• Member Since 26th Sep, 2011
  • offline last seen 37 minutes ago

FanOfMostEverything


Forget not that I am a derp.

More Blog Posts1330

  • Sunday
    Friendship is Card Games: Mane Event

    So, as I have come to understand, the main G5 IDW line has been replaced by/subsumed into a series of mini-series and one-shots that feels like the equivalent of a network trying to kill a show by bouncing it around the schedule. Hopefully I’m being paranoid there.

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    7 comments · 157 views
  • 1 week
    Rumor Gathering

    While diminished from its peak, the Writeoff is still very much an ongoing concern. Regrettably, while I actually had an idea for the most recent prompt, my Saturdays are packed to the gills and thus I didn't have time to compose it before the submission deadline. As such, I have employed Dueling

    Read More

    2 comments · 140 views
  • 1 week
    Friendship is Card Games: Wondercolts Forever: The Diary of Celestia and Luna

    The next entry on the schedule was issues #21 and 22 of the G5 mainline, but those have failed to manifest, making me wonder if that line’s actually been ended in favor of the various mini-series currently in progress. And among them, I only have one released issue unaccounted for. As such, it’s time to turn to the next pony novel… which does not contain ponies.

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    6 comments · 168 views
  • 2 weeks
    Incident of Examination

    There's a Crystal Prep-themed Sunset shipping contest on at the moment, and one castoff idea I had got me wondering about Sunset attending CPA... and running against a logical issue. At least I got

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    0 comments · 194 views
  • 2 weeks
    Friendship is Card Games: Tell Your Tale, Season 2, Part 2

    Looks like that Leap Day hypothesis carried some weight. The long-form episodes should be interesting in their own right, but we’re not looking at one this week. Let’s see what there is to see.

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    5 comments · 184 views
Oct
27th
2019

Friendship is Card Games: Happy Haunts · 10:59am Oct 27th, 2019

This week, I had a choice between a group of EqG shorts with Halloween content or a pair of comics with Halloween content. I went with the latter, since the spookery would make up a larger percentage of the total reviewed material, especially when it turned out there was enough to work with in just that issue! Let’s begin.

It’s always nice coming back to Andy Price. Especially when he does the cover too. Gorgeous stuff.

Ah yes, the first comic to feature the Student Six. Silverstream’s omnicostume is perfect for her, and the stealth pun in Yona’s is delightful. She’s a yak-o’-lantern! Plus, there’s something delightful in Sandbar of all ponies opting for the suave and seductive Lugosian vampire.
Smolder and Gallus, meanwhile, are the equivalent of teenagers who just expect candy regardless of what they wear when they ring those doorbells. Again, perfect

Speaking of Price, this is a textbook example of his signature detail-filled two-page spreads, and a big part of why I could pull off a single-issue blog. Let’s do a rundown:
• Owloysius the Batowl
• Bat-Derp, in a more directly chiropteran sense
• The Crusaders as the Three Stooges. (Directly, rather than channeling them. :raritywink:)
• An angel, a fairy-tale princess, and Captain Equestria at a vulture perch/candy booth.
• Big Mac as Calvin, with Hobbes in tow.
• Starlight, Trixie, and Sunset gobsmacked the mystic from the last Friends Forever issue.
• Ponified Peanuts. Good grief.
• Celestia Presley, Grunge Luna, and Tiberius as Elton John
• Cadence atop a flying broom, in full witchy glory.
• Ponified Jack Skellington crooning as he dangles off the statue of Nightmare Moon.
• Ponified, mop-topped Crypt Kicker 5, the original performers of “Monster Mash.”
• Daring Do horrified by a mummy to near-Courage the Cowardly Dog levels.
• Original-series Starfleet officer Bonbon and Princess Lyra Organa (with sprinkles!)
• Cardboard Optimus Prime.
• A shark in the apple-bobbing tank.
• And it’s all happening on Elm Street. Including the Nightmare statue.

Seriously, I could probably make an entire blog out of this panel alone, much less this issue.

I can hear the bicycle horn when Ocellus shifts into that clown costume.

Yes, go into the Everfree in the middle of the night. What could possibly go wrong?
Safety concerns aside, I do love how Gallus sees right through Twilight’s scheme and goes along with it anyway.

“Just like old times”? I would think it’s only been a few months since these six first went to the castle.

Meanwhile, in the gutter, Antonie the python was proving problematic long before “She Talks to Angel.” Good thing Fluttershy’s into that sort of thing…
Seriously, the gutter gags are great. Like Mad Magazine at its best.

I wonder how the royal sisters feel about repurposing their old home to serve as a haunted house.

I’m not sure what I love more, the Ponyville Papier Mache Boulder Company (& Pie Proprietor) or how the students are shoving aside the sound effect of their own shouts as they race away from said boulder.

“We’ve been through worse trouble than this, right?”
“Have we?”
“Well, if we haven’t, then we will eventually.”
Silverstream may be the most obvious candidate for Bearer of Laughter, but Smolder’s developing some impressive genre savviness.

