Transformers/My Little Pony #1
IDW Publishing
Writers: James Asmus, Ian Flynn
Artists: Tony Fleecs, Jack Lawrence
This is a crossover that I never thought would happen. Transformers and My Little Pony. I guess you should never say never when it comes to comic books. I’ve been a fan of Transformers ever since I saw Beast wars in the ’90s. Watching the original 80’s series alongside Armada and Cybertron made me love it even more. My Little Pony, I was never a fan of the original series but I liked Friendship is Magic. I simply couldn’t imagine how a crossover like this could be taken seriously by either fanbase. The franchises are so different. Alien robots going to war with one another and ponies preaching the power of friendship. I’ve been surprised though because this issue is quite good.
The premise is pretty simple. Queen Chrysalis is casting a spell in order to bring more changelings to Equestria. The Autobots and Decepticons are battling when suddenly the spell transports them to the world of My Little Pony. The Decepticons naturally start causing problems while the Autobots try to help the locals to stop them. It’s a pretty standard setup for a crossover like this but it does the job so I have no complaints. It makes the story easily accessible and there’s no intent to create a masterpiece here. This comic is just a fun little crossover for fans of these shows and an attempt to create new fans.
I think what really makes this crossover shine though is that it has a sense of humour. The writers aren’t afraid to poke fun at the inherent silliness of this crossover. They also take advantage of one of the key things these franchises have in common. Cheesiness. There are so many moments throughout this issue that you just can’t help but laugh at it. One of my favourites was in the second of the two stories in this issue. The first story is “Transformation is Magic” and the second is called “Shine Like a Diamond”. That second story has Starscream hassling Rarity into making costumes for him and it’s brilliant. Pairing the vainest of the villains with a Pony working as a fashion designer is a perfect recipe for fun.
The artwork is pretty good too. Tony Fleecs handles “Transformation is Magic” while Jack Lawrence does the art on “Shine Like a Diamond”. They’re very slightly different in how they draw these characters but you can barely tell the difference. The art itself is a bit of a mix of the styles of the two shows. I’d say it leans more towards the My Little Pony aesthetic but the Transformers look great in it. That blocky, 80’s style of the original Transformers show translates very well throughout this crossover. The transformations are drawn very simply. A few simple images show us the robots turn into their vehicle forms and back again. It fits the style of the classic cartoons though so Transformers fans should enjoy it. The majority of the action occurs in the second story but it’s handled well too. Small touches like Starscream getting tangled in his clothes after being knocked down help add some realism to the silliness.
This debut issue also has some great examples of how lettering can add to a comic. When we’re first shown Equestria the title of the world is written in the style of the Transformers opening title. Upon seeing Cybertron the name of the planet is written to look like the My Little Pony title. It’s a cool little touch that adds to that fun, crossover feel. Then you get little things like the sound effects during fights or transformations. They’re varied and seem to be tailored to what’s going on in the panel. It makes the fights easier to imagine as you read them and the sound-effect used for transformations is perfect. It immediately makes you think of the noise the robots made in the cartoon and triggers a nice nostalgia rush.
Overall, this is just a great comic for fans of both franchises. Asmus and Flynn have shown a lot of respect and love for the characters from these shows. If you’re a fan of either then you’ll no doubt love the little references and character interactions throughout this issue. You could also easily give this issue to a youngster to get them into comics. It’s very easy to understand and child-friendly so most kids would likely enjoy it. I wasn’t sure of this new crossover at first but I’m sold now. You might even say they’ve transformed me into a fan. I can’t wait for the next three issues and I’d highly recommend this issue to anyone. It’s extremely fun.
This is a shockingly good comic, especially considering how odd the pairing in this crossover might seem. The story is very basic but it's handled decently enough and there's some good humour here. The characters all seem faithful to the original material and they're consistently entertaining throughout. The art is lovely. It blends the styles of the 80's Transformers and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic shows with more of a slant towards the ponies but it all looks great and would no doubt appeal to fans of either series. Lettering is well-done throughout the issue. I've gone into it more in the main review but there's a solid use of sound effects and the lettering used for telling the reader where events are taking place is quite a nice touch for a crossover like this. I really enjoyed this issue and I'm looking forward to the next.Transformers/My Little Pony #1
