History YMMV / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW

** The many "What If [[spoiler: Rarity]] Were Evil?" fan-remixes, ''especially'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtvNZdIwWjc this one]], are all very much this now.

** Remember the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E18TheShowStoppers hilariously bad rock performance the CMC performed to try and find their cutie marks?]] Shining Armor's rock ballad in #11 managed to help Vinyl Scratch gain her cutie mark just by watching it!

*** There was also an [[Blog/AskAPony Ask Blog]] about Pirate Rainbow Dash. Guess which canon pony is the most eager to get her sea legs?

** The portrayal of the deer in "Root of the Problem" is remarkably similar to how they were in the highly popular fanfic ''FanFic/ItsADangerousBusinessGoingOutYourDoor''. And they were just as unpopular there, too.

** Issue #33 opens with a crazed Fluttershy restrained à la [[Literature/TheSilenceOfThelambs Hannibal Lecter]], [[WebAnimation/PonyDotMov stay out of her shed, anyone]]?
** Twilight Sparkle's name has been compared to [[Literature/TheTwilightSaga a certain vampire series]]; WordOfGod on the matter being "It passed legal." The above issue has her turn into the vampire "Twilight Sparkling". So there's no doubt it's intentional...
--->'''Apple:''' Who are you?\\
'''Twilight:''' Twilight. Sparkling. Vampire. Hmmm. [[ShoutOut Those sound good together]].

** While the {{Retcon}} to [[DemonicPossession the origins of Nightmare Moon]] were mixed to negative, the fandom heartilly embraced [[spoiler:her "reincarnation", Nightmare Rarity]]. Despite being a WalkingSpoiler and only appearing in the latter half of the arc she features in, she is massively popular thanks to her [[EvilIsCool cool]] and [[HeadTurningBeauty beautiful]] design, and just the idea of [[spoiler:Rarity being turned into a second Nightmare Moon]] is an awesome one.

* AccidentalInnuendo: Similar to [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic the show]], the comics are getting in on it too. Take a look at this one [[http://www.derpibooru.org/413632 scene from the comic]] without the rest of the page to put it in context.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: When they were first coming out, the comics were given much praise for expansive world building, something that the show, especially at the time Season 3 started, was criticized for lacking. As both series went on and the show slowly stared incorporating more world and lore building, many newcomers to the comics find it hard to fully grasp what made the earlier stories so innovative at the time.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** While things in the show could always be a bit quirky with the pony population's [[HilarityEnsues antics]] and [[EasilyForgiven the general lack of consequences]], they come to a head in ''The Good, the Bad and the Ponies'', as Equestria can be seen here as a CrapsaccharineWorld whose cute exterior belies a horribly dysfunctional legal system that excuses things like assault, vandalism, extortion, arson, kidnapping, impersonation, false imprisonment, fraud and entrapment, but vandalizing a historical site, even one declared so under dubious circumstances, could get those just ''associated'' with you thrown in jail. Essentially valuing the letter of the law over innocent lives, and having no provisions to deal with dangerously violent criminals.
** The Deer in the Root of the Problem arc. It's hard to tell if the forest is attacking Ponyville and Canterlot autonomously, or if the Deer deliberately steered the new growth towards who we know to be innocents. Combine this with FantasticRacism, and some interpret them as ecoterrorists at best, and militaristic warmongers looking for an excuse to invade at worst.

** While the {{Retcon}} to [[DemonicPossession the origins of Nightmare Moon]] were mixed to negative, the fandom heartilly embraced [[spoiler:her "reincarnation", Nightmare Rarity]]. Despite being a WalkingSpoiler and only appearing in the latter half of the arc she features in, she is massively popular thanks to her [[EvilIsCool cool]] and [[EvilIsSexy beautiful]] design, and just the idea of [[spoiler:Rarity being turned into a second Nightmare Moon]] is an awesome one.

* EvilIsSexy: [[spoiler:Nightmare Rarity]], as nicely detailed [[http://derpibooru.org/284489 here]] (major spoilers, of course). This was even lampshaded in the comic when [[spoiler:[[FanNickname Nightmarity]]]] says at one point, "I'm so hot, I should be on fire!"

