Joana Lafuente

PopCultHQ received advance review copy of MY LITTLE PONY / TRANSFORMERS: Friendship In Disguise TPB from IDW Publishing. Available March 31st, the creative team for this book features writing by James Asmus, Ian Flynn, and Sam Maggs, art from Tony Fleecs, Jack Lawrence, Sara Pitre-Durocher, Casey W. Coller, and Priscilla Tramontano, colors by Tony Fleecs, Lauren Perry, Luis Antonio Delgado, and Joana Lafuente, and letters from Jake M. Wood & Neil Uyetake.

Here is PopCultHQ’s Spoiler-Free Review of…

MY LITTLE PONY/TRANSFORMERS: Friendship in Disguise TPB

“Transformation is Magic”

Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Tony Fleecs
Colorist: Tony Fleecs
Color Flats: Lauren Perry
Letterer: Jake M. Wood

“Shine Like a Diamond”

Writer: Ian Flynn
Artist: Jack Lawrence
Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado
Letterer: Neil Uyetake

“Inspiring”

Writer: Ian Flynn
Artist: Sara Pitre-Durocher
Colorist: Joana Lafuente
Letterer: Jake M. Wood

“They Eat Ponies, Don’t They?”

Writer: Sam Maggs
Artist: Casey W. Coller
Colorist: Joana Lafuente
Letterer: Neil Uyetake

“Pet Sounds“

Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Jack Lawrence
Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado
Letterer: Jake M. Wood

“The Flyin’ Fox Trot“

Writer: Sam Maggs
Artist: Priscilla Tramontano
Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado
Letterer: Neil Uyetake

“Strength in Numbers“

Writer: Ian Flynn
Artist: Sara Pitre-Durocher
Colorist: Joana Lafuente
Letterer: Jake M. Wood

“Finale“

Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Tony Fleecs
Color Flats: Lauren Perry
Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Cover Artist: Tony Fleecs

FC • 96 pages • $15.99

When Queen Chrysalis casts a spell looking for more changelings, she accidentally interferes with a malfunctioning Spacebridge! What’s this mean for our favorite fillies? There are suddenly a bunch of Autobots and Decepticons in Equestria! And as the dust settles, Rarity and Arcee find themselves teaming up against a hostile Decepticon force. Plus Spike and Grimlock; Pinkie Pie, Gauge, and Shockwave; Fluttershy, Discord, and Soundwave; Rainbow Dash and Windblade; and Optimus Prime and Twilight Sparkle all team up for more adventures because, in the end, Ponies and Autobots are both fighting for friendship.

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PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
MY LITTLE PONY/TRANSFORMERS: Friendship In Disguise TPB

In a world of magic and friendship, there is always adventure around every corner. Now something is coming. They are big, they are at war, they are…Transformers, robots in disguise! Get ready for a crossover unlike any other in the history of cartoons and comics. There are treats galore awaiting the curious who seek new and thrilling comics in these chaotic times. Hold on to your wings…its going to be a wild ride. 

Writing: James, Ian, and Sam all take on the writing for this book with a fantastic combination of humor and semi-serious action. When combining the worlds of MLP and Transformers, it is a fine line to walk considering how opposite these two universes appear to non-fans. Nevertheless, each story within this TPB is a delightful romp through Equestria as the Autobots and Decepticons find themselves in a world that is very different from their own. Not to mention the insane culture shock for both Ponies and Transformers that occurs in each story. Fantastic job from all 3 writers, a major triumph of crossing over franchises. 

Art: Artistically speaking, Friendship in Disguise is very different across every page. Yet each artist brings their talents to the table and brings the scripts to life in unique ways. Every page is visually pleasing and has lots of terrific action sequences (get ready for madcap madness, too). Something noteworthy is the renderings of the Transformers. Each Autobot and Deception is illustrated in their classic styles, which will make the book even more enjoyable for those who grew up as fans of the original series and toys. 

Colors: As it was with the art, so it is with the colors for the book. Color palettes match up perfectly for the Ponies and various Transformers. As for the landscapes, magic, weapons, and other background items, the colorists all stood and delivered on making sure that nothing from a color perspective was bland or boring. Everyone knocked it out of the park big time for the TPB and in this reviewer’s mind, left me excited every time I turned the page or started the next story. 

Letters: The letterer has a role that is as important as that of the writer, artist, or colorist. They have to give a voice to every character and ensure that the efforts of the other team members flowed in a marvelous synchronization. Jake and Neil did just that. While I can state that I was never much of a die-hard fan of My Little Pony or Transformers, over the years I have seen enough of each respective cartoon to hear the voices of the characters in my head when reading a comic such as this. Boy, oh boy, did the lettering make the voices in my head come alive. Top-notch work from these two, just top-notch. 

PopCultHQ’s overall assessment:

If anyone has ever entertained thoughts about what a crossover between My Little Pony and Transformers would be like, this book answers those questions and more. Nothing about the TPB is dull, boring, or uninteresting. Every single story is a page-turner, the art is delightful, the colors and letters pair up beautifully. Get ready to see what happens when fun meets frenzied robot fighting. This is one comic that you won’t want to miss out on. 

PopCultHQ’s Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

Purchase MY LITTLE PONY/TRANSFORMERS:
Friendship In Disguise TPB online:

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Publisher – IDW Publishing
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