expressions
Shinning armor has a ant farm and is a comic book nerd, if you think he'd a jock thats on u lol ( He's not a nerd either, hes a himbo geek malewife, as he canonically did terrible at school)
4:43 Anyone remember the panel near this one where Pinkie Pie says, while in a jail cell, "Attica!"? That was freaking dark, if it's a reference to what I think it was 7:20 This actually happened in the show, the Season 7 finale i believe, but just for a couple of seconds. 7:25 Ah there you go 21:05 Oh yeah, the Kelpie issue! That reminds me, Issue 40 is fucking terrible
16:32 arn't they crossing over a show called friendship is magic lol and also not all tf female character look like they're a barbie doll the're characters like strongarm,twitch,hashtag,cyberverse lugnut and even earthspark arcee that don't look like what you said
I found these at this comic comic/card game store years ago my dad got for me it was so fun picking them and the Lumberjanes out (the art at the end of the comics by the first artist you praised is delicious)
Jay P. Fosgitt you will always be famous. his style is so recognizable and his work is genuinely quite good. I was originally a bodie troll fan, which led me to read his issues for the pony comics. stellar stylisation.
OMG Boingo reference!! Also i might be wrong but my guess is that the "Wanna make something of it" cover is a reference to the Transformers MTMTE run, also by idw and great comic
Does anyone else remember that one issue where that one asshole who tries to destroy Everfree Forest gets eaten by a hydra [Also I could watch a whole video about the amount of pop culture references that were in the comics there was a SPACEBALLS reference in the gazebo one]
i will go to bat for these comics any day, they're for the most part really good & more enjoyable for someone like me who had - as a tween girl in the target demographic on FIM's release - been hoping for more of a girl-centric action show that was also more on the fantasy end. they're actually the reason i got back into mlp. unfortunately, since the lore is better in the comics a lot of the time...
I didn't have any means of buying the comics when I was part of MLP's demographic. Now, once I've read them all online, I think I'll try to fit them into a chronology along with the episodes of the show. If I come across conflicting lore points, I'm just gonna... pick the one I like better, canon be damned >:D
OHHH SHIT i loved these comics! i got a little doodle from Brenda Hickey awhile back at a con! i was 11 so it's definitely not aged the best, but definitely some fond memories there!
I have the first book (the one featuring the first 4 issues with pinkie on the cover), which I bought from a book fair at my school and came with a pinkie pie minifigure, and the MLP movie prequel book, also from a book fair I think....
Also in case anyone's wondering, the telegram pony is called "shitfuck"
Just a name given by fans, not an official name
THANK YOU I searched for like 30 minutes and couldn’t find anything 😭
I figured it was Brown Note, but... that?
How on earth did they get away with that one
Brown Note would have been SO much funnier, though. Why on earth did the fandom go with Shitfuck?
I'm pretty sure it was actually Swift Reply?
3:44 ARE WE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS PANEL???? "losing patients is why we didnt get our cutie marks in dentistry" WHAT IS THIS IMPLYING. _WHAT IS THIS IMPLYING_
I read the Cosmos arc and it's hilarious how they made Discord a victim of a toxic relationship that he overcomes. It's even funnier because it's well written.
It’s SUCH a good arc. Besides being gorgeous and really funny, it’s incredibly dark for MLP- the word “kill” is actually used- and using a character who’s usually uncaring and omnipotent as the victim of said relationship makes it very impactful.
@@heatherrockwell9012 100% this
My theory that could validate his account to some extent, though, is that he didn't realize what he was doing when Celestia and Luna turned him to stone. He decided to be turned to stone in order to take the fall for Cosmos, especially since everyone seemed to believe that everything she did was his fault. I mean, if he wasn't a toxic, immoral person beforehand, a thousand years of essentially being in limbo (AND was conscious the whole time) had to have driven him to become a sociopath.
@medi0cre_pr0ducti0ns6 Discord: I wouldn't be too interested in cosmos if I were you
Just so you know, they *do* mention Starswirl in Rainbow Rocks. The Dazzlings themselves don't, but Twilight does. She does a whole exposition speech of who the Sirens are and how they got banished.
