IDW Main Series #10 Review

Rather than stretch out the arc for 4 parts like they did with the previous story lines, IDW decided Big Macintosh's story would be told across two issues. So, were they able to capitalize on the success of the previous issue, or somehow sink the story all together?

Well, let's find out.

We open up with Spike in his carnival baker costume, providing a "Previously On" narration. And we pick up right where we left off. Big Macintosh decides he'll have to go back into the chaos of the festival and hoedown to look for the hardware store owner, and already he is not looking forward to it.

Big Macintosh hasn't been walking for long when he meets a stallion running the classic "Knock down the milk cans" game, who offers to give him three throws for free (try saying that five times fast). Big Macintosh succeds, and wins a plushie version of the costume Pinkie Pie wore in Main Series #3, and lent to Chrysalis and her changelings in Main Series #4 (a little later on, we see the hollowed out cacoon of the changeling that posed as Derpy in Main Series #1, who has apparently made it into a home, and even has mail delivered to it). Since he can't lug it around all day, Big Macintosh gives the plushie to Fleetfoot, who is still a bit banged up from the fireworks accident.

Speaking of fireworks, Big Macintosh soon bumps into the CMC again, who accidentally set off another round of them thanks to Sweetie Belle. While they're telling this to Big Macintosh, Snips decides to prove his cutie mark is good for something, and bites through the rope on the launcher. This sends the whole stack of fireworks soaring into the sky, but we won't get to see what they hit until later on. Trust me, the pay off is worth it.

Things go from bad to worse for Big Macintosh when he is mistaken for one of Sapphire Shore's backup dancers (so THAT'S where Dave Polsky got the idea), and unknowingly creates a new dance craze while looking for the hardware store owner. Photo Finish even insists on photographing him, but Big Macintosh won't have any of it. He then gets tricked by Spike into spending his bits on a pony figurine of himself, which he gives to Fleetfoot (who's still fantasizing about their wedding).

As the sun beings to set, Big Macintosh spots Cheerilee who happens to be connected to the store owner through a couple of ponies. But as he makes his way over to her, Vinyl Scratch starts the hoedown with ponies performing the dance craze Big Macintosh created (they call it "The Navigator"). He meets a random mare, who becomes briefly smitten with him and imagines herself starring opposite him as a James Bond parody (I guess she doesn't know what tends to happen to the girls Bond meets on his missions). But when she expresses her thoughts out loud, this angers Fleetfoot, who gets into a fight with the mare.

Upon meeting Cheerilee, Big Macintosh learns the pony he's looking for went back to the store to try and repair the damage. Despite the fact that his quest ultimately turned out to be in vain, Zecora asks Big Macintosh if his day was really so bad. At first he says it was, as he remembers all the bad things that happened to him. But then he remembers all the good times he spent with various ponies in spite of the setbacks, so he says it wasn't. Zecora than tells him to make the most of the few hours left in the day, and he can always try again tomorrow to obtain the nails. With this in mind, Big Macintosh enjoys the rest of the festival.

However, as he prepares to head home and call it a night, Big Macintosh meets the very pony he's been looking for all day. And he learns that he borrowed some nails from Apple Bloom, who has a stash in the clubhouse (Big Macintosh makes a mental note to make Apple Bloom pay for not telling him this sooner), and he offers to drop by the next day with some lumber. Why lumber, you ask? Because the stack of fireworks that Snips launched destroyed the gazebo. Effectively leaving Big Macintosh even worse off than when he started.

Not to worry though, for we see in Big Macintosh's scrap book that he was able to ultimately repair the gazebo, and everything worked out alright for everyone else in the end (Fleetfoot didn't marry Big Macintosh, but she DID get Rarity to make her a nice wedding gown).

And that's the story, so what do I think of the issue? Well although it stretches the concept a little bit further than seems believeable (this story probably should've been a one-shot with a slightly modified ending and less pointless fan service), it's still pretty enjoyable and boasts a good deal of hilarious moments. Compared to the previous issue, the only major bit of fanservice is when the ponies sing a song similar to "Winter Wrap Up" as the fair comes down. And the message is a good one, even the worst of days can be good ones if you make the most of them. Just because you didn't accomplish what you set out to do doesn't mean the day was a waste, as long as you did something productive and/or useful. So this issue is definitely worth picking up, I'm not sure if most comics managed to maintain such a good quality level for ten issues, but back in 2013 this seemed to be the best the comics had to offer compared to the micro series, and since we had yet to get Season 4.

Now, the next two issues would focus on two characters introduced in the Season 2 finale that even in 2013 people complained had no character. I am of course talking about the two parter focused on Shining Armor and Princess Cadence telling the story of how they fell in love while in Canterlot High.