Hello & welcome back to the Nightmare Night celebration. Well, we've already looked at the character of Nightmare Rarity in our Villains Profile on the second Nightmare Moon. And here starting today, we begin our look at the second arc of the IDW My Little Pony comic series as we dive into a double review of Issues # 5 & # 6 in this double review. With that outta the way, let's begin with Issue # 5.
Covers
Issue # 5
Cover A
Cover A is okay. It's nothing too special and doesn't really apply anything about the story at hand. It's just the girls posing. Kinda reminds me of the Equestira Girls cover from the first annual and also the old photo from the first 3 seasons of the show.
Though do keep in mind that this arc was released before the Annual. I'm guessing that this may be one of the go to poses for the Mane 6.
Cover B is a bit better as it focuses more on Miss Rarity and lets us know that something is amiss, will happen to the fashionista in this comic.
Issue # 6
Cover A
Issue # 6's A Cover is a bit better as it actually takes an event from the issue. The ponies walking on a rope to get to the moon after they lassoed it closer to Equestira. You see, how much weight the situation has with this issue.
Cover B
Now, this is a much better Rarity cover than Issue # 5's as we see Rarity looking on in distress on the moon, wondering if she'll ever get back home. And in many respects, both of these covers work wonderfully together to give you a preview of what's to come for both parties.
Yeah, both of these work well off one another.
Staff
Writer - Heather Nuhfer
The writer for this arc would later return and write the Nightmare Moon comic that I reviewed. Which is great as that is able to set up a strong sense of continuity between Nightmare Moon's time on the moon and the events that take place here in this arc with Rarity being turned into the second Nightmare Moon. The writing is pretty strong but does tend to lean on the more dramatic but I think that can be understandable given the situation. Perhaps, the biggest problem that Nuhfer had was her handling of Pinkie Pie. Now to be fair to Ms. Nuhfer, Pinkie isn't the easiest character to write for and we've even seen the show mishandle her (I'm looking at you, season 4).
Artist - Amy Mebberson
The art is pretty good here. While I wouldn't say that it's as dark as the Nightmare Moon comic, it still does serve the tone of this particular arc rather well.
Letterer - Neil Uyetake
The lettering for this arc was handled quite well. And there really isn't much more to say on that front.
The Plot
Now seeing as we have two issues to look at, let's get started.
We open Issue # 5 with all of the Mane Six having nightmares and we learn that they've been having these bad dreams, all week. Twilight questions, how all of them could be having nightmares all week. Though, Pinkie seems to be handling things fine and later that night, they throw a slumber party at her place. And well, this seems to be going better than the last slumber party that I looked at. The girls are having fun but the fun doesn't last as the girls fall asleep and we get a look into their nightmares. Which I think they seem to showing the greatest fears of the girls. Twilight's nightmare shows Princess Celestia dismissing Twilight as her student. Applejack's nightmare shows her failing the apple farm and there being no food and water. And everything is dry and barren. Fluttershy's shows her animals friends all leaving her. And perhaps, one of the most haunting of all is Dash's as her shows her unable to fly as her wings have been torn. Pinkie's, I get as it is her bombing a comedy routine but it doesn't have the same weight as the others. And then we come to Rarity's and the comic shows how Rarity fears that her friends will move on and forget about her, once someone else comes along. And for some reason, it's a pony version of Mabel from Gravity Falls. The nightmare affects Rarity greatly and this is when we see the Nightmare Forces taking Miss Rarity.
Because the dream gets worse as the dream versions of Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy turn their backs on Rarity and tell her that they never need anything from her again. And by letting the nightmare engulf her, Rarity is easily taken. Soon, the other ponies and Spike wake up and try to save her. Pinkie tries using a butterfly net to attack the black air that is engulfing Rarity and you can imagine how well that worked out.
This is when they realize that they realize that Rarity is being taken to the moon and Twilight tells Rainbow Dash and.... Fluttershy to go get Rarity and while Rainbow Dash does get close to saving Rarity that she causes a Sonic Rainboom. It seems that Dash will be able to save the fashionista as their hooves are about to meet but alas it is to no avail as Rarity is taken away. The rest of the girls regroup at Golden Oak Library to discuss what to do next with Spike in tears at his crush being taken away and Twilight writing a letter to Princess Celestia as she figures that she'll know what to do. Twilight realizes that there is a link between all of their bad dreams and the black smog and that they'll need the aid of Princess Luna. Because as Twilight states.
