G1 Comic Books
The UK had an extensive run of G1 MLP comic books, featuring stories, puzzles, Activity Club pages, special contests, and more. Two separate comic books, My Little Pony and My Little Pony and Friends, ran at the same time. My Little Pony and Friends included comics about the Moondreamers, Potato Head Kids, Fairy Tail Birds, and GLO Friends in addition to stories about the ponies.
Contents
History
The first comic, called simply My Little Pony (1985 - 1993) had a run of 223 issues. A second comic book, My Little Pony and Friends (1987 - 1994) had 51 issues.
The comics were usually produced fortnightly (every two weeks), though sometimes they switched to a weekly schedule. The two comic runs shared a common continuity, with the events of one series often being referred to in the second series. My Little Pony and Friends outlasted My Little Pony by about six months.
London Editions Limited, later renamed Fleetway Editions Limited, published both comic books. Judith Laverty was the editor of My Little Pony from at least 1988[1] until 1993 when the comic was discontinued. Martin Gray was the editor of My Little Pony and Friends, while Samantha Scattergood was in charge of Advertising for it.
All art came from the Spanish company Selecciones Ilustradas, usually sent via fax[2]. Writers included Hilda Young[2] and Mike Wild.[1] Martin Gray also contributed some scripts, including a story featuring the Smooze in My Little Pony and Friends #30.[2]
Hasbro UK was heavily involved in quality control of the comic books, "requiring approval of plots, scripts, layouts and finished art."[2]
Other European countries, such as a Germany, Finland, and Holland, also had comic books. The stories and illustrations were generally the same as in the UK comics, translated into the appropriate language. (These comic books were not necessarily released in the same order as the UK comics, however.) Italy had a unique comic book with original stories and illustrations rather than reused London Editions stories. The United States and other non-European countries did not have any comic books at all.
Comic Continuity
Although they featured many of the same pony characters as the television shows, the comic books were clearly set in their own continuity.
Some of the differences from the cartoons:
- Almost every pony had magic, not just unicorns.
- Unicorns did not have the ability to wink (teleport).
- Majesty, never seen in animated form, was in almost every comic.
- The ponies never moved into Paradise Estate, they just used it as a vacation home.
- Many of the pony personalities were different. Wind Whistler was rather silly, Shady was more confident, etc.
- Larger cast of ponies and a recurring cast of non-pony characters.
The comic book universe shares many similarities with the G1 backcards. Most ponies have whatever character traits and magical abilities they had in their backcard story. (Medley can make the sound of a harp by waving her tail, for example, and Cotton Candy has a sweet tooth for flowers that gets her into trouble.) The comics fit in the same continuity as the UK children's books published by World International Publishing Limited, such as The Stolen Shadow, The Cross Weather Witch, and The Man in the Moon.
Almost all Year 2 and Year 3 ponies appeared in the comics, even ponies who were never sold in the UK. By Year 4 most of the newly introduced ponies were ones available in local shops.
Both magazines eventually switched from the dragons-and-castles fantasy world of early G1 to the more modern world of My Little Pony Tales.
Non-Pony Characters
The comics featured many allies and enemies of the little ponies. Megan was a friend of the ponies, although Molly and Danny were never seen. Other friends included Rob Rabbit, the woodland crier; Junk-It, a being made of assorted junk; hapless Magician Muddle; and many others. Likewise there were recurring villains, like Wizard Wantall and Get-It,
Some of the non-pony characters are listed here.
My Little Pony Comic Covers
- My Little Pony Comic gallery
№ 1 A Special Present
№ 2 The Flower Festival
№ 3 Where is the Waterfall?
№ 4 One Autumn Day
№ 5 Merry Music
№ 6 Cotton Candy's Washing Day
№ 7 Little Circus Pony
№ 8 The Wishing Tree
№ 9 The Enchanted Icecream
№ 10 Winter Wonderland
№ 11 Fun in the Snow
№ 12 Trickles to the Rescue
№ 13 Dream Castle Spring Clean
№ 14 Home for a Cuckoo
№ 15 The March Hare's Tea Party
№ 16 Megan and the Magic Puddle
№ 17 Little Pony Picnic
№ 18 Sparkler's Secret
№ 19 Win a Little Pony
№ 20 The Fashion Show
№ 21 The Magic Telescope
№ 22 A Sunny Day in Pony Land
№ 23 Sparkler's Special Friend
№ 24 The Dancing Dragon
№ 25 Seaside Concert
№ 26 Happy Harvest!
№ 27 Birthday Issue
№ 28 Paint Pot Magic
№ 29 Gingerbread's Baking Day
№ 30 The Mystery of the Missing Moon
№ 31 The Flying Carpet
№ 32 The Whispering Tree
№ 33 Junk It and the Float - Arounds
№ 34 Win Megan and Sundance
№ 35 The Snowdrop Ceremony
№ 36 The Orge's Circle
№ 37 Tootsie's Enchanted Time
№ 38 The Golden Galleon
№ 39 Baby Applejack and the Enchanted Apple Tree
№ 40 A Pancake to the Rescue!
