Friendship is Card Games: Spike Origin Issue & Rainbow Dash's Very Bad Day · 12:50pm Jan 7th, 2018
Whether it’s a flashback to Spike’s first days or a pony-flavored Little Golden Book, this week’s theme seems to be youth. Let’s see how well this resonates with my inner child.
Spike Origin Story
I wasn’t expecting Dash of all ponies to be enthusiastic about her friends’ baby pictures, but I like how it adds another facet to her character. And the cheek squishing. The cheek squishing is nice too.
Twilight’s first spell was a cute sign of things to come. Her second through fifteenth spells are Princess-level classified information.
Again, nice bit of added character detail with Night Light being the shutterbug parent.
I really like Twilight’s mane literally framing the first flashback panel as we move out of the framing device. Of course, that may just be my love of seeing ascended Twilight’s mane behaving as mystically as the diarchs’. It just makes me happy to see how far she’s come.
I can’t help but wonder if this issue was inspired by Twilight’s First Day. It’ll be hard-pressed to outcute Muffinshire.
Very interesting touch with the Young and Nervous Trixie. That answers almost as many questions as it raises.
Professor Inkwell! Nice to see some continuity within the comics.
Also, I’m going to assume Gusty was named after the folk hero/G1 pony.
And now we come to the most contentious part of this issue: Celestia asking a child to take care of an infant. We’ll see what she was thinking in time, but this still seems like a monumentally terrible idea and really does not speak well of Celestia’s comprehension of the struggles of mortals. Certainly not those who have to take on a full course load in her school. I’ll probably come back to this now and again.
Also, this officially marks the first time Celestia passed a task onto Twilight. Looks like delegation defined their relationship practically from day one. Granted, Celestia has a country to run, but the theme is undeniably there.
I’d ask what’s in the wheelbarrow if Twilight couldn’t find any books on raising dragons, but this is Twilight Sparkle we’re talking about. This is just her usual weekly load.
I do have to wonder how the alarm hourglass works. Not least because it doesn’t seem designed to be turned over.
Hmm. Do you think Inkwell’s dealt with young mothers in her class before? If nothing else, I’m surprised she puts up with the crying baby. The librarian certainly doesn’t.
Also, I have to ask, what’s in the baby bottle? If we go by the mark on it, it’s liquefied emeralds (or possibly Rupees.)
Twilight isn’t blameless in this fiasco. After all, the only person she’s telling her problems to is Smarty Pants. On the other hand, the glaringly obvious signs of exhaustion that no one is doing anything about that are most likely caused by the demands of raising an infant… Yeah, Twilight’s not doing herself any favors, but neither is anyone else. Heck, I want to see Inkwell going to Celestia and telling her what she’s putting her latest personal student through, and how if she’s lucky, the girl will end up worse than Sunset.
Hmm. Story idea.
Oh no! Fingers! Nopony could’ve possibly accounted for those!
I do like how we can see the exact point where Celestia realizes just how badly she messed up on this one.
I never like Professor Abra; he almost never showed for lectures, and when he did, he’d leave a few minutes in. That guy really takes his TAs for granted.
Also, I never expected Twilight would enjoy politics when considered against the study of other subjects. Interesting touch, and a positive sign of things to come. Heck, I can see her cultivating the image of the bright-eyed, naive Princess of Friendship right until she has her political enemies right where she wants them. Do not mess with the Sparkle.
And so the truth comes out, followed by the very first time Spike helped a unicorn in need of a sane, stable anchor. Of course, it would take Twilight quite some time before she learned that she needed more than the one friend, but still, wonderful moment.
Also, kudos for the in-universe origin of Spike’s name. Clever bit of work by the writer there.
That being said, it’s both sad and character-defining that Twilight got her cutie mark before she made her first friend. Learning the lessons she did as an adult meant that she never got them as a child, and that necessitates a regrettable amount of social isolation.
And I still want a reckoning for Celestia here. Seriously, trying to give Twilight a friend is one thing, but a friend and a son are two very different things.
Rainbow Dash’s Very Bad Day
I do love the presentation of this one, from the cover to the “This Little IDW Comic Belongs To” page.
I also like the sheer quantity of stuff behind Zecora in the first page, from the Beast’s enchanted rose to a container of salt she probably bought and Barnyard Bargains.
Yeah, I’m going to have to put most of the blame on Dash here. She’s the one who managed to fly into a brick wall… though it’s possible she just expected to go through what looked like clouds. Warning signs might have been advisable, especially if this is a new construction technique.
Also, the cloud bricks are one thing, but what are those girders made of? And if it’s yet more condensed cloud, why bother with the structural endoskeleton if it’s all the same material?
Ah, negative feedback. It may not operate through emotion elementals on Earth, but the same mechanism applies here as in Equestria… though I am a bit concerned by it reaching the princesses. This could’ve led to another Nightmare or two…
I’m guessing some of the spreading grump presented before the pinball page is a hypothetical scenario, given that Dash hasn’t made it to Ponyville yet.