Princess Luna! She's the protector of Dreams. And she was taken over by Nightmare Moon. She can help us interpret our nightmares and find Rarity!
Okay, I've got a bit of an issue with part of Twilight's dialogue here. This line in particular.
And she was taken over by Nightmare Moon.
That's not exactly how I remember it, happening in the show. If I recall correctly, Nightmare Moon was born out the spite and jealousy that Luna felt over nopony staying awake for her beautiful night and giving Celestia, all of the attention. Now, they could be implying that Princess Luna was taken over by her jealousy but with the way that this arc presents Nightmare Moon as a symbiote like creature as discussed last week, I don't think that's the case. Perhaps, I am reading into it too much but this arc in terms of the lore of Nightmare Moon really seems to go against what the show set up.
Back to the review at hand, lo and behold after that is said, who should show up but the two royal sisters show up. Princess Celestia informs us of what we already know, that a dark energy has been going into their dreams and that her younger sister may be able to help. And then Rainbow and AJ bombard her with questions on what's going on and how to save Rarity. Girls, give the princess of the night, some space. We learn that these evil forces have taken Rarity and this surprises Twilight Sparkle as she thought the evil had been destroyed after they freed Princess Luna. But as the Princess of the Night soon informs our heroes, that is not the case. Of course, Rainbow Dash just wants to go up there and blast them but Luna informs our heroines that it isn't that simple. And after some prompting from Fluttershy and her older sister, Luna gives in and tells us the tale that we need to hear. Skipping the annoying question gag from Pinkie that goes nowhere and only bogs down the issue, this is what Luna tells the others.
Thank you Fluttershy.... Something is happening. Something, I had hoped would never come to pass. .....
When I was trapped as Nightmare Moon, I thought I could show everpony, how special I was by making them fear me. The Nightmare Forces somehow knew exactly what to say to convince me... To give me their energy and hate. After my curse was broken by The Elements of Harmony, I believed the forces of Darkness would wither and die but I was wrong. Legend says that if the Nightmare Forces can harness enough strength through the cycle of the new moon, they are granted one more chance....
Okay, once again I have to call this issue out on the handling of Nightmare Moon. This comic is trying to have ti both ways by showing Luna feeling guilt over her actions as Nightmare Moon but at the same time, a line like this...
The Nightmare Forces somehow knew exactly what to say to convince me... To give me their energy and hate.
Seems to want to absolve Luna of any misdeeds from her time as Nightmare Moon. Which, you can't have a line like this and then spend the rest of the arc presenting Luna fighting her guilt over her past. And lest we forget that according to Nightmare Moon's Fiendship issue, she created The Nightmare Forces. But this comic seems to be implying that The Nightmare Forces are the ones that brought Nightmare Moon to life. Looks, like I need to take back what I said about this and the Nightmare Moon comic having a good sense of continuity because this seems to contradict one another. I understand that issue came out a few years after this arc but considering that both that comic and this arc had the same writer.
Getting back to the comic, Twilight questions, what Luna means by one more chance and we learn that years ago, Nightmare Moon promised The Nightmare Forces, a kingdom of their own. And Rainbow Dash is ready for action but none of the other ponies are paying attention to the Element of Loyalty. Then we learn of why The Nightmare Forces want to deal with The Elements of Harmony.
Together, you possess The Elements of Harmony, which have defeated The Dark Forces before. Now, they will come after all of you-- the only ponies who can defeat them... and destroy your home---
PONYVILLE!
This prompts the girls into getting into action but Luna doesn't want them to go as she feels that this mission is too dangerous for regular ponies but Rainbow Dash awesomely rebuts that.
"Regular" ponies? Excuse me, but that ain't flying.
Twilight tells the Princess of The Night that if they need to face their fears to save Rarity, they are up for the challenge. And Tia agrees with our heroes but Luna worries about Ponyville but Celestia informs our younger sister that she'll help prepare Ponyville and stop the attack. But Flutters asks, how they'll get to the moon. Rainbow Dash has a rather silly idea that goes nowhere. But Celestia goes nowehre and we get a panel of Pinkie Pie as a cheeleader, which reminds me of Genie from Aladdin.
