IDW Comic Issue #19 review! · 9:38pm Jun 11th, 2014
We start off in Sombra's Ponyville, where the Evil Princesses are headquartered. We also get the glory of Evil Tibbles! Sadly, he's only a one panel thing. Evil Celestia says she's sick of not getting past Sombra's defenses and laments not being able to beat the spell to Celestia's world out of her. Evil Luna proposes spying on the newcomers.
Interesting note: Evil Luna says Evil Celestia must be pestering in both worlds. I wonder if the two have any genuine love for each other.
Back at Sombra's castle, he mentions that Sir Discord and Chrysalis are guarding the north and south, leaving him alone in Canterlot. Then there's... honestly, a kind of mean spirited jab at people who really analyze these stories. Specifically, people pointing out continuity errors. Now, I'm willing to grant this takes place before Princess Twilight Sparkle, but in the Bookworm saga, you were caught in a legitimate goof, and the story on display wasn't strong enough that I Was willing to ignore it.
Anyway, Fluttershy and Rarity ask for details on Celestia and Sombra's affairs, and there's a good crack from Pinkie about Fluttershy's age, might be my favorite background joke this issue.
In the past, back in the cell Celestia and Star Swirl were imprisoned, they are released by Sombra himself, and it's love at first sight, I thought it might be that Celly's caught off guard by a nice version of Sombra, but Star Swirl later mentions the possibility of aSombra in their world, so I guess not. I like Celestia over these next two pages, seeing her act like an idiot (which love does), especially imagining herself as a doofus.
So... was the Sombra in the Prime Equestria immortal too? How'd that work? Eh, we never really got an explanation for him in the show, so I guess the comics can't risk things.
There's also the Evil Luna in this flashback, but she's not evil yet. This is apparently just before our Luna got banished, as we learn later. We also learn later that the Mirror Celestia is already evil. So... how long was it between our Sombra's defeat and Luna's banishment? Couldn't have been more than a few years at most.
We get a falling in love montage, and it's really well done. Kudos. There's also some gags like meeting the Mirror Discord
Back in our Canterlot, Celestia tells Luna that after her banishment, Celestia started to visit Sombra without Star Swirl's knowledge, despite realizing what the visits were doing.
Then we get a sequence of Celestia and Sombra's last meeting. He takes her to a wishing garden, and we get a nice two page spread of the place. It's beautiful artwork, and it's why Andy Price is my favorite of the artists. There's also an Observer pony in the background...
They write their wishes to always be with each other, and some dust gets in my eye...
Then we get a repeat of Star Swirl catching Celestia and destroying the mirror. It's the same dialogue with different artwork, but heartbreaking to know the context...
But, never one to give up, Celestia creates another mirror behind Star Swirl's back. We see her enter through it.
Back in the present, Sombra explains that the evil sisters have taken their toll on the land. The pegasus cities are in ruin, meaning little rain and thus little crops. Evil Luna is listening in, because apparently the Royal Guards are as useless here as they are in our Equestria. She mutters a few things, but only Spike hears her and everypony ignores him because... he's Spike.
Sombra reveals that the sisters offered him a deal: they'd have Celestia move there while they go to our Equestria to balance things out. It was tempting, but Sombra refused. While discussing what to do, Twilight realizes that trapping the sisters in crystal as our Sombra was would work without hurting them. Sombra declares that Twilight is as great as Celestia made her out to be. They agree to leave at once.
But first, we get a sequence of Twilight and Sombra talking. Sombra gives her advice on being a leader, but what I really want to note is this: Sombra noted that Celestia talked glowingly of her student. Sombra was offered a chance to be with Celestia. Now he's seeing the pony that Celestia practically raised. I like to think whenever Sombra looks at Twilight, he's thinking: "What if I had been there to raise her too?"
Anyway, there's another nice page of Sombra remembering his love, then the comic ends with Evil Luna reporting back to her sister.
We get another version of how Star Swirl got his hat. This one was is worth it if only for the image of baby Star Swirl still with a beard. Then we get a twist that the Alternate Mane Six have been reading these stories. Yeah, thought they'd have an important role in this arc? Guess again!
This arc is still excellent. I'm just wondering how they can wrap this up in just one issue...
Wow... I'm caught up on the comics now. Guess I'll move on to books. Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell is next!
At this point, I'm just wondering how issue 20 won't end up heartbreakingly sad for Celestia and Good Sombra.
Anyway, neat idea regarding what he might be thinking when he looks at Twilight.
Just because a story's good doesn't make jarring continuity errors any less forgivable.
He had an ethereal mane, so I'd say yes.
In my headcanon, about three or four at the most.
We wouldn't know that since they're never called to action for anything.
I think the only reason that a royal guard even exists is because royalty is expected to have them. And I had to wipe some dust from my eyes too.
Huh, don't know how I missed that. Would've loved to see what the alternate mane six are like.
2199733 Hey, we've still got Issue 20 to go yet before this arc is finally over, you guys! Just 'cause the only place that they're in this one is the cover (Cover A) and at the end of that two-page mini-comic about Star Swirl deoesn't mean that "Mean Six" (as I've started to call them) won't before the arc is over! Show a l'il faith, y'all! Sheesh!
Btw, here's a couple of preview pages for Issue 20 (not sure what order they're in, though (whether they're Pages 2 and 3, or what).........):
i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p664/Whitewolf_Stormrunner/My%20MLP%20FiM%20Comic%20Covers%20and%20Pages%20Album/unnamed_zps2dad5e87.jpg
i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p664/Whitewolf_Stormrunner/My%20MLP%20FiM%20Comic%20Covers%20and%20Pages%20Album/a_zps11b619ad.jpg
Anyway, whichever, enjoy!
2199922 It's just, if they were going to show up at all you think there would at least be some sort of build up. But there's nothing to suggest they'll show up now. This is still a really good arc and all, but out of all the ones we've had so far this one reeks the most of "wasted potential". They could've filled an entire year worth of issues just tackling this kind of story arc.
2199971 Well, they did show that "wanted" poster of them back in Issue 18. Maybe that was a hint, but I dunno.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh?
On the other hoof, I can't see Celestia and Luna being the only ones getting in on the "fun" with their counterparts. Maybe they show up to fight Twilight, the other girls and Spike?
Just a bit of conjecture on my part, understand.
2199971 On another note, I was just reading this issue again just now, and I noticed that the Mirror World's Spike is shown in Panel 2 of Page 2, on the far right hand (hoof?) side under the lamp-post behind that world's Big Mac and Granny Smith. So maybe.........
2200215
I'm not saying that you're wrong, but they might be. We'll just have to wait and see.
(And speaking of Issue 20, wasn't it supposed to be released on June 4th? I haven't seen anything but those two preview pages for it so far.
)
And I'll take your 10 bits and see you 20 on that one, bub.
2200509 iBooks has the release date for Issue 20 to be the 25th. We're in for a bit of a wait.
2200528 *sighs* Sounds like it.
'Course...I tend to get the physical copies from TFAW (well, I have some of the free ones over on my Comicology account), and what I don't understand is why the description over at their website says "June 4, 2014". A glitch, perhaps?
EDIT: Just checked over there again, on my Pending Pre-orders. It still says "June 4, 2014" What the hairy heck.........???
Maybe I should go over to IDW's forum later and ask Bobby Curnow about it. He is the editor of the MLP series, after all. Maybe he'd know what's up.