It's comic time once again! This time around, Izzy is a pony with a mission to create a new hangout space. Question is what is going to go wrong?
Catch the full review, with a clubhouse of spoilers, after the break!
Today's comic is a very simple and direct tale. There is no time limit, no self-destructive actions, and not much antagonism between Izzy and the forces looking to undermine her. I would classify this issue as a filler comic with some noteworthy moments for good or ill.
Izzy in her element. Chaos before beauty!
With all that said, art is going to play a crucial role here. A simple plot can work as long as the visual are entertaining. I'm reminded of issue #7, in which the artwork felt so stiff and inexpressive that it only made the lack of tension worse. This issue, thankfully, has a much stronger showing.
Amazing how her home hasn't gone to ruin.
Never be ashamed to celebrate yourself.
You deserve it!
One of the few times her muzzle is prominent.
Almost as prominent as the terror!
Yet looking past the characters reveals the most detail, depending on the location. While there are excellent recreations of Izzy's home and parts of Maritime Bay, the greater detail lies in the familiar. Starling depicts trees with a whole array of lines to suggest the leaves. Or a treehouse where each wooden panel has at least a dozen texturing lines. Yet once we enter areas like Izzy's home or the streets, many of the locations have minimal definition. Perhaps Starling feels more comfortable depicting universally understood concepts like a forest and a treehouse.
Those are some leafy trees!
Said treehouse is the focus of Izzy's latest unicycling endeavor. At first I wondered if this was the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse, which had somehow, inexplicably survived the ages had been absorbed by Bridlewood. A quick comparison to available screenshots revealed that this was not the case. As far as I can tell, this is just a regular, abandoned treehouse that is home to some comfortable critters.
For a moment, I dared to dream...
There are some immediate questions here. Mainly why Izzy is still fixing up her Bridlewood home after pulling up stakes and moving to Maritime Bay. We'll also see a return of Equestria's elastic concept of distance as Bridlewood seems to be much closer to the Bay than in other stories. The Friendship Fellowship is able to traverse the distance in a short walk.
Not as much detail in Maritime Bay.
But enough to recognize it.
Izzy's unicycling is one of the most unique aspects of G5 and something I appreciate. While her energy and bright personality often lead to her being associated with Pinkie Pie, I find that her creative stream is more in line with Rarity's goals. An interesting mix while her own identity to boot. Izzy doesn't view the world the way many other do. Show her a broken couch with a "Free" sign on it, and she sees possibilities where other seek junk.
Not bad for one pony in an undisclosed amount of time.
It's in this discover where I see a missed opportunity. Zipp makes an appearance, which threatens to spoil the surprise. Yet as a rain storm drives ponies into shelter, Zipp makes a hasty exit without offering to help. I won't be too harsh on Zipp since we've all likely had a moment where we wished we'd had offered aid, but it is still a missed opportunity to show their friendship in action.
Zipp, you're not helping!
It's also worth mentioning that the rain is present with a few lines on each panel and gathering puddles, but I don't get the sense of a downpour that would limit the group's movement so much. I think rain in a comic needs to have a transformative effect. Change what looks like a happy spring day into a dark unknown. Transform the characters and therefore the mood. A few droplets aren't enough to convey the tension here.
That's hardly a drizzle!
Now this! This is a downpour.
Izzy's big reveal is sabotaged by the critters who have claimed this treehouse as their own. It's here that we also have an opportunity for Hitch to contribute, though he seems more like Fluttershy than a town sheriff. He's able to commune with animals, but from what I've seen thus far he does so to direct them towards a task. He's not one to just sit and chat as Fluttershy would.
"What's that Mr. Flibble? Kill them all? Are you nuts?"
Either way, the end goal is the same: fix up the treehouse so that both parties can share the shelter. I doubt this will feature very heavily in other issues. Something about the design and the unique circumstances make me think that this will be easily forgotten. If Violet and her new friends were to use this as a hangout site, I could see it as the spiritual successor to the CMC's clubhouse. Otherwise, I'm not certain we'll see it again.
Less impressive than Izzy's single-pony hoofwork.
But still good!
This story doesn't do anything offensively bad or character-breaking. Some presentation issues, but nothing that paints ponies in a negative look. The artwork is vibrant and makes this feel like a legitimate offshoot of the show. But it's a filler story with very low stakes and a sense of impermanence.
Any who drive Izzy to tears must be destroyed.
This I command!
If you'd like to price ways to draw the G5 crew and are looking for inspiration, this comic would serve you well. Otherwise it's just a fun but brief distraction that is just as quickly forgotten. So it's a very neutral recommendation. Give it a look if G5 is important to you, or skip this one and we'll look to future issues for larger developments.
Though I would find it hilarious if this did indeed become a staple for future issues. Time will tell. I'm Silver Quill. Thanks for reading!
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