Friendship Is More Than Meets the Eye in Transformers/My Little Pony II #1
- WRITER
- Sam Maggs, James Asmus
- Artist
- Jack Lawrence, Casey W. Coller
- Letterer
- Jake M. Wood, Neil Uyetake
- Cover Artist
- Andy Price, Anna Malkova, Evan Stanley, Tony Fleecs, Bethany McGuire-Smith
- Publisher
- IDW Publishing
- Price
- 3.99
- Release Date
- 2021-04-28
- Colorist
- Joana Lafuente, Luis Antonio Delgado
Since the 1980s, two franchises reigned supreme in the lives of children, in both the toyboxes and on the TV screen: Transformers and My Little Pony. For decades, these two nostalgic powerhouses have been rebooted, retooled and reimagined. While these two series seem as different as night and day, in IDW's newest crossover, Transformers/My Little Pony II, the brave Autobots and the fearless Mane Six find themselves crossing paths and facing down a mutual enemy.
The first issue Transformers/My Little Pony II, entitled "Friendship in Disguise II," is split into two parts. The first section, "The Magic of Cybertron," written by James Asmus and illustrated by artist Jack Lawrence and colorist Luis Antonio Delgado, is the main story. Megatron leads a mission in creating a portal between dimensions, sending his Decepticon scouts to get hold of Equestria's magic. In doing so, he incurs the wrath of the Mane Six. The battle ends with the breaking of the crystal imprisoning King Sombra, who immediately brainwashes three of the Mane Six and most of the Decepticons–including Megatron–and begins his conquest of Cybertron. The only way the Mane Six can save Cybertron is by teaming up the Autobots and the remaining Decepticons, led by Shockwave, through the power of friendship.
Part two, "A Real Mother," written by Sam Maggs and illustrated by artist Casey W. Coller and colorist Joana Lafuente, is a lighter affair. Ponies Lofty and Holiday, in search for their niece Scootaloo, end up assisting Autobots Arcee and Greenlight in their fight against a Sombra-controlled transformer, Murderking. The ensuing battle involves laser blasts, magic...and a good amount of yarn.
For a crossover of such well-known franchises, Transformers/My Little Pony II #1 is surprisingly beginner-friendly. Rather than wasting time with clunky exposition, the comic instead has a dramatis personae roll call. This is a smart decision which helps new viewers figure out who is who, especially readers who are fans of one franchise but unfamiliar with the other.
Both sections of this comic benefit from strong writing. All of the ponies and transformers stay in character, right down to their speech patterns, and the interactions between both are believable and funny. Both series are beloved for their action sequences and self-referential sense of humor, which effortlessly make the transition into this comic. "The Magic of Cybertron" in particular reads very well, and the dialogue is fun, natural and at times hilarious. Writer James Asmus nails everyone's speech, from Frenzy and Breakdown's little tiff, to Applejack reading Shockwave's bad decisions down-home country style.
Artistically, Transformers/My Little Pony II is worth noting. While the two sections of this comic have different artists, and the difference between them is noticeable, they both stay impressively on model and show good fight choreography between them. The different artists also convey the different tones of each story. In "The Magic of Cybertron," the lines are thicker, the colors are more saturated, reminiscent of the palettes of both series. Meanwhile, "A Real Mom" has thinner line weights and softer colors, fitting for a story that is a little less intense.
The best part about this crossover is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The story begins with Frenzy reading a book about the ponies, in obvious reference to early 2000s My Little Pony with its sappy sweetness. It's moments like these that make this first issue of this crossover so much fun.
Transformers/My Little Pony II #1 is pure nostalgic, campy goodness, a hilarious tale of–in Frenzy's words–"escapsism, exploration and magic," great for established fans, new readers, and those with a twisted sense of humor. Either way, with a setup such as the one that Issue #1 has given, with the Ponies forcing the Autobots and Decepticons to team up in the name of friendship, it is definitely worth a look.