My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (comics)

The Friendship is Magic franchise extends to several comic books. Outside of the short strips published in My Little Pony magazines, there are two series of ongoing comics published by IDW Publishing.

Crew
IDW Publishing are publishing a Hasbro-licensed full-color comic book series entitled My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, with writer/cover artist Katie Cook, artist/cover artist Andy Price, colorist Heather Breckel, editor Bobby Curnow, and other cover artists including Jill Thompson, Stephanie Buscema, Amy Mebberson, Melanie Tingdahl, Tony Fleecs, J. Scott Campbell, Sabrina Alberghetti, and Rob Reger. Andy Price drew inspiration for the comic from the collection Creepy Presents Bernie Wrightson.

Previews and cameos
The first issue's third, fourth, ninth, and sixteenth pages were displayed at the New York My Little Pony Project 2012.

Two characters appearing in the series are Octavia and Jim, "a very specific character" named by Katie Cook, implicitly after Jim Miller. Katie Cook and Andy Price hinted in September 2012 that Wild Fire may appear in the series.

Format and story
IDW states that each issue is 32 pages long, having 24 pages of content: 22 story pages and a 2 page back-up story. The series consists of original stories set after the second season of the show, with the first eight issues divided into two four-issue story arcs. For the first arc, Queen Chrysalis is the main antagonist, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders play an important role; for the second arc, there is an original villain.

Issue #1
Issue #1 was published on November 28, 2012, with a limited edition signed by Katie Cook. On the same day, the comic was made available for digital download in the US iTunes store. The issue was initially to be released on November 14, 2012, but IDW changed the release date to better accommodate solicitators. This issue's back-up story is written and drawn by Katie Cook and focuses on Rarity and Pinkie Pie. By October 11, 2012, this issue had sold 90,100 pre-order copies in North America, a higher figure than the contemporary Uncanny X-Men sales.

Covers
The issue has a total of 19 different covers:
 * Covers A, B, C, D, E, and F by Andy Price, which compose a a six-part picture:
 * Cover A features Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, Spike, and Owlowiscious
 * Cover B features Applejack, DJ Pon-3, and Winona, and showing an album cover depicting four stallions with the text "The Hoof Beats"
 * Cover C features Pinkie Pie, Zecora, and Gummy
 * Cover D features Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, and Tank
 * Cover E features Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, Angel, and several bees
 * Cover F features Rarity, Scootaloo, Princess Luna, Opalescence, and multiple bees
 * 1-in-10 variant Cover RI by Stephanie Buscema, featuring Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Angel.
 * Subscription exclusive variant SUB cover by Jill Thompson, featuring Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and four silhouettes
 * Double Midnight exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Derpy and Rainbow Dash
 * Dynamic Forces exclusive variant Cover RE, showing artwork from page 3 by Andy Price and Heather Breckel
 * Ghost Variant Cover RE by Melanie Tingdahl, featuring Derpy, Sweetie Drops, and Lyra Heartstrings
 * Larry's Comics exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, part of a two-part picture, showing Rainbow Dash and the mane and tail of Fluttershy
 * Jetpack Comics exclusive 750-copy variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, part of a two-part picture, showing Fluttershy and the tail of Rainbow Dash
 * Larry's Comics and Jetpack Comics exclusive 125-copy variant Cover RE, showing production artwork from the individual Larry's Comics and Jetpack Comics variant Covers RE by Amy Mebberson
 * Lone Star Comics exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom, and showing a magazine titled Hoof Beat depicting Time Turner, DJ Pon-3, Hoity Toity, and Spitfire
 * Midtown Comics exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Derpy and showing Covers A and B by Andy Price
 * Hastings exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy
 * Third Eye Comics exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Spitfire, Soarin', and other Pegasus ponies
 * Detroit comic book stores exclusive variant Cover RE by Katie Cook, featuring Derpy and Time Turner

Covers A through F by Andy Price are to also be released together in a slipcase box set. An early cover by Andy Price, featuring Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Opalescence, Gummy, Angel, and two birds, was displayed at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International.

Summary
The Cutie Mark Crusaders are in Fluttershy's backyard trying to get their cutie marks, when animals with glowing eyes attack them.

The next day, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash notice that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are acting weird, as are all the ponies in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle realizes that they are the changelings, who have returned and are now after Ponyville. She has Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia, but receives a letter in response saying she is unavailable due to a royal emergency.

So the Mane 6 go out to rescue the ponies of Ponyville. They find Derpy Hooves imprisoned in a cocoon while a changeling takes her form. Another changeling hits it on the head to make it cross-eyed. After the two changelings fly away, the Mane 6 enter a building with an eerie green glow where they find the ponies imprisoned in cocoons by changelings. The Mane 6 defeat the changelings, with Pinkie Pie trapping the surviving changelings in bubblegum with a cannon. They rescue all the ponies except the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who are missing.

Queen Chrysalis sends the Mane 6 a crystal ball through spike through which she contacts them and shows them the Cutie Mark Crusaders imprisoned in her kingdom, and tells them to come to rescue them in three days, or else she'll do "something bad" do them. She cuts off the transmission when Scootaloo comments that she is monologuing and is about to reveal her plan.

Twilight says that in three days the Secretariat Comet will pass over Equestria. It is the biggest conjunction in celestial events in over three thousand years, and every magical creature will feel its effects, and she suspects that Celestia is protecting Canterlot. Although they suspect a trap, the Mane 6 set off toward the changeling kingdom, leaving Spike in charge of the captured changelings, as well as trying to get a hold of Celestia to tell her where they are.