** Princess Celestia in the Reflections Arc (Issues #17-20). For some, her selfish and short-sighted actions in her younger years have driven away any amount of sympathy; for others, her [[TheAtoner deep regret]] over it and portrayal as TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask make her a far more interesting character.

** The Nightmare Arc (Issues 5-8) was [[ContestedSequel controversial when it came out]], but future issues were even more so, with criticisms this arc [[FranchiseOriginalSin adequately contained]], meaning it's now viewed as one of the comic's best stories. Helping is that its biggest criticism ([[FanDislikedExplanation the nature of the Nightmare Forces and their relation to Nightmare Moon]]) was [[AuthorsSavingThrow retconned into something more palatable]] in ''Fiendship Is Magic''.

* AntiClimaxBoss: Chrysalis gets taken down surprisingly easy, all things considered.

%% * FanonDiscontinuity:
%% ** The 2014 Holiday Special for details that become questionable when placed alongside ''Rainbow Rocks'' and the human characters' [[spoiler:(especially the Cutie Mark Crusaders)]] characterization. And the 2013 Annual fell into this once fans realized [[FranchiseOriginalSin it has the same points of criticism]].
%% ** The "Cattle Rustlers" arc for Twilight's [[LawfulStupid characterization]].
%% ** "Chaos Theory," for its sheer {{Worf Effect}} on everypony [[note]]Including the [[WorldHealingWave Elements of Harmony]], [[BeyondTheImpossible no less]].[[/note]] but [[BaseBreakingCharacter Starlight]] ('''''[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E26ToWhereAndBackAgainPart2 again]]''''').
%% ** The idea that Cosmos was secretly responsible for ''everything'' that happened in Discord's initial rampage while Discord never actually ''hurt'' anyone and [[TheScapegoat even took the rap]] to [[UnPerson erase her from the history books]] which effectively rendered Discord's character arc in the show redundant as he was secretly GoodAllAlong. Not to mention, this revelation effectively contradicts his actions from Seasons 2 to 4, like his debut in Season 2, letting the Plunder Vines run rampant instead of stopping them if they were secretly Cosmos work in the Season 4 premiere and his FaceHeelTurn in the Season 4 finale. This is effectively the Nightmare Forces scenario all over again, where a comic-exclusive character is revealed to be the cause of a show villain's fall from grace and acts of terror while the show villain in question suddenly is absolved of all blame.

** Radiant Hope was regarded as a fan favorite in Sombra's Fiendship and had some decent amount of fan art. Then, in the Crystal Empire invasion storyline, she starts recruiting villains of various shades of evil (including someone who ''isn't even a villain'') to invade the Crystal Empire and revive Sombra, [[WideEyedIdealist all under the assumption that he's still the good, kind-hearted pony he once was]]. While it's later shown [[UnwittingPawn she was being manipulated]], [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone horrifying her]] and leading her to redeem herself, there remains debate over how well it was handled and if it's too little too late. She's definitely suffered a net decrease in popularity, though.

** Twilight Sparkle's name has been compared to [[Literature/{{Twilight}} a certain vampire series]]; WordOfGod on the matter being "It passed legal." The above issue has her turn into the vampire "Twilight Sparkling". So there's no doubt it's intentional...

** Alternatively, some point to the Cattle Rustlers arc as the start of AudienceAlienatingEra as the issues between that arc and Reflections ranged from good to average, whereas every issue from the Cattle Rustlers arc onward have met much criticism.

** Alternatively, some point to the Cattle Rustlers arc as the start of DorkAge as the issues between that arc and Reflections ranged from good to average, whereas every issue from the Cattle Rustlers arc onward have met much criticism.

* DorkAge:
** Entered one during the "Reflections" arc ([[BrokenBase where in it is debated]]), it and the stories since have ranged from average to criticized to the point [[FanonDiscontinuity fans reject its existence]]. Note that this was toward the end of Season 4, [[WinBACKTheCrowd which ended the shows own age]] it entered in Season 3, when the comics debuted, making its current shortcomings stand out more.
** Alternatively, some point to the Cattle Rustlers arc as the start of DorkAge as the issues between that arc and Reflections ranged from good to average, whereas every issue from the Cattle Rustlers arc onward have met much criticism.

