Spike Isn't Ready
“Big Mac, I have some bad news,” said Spike, flying over to where his large friend was loading apples onto a cart. It looked like Spike had caught him just in time before he made his delivery rounds. His friend stared expectantly at him, silently asking him to elaborate.
In response, Spike held up the comic he was carrying. “This is . . .” He paused for dramatic emphasis. “The last Power Ponies issue.”
Big Mac's expression shifted from concerned to perplexed.
Spike elaborated in case the farm pony had failed to comprehend. “The series was canceled because of low sales.”
His friend tilted his head. “That the comic y'all got sucked into? If other folks got trapped in there, that would hurt comic book sales,” he said with a thoughtful nod.
“No – I mean, yes, my friends and I did get sent inside the comic, but that was the Enchanted Comic Store's doing, not the comic publisher. And it turns out the store put the same spell on other comic book series, and most of them didn't get canceled.” Spike heaved a sigh. “I don't understand why other ponies stopped buying Power Ponies comics. I still love them!”
Big Mac gave a noncommittal shrug. “I reckon folks got bored with 'em.”
Spike scratched the back of his head. “I kind of thought you'd care more. Haven't you read Power Ponies?”
“Nope.” His friend carefully placed the last bushel on top of his load.
“You should read them!” Spike flew up to the earth stallion's eye level so that he could hold the book in front of his face – and how Spike loved being able to do that! “Since you're into O and O, you'll like these stories, too. They have heroes with amazing powers fighting bad guys and saving the world!”
“O and O is a whole other ball game,” replied Big Mac. “I get to create my own character and help control the story.” He smiled as he talked about his favorite topic other than his farm and his girlfriend. “It's a lot more fun than any book. Besides, super heroes always seemed . . . well, kinda silly. I can't take them skin tight costumes seriously. And why doesn't anypony ever recognize 'em? Them costumes don't disguise their coat colors.”
Spike narrowed his eyes. “I can't believe you think comic books are silly! You hang out with Discord!”
“Different kinda silly.” Big Mac's shoulders rippled in a shrug.
“Well, this is just great!” Spike threw out his arms. “Who can I find to feel sad with me about Power Ponies getting canceled?”
The farm pony hummed, glancing at the sky. “Don't you got a brother who likes this kinda stuff?”
“Oh, yeah! Thanks, Big Mac! I knew talking to you was a good idea.” Spike flew away without saying goodbye, just as he'd arrived without a hello.
Shaking his head, Big Mac hitched himself to his cart.
Spike went home and explained to Twilight that he wanted to pay a visit to Shining Armor. Since it was still summer vacation for the School of Friendship, Twilight didn't begrudge him spending time with family. And so the next day Spike took a train to the Crystal Empire and winged from the station to the castle, suitcase in hand. Naturally, Shining Armor was concerned when Spike arrived alone and unannounced.
“What's wrong?” he asked as he met Spike in the entrance hall.
“Everything!” Spike opened his suitcase and whipped out a comic book. “The Power Ponies are canceled!”
Shining furrowed his brow. “That's it?”
“What do you mean, that's it?” Spike flapped up to Shining's eye level and waved the book in his face. “This is Power Ponies we're talking about! Don't you care?”
His brother brought his hoof to his forehead and shut his eyes. “I thought something had happened to Twilight!”
Spike lowered the comic and tilted his head. “Why would you think that?”
Shining opened his eyes and took his hoof away from his head, although he kept it upraised. “Because you acted like there was an emergency!”
“There is!”
His brother sighed heavily. “Are you going through a melodramatic teenage phase?”
“No – well, maybe,” admitted Spike, glancing over his shoulder at his wings.
Shining reached up and hooked Spike with his foreleg, pulling him close. “Come on, buddy, we need to have a little talk. You hungry?”
Spike put his hand on his stomach. “I'm too upset to eat.”
His brother moved his face closer to Spike's. “You're not even hungry for rubies?”
Spike's eyes gleamed. “Well, if you're offering, I guess I could eat a few.”
Shining gave him a knowing smile and released him, and together they headed toward the royal kitchen. The prince told the crystal pony cooks to take a fifteen minute break so he and Spike could have some privacy while they ate.
“So, tell me what's really bothering you,” said Shining as he set a cereal bowl full of rubies on the kitchen island. Then he got out some carrots and peanut butter for himself.
“I already told you . . . And since when did you eat carrots with peanut butter?”
Shining's eyebrows flattened in a deadpan expression. “Since I joined the Royal Guard. And that's really it?”
Spike picked up a gemstone in one hand and his comic book in the other, staring despondently at the latter. “You don't understand. Power Ponies means a lot to me. When I first heard about the series, it seemed like just another 'girl crew' comic, but it's so much more than that. I could relate to all the characters, but they also inspired me to be a better dragon. Sure, they argued, but that made them feel more like real friends. And yeah, Big Mac was right about the stories being cheesy, but they never felt like they talked down to the fans.” Spike drew in a deep breath and blew it out. “I just don't want it to end.” He popped the jewel in his mouth.
