Comic Review: Friends Forever #12 (Rarity and Babs Seed) · 1:40pm Jan 14th, 2015
Welcome to our first MLP comic of 2015, aka the only thing I do anymore. This time, we have a most unusual pairing, as Rarity finds herself spending time with bully-turned-good pony Babs Seed. Will friendship bloom between the generations?
Rarity has once again been summoned by Sapphire Shores to provide her fashion expertise, this time in Manehatten. Sweetie Belle is just as excited as ever to be accompanying her big sister, but her happiness so offends the Narrative Gods that they smite her with an ear infection the morning they were supposed to leave. Now that she has to stay home (and can't even stand up without falling over; seriously, do ear infections do that to horses?), Rarity goes it alone, and is just finishing up her designs when somepony shows up.
This somepony turns out to be Babs. The filly was going to accompany the two during the trip, but now that Sweetie Belle's out, she's lost her anchor for the whole activity. The sight of a downtrodden little pony is too much for even Rarity's professionalism to bear, and she agrees to spend some time in Manehatten with Babs. Unfortunately, the two have very different interests. Can they find a way to enjoy themselves?
The issue goes over much of the same ground as “Sisterhooves Social.” Once again, we have Rarity as the uptight, fashion-obsessed, controlling member of the group, and Babs as the more tomboyish foal whose authority figure just doesn't get it. The story is about the two realizing that they need to compromise and work things out in order to get along, and finally start enjoying each other's company. The major difference is that Sweetie Belle is Rarity's sister, and Rarity's involvement with Babs is limited to watching her sister try to murder her (she even brings up the float incident) and helping to clear Trixie's name in a previous issue of the main comic. Neither of those appearances really had the two interacting; even in the latter, Babs deferred to Applejack or Trixie. This different relationship helps move the plot away from being a retread (see almost every Applejack or Fluttershy story ever) and into something more enjoyable.
Garbowska's art, while still not my favorite, fits the tone of the comic well. There are some art hiccups (Rarity's glasses disappear and reappear between panels), but the softer style is quite a good match for what is essentially a more grounded character piece.
Like all things, though, the story ends with a roller derby. I know nothing of the sport, nor do I have any real drive to learn, but it has been canon in the universe since “Call of the Cutie” back in Season One, so it's doesn't feel out of place. Naturally, the roles are now reversed; Rarity is completely clueless as to what's going on, while Babs is enraptured with the spectacle. All of this leads into the nice moral: people can have different tastes and interests than you, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun with them regardless, and that you should ask them what they would like to do instead of forcing them to do what you enjoy. It's cliché, but it works fine in this instance.
Plus, Cadance is apparently roaming the roller derby underground as “Shining Harmer.” Plus, there was a Frozen reference. Can't we all just le-
No, I'm not doing that one. That meme is too tired for even my tastes.
Overall, this was a simple issue, but a fun one nonetheless.
Next time, Spike takes the spotlight once again...and find himself saddled with Princess Luna as they try to handle a dragon problem.
It's nice to see something decent come out of the comics.
That next comic might be something I have to check out just for the novelty alone. And it's kinda funny that after that, we'll have had two duo comics composed of Spike and a princess. Now all he needs is a Twilight and Cadence set and he'll have the whole collection.
Whelp, for whatever disguise she's in alone, I have to get this comic.
Yay a a comic that gets your seal of approval! :D new thing to read with kids I tutor!
I enjoyed this one.
2722227 It really isn't actually her. To copy my comment on this I posted elsewhere:
Other ponies on the ice are going by Princess Skullestia and Scarswirl, not to mention a Snowpain that's an obvious reference to Elsa from Frozen. They've clearly just taken princess and other famous pony names, and it isn't surprising that one going by Shining Harmer might have mane colors that match Cadance. I would bet it's just a dye job to match the overall theme. She doesn't even have a princess body type, just that of a regular pony.
/wet blanket off
In fairness, your reviews are pretty amazing.