Let’s see. Bride of Applestein, Phantom of the Rarara, Flutterwolf, Creature from the Pink Lagoon, and… Oh. Hmm. Implicit Appledash shipping on Price’s part?

:facehoof: Really need to include salutations on those memos, Twilight.

Huh. I thought “Bartolome Pendulum Rentals, Inc.” would be a Poe reference, but there’s no sign of that name in “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Curious.

So… why is Smolder that worried, anyway? The biggest hazard here is fire.

Okay, epic moment for Yona. For yaks, fear isn’t the little death that brings oblivion. Fear is the match that ignites the bonfires of smashing.

Oh good, Yona remembered that Smolder’s a dragon.

I know they’re not a couple yet, but the husband-wife double smash from Yona and Sandbar is fantastic, and it deserves emulation in fanfics.

Return of the Fluttersaurus!

There is something deeply satisfying about seeing Ocellus punch Chrysalis in the snoot, even if it’s just a spring-loaded jump scare of the changeling queen.

Makes sense that only the silk burned. Most other flammable materials in the Castle would’ve either rotted away centuries ago or been cleared out by Applejack when she set up the candles.

Nice touch with Pinkie in the impossibly deep puddle. And that last gag with Luna holding Celestia back from the door to Hearth’s Warmingland. :rainbowlaugh:

A fantastic Halloween comic, chock-full of action, visual gags, and a unique spin on an old lesson. It’s not every day you see a piece of media tell you to harness your fears.

Now, time for the treats:

Optimal Configuration 1WW
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature or Vehicle
As long as enchanted permanent is a Vehicle, it’s a creature in addition to its other types.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.

Icing Elemental 2W
Creature — Elemental
When Icing Elemental enters the battlefield, bolster 1. (Choose a creature with the least toughness among creatures you control and put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has lifelink.
Not all Pinkie lookalikes come from the Mirror Pool.
1/3

Latent Talent 2W
Creature — Unicorn Noble Mystic
Latent Talent has flying as long as it’s enchanted.
“May the Horse be with you.”
3/2

Arcane Vizier 1U
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Embalm 4U (4U, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that’s a copy of it, except it’s a white Zombie Unicorn Wizard with no mana cost. Emblam only as a sorcery.)
1/3

Hinnysmouth Innkeeper 1U
Creature — Pony Citizen
At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on Hinnysmouth Innkeeper. Then if there are three or more age counters on it, remove all of them and transform it.
“Come inside. Rest your fins.”
1/3
Insidious Deep One
(U) Creature — Fish Horror
Insidious Deep One can’t be blocked.
Whenever Insidious Deep One attacks, another target attacking creature can’t be blocked this turn.
”Come along. There’s so much to see.”
3/3

Doomed Astrogriff 2U
Creature — Hippogriff Soldier
Flying
Doomed Astrogriff can block only creatures with flying
Eternalize 4UU (4UU, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that’s a copy of it, except it’s a 4/4 black Zombie Hippogriff Soldier with no mana cost. Eternalize only as a sorcery.)
3/1

Imaginative Youth 2U
Creature — Pony Child
When Imaginative Youth enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 colorless Cat Construct artifact creature token.
2U: Target artifact creature has base power and toughness 4/4 until end of turn.
The only time he listened to his parents was when they told him to dream big.
1/1

Communications Officer 3UU
Creature — Pony Scout
When Communications Officer enters the battlefield, draw a card. If you control a non-Pony, non-Pegasus, non-Unicorn creature, draw two cards instead.
“Opening hailing frequencies, ma’am.”
2/3

Horned Vargouille 1B
Creature — Horror
Flying, menace
Horned Vargouille can’t block.
None dare face a vargouille alone. Without someone to tear it away, its kiss dooms its victims to join its ranks.
2/1

Master of Scaremonies 1B
Creature — Skeleton Warlock
Whenever a creature you control with menace deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
“It’s all in good fun. I’ll fix you up afterwards, even if that pesky heart stops beating.”
2/2

Corpse Couple 2B
Creature — Zombie
When Corpse Couple enters the battlefield, if you control another Zombie, create a tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature token.
“Frankenstag was… well, not a doctor. He dropped out. But he still wasn’t his creation.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
2/2

Malformed Seer 2B
Creature — Unicorn Warlock
Whenever you lose life for the first time each turn, scry 2. (Damage causes loss of life.)
”Do not fear the pain. It is but the first step on your path to true glory.”
2/3

Tender of the Herd 3B
Creature — Pony Vampire Noble
Hoofcraft — When Tender of the Herd enters the battlefield, if you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, create a 2/2 green Pony creature token.
Whenever another creature you control dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Tender of the Herd.
“One must look after livestock, after all.”
2/2

Deathless Coven 5B
Creature — Warlock
Alicorn (This card is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
Flying
When Deathless Coven enters the battlefield, return target Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn card from your graveyard to your hand.
Alicorns demand obedience, and “Rise” is a simple command.
3/3

