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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/covers_1562.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:Six of the '''twenty''' unique covers for issue #1.]]
3A ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' comic book series based on the cartoon show [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic of the same name]]. Published by [[Creator/IDWPublishing IDW]], with a rotating creative team, the series was first announced at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, with the first issue released on November 28, 2012.
4
5The series has proven a hot seller, reportedly pulling in lots of bronies who haven't bought comics in years and presumably also kids who have never bought them before. In 2012, the first issue, along with Image Comics' ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead'', were the only two non-DC, non-Marvel comic titles to be listed in the top 100 comics of the year. Individual issues have been IDW's top selling comic for each month regularly placing in the top titles sold in those months.
6
7The series begins with a pair of four-issue {{Story Arc}}s, with the first featuring the return of Queen Chrysalis, the villain of the Season 2 finale. Other stories span one or two issues. Some issues also have a two page back-up story. This series is notably the first major part of the ''Friendship Is Magic'' ExpandedUniverse, and promises to follow the same all-ages tone that made the show so popular, although the comics sometimes go a little crazier with the characters than the TV series.
8
9It was [[https://www.equestriadaily.com/2019/10/idw-my-little-pony-season-10-comic.html announced at the 2019 New York Comic Con]] that the comic, starting with issue 89, will continue where the show left off in its own self-contained "Season 10".
10
11After running for nine years, the comic book series concluded with issue #102.
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13This page also covers the Annual comics and one-shot specials. Most of these focus on either the ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Equestria Girls]]'' spin-off franchise or an AlternateUniverse like the Power Ponies.
14
15See the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW Recap page]] to see summaries and tropes based on the individual story arcs. The comic also has a [[ShoutOut/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW Shout Out]] page.
16
17See also the other ''My Little Pony'' series put out by IDW:
18
19* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyMicroSeries'' (completed) -- a ten-issue run, each issue focusing on a single character.
20* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendsForever'' (completed) -- a thirty-eight issue run, single issue stories highlighting two characters.
21* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFiendshipIsMagic'' (completed) -- a five-issue run, each issue focusing on a major villain character.
22* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyLegendsOfMagic'' (completed) -- a thirteen-issue series, consisting of stories that will "explore the secret history of Equestria".
23* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyTheMoviePrequel'' (completed) -- a four-issue IDW series set before the events of [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 The Movie]] that introduces several of the film's new characters.
24* ''My Little Pony: Ponyville Mysteries'' (completed) -- a five-issue series set after the events of the six ''Ponyville Mysteries'' chapter books, each issue featuring the Cutie Mark Crusaders solving a mystery around Ponyville.
25* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyNightmareKnights'' (completed) -- a five-issue series with an overarching story, in which Princess Luna and a team of former villains face a new threat to Equestria.
26* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonySpiritOfTheForest'' (completed) -- a three-issue series with an overarching story, in which the Cutie Mark Crusaders investigate another mystery in the Everfree Forest.
27* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFeatsOfFriendship'' (completed) -- a three-issue series with an overarching story, in which the Young Six compete in the School of Friendship's very first sporting event.
28* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyTransformersFriendshipInDisguise'' (completed) -- a four-issue series with an overarching story and a crossover with [[ComicBook/TheTransformersRobotsInDisguise The Transformers]].
29* ''[[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyTransformersFriendshipInDisguise My Little Pony Transformers The Magic of Cybertron]]'' (completed) -- a four-issue sequel series to ''Friendship In Disguise''.
30* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyGenerations'' (completed) -- a five-issue series focused on the mane characters crossing over with their G1 counterparts.
31* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyClassicsReimaginedLittleFillies'' (completed) -- a four-issue series of the classic book ''Literature/LittleWomen'' retold with the cast of ''Friendship is Magic''.
32* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyClassicsReimaginedTheUnicornOfOdd'' (completed) -- a four issue series retelling the events of ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOZ''.
33* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyClassicsReimaginedValentinesDaySpecialRomeoAndJuliet'' (complete) -- A one-shot comic retelling the story of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' with Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich as the titular couple.
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35IDW has partnered with Madefire to create [[http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/07/16/star-trek-my-little-pony-transformers-and-more-come-to-motion-comics/ motion comics]] from the series as well.