It's funny how Shunks presents it as the show making something from the comics canon, seeing as what actually happened was the comics expanded on an event mentioned in Rainbow Rocks and then more recent comics and the show itself completely retconned the initial comic. Still something from the comics made canon by the show I suppose, but it was more the show intentionally using the comics to expand on the Pilars lore.
idw tends to do a pretty good job with their licenses i think, they tend to hire people with fresh ideas and an affection for the franchise.
also, as a transformers fan, trust me, the stupid is part of the fun
I wonder how the main franchise would be if Hasbro did the same - took more chances on hiring people with fresh ideas AND a deep affection for the franchise... 🥺🥺
@@DanknDerpyGamerto be fair they have branched out with transformers over the years. Lost light was a big departure from the norm and one of their coolest comics to date.
@@strayiggytv I definitely gotta check that out!
I guerss part of me thinks "hey, if Hasbro did the same thing - people with fresh ideas AND a deep understanding of / love of the franchise," then maybe the MLP franchise on the whole can continue to be in a good place in terms of quality TV shows that attract wide audiences (or can foster a healthy and thriving fandom IRRESPECTIVE of if it becomes titanic like FiM or not), that make some sleep deprived person actually WANT to get up on a Saturday morning!
the comics are weirdly obscure for such a large IP. Most fans I’ve met unironically think Nightmare Rarity is a fan made thing like Nyx and Screwball being discords daughter and not an actual official character.
The discourse regarding “canon” of the comics is so funny to me. Especially since the comics are canonically written from the perspective of an adult Spike implying he made up most of the “non canon” stuff
It kind of annoys me that people always treat them as non canon. Besides it being wrong, things are much more fun when you have more nonsense to work with.
I always just thought these things could've taken place in a different universe and aren't necessarily show cannon, but that's just based off of the issues I read from my libraries
@@inky-rose6460 They are show canon, unless the show contradicts them, in which case the show wins.
It’s like the fnaf books lol
Well they tacked that Spike narrative on at the end, after years and years of fans debating whether they're canon. So it was more of a reaction to the problem than a solution that was offered from the start.
I love how easily the best iteration of Sombra by far is also the only one that happens to basically be non canon. Hell him being an umbrum is funny cause he’s an entirely different species from his show counterpart who’s just a unicorn
Well, he is still an umbrum. The unicorn thing is because it wasn’t known at the time what he was. The only part that’s not canon (incredibly unfortunately) is his happy ending.
@@heatherrockwell9012 I mean aside from that one detail pretty much everything from his mom his personality his motive his goal his past and radiant hope etc is non canon so I wouldn’t be shocked if they dropped the umbrum thing entirely considering it only exists in the comics
@@MILDMONSTER1234he doesn’t have a cutie mark in the show, because he’s not a pony, so I think that and his non-pony characteristics + large amounts of power kinda confirm he’s not a regular old pony but rather something else, even if they don’t specifically name it.
@@MILDMONSTER1234 the comics are canon even if they contradict the show as chrysalis arc in the comics contradict another comics arc and the canterlot wedding eps but the authors said that the chrysalis arc was canon and even the authors made a whole issue talking about how contradictions can exist that doesn't denote the whole comic as spike was the reason for contradictions existing within the comic we can still conclude that radiant hope exist and his mom exist and him being an umbrum is true and his past is true (that would add alot of depth to his character) as they wouldn't affect the overall narrative of the character
anyways the only reason sombra came back was because of radiant hope healing him and amping him the only way to fit the arc within show is after season 9
@@nrzqe-97 Any inconsistencies can be chalked up to Spike being an unreliable narrator either forgetting details or making stuff up for a good story. This actually lines up pretty well as s9 Sombra and comic Sombra don’t even have the same personality as the latter is far more serious and could easily be seen as spike just wanting to tell a story about an interesting villain, the way I see it is that some things happened, other stuff didn’t happen, and some things are just left unclear cause again Spike is revealed to be an unreliable narrator. Sombra being an umbrum? Yeah thats probably true, radiant hope? Eh maybe, Sombras redemption? Yeah that one’s definitely down the toilet
I adored the King Sombra backstory one. It legit made me cry when I was younger. I still love it and read it all the time. It really adds, like- a softer side to him. Especially since we didn’t get much about him when he showed up in the show.