Honored Whelp 2R
Creature — Dragon
1R, Discard a card: Honored Whelp gets +2/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
Embalm 5R
2/2

Fear Channeler 3R
Creature — Ox Warrior
Trample
Whenever an opponent casts a spell during your turn, creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn.
“Don’t try to surprise yaks. It never ends well and the Cakes always make you rebuild.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
3/3

Harvest Pyromancer 3R
Creature — Ox Shaman
1R, Exile four cards from your graveyard: Harvest Pyromancer deals 2 damage to target creature.
No other creature is sure where the fuel for yak bonfires comes from, nor are they willing to ask.
2/3

Pyre Spider 3R
Creature — Elemental Spider
Reach
When Pyre Spider enters the battlefield, you may have it deal 3 damage to target creature with flying.
Their silk catches fire easily, evenly roasting their prey and sealing in the juices.
3/2

Everfree Recluse 2G
Creature — Pegasus Werewolf
Reach
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Everfree Recluse.
“Oh my. I don’t get many visitors.”
1/4
Canopy Render
(G) Creature — Werewolf
Reach, vigilance
Canopy Render can’t blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Canopy Render.
3/5

Scare Jumper
Artifact — Contraption
Whenever you crank Scare Jumper, target creature gets +2/+0 and gains menace until end of turn.
:rainbowdetermined2:

Vigilante’s Familiar 1(ub)
Creature — Bird
Flying
When Vigilante’s Familiar enters the battlefield, surveil 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
1/1

Sewer Lurker 2UB
Creature — Horror
As Sewer Lurker enters the battlefield, choose an opponent. Sewer Lurker enters the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of cards in that player’s graveyard.
They appeared soon after construction was finished, as though they’d been waiting for the tunnels.
0/0

Return of the Departed 3WB
Sorcery
Create a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying for each creature card in your graveyard.
On Nightmare Night, there’s no telling if a bunch of moving sheets is a herd of fright-or-biters or a drift of the forgotten dead.

Rampaging Fluttersaur 3RG
Creature — Dinosaur
Trample, haste
Devour 2 (As this enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature enters the battlefield with twice that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
Kindness need not be gentle.
2/2

Grim Grinning Gala 4UB
Enchantment
Creatures you control enter the battlefield tapped and don’t untap during your untap step.
Sacrifice a creature: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. Untap them.
Whenever you attack with one or more creatures, each defending player sacrifices a creature.

Comments ( 10 )

Wow, that spread is amazing. I really need to get around to reading more of the comics now that the show has ended.

Only in Equestria could a basically-married couple get away with dressing as opposite sides of the most legendary fandom rivalry of all time.

Oh, and Trixie is wearing the same thing she always wears, which isn't actually the same thing as not wearing a costume.

what issue was this was again? I forget

And that last gag with Luna holding Celestia back from the door to Hearth’s Warmingland.

She remembers what happened last time Celestia went world hopping.

Good choice! :twilightsmile: (Not that I hate EQG or anything... :trixieshiftright:)

The Crypt Kicker 5 bit slew me. I think I stared at that double page spread for nearly an hour.
I hope with all my heart that IDW will make Andy their main go-to artist for the "Season 10" comics!

5146306
Andy Price is great in that regard. He's not satisfied until he's crammed in gags that take a magnifying glass and a Google search to comprehend.

5146322

Only in Equestria could a basically-married couple get away with dressing as opposite sides of the most legendary fandom rivalry of all time.

I may have to pose this challenge to my sister and her wife. I think they could pull it off.

As for Trixie, like Batman, she's only wearing a costume when she isn't wearing her signature ensemble. The Great and Powerful Trixie isn't the secret identity. Counselor Lulamoon is.

5146353
Main line #71, the October 2018 issue.

5146451
... Is this implicit Celestia x Santa Claus shipping? Because I'm not sure how to feel about that.

5146521
Hey, when scheduling serendipity presents an opportunity, who am I to say no? Besides, there'll be plenty of EqG next week; the last special is airing then... for a given value of "special." I'm given to understand it's more a compilation of shorts.

I stopped actively following the comics, as I believe I've said before, so I just pick up the issues that sound interesting now. From the moment you mentioned Andy Price, I knew this would be one to check out. Wish you'd also mentioned it was written by Ted Anderson, but oh well. And after reading this, I have to say, I don't think Gallus works very well in Andy's style, but it does wonders for the rest of the student six.

Grim Grinning Gala 4UB
Enchantment
Creatures you control enter the battlefield tapped and don’t untap during your untap step.
Sacrifice a creature: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. Untap them.
Whenever you attack with one or more creatures, each defending player sacrifices a creature.

I just realised that nopony, either on this thread or on Derpibooru, has actually come out and said "I see what you did there". Even if many of us are thinking it, I know how it feels as an author to not be sure if a reference you made has been caught. So...

I see what you did there. :raritywink:

5158728
Well, I do explicitly call out what I did there in the Derpibooru image description. But yes, it is gratifying to know the reference was caught. Thanks!

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