Where, we see Pinkie cheering on Rarity and AJ realizes that Pinkie is right but she questions how they'll get to the moon. And Rainbow suggests another way but she is ignored and AJ says that they have to be strong for Rarity and Twilight says that they have to move fast. And then the next panel cuts to Rarity, who appears to being tortured. And it doesn't appear to be much until the Nightmare Forces have tied Rarity to the throne of Nightmare Moon and Issue # 5 ends with the Nightmare Forces ready on the attack. While, I do have some issues with the start of the arc, it's still a good set up for what's to come but there are a lot of big problems with how it contradicts the lore of Nightmare Moon. Which, granted are hard to look past and does bring down the issue some but not enough for me to dislike it.
Alright, let's now move onto Issue # 6 and see if maybe the second issue in this arc is a better outing or now. We open with the ponies looking at the moon and Fluttershy being worried about Rarity but Twilight comforts by reminding her that Princess Celestia has a plan and we soon learn that this plan involves a lasso of Applejack's. And the Cowpony informs them that it's just a regular lasso but that is until Celestia uses her magic on it to enchance as Luna uses the rope alongside our heroes to bring the moon closer to Equestira.
Which I gotta say that is just awesome. Though Pinkie doesn't seem to be pulling her weight all the way through as she's just there in the last panel playing drums. And after some hard pull, it appears to be a success. Pinkie, why are you wearing sunglasses?
It appears to be a success as we see our heroes walk on the rope heading up to the moon. Rainbow Dash seems to be excited about it and Pinkie Pie provides us with an Alien reference.
In space, no one can hear you squee!
Which Flutters isn't a big fan of. But it looks like Spike may have packed on too much weight. Not like that. The little guy showed up in a suit and armor with a sword and a shield. Which Applejack questions, if he's afraid that the weight might be too heavy. And just as he's about to answer, the the rope snaps. And it looks like the journey for our heroes has gotten harder. Spike has the ruby that Rarity gave him as memento with him but he's about to lose as ti appears that our heroes are going to fall to their deaths. But the ponies, dragon and the ruby are indeed saved. Sometime later, our heroes arrive on the moon and Luna warns them of the nightmare energy. And we learn that the inhabitants of the moon became victims of the nightmare energy. And Fluttershy is disheartened that they could have done something so terrible to sweet little animals. Meanwhile, on another side of the moon, we see The Nightmare Forces trying to make an offer to Rarity but Rarity is being strong and she isn't budging but The Nightmare Forces play on the fear that we saw in Rarity's nightmare and Rarity's generosity by saying that without her, their existence is meaningless but Rarity says that her friends need her. But Shadowfright, the leader of The Nightmare Forces replies with this line.
Do they? Or will they reject your gift once somepony new comes along? Somepony with a bit less, attitude, maybe?
And this causes Rarity to have another vision of her friends leaving her behind. And this is the thing that does it. Rarity tries fighting it some more by saying that her friends would never forget her but she is noticeably shaken and scared. And The Nightmare Forces use Rarity's need to help and that is what they use to turn Rarity into the second Nightmare Moon as she is engulfed by the black clouds.
On the other side of the moon, our heroes try to focus on the mission ahead of them and Pinkie decides to help ease Fluttershy's mind by playing a game of I Spy. And this is when the heroes have to face their fears as we once again seem them face their nightmares but this time, they fight back. Twilight's has her back at Celestia's castle with one of the most chilling moments from the comment.
Celestia:... And you, Twilight Sparkle have no respect for the power you have--your'e careless and dangerous! You are dismissed forever.
Twilight Sparkle: What!? No!
Celestia: You have failed me, Twilight. Your lack of knowledge has killed friendship.
After getting some aid from Spike telling her that it's just a nightmare and Luna informs the bookworm that it's a facade to keep you trapped in your fear.
Friendship is not dead and nightmares aren't real!
Luna informs Twilight that they must save the others from their nightmares. And we get to see them, starting with Rainbow's and it's one of the most haunting as the Wonderbolts is flooding and Spitfire that they need Rainbow's help but in her nightmare, Rainbow has lost her ability to fly. And I gotta be honest, I prefer this to Rainbow's nightmare to what we saw in Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep as while that one was played more for jokes, this is really haunting and scary as it plays on the psyche of Rainbow Dash. And most the nightmares in this arc seem to be doing that. Seeing Rainbow Dash scared that she'll never fly again as her wings appear to be clipped are quite haunting and scary. But Luna has to let the flyer know that it is just a nightmare. And this gives Rainbow Dash, the courage that she needs to fly once more. And she is able to out fly the slow smoke as she calls it.
