IDW Friends Forever #27 Review

After the main series of comics seemed to stumble with the Twilight/Spike issue, it decided to go for something that was meant to be a parody of a children's book, but took that as a license to sacrifice substance for style. Meanwhile, the Friends Forever series was still carrying on with relatively little fanfare. The Shining Armor/Prince Blueblood one in particular failed to really excite. So, was this issue focusing on Pinkie Pie and Granny Smith able to make up for a less than stellar issue prior? Well, let's find out.

We begin with the start of cider season at Sweet Apple Acres, that is until Granny Smith trips over a rake and falls, breaking her hip. It's nothing severe but she'll be out of commission for a whole month, so the Apples are left stewing over what to do. At that moment, Pinkie Pie appears having overheard that Granny Smith was injured. Since she's technically related to the Apples, she decides that family needs to come together and offers to help. She tries to buck the trees, but doesn't seem to do a particularly good job at it. So Applejack instead suggests that Pinkie take up the responsibility of being Granny Smith's chefaur, so Granny Smith can pick up supplies needed to make the cider. Some have brought up that this is similar to the film "Driving Miss Daisy", but having never seen that film I can't attest if that's true or not.

Granny Smith is being stubborn and uncooperative the whole time, even refusing to get into the cart Pinkie's pulling at first. However, Pinkie Pie doesn't seem to take much notice one way or another. She just goes along as her usual, cheerful self and doesn't pay much attention to Granny's complaints. This concerns Applejack though, especially since Granny Smith was big on declaring that Pinkie Pie was family even if they couldn't prove a connection.

The next day, Granny Smith complains that Pinkie Pie stole from her. She is proven partially right and partially wrong when Pinkie reveals that she did borrow a can of cherries to make a special pie, but bough a new can even though Granny Smith wasn't using the original. It's enough for Applejack to have Pinkie no longer be Granny's chefaur though. The next day, Granny Smith is driven by Applejack to a senior living home in Ponyville. It's there that, while playing some with other old ponies, that she has a chance to see what it's like to be on the receiving end of her stubborn behavior. She's given a chance to apologize to Pinkie, because Pinkie is volunteering at the center, and Pinkie understands. She then continues to be Granny Smith's chefaur even after she's back to normal.

And that's the story, so what do I think of the issue? Honestly, the story is as straight forward as I mentioned. If you're expecting some kind of game changing story, you're not going to get that. It's good at being what it is, a slice of life tale involving a stubborn Granny Smith having to accept that she needs help and realizing she's being kind of a jerk. It's something that happens to a lot of old folks at some point. Everyone is pretty much in character, though Granny Smith is definitely holding the antagonist/conflict ball. Even if you consider her being upset by being driven all around, her behavior towards Pinkie Pie can come across as incredibly rude. Still, I say this issue is worth picking up. It's an example of how Friends Forever worked, pairing up two characters that haven't been paired up before, giving them a scenario where they're both together, and then letting the story flow from there. Now, I don't have anymore Friends Forever issues to cover (I've reviewed all the ones I think are worth picking up and even some that might not be). But I do have two more main series comics to review, so expect the first one tomorrow.