Summer is reaching its end but the G5 crew isn't about to stop! We get a stand-alone story of these ponies tackling some seasonal affective disorder.
Catch the full review after the break. You'll also need some spoiler-screen. SPF 10,000.
Not gonna lie, I get a little down as we head into winter. I like the extra daylight, the warmer temperature, and even if I don't go outside I appreciate that I have that option. So a story about friends helping someone rise out of the sadness of the changing seasons hits home. A story that's going to rely heavily on emotion and energy needs an artist capable of expressing that, even using pastel horses as a medium. I'm glad to say that Natalie Haines is more than up to the challenge.
Her cover artwork for both the Sonic and My Little Pony issues earned a chance at a full comic and I think she knocks it out. The characters are lively and their actions feel natural. I never doubt what their doing or how they're feeling. The environments around the character are neither overly detailed or too simplified. If anything, Haines strike a good balance of heavy detail near the reader and gradual simplification to imply depth. She seems to have a great deal of fun with background characters as we're treated to some wild designs outside of Sunny's smoothie cart.
Combine this artwork with Heather Breckel's coloring and you've got a solid combo. There was only one thing bothering me during my reading. It took a long time to understand what. There was this manic energy to the ponies. Like they were almost too energetic. It would vary depending on the expressions but I couldn't nail down the feeling until I looked the ponies in the eye, and then looked a little higher. Haines seems to draw the ponies' eyebrows very high up, almost to their manes, and then draws a line down the ridge of their muzzles to bring attention back to the eyes. The end result is that the ponies do look excited, but maybe too much. On a lark, I did a little Photoshopping to illustrate the point. Take a look and decide for yourself:
This one-shot is part of a theme within IDW. Some of their most popular stories are giving a last hurrah to summer with a cover collage to boot. A part of me wishes we could combine some of these stories to get some wild crossovers but c'est la vie, such is the nature of Intellectual Property.
Sunny's celebrating time with her friends under the summer sun until an ill wind blows through. Realizing that her summer days are numbered, Sunny begins to exhibit signs of depression. What I most enjoy about this one-shot is that her friends are attuned to her mood. There's nothing diverting their attention or self-imposed obliviousness. It's a wonderful moment of friends being on the same wavelength and I hope the show can match this awareness.
It's Hitch who takes the lead on this project as Sunny's oldest friend. Which means he's both the most in the know and the pony with the authority to make things happen. I think it says a lot that the by-the-book sheriff is willing to put up signs diverting Sunny and possible causing some confusion in Maritime Bay. Though his conspiracy face sure can look sinister.
I don't think a play-by-play would do this story any service. This is a very direct story that, much likes Issue 15, is more about the bonds between these characters than any external conflict. The fun is seeing how each of the ponies crafts a seasonal scenario in the middle of a summer day and makes it look believable. Props, of course, go to Izzy and her crafting skills. Though as a punster I will more salute her humor in these pages.
My only concern for this story is that people might misinterpret the message. This isn't a simple "get over it" idea when it comes to things like seasonal affective disorder. You don't will your way through it. Rather, it shows how connections can help anchor one's self to see the opportunity in the future. Even if we're not high energy during a certain season, just getting together with people we trust and enjoy can help strengthen us. Plus, there are many ways to enjoy this time if one is looking in the right places.
This is a short, simple story with a lot of heart and great artwork. Can't speak to the other entries in this special event but this one is a winner. Give it a look for both a good example of a G5 story and a chance to think about how we're going to spend the changing seasons. One final note: that jetski. Hasbro should make that. It should actually float, and fit a pony, and propel through the water. Not sure how they'd do it, but they should.
I will totally buy them all!
I'm Silver Quill. Thanks for reading!
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