What's black and blue and read all over? That's right, today's comic!
Check out all the duo-tone spoilers and a discussion of the story's message after the break!
Welcome to a story about perception. Both how people can view the same situation in different ways and how we might view ourselves vs our friends' perspective. All of this bundled in a comic that should save on printer ink.
I say "should" because the title featured here is a bit deceptive. Brace yourselves. I'm about to get technical on y'all.
Right know, your monitor/tablet/smart phone is firing lights at the pixel screen to create an image. The three colors used in this are red, green, and blue. All other colors are a mixture of this marvelous process. It's different in the world of print, where they must rely on four inks: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key. The "Key" is often black. The CMYK color build is what makes up pamplets, posters, DVD and BluRay boxes, etc. So while this comics claims that it's only using black, white, and blue, the truth is that it's still employing the four basic colors to achieve the desire result. If not, Hitch's de-saturated self would look something like this:
I'm thinking the Magenta and Yellow channels are what give Hitch his green mane.
Okay, that's it for technology. Now let's talk art. At first, I thought that the artist would be Shauna J. Grant once again, given the return of Violette, Sky, and Mariama. Turns out that this is Agnes Garbowska's visuals matched with returning writer Tee Franklin. I'm thinking Violette and co. are Franklin's beloved creations more than anything. Garboska renders both with loving care and matches the styles presented by Grant. We also get the single-panel debut of Opaline Arcana, with plenty of shots of Misty.
"Fear my wingspan!"
I love Misty's mane in Make Your Mark but I don't envy anyone who has to replicate it in print. I applaud Garbowska's skill in implying all those waves without letting micro-details becoming the defining element. In fact, I enjoy how Garbowska renders just about everypony in this story. While a bit rounder than Amy Mebberson's style, I would say that Garbowska is a very close second in representing the characters and having them look natural even in static poses.
I don't think there's enough of a size difference between
adults and foals to really distinguish things here.
Last but not least is the depiction of show-specific areas like the Brighthouse. G5 relies much more on vertical lines and balanced approaches compared to Friendship is Magic and as a result I don't mind if the comics do likewise. I am impressed at how much detail they use to create the Brighthouse and all its murals. Maritime Bay is much less detailed as it's just a series of generic buildings without much by way of landmarks. We don't see the infamous overpass bridge where Izzy and Sunny first met.
Usually, elements in the background lose saturation to convey the distance.
Not so here!
Not so here!
What caused this colorless catastrophe? A crystal ball, of course! After a chewing out by Opaline, Misty has to go fetch a golden flute from storage. Its purpose is never revealed nor will it be brought up again unless the writers are in tighter coordination than I suspect. Instead, a broken crystal ball guides Misty to a false wall and a hidden area. Storage within storage. Why this ball is sentient and whispering to Misty is not pursued and thus I will be scratching my head over this opening for the rest of the week until I'm balder than usual.
Fitting image for Halloween.
Freddy Krueger would be proud!
Misty discovers a suspicious item that she thinks is a magic drainer, and promplty leaves it outside the Brighthouse in time for a sleepover/binge watching event. It's here that the Pippsqueaks, Violette, and Sky are all reintroduced along with Sparky now a regular member. The evening is a representation of all the fun Misty could enjoy once she's out from under Opaline's hoof. Clearly, this story started production when Misty was still establishing herself within the story and so it has a retro feel to it. Fitting then that the show they're watching is a combination of Bewitched and The Parent Trap. Very retro!
Sorry, ladies! Twilight's first sleepover had a more entertainment.
It's with some reluctance that Misty turns on the device, which doesn't drain magic but rather colors. First thing in the morning, everypony awakens to discover Martime Bay is absent all colors except blue and green. Yes, they did leave "Green" out of the title. Suspicion quickly falls on Misty, though Glory of the Pippsqueaks is also mostly unaffected so I'm not sure why Misty is singled out other than it being the truth. While able to maintain her cover, Misty starts falling apart as she realizes her action's consequences.
A nice use of angles and colors to convey the focus.
It's here that we get into the heart of this story and its focus on perception. The seeming absence of other colors gives rise to a scenario that affects the whole town and highlights why the Friendship Fellowship is so different. Violette and Sky mistakenly assume that the residents' complaints about the situation and Hitch's role as sheriff are a product of being adults. Contrast this against Hitch, Sunny, and the others and their efforts to both discover the cause and boost the town's spirits.
Feel bad for Pipp. She has not blue hues to stand out.
The ponies in town may complain, but they are still dependent on Hitch to resolve this. They want somepony to either solve the problem or accept blame without acting on their own. This is what differentiates heroes/protagonists from other characters. They don't view the world the same way. Disaster for some is opportunity for others. The unexpected merits courage and action instead of surprise and fear. Most of all is the willingness to do something and not expecting someone else to take care of it. Thus Violette and Sky are more heroic than most of the ponies whose spirits they try to bolster.
Good choice on the glasses, Pipp! Reclaim that focus!
While the fillies are getting the town calmed, Izzy has taken it upon herself to mend Misty's feelings. This includes a unicycling venture into a garbage bin. The broken items–particularly a lamp–become a bridge for communication as Misty is able to indirectly state how she feels. Broken. Useless. Unloveable. Part of why I enjoy Izzy's unicycling style is that it ties into the concepts of Wabi Sabi; a philosophy that celebrates the impermanence and finds joy in flaws. It's a viewpoint that accepts that we all carry flaws and that beauty reside in simplicity and change. There is no attempt at perfection, only natural expression. Such is the perspective Izzy imparts to Misty.
Better setup that Lucy from Peanuts.
Misty is trying to be her idealized, perfect self when she should really be celebrating who she is as an individual, flaws and all. Granted, it's good to work on flaws once they reach your awarness, but no one should expect themselves to become a totally flawless individual. That would mean no longer being an individual, just an idea. This is all reinforced with a beachside visit to see how everypony is having fun regardless of the color scheme.
Ah, Mancala. It's a very chill game.
The encouragement the others give to Misty is well worth celebrating, though not always natural. It's funny to talk about Wabi Sabi when a few moments of dialog throughout this story can seem a little too rigid. Too much of an ideology and not enough of a personal expression. I'd almost call it robotic. Yet it's never enough to take me out of the story beyond a quick double-take. With the message being so affirming, I don't take too much issue with it.
C'mon, doesn't this tug at the heartstrings a little?
Thus, Misty's magic and emotions set things right and the town can resume life as normal. We still don't know the purpose of the golden flute or the crsytal ball, but these are afterthoughts to the main story. I wouldn't maind seeing these story threads picked up and woven into their own tapestries. A hope for the future. As for Misty's debut story, I think this is a very affirming tale that presents the characters at their best. No pony hogs the spotlight and each member contributes in some way. Give it a read because I think the message stated and the perspectives portrayed are well worth following.
Misty's eyes are green, but they became gray.
Maybe they weren't the same shade as her mane?
Here's hoping tomorrow's Tell Your Tale will enjoy similar success. I'm Silver Quill. Thanks for reading!