Pinkie's nightmare is once again her bombing on stage with Twilight in the crowd holding a sing that reads..
Yay Pinkie Pie! Please wake up now!
And this gets the Pink Party Pony going.
Are you not amused?! Guess what, Nightmare- Scmitemare?! I am the most laughter-giving, fun-having, friend-making pony ever! You have no power over me!
Go Pinkie! The next nightmare that we see is of Fluttershy's and while I get that Flutters hadn't fully developed as a character at this point, I kinda take issue with the fact that Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash do most of the saving in Flutters' nightmare.
And then we come to Applejack's nightmare and we once again see that it's her thinking that she has failed her family. But her friends convince her otherwise and Applejack realizes that she would never let this happen. And then after our heroes are saved from their nightmares, we see them face the Nightmare Forces for the first time. And Flutters does get one funny moment her.
Applejack: Um, a little critter help here, Fluttershy?
Fluttershy: Sorry, I'm out of bravery for the day...
And we learn of the past that The Nightmare Forces and Princess Luna share with one another. And they say that they'll save her friends, if she comes back to being Nightmare Moon but the ponies will have none of that. Rainbow Dash informs Luna that they aren't going to let some goth-loving bunny take her after they already took Rarity. Luna is surprised to hear that she is considered their friend. Which Pinkie responds to with a duh and Fluttershy knows that they can trust her.
We all trust you. We know you would never to us.
Which is just a set up for Luna's line here.
But you have lied to them, Luna.
The Nightmare Forces are surprised to see that these ponies won't be worn down. And they give Luna, one last chance but she doesn't take it but The Nightmare Forces say that they'll get the kingdom that they've been promised as Issue # 6 ends with the introduction of Nightmare Rarity.
Issue # 6 is so much better than Issue # 5. Issue # 5 spent so much time on set up that the story got bogged down with everything that needed to be set up but Issue # 6 got right into the action and actually does a good job of showing the biggest fears of our heroes. But it also shows that we have to be able to fight our fears and that while it may look tough and hopeless, given the situation, there is support and it's okay to rely on that support.
Characters
Main Characters
Rarity
Admittedly, Rarity didn't get a whole lot to do in Issue # 5 as she was taken out of that issue pretty early on but in Issue # 6, we actually saw her putting up a fight against The Nightmare Forces. One that she would ultimately lose but she put up a valiant effort nonetheless and showed us how brave she is, even when the cards are stacked against her and she's scared to her wits. And her fear is what causes her to give in and make such a big mistake.
Princess Luna
While I do have some problems with how this arc handles the lore of Nightmare Moon. I do like see Luna going on a journey to try and help our heroes save Rarity. And in turn, she is saving herself from her past because these events were a step towards her freeing herself from her past as Nightmare Moon.
Supporting Characters
Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, & Pinkie Pie
You really got a sense about how much these friends care about Rarity and how they'd go to the end of the earths for her. And seeing them face their biggest fears, not once but twice was rather haunting and Issue # 6 showed them being able to overcome their fears. It wasn't easy for them but with the help of their friends, they faced their fears and were able to escape from them.
Villains
Shadowfright (Larry) & Jerome
While, we don't get much of a sense of The Nightmare Forces in the first issue, we see how threatening they can be, when they force Rarity into becoming their new Nightmare Moon. And while they don't seem that scary in the beginning, we see how much their leader, Shadowfright is willing to stop at nothing to make sure that The Nightmare Forces get their new queen and by playing on the fear that Rarity had experienced in her nightmare of her friends leaving her behind and Rarity's generosity, he is successful. Which just shows how determined, he is.
My Thoughts On These Issues
Issue # 5 got this arc off to kind of a rocky start with how the build up and I have a bit of a problem, the way that issue presented some things and that is mainly to due with Nightmare Moon and the handling of her in that issue. And while Issue # 6 does still have that problem, once it gets going, Issue # 6 is so much better than Issue # 5 as it allows to get into the story and action of the arc. With the best part, easily being seeing the heroes face their nightmares and the fear that they'll be trapped in them, if they don't fight against them. Join me next time as we conclude our look at the Nightmare Rarity Arc by looking at Issues # 7 and # 8 of IDW's My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic comic series.
No comments:
Post a Comment