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** For those who thought Babs Seed was too EasilyForgiven in her debut episode, her portrayal in issue #22 as feeling like she has to constantly prove she's no longer a bully should go a long way.
** After the 2014 Holiday special was heavily criticized for a controversial cyber-bulling plot that left little to do with the holidays, the 2015 one opted to focus entirely on LighterAndSofter Christmas fluff.
** "The Ponies of Dark Water" is a three issue arc about the Mane Six turning evil, possibly as a response to complaints about how little the Mirror Mane Six appeared in their arc. It also ([[ContinuitySnarl unclear if intentionally]]) undoes previous things fans took issue with: Nightmare Moon is again just Luna's dark side rather than a separate being possessing her, and the deer are on the level of any other non-pony animal.
** Issue #51 onward promise to tie into Season 7 of the show looks to address the increasingly severe {{Continuity Snarl}}s and [[SeasonalRot decline in quality]] compared to the show.
** "Tempest's Tale" addresses Celestia and Luna's poor showing in TheMovie by having Tempest outright admit she would have lost in a straight up fight and that the TakenForGranite bombs are implied to have been made ''specifically to take out ponies with their power level''.

** "Root of the Problem" could have been a good arc had it focused on the Everfree Forest or the deer. Instead, we get a [[StrawCharacter straw villain]] that could make the villains of ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' cringe in embarrassment that still [[DesignatedHero failed to make the Deer the good guys in comparison]], and a conflict [[IdiotPlot that should have been resolved before the ponies got involved.]]

* IdiotPlot:
** "Root of the Problem" would be over in one page, if it ever happened at all, if any of the characters acted intelligent for just a moment. King Aspen could have sent an envoy to meet with Celestia and Luna in person; Celestia and Luna themselves could visit in person; Twilight could have used her powers and authority as Princess. Instead the ponies are completely useless to do anything while the deer jump straight to eco-terrorism without any regard for the chaos they cause. Further, the resolution of the conflict (the deer just invade the construction site and kick Well-To-Do and his workers out) could have been done at the start of it all without the need to attack Ponyville.
** The 2014 holiday special would have been wrapped up with vastly less heartbreak had someone realized that Sunset had nothing to gain from what she was accused of doing, and would basically be shooting herself in the foot out of spite. Unfortunately, even Sunset herself seems blind to this.

* TastesLikeDiabetes: PlayedForLaughs with Wuvy-Dovey Land.

* UncannyValley:
** Issue #1's [[http://www.amazon.com/Little-Friendship-Magic-Subscription-Variant/dp/B00A8RS4BC/ SUB]] cover by Jill Thompson. The mouths just look wrong.
** The costumes that Pinkie carries around.

%% ** The "Cattle Rustlers" arc for the massive MoralDissonance and Twilight's [[LawfulStupid characterization]].

** Given the [[WhatTheHellHero calling out Twilight Sparkle got]] over her {{lawful stupid}}ity, it looked like the "Cattle Rustlers" arc would pay it off by forcing her to make a ToBeLawfulOrGood decision. [[WriterCopOut Instead]], she resorted to tricking the villains into breaking a law [[LoopholeAbuse that would let her act against them]], through [[MoralDissonance morally contradictory methods]] that ruined its theoretical credibility. The story itself could have been half-decent if not for Twilight's actions {{overshadow|ed By Controversy}}ing it.

* EightDeadlyWords: Between the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive purely unlikeable villain]], the Deers' hypocrisy squandering what sympathy they had, and the Ponies [[CantArgueWithElves failing to call the latter out]] or do anything useful on their own, many wrote off "Root of the Problem" by part 1. While the finale had [[IdiotPlot significant criticisms]], it failed to cause the backlash the writers previous {{Story Arc}}s did, likely because readers had stopped caring one way or another.