It’s amazing how the comic actually made him a character lol. I was also so happy that he got a good ending, and even if it wasn’t technically canon to the show, it was pretty easy to assume it could be canon…until the show brought him back for literally no reason and killed him off immediately :(
@@heyomybruh4500 exactly. I always found him losing a little too rushed, you know? He’s supposed to be this big bad villain that took over the kingdom, but he’s defeated so easily and for what? You know what I mean?
@@randomasshumanbeing2078 EXACTLY….it’s just like. Why even bring him back if you’re not gonna do anything WITH him??? I know they probably didn’t do it just to spite the comics enjoyers but dang…I felt spited.
@@heyomybruh4500 I did too. It was absolutely insane. There was literally no point to bring him back just to throw him away again.
@@randomasshumanbeing2078 HONESTLY. Not to mention it killed what little hope I had left of idw ever exploring a possible ‘Sombra and Hope bring back princess Amore’ plot line which would’ve been COOL….Rip in peace Sombra you deserved better 😔
Ok but the Sombra, Nightmare Rarity, Fiendship of Magic, and Reflections comics…they changed my life man
noted
14:02
Shunks doesn't know? _They don't know!_
This is one of those pieces of pony trivia that's been living in my head for years, but Tony Kuusisto is better known in some pony circles by their internet alias "Pencils"; the artist behind the questionable comic "Anon's Pie Adventure". Those weird vibes are because they were in fact an "oddly suggestive" pony artist prior to being hired.
It was quite shocking to me when I heard they were getting hired by IDW given their content.
That makes waaaaaaay too much sense. Scary how I was able to sniff it out just from the art style 😭
The comics really felt like what the show would've been if it wasn't required to be a sanitized toy commercial and had room to expand upon existing lore and characters. Both are good in their own right, but I am surprised older fans never really followed the comics since they have so much to offer in terms of appealing to adults.
As an MLP and a HUGE Transformers fan, the crossover was a GIFT
Same, it's a shame that they probably won't do a third to close that cliffhanger
SAME :D IT WAS SO GOOD
i was in SO MUCH PAIN listening to Shanks diss Transformers, like i promise if you read the right comics they ALL have tiny waists and big hips, not just the she/her ones. also we got trans Transformers and gay married Transformers now. PLEASE come join the dark side
I was obsessed with the comics from 2013 to 2017, it definitely had a good run for a few years. The Price and Cook titles were always the best.
4:32 4:42 The Sombra backstory stuff, and those creepy looking creatures, are the reason I have my username that I still use to this very day since 2015.
It just makes me wish Umbrums were actually canon as opposed to Sombra being some random skilled unicorn lol
@@MILDMONSTER1234 Agreed.
I mean a lot of the male Transformers also look like they're wearing underpants, I think that just comes down to Super Hero influence on the design of action characters (& maybe the amount of times that the toys' molds are broken up in a way that puts the thighs & crotches into different colors.)
& Transformers is a good franchise.
The comic Pinkie and Dash pie story wasn't a repeat of the cartoon, it was a followup. Pinkie decides that since Rainbow doesn't like sweet pies, she'd try other types instead. It's basically a part 2
I met Andy Price at a comic con back in the day as like a little kid and I HAD A PRINT OF THE ISSUE TEN FAN FAVS and the nostalgia THE NOSTALGIA. seeing that gave me. I wish I still had it OML
It's too bad you didn't recommend Nightmare Knights, or at least highlight outside of its cover a few times.
Maybe because it's one of the most actually fanservicey series, but it's also the series that makes the best use of the antiheroes in both the show and comics, especially those that were abandoned after their debuts like Tempest, Capper, and Stygian.
Imma be real I straight up forgot Stygian existed. Guess that’s why those comics were made
@@MILDMONSTER1234 He also got the lead role in Legends of Magic Vol. 2, retelling the events prior to Shadow Play from Stygian's perspective, rather than Star Swirl's.
Fr Nightmare Knights is my favorite mini-arc in the series, it's so good and honestly really nice to have a story without the Mane 6 in them
@@toonacyedits8521 We've thankfully gotten a lot of them, but most of them are their own comics, and only a few of them are part of the main series (some Friends Forever issues like Spike and Celestia or Shining Armor and Blueblood, to be specific). Even the ones focused on other characters, most of the time, still feature at least one member of the Mane Six as a main character.