“Power Ponies is pretty great. It was the first comic I read that had continuity and world-building. Like you said, it treated its readers with respect.” Shining levitated a carrot toward his jar of peanut butter.
“So you do get it. Then why aren't you upset?”
“Well, even though I liked the series, I don't think I was really into it as much as you are. Also . . .” Shining pointed his carrot at the comic. “Did you even read that issue?”
“Not yet.” Spike grabbed a few more rubies. “Once I read it, there'll be no more Power Ponies left to read. It's sad just thinking about it.”
“You should probably look inside the back cover.”
Spike became curious, not sure what to expect. His eyes were first drawn to the seven figures in heroic poses, and then they wandered to the lettering at the top of the page.
“Power Ponies: Next Gen?” Spike read aloud. “These are supposed to be the Power Ponies?”
“It's being rebooted this fall,” confirmed Shining. “The characters are the same, but they're getting all new artists and writers.”
Spike's eyes narrowed. “Those aren't the real character designs, are they?”
“The artist will probably tweak them a little, but those are close to what they'll look like in the new series.”
“Really? Why would they change half the Power Ponies' tribes?”
“I have a couple of theories,” said Shining, taking a bite of carrot. “First of all, it gets ponies talking, which gives them publicity. Second, I think they were running out of stories to tell with the old versions of the Power Ponies. Changing some of the characters' tribes lets the writers start over and take them in new directions.”
Spike crossed his arms. “But it makes no sense for the Masked Matter-horn not to have a horn!”
“Look closely at her,” said Shining.
Spike held the book closer to his face and stared. “Huh. She has a bugle. I guess that's kind of clever,” he said grudgingly. “But what about Saddle Rager? Being a pegasus is important to her origin story.”
Shining rubbed his chin with the back of his foreleg. “I don't think you'd have to change that much for her origin as a unicorn. She could work for a company that's testing a magical weapon instead of a weather factory testing a lightning bomb.”
“Well, what about Fili-second? Her best move is running really fast up the sides of buildings, but there's no point in doing that if she has wings!”
“That's a good point,” said his brother with a small nod. “She'd have to change the most as a different tribe. But I'm still going to give the new series a chance. Who knows? It might be even better than the original.”
Spike let out a sigh. “I hope you're right, Shining. I just can't imagine how the Power Ponies could be better than they already are. And I don't think the writers are running out of stories to tell about the Power Ponies. They could bring back the Warlord, and they could finally have Hum Drum find out who his birth parents are. I'll be really disappointed if I never find out.”
“I wanted to know about them, too,” Shining admitted with a slight frown. “I guess there are still stories to tell with the Power Ponies. It just seemed like the comics kept treading old ground. I mean, how many times do Mistress Mare-velous and Zapp have to learn not to get too carried away with their friendly rivalry?”
“Yeah, I guess some of the comics have been repetitive lately, but I still like some of the newer issues. 'The Search for the Mane-iac's Hairbrush' is one of my all-time favorite storylines!” Spike gazed down at the comic book in his claws. “I'm just sad that the Power Ponies that I grew up with are over.”
“I'm sorry, Spike. I guess I haven't been any good at cheering you up.”
“It's okay. I don't really want to be cheered up right now. I just wanted to talk to somepony who loves the Power Ponies almost as much as I do.”
“Hey, I'm still a fan! I'm just open to reading the reboot. I get the Sleuth Comics newsletter and it had an interview with the Power Ponies writers. They talked about making the stories darker and more mature and expanding on the lore of Maretropolis. That could be really interesting.”
Spike considered this. “I would like to see more mature stories. But I want to see those stories with the Power Ponies I grew up with. I don't understand why they have to change the characters.”
“I know,” said Shining, “but we'll always have the old comics. How many issues are there? About two hundred?”
“Two hundred twenty-one, not counting the crossover events and the free comic book day comics,” said Spike, pleased with himself for remembering.
“Well, there you have it!” Shining said encouragingly. “That's a good run. And hey, you still have that enchanted comic book, right?”
“Yeah,” said Spike.
“And you can go into it and relive that story any time you want, right?” Shining bit into the carrot until only a nub remained.
“I don't know. I haven't tried it again.”
“We should try it together some time! If it's all right with you,” he added, reminding Spike of Fluttershy for a moment.
“Um, sure,” said Spike, rubbing the back of his head, “if you want. Fair warning, there aren't any strong male characters in that issue besides Hum Drum, so you might end up playing a background character or one of or the female superheroes.”
“It wouldn't bother me to play a strong female hero for a little while.” Shining shrugged his shoulders. “It might be fun!”
Spike pictured Shining in Saddle Rager's outfit and giggled. “Alright, I'm in!”