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37Despite the recent formation of the ComicBook/HasbroComicUniverse with the ''[[ComicBook/Revolution2016 Revolution]]'' event, they've said that for now, ''MLP'' won't be a part of it, but that could change.....[[https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/02/06/transformers-my-little-pony-friendship-in-disguise-crossover-comic-revealed-404680 Then it happened]]. [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Not an early April's Fool Joke nor an unofficial fancomic]] or even [[WesternAnimation/RobotChicken a Robot Chicken sketch]]. The worlds of Transformers and My Little Pony collide in a four-part monthly crossover. (Originally planned for May 2020; suspended due to Diamond shutdown and released on August 5, 2020.) Now returning with [[https://tformers.com/my-little-pony-x-transformers-ii-the-magic-of-cybertron-issue-1-comic-preview/41143/news.html a new sequel]] on April 28, 2021.
38
39----
40!!This series provides examples of these tropes (for more, please also visit the [[Characters/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic character]] guide and [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW recap page]] for individual story arcs):
41
42[[foldercontrol]]
43
44[[folder:General]]
45* AbhorrentAdmirer: Andy Price's art will often include background gags of Sweetcream Scoops making advances on a very wary Big Macintosh. Price has stated to fans that he considers that the name "Sweetcream Scoops" sounds like that of a lady of the night, and plays her into that trope.
46* AnthropomorphicShift: Issues drawn by Jay Fosgitt frequently show ponies standing on their hind legs and holding things with their front hooves.
47* ArcVillain: Almost every arc has had an antagonist of some kind, from heavy hitters like Queen Chrysalis, [[spoiler:Nightmare Rarity]], and a MirrorUniverse Princess Celestia, to a common thief and a high school bully. The only arc so far without an antagonist of any kind is ''Zen & The Art of Gazebo Repair'', it's just Big Mac experiencing a ton of bad luck.
48* ArtisticLicense: Amy Mebberson often draws AJ without her hat; [[https://twitter.com/RetroSinister/status/423561870130151424 she states]] that with the hat, this limits how much she can draw of AJ in certain poses and chooses to forgo it instead.
49* CanonForeigner: There's a few, [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicExpandedUniverse see here]] for a full list.
50* CantArgueWithElves: The Deer in issues 27-28; nobody ever even mentions the possibility of pointing out the things they did wrong, despite the fact that they were clearly the antagonists in the story.
51** Zigzagged with Cassie the Kelpie; although not a lot of attention is paid to it InUniverse, where she is EasilyForgiven, Rainbow Dash does at least make an attempt to call her out on her choice to brainwash the entirety of Ponyville to tear down a dam and flood their homes instead of just ''asking'' for help to retrieve her friends.
52* ComicBookAdaptation: A type 2 and type 3 at points with background stories.
53* ContinuityNod: Several relating back to the series, as is natural for a tie-in comic.
54* CoversAlwaysLie: What's on the cover usually has nothing to do with what goes on in the story.
55* CreatorCameo: Just a few...
56** Katie Cook has appeared throughout as a green unicorn mare (often wearing a kerchief headwear) with a word-balloon cutie mark. She has also had her husband Ryan appear as a mule in issue #1, with her laughing at him, as light-hearted revenge for his dislike of Fluttershy. This also counts as an indirect example of InterspeciesRomance. And despite her personally being younger than Andy, Andy Price drew her next to him in the yearbook (the bottom two left ponies on the Juniors page) on his variant cover for Issue #11 .
57** Andy Price has drawn himself along with his wife Alice as pony characters at least thrice (Issue #1, #9 and the Rarity Micro-comic); his [=OC=] is Leadwing, a blue earth pony with a ComicBook/{{Batman}}-like cutie mark (part of his previous pedigree), while his wife's [=OC=] is a red-headed unicorn mare with a bird-like emblem cutie mark.
58*** Both Katie and Andy may have become [[AscendedFanboy Ascended Fanboys]] as their [=OC=]s appeared as [[http://www.equestriadaily.com/2015/02/concept-art-st-ponycon.html#more concept art images]] for Season 5 of the show. Both characters later had cameos in the episode "Princess Spike."
59** Heather Breckel, the colorist for most of the comics in both the main and micro, has [[http://angieness.deviantart.com/art/My-Little-Pony-Rarity-Micro-Page-20-381704094 her ponified Angie OC appear in the Rarity microcomic]].
60* DarkerAndEdgier: Storylines are much more mature, [[NeverSayDie Death]] is actually referred to as such, a lot more of focus is put on the teeth and [[EyeTake eyes]] of characters (in all their icky glory), and the writers are not afraid to include more involved fight scenes and look at some of the more disturbing aspects of Equestrian life, such as [[{{Squick}} just what the Changelings do to their victims]]. The comic as a whole features a lot of content the cartoon could never get away with in terms of copyright restrictions or MoralGuardians.