10:41 this cover is actually a reference to DC comic's justice league international #1! It's an iconic cover in of itself that idw has referenced plenty of times ontop of dc also frequently referencing it.
I own a copy of Friends Forever issue 20 and I’ve loved it since I was a kid. Luna has to solve why Discord has been sleepwalking recently, and through exploring his mind she comes to understand him better as a person. It’s a cool little story and I really like their dynamic
I'm not a huge fan of MLP (I only really watched a few episodes and played the Gameloft game when I was little) but I really enjoyed this video, though it didn't mention something I've heard about the comics that was the main reason I clicked on this video. So I thought I'd share it here!
There's a character in the comics called the Observer who's a reference to the characters of the same name from the show Fringe, which was a sci-fi FBI drama that aired on Fox from about 2008-2013. Basically, in the lore of the show there's a group of mysterious bald men who appear during and observe important historical events, and also they appear in the background of every episode of the show. The character based off them in the MLP comics seems to have a similar thing with appearing in the background. You can see the character most clearly in the panel shown at 4:08 (the bald pony with the hat, necktie, and black expression) and the cover on the left at 4:25 as a shadowy figure in the background. Those covers also seem to be another reference to Fringe, with the title "There is More Than One of Everything" being a clear reference to Fringe's season one finale "There's More Than One of Everything"
TL;DR: In the MLP comics, there's a bald pony wearing a hat and tie that's a big reference to the show Fringe and the comics titled "There is More Than One of Everything" shown at 4:25 are also a reference to it
nah fam, transformes is pretty darn sweet
most media features humans due to hasbro's demands, since they think kids wont identify with a robot
imo, if you want a show to dip your toes in i recommend transformers animated, its a pretty darn good reboot that packs a bunch or corners of the franchise into a neat little package
Agreed transformers animated is fun although the big dumb soap opera of robots known as transformers Prime is my personal fave.
As a TFA fan, I can vouch for this.
Or reading IDW’s MTMTE and LL. Those are some of the best comic runs from Transformers, as it definitely knows how to be serious and funny with amazing art.
I don’t think i’ve ever seen anyone so disgusted by Transformers before
Yeah, that got heavy.
18:41 you also forgot that this is (canonically) how Vinyl Scratch got her cutie mark app! Shining must be a hell of a singer!
It's criminal how you didn't mention the one where the mane 6 travel back in time and meet their young selves, it's so good
Andy price's art was such an influence to me and to my own art as a young kid. I bought every trade paperback I could and I loved and reread them all. The og ones and a few assorted friends forever are so wonderful and have a special place in my heart!
Been waiting for someone to tackle the artstyles of these comics! Also loving the Tim Follin music used throughout this!!
I get not getting G1 Transformers cause personally as a Transformers fan I also don't see anything interesting enough in it BUT there are generations lkle Prime,Animated and Earthspark that are literally everything they're so good (and they're cartoons)
me and my sister would read some of the comics, i own the arc with queen chrysalis. i also remember me as a kid reading a part of the arc with king sombra and being very invested for obvious reasons but also because kid me was invested in the romance.
Personally, I adore the idea of Shining Armor being a nerd. I mean, he grew up with Twilight Sparkle, the world's biggest nerd egghead.
11:50
Jay Fosgitt. Always dreaded seeing his name in the comics cause his character style remind me of Tweety Birds from looney tunes.
Remember seeing a good lookin cover looking hype, to open it and see Fosgitt's art. Heart breaking.
19:15 OMG SHITFUCK HAS BEEN MENTIONED
a personal favourite of mine is issue 85! I’m a sucker for any Applejack lore and her story of her fear of water is really warming.
10:46 i was confused why this is familiar than i remember it was the iconic cover of justice league international
as somebody who has read ALL of them, including spinoffs, very excited to see your take!
i am a little bit obsessed with the _generations_ spinoff tbh
As a fan of the funny horse show and as someone who is only vaguely aware of Transformers canon through friends, I feel it’s unfair to automatically label Transformers as stupid when you enjoy an all-ages show about magical horses getting up to hijinks. I agree that the obviously sexualized designs for some of the robots isn’t great, though.