… Okay, so they all already have Drearies. I suppose it was symbolic, but still representative of the effects of Dash’s contagious bad mood.
I’m honestly surprised that neither Dash nor Twilight preordered the new Daring Do novel. Of course, they may have and still need to pick it up.
It’s kind of disturbing to have Zecora smile as she explains how Ponyville became a windigo feeding ground.
It’s nice to see Shining’s managed to keep the same O&O playgroup going since high school.
Heh. Ditzy’s Dreary can’t see straight either.
You know it’s bad when the bad mood threatens to cross the fourth wall.
The feedback mechanism relies on resentment creating more resentment. A different emotions can disrupt the entire loop. I especially love seeing the Drearies realize this as their hosts come out of their funks.
Odd time and place for a Lorax reference. I do like that Maud and Tom get an intimate moment in the big group shot, though. Also nice to see the ponified Marx Brothers, and all of the pets.
Hmm. Where did Spike hear the word “bologna”? I’m going to say the human universe. Just don’t ask me how he got jammed in that jar of peanut butter.
For those wondering, a taraxippus (lit. “horse disturber”) is a spirit that frightened horses, used to explain inexplicable equine freakouts in Greek hippodromes. One “snagging” Daring Do has some disturbing implications.
Normally I’d complain about the anachronism of yellow pages when we’ve hardly ever seen phones on the show… but this is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about.
In all, a lovely story, if a bit shaky in rhythm and perplexing in terms of just how diegetic Zecora’s meant to be here. I think the best explanation for this one is similar to Rainbow Dash’s comic from the character-focused mini-series: It’s an adaptation of an in-universe publication, printed some years after the adventures of the Bearers, when they’re both better known and better understood than the friendship diary fiasco. Or I’m really overthinking this, which is always a possibility. 
In all, some great stuff, though the macro-level storytelling has a few bits that left me scratching my head. Still, I loved the backstory in one and the beautifully detailed pages of the other. Now, time to unveil what are thus far my youngest cards yet.
Royal High Tea W
Sorcery
Ascend (If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city’s blessing for the rest of the game.)
You gain 5 life. If you have the city’s blessing, you gain 10 life instead.
Celestia’s approval can change a pony’s life forever.
Wall of Cloudcrete 2W
Creature — Wall
Flying
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to Wall of Cloudcrete by creatures with flying.
The magic that renders clouds solid for pegasi can be turned against them with the right techniques.
0/5
Soulful Duet 3WW
Creature — Pony Band
Finale — Whenever you sacrifice a Song, you may return target non-Song permanent with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
”We’re on a mission from Celestia.”
3/4
Nervous Illusionist 1U
Creature — Unicorn Child Wizard
Ascend
Whenever Nervous Illusionist becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it unless you have the city’s blessing.
”The Great and Powerful Trixie never even knew the meaning of stage fright!”
—Trixie Lulamoon, traveling performer
3/3
Burnt Out 2U
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step
Madness U (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
Frightful Taraxippus 3B
Creature — Spirit
Frightful Taraxippus can’t be blocked by Ponies, by Pegasi, or by Unicorns.
It is the tiny voice that lurks in every equine brain, shouting “Run.”
4/2
President of Freeponia 3B
Creature — Pony Advisor
When President of Freeponia enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
At the beginning of each opponent’s end step, if that player is the monarch, he or she sacrifices a creature.
”Don’t look now, but there’s one stallion too many in this room, and I think it’s you.”
2/3
Sadistic Dreary 3BB
Creature — Elemental
When Sadistic Dreary enters the battlefield, create X 1/1 black Elemental creature tokens, where X is the amount of life target opponent lost this turn.
Sacrifice three Elementals: Return Sadistic Dreary from your graveyard to your hand.
Evoke 4B
2/2
Danish Dispute R
Instant
Choose two target creatures with the same controller. Danish Dispute deals 3 damage to one of them at random. Put a +1/+1 counter on the other.
”Anything is tastier when seasoned with the blood of your enemies.”
—Sorin Markov
Curse of Leg Day 2R
Enchantment — Aura Curse
Enchant player
Creatures enchanted player controls get +1/-1.
”I don’t have a problem. I can stop working on my pecs any time I want.”
—Bulk Biceps
Indignant Pegasus 2RR
Creature — Pegasus Warrior
Flying
Enrage — Whenever Indignant Pegasus is dealt damage, target land doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
”Evolutionarily speaking, birds are dinosaurs. This explains the behavior of many feathered sapients.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
3/2
Chain Crash 3RR
Instant
Chain Crash deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of creatures you control plus the number of artifacts you control.
Pegasus magic protects them from midair collisions, but it can only do so much.
Load-Bearing Relics 4R
Sorcery
Destroy target land. Create a colorless Treasure artifact token with “T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.”