61* DependingOnTheWriter: Like the show, different issues will have different tones and approaches to the characters & universe. A notable example is that Heather Nuhfer and Katie Cook seem to have different opinions on how to approach Princess Twilight's way of dealing with outlaws. In the Nuhfer-written pirates StoryArc Twilight tries to use her Princess status to make a peaceful deal with a group of pony pirates, when they threaten to kidnap her she [[BlackMage magically zaps them into submission]]. Katie Cook on the other hand has Twilight refuse to use her magic on cattle bandits even when they're clearly breaking the law and attacking her friends, on the basis they're legal, sentient citizens of Equestria.
62* DoppelgangerLink: When the portal to the Mirror Universe is open, the inhabitants of both worlds become linked to their respective counterparts. The evil version of Celestia takes advantage of this by attacking the evil Luna to harm the good Luna.
63* ExpandedUniverse: This series will be the biggest part of it. There have been short "G4" comics and stories found in little girls' magazines before this, but they simply used stock art with poor writing. This series has promised to follow more closely to the show's continuity and tone, while also having the opportunity to flesh out some things that can't be covered in a 22-minute episode. [[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=42387 Katie Cook explains]] that she is writing each 4-issue story with content roughly equal to two 22-minute episodes.
64* {{Foreshadowing}}: A cross-arc example: Rarity's issue 1 cover is noticeably darker in colour than the others, and has a cloud or two. Also, Luna is in the background, as if approaching Rarity.
65* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Meta-wise, the comic is one of a handful of Hasbro properties not taking part in the ''ComicBook/{{Revolution 2016}}'' event and not part of the SharedUniverse that it's set to create.
66* LooseCanon: As the writers for the comics don't collaborate with the writers for the show beyond Hasbro telling IDW what is off-limits for them to cover, the show and the comics often go in different directions, and the show tends to not specifically reference the comics or care if it contradicts them. This results in discrepancies in the lore of the two that are impossible to reconcile. Things get even more complicated with the later comics that reference things that happened in the show that explicitly contradict something established in earlier issues of the comics. The result is that it is simply impossible for ''all'' the comics to be canonical, and it's up to fan interpretation on an individual basis to decide which they consider canon or not and how to explain the {{Continuity Snarl}}s between the two.
67* NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer: Katie Cook’s autobiographical strip for ''Synergy: The Hasbro Female Creator’s Showcase'' at one point mentions that the reader will likely assume the story was made up for the book, before cutting to an actual photograph to prove that the story is true.
68* OncePerEpisode: Andy Price, a big fan of the television show ''Series/{{Fringe}}'', has included an [[Characters/FringeObservers Observer pony]] (grey, hairless, wearing a suit and fedora) in every story he's drawn, watching events from the background of a panel.
69* ReferenceOverdosed: ''Even more so'' than the show, especially in the Cook/Price issues. The other writers & artists tone it down a little, but there's still a few shout outs per issue. There's also an interesting case of seeing different tastes in shout outs; Andy Price for example seems fond of old-school Western sci-fi & pop-culture while Amy Mebberson has a tendency to draw ponified Disney & Anime characters.
70* RestrictedExpandedUniverse: The comics have to stay consistent with the show's [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo]], ensuring any major events get wrapped up well enough to stay self-contained.
71* SavedByCanon: It's a simple matter of fact that the characters aren't in any real danger, given the supplementary nature of the comic. While "Season 10" [[SequelInAnotherMedium is free of that]], it still applies to those seen in the show's DistantFinale[[labelnote:List click me!]]The Mane 6, Spike, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the Young Six, Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Trixie, the Cake Twins, Cheese Sandwich, Gummy, Big Macintosh, Sugar Belle, Derpy, Lyra Heartstrings, Sweetie Drops/Bon Bon, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Twist.[[/labelnote]] .
72* StoryArc: The heavier, darker story arcs are four issues long, with SliceOfLife comics being one or two issues.
73[[/folder]]
74
75[[folder:Tropes specific to ''Season 10'']]
76* {{Interquel}}: For the GrandFinale of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E26TheLastProblem the show]], set between Twilight Sparkle's coronation as ruler of Equestria and the DistantFinale.
77[[/folder]]
78
79!!Tropes applying to the various covers
80
81[[folder:Covers]]
82
83It wouldn't be a popular comic series without tons of covers. Guest cover artists include Jill Thompson, Stephanie Buscema, Amy Mebberson, Melanie Tingdahl, J. Scott Campbell, Tony Fleecs, Sabrina Alberghetti, and Rob Reger.