To be fair G1 spike barely appeared in the show so I wouldn’t be shocked if the writers didn’t know he existed
What are you saying?? He has more screen time than any pony character. He features in both specials and the movie, getting several songs. There are two episodes in the series where he is the main character. He's very prominent.
I personally love the very cartoony Cats Dont Dance esque style it's super cute and dynamic! It's got so much charm to it
I just started reading the comics and I wish that more people were into them. The original designs of the new supporting cast and background ponies in the comics are so creative, like Radiant Hope and Hoofbeard, and Luna and Celestia's butler. Even pop culture references (like the background Daenerys pony) are charming, and I don't usually like those type of references.
One comic I want to add for any fans of EQG is the 2013 Annual. The story is meh, but it contains something very special....Sunset's origin story. We hear of it in the movie for like, a few seconds vaguely but that annual actually shows us what happened between Sunset and Celestia. And I'm not going to spoil it because it's great and you should read it.
My favorite thing is when they made movie prequel comics that contradicted the Tempest backstory novel. That was so unnecessarily confusing.
My favorite issues that i read was the one where the mane six turned evil because of the magic water or something, the Accord volume and most of the comics drawn by andy price. But i love most of the comics
10:46 That cover is a Justice League International reference. Guy Gardner is Octavia, originally.
I don't know if anyone pointed this out, but at 7:24, the Sirens don't mention Starswirl specifically, but when Pony!Twilight catches wind that they are in the EqG world after Sunset sends a message through the journal for the first time, she *does* mention Starswirl being the one to banish them to her friends in the movie. Just wanted to let that inconsistency be known, heh.
My mom wouldn’t buy me any MLP comics when I was a kid because my mom had no idea where to buy them or if they even actually existed (I would show her so many fan comics that Im pretty sure she thought I was just confused about published and fan content), so I never really knew what happened in these comics, they looks so fun and are stylized in such a fun way. Maybe I can get them now that I’m adult.
always wondered what these comics were like cause I always thought the main artstyle of these comics translated the look of the show super well. I have seen 0 FIM episodes but this got me to sub!
I completely get what you're talking about when it comes to not growing up with transformers and especially the way the girls are designed but as someone who grow up with transformers and not mlp the idea of them not being relatable is kinda funny considering how much most transformers media goes out of their way to humanise all of the characters. To me a giant robot that can turn into a car is about as relatable as a magic horse. Altough the inherent stupidity of the premise of the franchise is half the fun
I'd say if you ever wanted to get into any transformers media I'd recommend earthspark, fun, wholesome, all the characters are very relatable, especially the robots.
Glad you had a section on the variant covers! I used to collect the Sarah Richard covers as a kid, I LOVE her style
I would also recommend the 2020 annual. The mane 6 meet younger versions of themselves and it's so cute
Although not really consistent plot-wise, the MLP Comics are much better than the cartoon MLP in terms of storytelling and lore. My favorite part was the Sombra Arc, which was much MUCH better than cartoon Sombra.
Ehhhhh debatable, I think the comics had some real lows compared to the show imo. Especially the equestria girls stiff
i LOVED these comics when i was little and i unironically still collect and read them today. glad to see you covering them :D
I fucking ADORE the mlp idw comics, loved how a little more dramatic and scary they were as a child, so glad you're talking about them :]
Im so glad to see someone talking about the comics! Especially Andy Prices work on them. I have some pony sketches he did and they are a part of my collection I absolutely love
As someone who wasn't allowed to watch the show and therefore grew up on these comics, I'm glad someone's making a video on them!
The nightmare rarity comic is my favorite cause it made me imagine what the others would look like with nightmare forms
duuuude did you ever watch that video upload of the comic arc?
the ones with the music in the background??
I started to wonder if the Sombra we saw in s9 is actually the alternative Sombra who was lovers with our Celestia since our Sombra became reformed after he denied his destiny with the help of Radiant Hope
3:07 - 3:13 hehe man that takes me back to seeing the Sonic Archie comics in the magazine section of bookstores like Waldenbooks and Borders... and even up until the end of the Archie Sonic series, finding the mini digests of the comics (including both modern, and classic stories) at the checkout of my local supermarket.
Awesome to finally see someone talking about the comics, very underrated pony stuff, especially the ones with the 'brown telegram pony' 😈
Can't believe I was sleeping on these comics. For some dumb reason when I was younger I thought they would be just adapting episodes in comic book form.