”I lose more ancient temples that way.”
—Daring Do
Toughening Muffins 2G
Enchantment — Muffin
1G: Target creature you control gains hexproof until end of turn.
”Few antimagical catalysts can compete with wheat bran.”
—Dinky Doo, spellbreaker
Mentalkin 2
Artifact Creature — Construct
T, Put a card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library: Add C to your mana pool.
Smarty Pants always helped Twilight forget her troubles… which usually led to her running into those troubles again and again.
0/1
Baby Album 3
Artifact
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a charge counter on Baby Album.
3, T, Remove a charge counter from Baby Album: Draw a card.
”Aren’t baby baloths just the cutest?”
—Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness
Student’s Hourglass 3
Artifact
T: Add C to your mana pool.
T: Choose one —
• Remove a time counter from target suspended card.
• Put a time counter on target permanent with a time counter on it.
Temperamental Hatchling UR
Creature — Dragon Child
(ur), T: Draw a card, then discard a card. Temperamental Hatchling deals 1 damage to you.
When you cast a spell for its madness cost, transform Temperamental Hatchling.
Raising a dragon is thankless work…
1/1
Spike, Lifelong Assistant
(UR) Legendary Creature — Dragon Advisor
UR, T: Draw two cards, then discard a card.
If an effect causes you to discard a card, you may reveal that card and put it on top of your library instead of putting it anywhere else.
… until the dragon can thank you himself.
2/3
Dragonhatcher 1UR
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
T: You may put a Dragon creature card from your hand onto the battlefield with a hatchling counter on it. As long as it has a hatchling counter on it, it loses all abilities and has base power and toughness 1/1.
3UR: Remove a hatchling counter from target Dragon.
2/2
Total Party Kill 1BR
Sorcery
Destroy all Allies. Total Party Kill deals 2 damage to each non-Ally creature.
”Rocks fall. Everything dies.”
—Gaffer
Ditzy, Muffin Queen 2WU
Legendary Planeswalker — Ditzy
+1: Create a white Muffin enchantment token with “Sacrifice this enchantment: You gain 2 life.”
-3: Sacrifice an enchantment. If you do, return up to two target creatures to their owners’ hands.
-6: Non-Aura enchantments you control become enchantment creatures with base power and toughness 5/5 until end of turn. Muffins can’t be blocked this turn.
4
Canterlot Mage-Knights 2UR
Creature — Unicorn Wizard Knight
Flanking (Whenever a creature without flanking blocks this creature, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.)
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Canterlot Mage-Knights.
The children of today become the champions of tomorrow.
2/2
It's been said that nobody working on the IP are officially allowed to read fan material due to the legal grey area it falls under.
...but considering how many shout outs the fandom gets in the show, comics, books, etc who knows how well they stick to that rule.
There's a funny story about Trixie's inclusion.
I prefer my headcanon: Celestia took care of Spike until he was a toddler, and then Twilight's parents started taking a larger role in his upbringing. Besides, I always got the impression that Twilight acted like a much older sister to Spike as opposed to a mother figure.
That interpretation would actually make a lot of the comics work better to me, like “Neigh Anything,” for example.
The Spike origin story is another of Ted Anderson's rare good comics, probably my favourite of his after Twilight/Big Mac's issue of Friends Forever. It's really odd that the show never touched on this part of Twilight's and Spike's history, so I'm glad that the comics at least covered it, even if it can't hold up to Muffinshire's masterpiece.
I'm surprised it was covered with Rainbow Dash's Very Bad Day, though, because that story would be much better paired with the Pinkie Pie oneshot that followed it. Very Bad Day and A Pinkie Pie Story are technically unrelated, but together, they were Katie Cook's last goodbye to the series before she moved on from the comics, so I kind of think of them as a pair.
First I've heard of this explanation. I like it for both.
4768730
Between "Slice of Life" and "Fame and Misfortune," it's clear that they have some sense of what we're up to.
And Trixie Hokey-Pokeying her way into the issue is a fun bit of trivia. Thanks for sharing it.
4768764
Yeah, Celestia going to the experienced adults is a lot more palatable. As are many comics when considered as in-universe narratives. Heck, even that one storyline with the cattle rustlers is almost tolerable if you see it as a parable—no pun intended—on the potential hazards and abuses of a proposed "no magical assault" law.
4769751
I'm going by chronological order, which had the unfortunate side effect of breaking up Katie's farewell. (Actually, given how it's right before Ponies of Dark Water, fitting in issue 42 may prove tricky...)
And yeah, some things just make more sense at a greater fictional remove.
4768730
You say that but Tabitha owns a copy of Fallout: Equestria
4769751
Am I the only one who is surprised TA still has a job? Public outcries and going completely against brand usually tend to get people fired.
4771173
Hey, the cattle rustler one was great.
4779201
I was surprised at first, but that was back when I still thought that IDW cared about criticism, public opinion, or telling good stories.