Publicity summary
The issue's publicity summary reads "Welcome to Ponyville, home of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and all your other favorite Ponies! Something's not right in the town though, as some of the inhabitants are acting very, very strange! It's up to the Mane Six to find the source of the weirdness before it's too late!"

Characters
In the issue, Queen Chrysalis returns. A host of characters appear on page 3: a parasprite; "Snowflake"; Owlowiscious; a changeling; Cranky Doodle Donkey; a Pegasus mare based on the G1 pony Firefly; a pair of stallions based on the Blues Brothers; a mouse; Angel; Philomena; Golden Harvest; Silver Spoon; Rainbow Dash; an Earth pony stallion based on Thomas Magnum from Magnum, P.I.; Time Turner; an Earth pony stallion based on Earl Hickey from My Name Is Earl; "Ace"; Tank; Derpy; "Screwball"; an Earth pony stallion based on Andy Price; a unicorn mare based on Andy's wife Alice Price; a unicorn mare based on Katie Cook; the Prices' cats Sam, Spooky, Tabitha, Boris, Bela, and Mina; several other ponies, including one whose cutie mark is a peace sign; and several silhouettes; also visible are a banner depicting Mayor Mare with the text "Re-Elect" and a flyer depicting Iron Will.

Issue #2
IDW is set to publish issue #2 on December 19, 2012; it will have a 1-in-25 release bundled with temporary My Little Pony tattoos.

Covers
The issue will have 13 different covers:
 * Cover A by Katie Cook, featuring Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, and three spiders
 * Cover B by Katie Cook
 * Cover C by Katie Cook
 * 1-in-10 variant Cover RI-A by Stephanie Buscema, featuring Rarity, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike
 * 1-in-50 unique hand-drawn sketch variant Cover RI-B by Katie Cook
 * Double Midnight exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Derpy and showing Derpy's dream of herself, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash
 * Dynamic Forces exclusive variant Cover RE, showing artwork from page 3 by Andy Price and Heather Breckel
 * Hastings exclusive variant Cover RE, featuring Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and two rabbits
 * Midtown Comics exclusive variant Cover RE by Amy Mebberson, featuring Time Turner
 * Larry's Comics exclusive variant Cover RE by Tony Fleecs, part of a two-part picture, showing Rarity, two parasprites, and the mane of Fluttershy
 * Jetpack Comics exclusive 750-copy variant Cover RE by Tony Fleecs, part of a two-part picture, showing Fluttershy, a parasprite, and the mane and tail of Rarity
 * Larry's Comics and Jetpack Comics exclusive 125-copy variant Cover RE, showing production artwork from the individual Larry's Comics and Jetpack Comics variant Covers RE by Tony Fleecs
 * Larry's Comics and Jetpack Comics exclusive blank sketch variant cover RE, featuring 45 Pinkie Pies and showing a map

Publicity summary
The issue's publicity summary reads "Queen Chrysalis has returned! Our ponies have no time to horse around, as they set off to rescue their friends from Chrysalis kingdom. What magical adventures await them, and where the heck is Princess Celestia?" Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and multiple spiders appear on one of the pages page.

Issue #3
Issue #3 is to be released on January 16, 2013.

Covers
The issue is to have fewer covers than the previous issue, including:
 * At least one cover drawn by Amy Mebberson
 * Cover B by Stephanie Buscema, featuring Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie
 * A variant cover by J. Scott Campbell
 * A 500-copy special secret variant cover
 * A variant cover part of a two-part picture
 * Jetpack Comics exclusive 750-copy variant Cover RE, part of a two-part picture
 * A 125-copy variant cover, showing production artwork from the Jetpack Comics variant Cover RE and the other variant cover part of the two-part picture

Publicity summary
"The Mane 6 enter the heart of the Changeling Kingdom to rescue their friends! Danger lurks everywhere, and each Pony will have to put their best hoof forward if they are to survive the night! Unfortunately that’s exactly what the Changeling Queen expects! Will our heroes fall into her trap?"

Issue #4
Issue #4 is to be released in February 2013.

Covers
The issue is to have at least 2 different covers:
 * At least one cover by Andy Price
 * Cover RI by Stephanie Buscema, featuring Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Tank

Summary
"Their epic quest nearing its end, the Mane 6 reach the Changeling Kingdom and find themselves at the mercy of Queen Chrysalis! A sinister offer threatens to tear the group apart before they can save the day. Will friendship prevail over the Queen's nefarious plan?"

My Little Pony Micro-Series by IDW
IDW Publishing are set to publish a six-issue comic book series entitled My Little Pony Micro-Series, with writer/artist/cover artist Thomas F. Zahler and at least one other cover artist, Amy Mebberson.

Issue #1
Issue #1, Twilight Sparkle, is to be released in February 2013.

Covers
The issue is to have at least 3 different covers:
 * Cover A by Thomas F. Zahler, featuring Twilight Sparkle and Spike
 * At least one cover by Amy Mebberson
 * Subscription exclusive variant SUB cover, showing production artwork from Cover A by Thomas F. Zahler

Summary
"Introducing the first of six spotlights focusing on everyone's favorite Ponies! Twilight Sparkle becomes enthralled in a literary masterpiece. Dismayed to hear the series never continued, Twilight goes on a quest to hunt down the reclusive author, Jade Singer. It will take all of the studious Pony's detective skill to find the author, and twists and turns abound! Don't miss this adventure in imagination!"

Gallery

 * My Little Pony Friendship is Magic (comics) image gallery