But oh no I was very wrong and found out it was it's own thing, still I need to get around to reading them at some point but probably never will I have too many things to read.
Oh thank God I done I was the only one who didn't read these for some reason
Transformers and MLP both being a Hasbro license means it makes more sense for the IDW crossover to happen. And I believe Jack Lawrence did a great job integrating the two very different styles in his art.
TF is definitely a much more diverse thing than you’d imagine, and I think it’s funny as a huge fan of both, when somebody doesn’t understand the appeal of either one. To correct one comment, “That only exist in 1986.” Transformers actually have existed in multiple different time
periods depending on the continuity, once in the 2100s as of TFA, or the Hearts of Steal comic taking place way back then, or the movies and most shows taking place in modern times. Usually, it’s only been G1 and the Marvel comics to stay in the 80s as per them coming out during then.
A fun fact I’m sure most TFP fans are aware of, Megatron’s favorite show is MLP. Or how Weird Al has played a character for both franchises, Cheese Sandwich and TFA Wreck-Gar respectively. And there being two characters called ‘Spike’.
Wait when Did Megatron say that?!
@@shcdemolisherit was in a hub channel promo commercial
ive been watching your stuff the past few days and id like to say its really nice content you make! you have a good voice and its great background noise while i draw. really fuleing my mlp fixation again :) thank you for all the work you do shunks!
The mlp gens and the transformer I like that one and the new ones with g5 and stuff are cool I like the recent cover with g1 g2 g3 g4 g4
10:34 talk. talk ab. about. talk a. t. tal. talk abou. talk about eye candy
Im mad now, a "ITS DISCORD'S CRAZY SISTER" meme would have been funny as hell
It's fine that you don't like transformers but arcee and windblades designs are just vague female forms broken up by robot parts. The "undies" you see are just the pelvic outline common in classic mecha designs, Soundwave has it (in the comic you've shown) Classic Megaman and Megaman x designs have it, hell some kamen rider designs have it.
shunks, you're to blame for my MLP relapse.
Not me here with a Huge blast from the past with that MLP Transformers crossover stuff
Ah man. The 2000s or such. UA-cam series
Does.... Anyone else remember 'My Little Transformers'? I know, sounds weird to anyone who doesn't know about that stuff, but at the time to kid me it was great lol. One of the episodes just lives in my brain. 36 or something, the one where the ponies had moving heads. What a time
The reaosn Toni Kuusisto's art is very reminiscent of fandom art is because he WAS a dedicated member of the fandom. He actually drew two MLP webcomics: Marble, Mare Manquée; and the famous one for lots of /mlp/ users -- Anon's Pie Adventure!
Gotta love his style, both detailed and goofy at the same time!
AAA SHUNKS PUBLISHED ANOTHER VIDEO!! MY FAVORITE YAK
Honestly, Shunks, I'd love it if you did a video like this about the Tails of Equestria ttrpg. I don't think many people know about it and its got some really good ideas in it.
On a side note, I bought an art print from Price at the Last Brony Con. It's of his 'Crazy on You' cover from the Cosmos art. An Absolutely beautiful piece.
I used to go to my local comic shop with my parents and pick up whatever mlp one had my favorite cover!! I had ALL the fiendship is magic ones though because I thought they were super cool and I wanted to have the full set. I remember I only had the first issue of Reflections I got at a comic con and it drove me mad cause I wanted to read the full thing. Fiendship of magic is really good though!! Definitely recommend, when I was rewatching the show I was surprised Tirek’s backstory wasn’t there until I remembered it was from the comic
Fun Fact: IDW also made comics for Sonic the Hedgehog after Archie passed the torch to them.
0:07 i genuinely thought the guy on the right was the dad from young sheldon
The FiM series has some of the coolest art and colouring I've ever seen in a comic book. And the millions of gags for adults in several of the issues are very fun to find. This video reminds me that I have no clue where I left off in the series. I'll have to check that at some point, for sure. Great overview!
I remember as a kid I had Return of Queen Chrysalis in my posession. At the time I couldn't read very well (I was very smol) but I just rembered being facinated and a bit disturbed by the art. That comic has some creepy imagery man.