№ 41 The Unlucky, Lucky Clover
№ 42 Fizzy and the Flying Fish
№ 43 Easter Time in Pony Land
№ 44 The Maytime Show
№ 45 Spike and the Magic Pencil
№ 46 Parasol's Pretty Parasol
№ 47 Spike and the Magic Pencil
№ 48 Surprise and the Balloon Man
№ 49 Baby Blossom Loses Her Voice
№ 50 The Terrible Mistake
№ 52 Tootsie and the Tiny Teapot
№ 53 2nd Birthday Issue
№ 55 Wishes and Wings
№ 56 Autumn Jamboree
№ 57 Fizzy's Fizzwhizz Party
№ 61 Happy New Year!
№ 63 Shady and the Snow Dragon
№ 64 The Peculiar Poppykettle
№ 67 Happy Easter!
№ 68 Shocks for the Princess Ponies
№ 69 A Race Around Pony Land
№ 72 Seastar's Birthday Wish
№ 73 Midsummer Star Magic
№ 80 The Wonderful Wayzgoose
№ 82 Happy Halloween
№ 83 Fun at Fizziwhizz Flower Time!
№ 84 (Join in the My Little Ponies' Kite Adventure!)
№ 90 (Free Gift Issue!)
№ 92
№ 94
№ 100 (Competition Issue!)
№ 101 Magic Drawing Card Free Inside
№ 102
№ 103
№ 104 (Welcome to Hayseed Summer Fete)
№ 106
№ 108 (Fantastic Competition Issue)
№ 111 Happy Birthday, My Little Pony Comic, Four Years Old!
№ 113
№ 119 (Competition Issue!)
№ 124 Twirler and the Whispering Whirligig
№ 125 (Free! Competition Card!)
№ 141 (Free Stickers!)
№ 142
№ 150 Caramel Crunch and the Colour Crone
№ 153 Sportstime and the Extraordinary Obstacle Race
№ 154
№ 155 (Free Balloon!)
№ 163 Player and the Horn of Plenty
№ 164 (Free Hair Slide!)
№ 167 Fun in the Games Garden
№ 171
№ 176 A Problem for King Polka
№ 183 Shimmering Secret and the Coral Princess
№ 191 The Stone Giant Speaks Again
№ 193 The Strange Stickleway Adventure
№ 197 The Christmas Cradle
№ 199 The Cross Apple Goblin
№ 200
№ 218 Princess Sparkle's Party
My Little Pony Comic Seasonal Special Covers
- Spring Specials gallery
Spring Special 1986
- Summer Specials gallery
Summer Special 1986
Summer Special 1988 (?)
Summer Special 1991
- Winter Specials gallery
Winter Special 1986
My Little Pony and Friends Comic Covers
- My Little Pony Comic gallery
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #1
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #2
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #3
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #4
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #5
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #6
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #7
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #8
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #9
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #10
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #11
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #12
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #13
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #14
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #15
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #16
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #17
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #18
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #19
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #20
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #21
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #22
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #23
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #24
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #25
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #26
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #27
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #28
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #29
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #30
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #31
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #32
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #33
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #37
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #38
G1 My Little Pony and Friends #50
Free Gifts (from either comic)
- G1 Comic Free Gift gallery
#31 T-Shirt Transfer
#67 Colour Pages (part only)
#67 Colour Pages (part only)
#68 Dragon Stickers
#75 T-Shirt Transfer
#80 Plastic Mould
#90 Valentine's Card
#114 Extra Comic
#123 Valentine's Card
#125 competition card (exterior)
#125 competition card (interior)
#128 Easter Egg Hunt Poster
#164 Blue glittery SHS comb
#182 Random Stencil
#211 Comb
My Little Pony Comic ©1991
My Little Pony Comic ©1989
Mirrored Sticker
Comb (also available with Merry Treats)
Sticker Poster
#115 Comic Pin Badge
Dancing Butterflies Pin Badge
#126 Firey Pin Badge
- MLP & Friends Gift Gallery
#4 August Fun Book
Italian Comics
Italian Comic #2
Italian Comic #4
Italian Comic #5
Italian Comic #6
Italian Comic #7
Italian Comic #8
German Comics
1st special german comic that came out
2nd special german comic
1987 - 2
1987 - 3
1987 - 4
1987 - 5
1987 - 6
1987 - 7
1987 - 8
1987 - 9
1987 - 11
1987 - 12
1988 - 1
1988 - 2
1988 - 3
1988 - 4
1988 - 5
1988 - 6
1988 - 7
1988 - 8
1988 - 9
1988 - 10
1988 - 11
1988 - 12
1989 - 1
1989 - 2
1989 - 3
1989 - 4
1989 - 5
1989 - 6
1989 - 7
1989 - 8
1989 - 9
1989 - 10
1989 - 11
1989 - 12
Swedish Comics
Junk-It and the Float-Arounds, ISBN 9177062817
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J. Laverty, personal communication, November 5, 1988.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gray, Martin. "Too Dangerous For A Girl." Superman Family Adventures #9 review. February 2, 2013
