MY LITTLE PHONY: FANDOM IS TRAGIC: ONE SHOT
Writers: Mike Moreci & Steve Seeley”
Artists: Ken Haeser & Kewbar Baal
Publisher: Dynamite
Reviewer: Rob Patey (aka Optimous Douche, Ain’t It Cool News)
It took Clydesdale size balls to write and publish this book, so to all involved I applaud you.
Simply based off the title I gleefully tore into this book to watch a Brony Bashing. The old man in me honestly found the Brony phenomenon endearing in its inception. It was a few men that earnestly wanted to connect to the little ladies in their lives who loved My Little Pony. I was also enamored with the fact anothe 80s staple had captured the next generation (take that shit Starwberry Shortcake).
Then, like all good things, fandom found a way to cheapen this sweet outreach of a few good men to every fucking pervert who was never loved by their parents. Now we live in a world with everything from Brony Hair Braid Extensions to Brony Buttplugs. Bravo, humanity you always fail to disappointment.
MY LITTLE PHONY s not just an indictment of the Brony phenomenon though, it’s an indictment of anyone who has let fandom of anything become an all consuming affair.
To avoid copyright entanglement, while still keeping things in the realm of believability (at least in the beginning of the book), we have replaced My Little Pony with My Little Horsey. Not the most imaginative fix, but it works. Our setting is SDCC, where the new modernized version of this 80s staple is about to be premiered.
This new CG version is both revered and reviled. The naysayers are typical 40 something fangeezer who can’t let go of yesterday. On the pro side are the 2 something hipsters, who think just because you mash a bunch of old shit together you have created something new and soooooo original.
While the two sides clashed, it was clear you could take the noun Horsey and slap it on to almost any area of geekdom: Transformers, Smurfs, Jem…hell even New 52 or Marvel Now. There’s a fine line between reverence and aping, just as there is an even fine line between updating and change so monumental there is nothing left of the original.
Sadly, there’s no answer here, merely opinions. As my Father always told me, “opinions are like assholes and 99% of them stink, yours included.” As we all know though, these mere words can incite feuds both online and IRL that can last decades.
In MY LITTLE PHONY the boys take the ire of fandom straight to the worst-case scenario – Armageddon. How they get there is hilarious and I refuse to ruin it. I’ll just say, that in order to be the alpha and omega of Horsey cosplay hipster and fangeezer alike end up inadvertently making famed verse of revelations finally come to fruition. It was during these grafts and alterations the art talent in this book had their chance to shine.
I’m not sure if other Dynamite parody titles exist or are in the works. If not, I’ll write them. This is a damn good idea that when done well like MY LITTLE PHONY delvers laughs and a morality lesson none of us should ignore.
Rob Patey & Friends 