Reflections is so convoluted and the writer lampshading how convoluted it was at the end really ticked me off
I actually own an omnibus collection that features the Reflections arc! I'll always love the way Andy Price draws Celestia's hair
issue 10’s cover is actually based on justice league international #1 if im not mistaken
also the whole wrestler sister thing might be a reference to street fighter alpha series’ r mika
Personally my favourite comic strip is when Shining Armour sang the Oingo Boingo parody bcs of just how many implications it has.
Okay but I have the rainbow dash's really bad day one and that art FREAKED ME OUT, like something about those expressions just unnerved me to no end and put me off that artist like completely lol, kind of a shame assuming not all of them have such uncanny expressions
Shinning armor has a ant farm and is a comic book nerd, if you think he'd a jock thats on u lol
( He's not a nerd either, hes a himbo geek malewife, as he canonically did terrible at school)
The cover from 10:46 is iconic because its a reference to Justice League International 1987’s issue 1 cover
4:43 Anyone remember the panel near this one where Pinkie Pie says, while in a jail cell, "Attica!"? That was freaking dark, if it's a reference to what I think it was
7:20 This actually happened in the show, the Season 7 finale i believe, but just for a couple of seconds. 7:25 Ah there you go
21:05 Oh yeah, the Kelpie issue! That reminds me, Issue 40 is fucking terrible
What could pinkie be referencing?
The Attica Correctional Facility of New York is a prison infamous for having the deadliest prison riot in American history.
@@somerandomdude7785 At least we know Pinkie s crazy enough to join the moshpit
@kurodoodle4876 Off topic, but omg Fidget pfp spotted!
@@cake_pop7853 Hope Dean is really making a sequel
Love the comics, my crown Jewel is my signed Power Ponies from SDCC ( that and my Septer Twilight signed by Tara )❤
15:22 can someone explain why hitch is dressed as senku from dr stone?
19:33 reflections is my favorite. There’s so much story potential there.
16:32 arn't they crossing over a show called friendship is magic lol and also not all tf female character look like they're a barbie doll the're characters like strongarm,twitch,hashtag,cyberverse lugnut and even earthspark arcee that don't look like what you said
I found these at this comic comic/card game store years ago my dad got for me it was so fun picking them and the Lumberjanes out (the art at the end of the comics by the first artist you praised is delicious)
Jay P. Fosgitt you will always be famous. his style is so recognizable and his work is genuinely quite good. I was originally a bodie troll fan, which led me to read his issues for the pony comics. stellar stylisation.
OMG Boingo reference!! Also i might be wrong but my guess is that the "Wanna make something of it" cover is a reference to the Transformers MTMTE run, also by idw and great comic
I'd love to see a similar video about the 3-volume My Little Pony: The Manga series (apologies if you've already covered it)!
Does anyone else remember that one issue where that one asshole who tries to destroy Everfree Forest gets eaten by a hydra
[Also I could watch a whole video about the amount of pop culture references that were in the comics there was a SPACEBALLS reference in the gazebo one]
My dad got me the comic about the CMC being rescued from chrysalis and I read it until the comic fell apart.
i will go to bat for these comics any day, they're for the most part really good & more enjoyable for someone like me who had - as a tween girl in the target demographic on FIM's release - been hoping for more of a girl-centric action show that was also more on the fantasy end. they're actually the reason i got back into mlp. unfortunately, since the lore is better in the comics a lot of the time...
I didn't have any means of buying the comics when I was part of MLP's demographic. Now, once I've read them all online, I think I'll try to fit them into a chronology along with the episodes of the show.
If I come across conflicting lore points, I'm just gonna... pick the one I like better, canon be damned >:D
OHHH SHIT i loved these comics! i got a little doodle from Brenda Hickey awhile back at a con! i was 11 so it's definitely not aged the best, but definitely some fond memories there!
Jay Fosgitt was always my favorite artist when I read these as a little kid, I'll have to reread the ones I own to see if it still holds up to me
I have the first book (the one featuring the first 4 issues with pinkie on the cover), which I bought from a book fair at my school and came with a pinkie pie minifigure, and the MLP movie prequel book, also from a book fair I think....
i recently read the Movie Prequel Comics and OH MY GOD they helped me so much with the lore of Capper
4:00 I'm so glad this image exists because it was the perfect one to use!