84
85* {{Balloonacy}}: This happens to Apple Bloom on Issue #1's [[http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t372/bobc358/MyLittlePony01-cvrD.jpg Cover D]].
86* CharacterCelebrityEndorsement: Issue #1's Lone Star Comics variant [[http://cdn.bleedingcool.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MyLittlePony01-cvrRE-LONESTAR.jpg Cover RE]] shows Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom reading a ''Hoof Beat'' magazine with an {{InUniverse}} CelebrityEndorsement on its back: a Lone Star ad featuring Spitfire.
87* ContinuityNod:
88** The Hot Topic exclusive issue 4 cover references gags from both [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E12CallOfTheCutie "Call of the Cutie"]] and [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E15TheSuperSpeedyCiderSqueezy6000 "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000"]].
89** Andy Price's cover variant for Issue #11 calls back to Cheerilee's "80's look" from "Call of the Cutie", mentions Moondancer, the pony who's party Twilight didn't want to go to in the first episode, and then touches on several minor characters, including Lyra, Minuette (Colgate), Caramel, and Thunderlane. Even Wheat Grass, introduced from the Rarity micro-comic, makes an appearance.
90* CoversAlwaysLie: Most of the revealed covers are sort of just generic "ponies being cute/cool" and very few so far even hint at the return of changelings. Not that we don't expect [[ForegoneConclusion ponies being cute/cool]] or anything, but Rainbow Dash doesn't go snowboarding or dressing up as a superhero in Issue #1.
91** Inverted though in other cases, in that the covers are directly using single-page spreads from the comic. In one case, Issue #9's [=BronyCon=] exclusive Comics World variant used a full page spread from the story that basically was part of a major joke in the comic, to the point that the writer and artist of the issue, Katie Cook and Andy Price, were [[https://twitter.com/katiecandraw/status/340976686214569986 annoyed with]] [[https://twitter.com/AndyPriceArt/status/341011460467597312 how much]] [[http://andypriceart.deviantart.com/journal/HeroesCon-and-that-leaked-cover-376073727 it spoiled]].
92** Played straight with [[http://andypriceart.deviantart.com/art/MLP-issue-9-Big-Mac-and-Applebloom-365224856 the primary cover for #9]].
93** Played with for [[http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130903005637/mlp/images/0/01/Comic_Issue_10_Cover_B.jpg one of the covers for #10]]. While the depicted scene doesn't occur, fireworks and explosions do feature prominently thanks to the Crusaders attempts at fireworks operating cutie marks.
94* FunnyBackgroundEvent: In the background of Issue #13's Cover B, Rarity can be seen leaning over the side of the ship, clearly seasick.
95* IdiosyncraticCoverArt: The six covers depicted on this very page are arranged like this.
96** Also the joint Larry's and Jetpack variants.
97** [[http://www.newburycomics.com/images/bmh/1N/103-1879041N.jpg Newberry's had some fun]] when Issue 9 (starring Big Macintosh) and the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyMicroSeries Applejack Micro]] came out in the same month..
98* LampshadeHanging: [[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TMKYTSROL8A/UOiEuLFFDmI/AAAAAAABOE4/yGHNA_FAJ3k/s1600/Twilight.jpg Third Eye Comic's variant cover]] for the first Twilight Sparkle micro-cover points out the fact that there are a ''lot'' of variant covers for the series.
99* NerdsAreSexy: Shining Armor's [[http://bigcomicpage.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/mylittlepony11-cova.jpg yearbook photo is this.]] One can see below the picture that he's part of the LARP Club, the Math Club, the Chess Club, and the Gaming Club (though he also runs cross-country), yet he would look like a dreamboat to many a girl.
100* UncleSamWantsYou: Issue #1's Third Eye Comics variant [[http://cdn.bleedingcool.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MyLittlePony01-cvrRE-THRIDEYE.jpg Cover RE]], featuring Spitfire and Soarin'.
101* WolverinePublicity: Some of the variant covers prominently feature popular background ponies like Derpy, Time Turner, and DJ Pon-3. The main cover for Issue #10 has ''nothing but background ponies''.
102** Most of the covers for the 2013 Annual feature Twilight Sparkle very prominently. She only gets a cameo in ''The Fall of Sunset Shimmer'' short and doesn't appear in the main story at all.
103** Hot Topic's covers tend to have zero to do with the actual story but feature popular background characters, commonly Trixie. Issues #21 and #22 feature Season 4 fan favorites Maud Pie and Cheese Sandwich, respectively.
104[[/folder]]

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