Where do I start with the MLP Comics?

[Chronicplane 58]

Just as the title says, I need some help where do I exactly start with the comics (Official). More so in what particular order or can I just start anywhere. (If you have a preferred option of reading them please do suggest how)

Also, forgot to mention but how different are they to the original source material. Is the storyline/plot completely different to the show, does it take some parts from the show and apply them to the comic or do the comics just adapt the show into the comics in a slightly different way. 

Thanks in advance and from yours truly, Chronicplane.

 

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by Chronicplane

[Chronicplane 58]

@Cash In @The Recherche @Divine plywood @Nightfall Gloam

[Denim&Venöm 16,455]

It depends. There are 3 MLP comic series. Micro Series and Friends Forever you can jump in at any time. Same with the EQG specials they do.   About the same for the main series, except they do tend to have four part story arcs, but those stories are typically stand alone. 

It's pretty different from the show actually. it does reference or continue on from certain events. But some events actually contradict the show. Slight spoiler for a 2-3 year old comic, but y'know how Daring Do is actually the author of her own books? That doesn't happen in the comics. Heck, last I checked, she's still a fictional character. But somepony else we've seen on the show is writing the books and using A.K. Yearling as an alias. There are a number of other differences or events that are left ambiguous as to whether they happened in the show universe or not. 

So yeah, just about any point is a good start off. And if all else fails, start from the beginning. 

[Divine plywood 1,232]

Sorry @Chronicplane but I fear that I'm not much a help. I don't have the foggiest idea.  I haven't read any of them

Edited June 19, 2018 by Divine plywood

[Chronicplane 58]

@Denim&Venom Thanks, So you can pretty much start with any of the three. As for story their similar to like Marvel with it's different verses like Earth 616 comics and the MCU Where there stories are different but do have references from the original show and certain plot points but are for the majority different.

[Brony Number 42 9,898]

Issue 1 is a logical place.

[Denim&Venöm 16,455]

13 minutes ago, Chronicplane said:

@Denim&Venom Thanks, So you can pretty much start with any of the three. As for story their similar to like Marvel with it's different verses like Earth 616 comics and the MCU Where there stories are different but do have references from the original show and certain plot points but are for the majority different.

The second part is correct. But Friends Forever and Micro series are still the same universe. They're just stand alone stories and team ups. Kinda like the differences between The Amazing Spiderman and The Spectacular Spiderman comics. 

[Megas 27,050]

There's 5 series total so far. It's not complicated like comic lines typically are so there's no worry in jumping in anywhere. There's the main series, which started well but quality has been middling at best, start at the beginning

Main Series - The beginning is good, The Return of Queen Chrysalis, Nightmare Rarity, Art of the Gazeebo Repair, Neigh Anything. Pirates Ahoy and Bookworm are alright too. After that is a complete wildcard, most of the stronger comics are stand alones like the Wrestling one with Rarity and Cheerilee, Pinkie Pie's Comic, Rainbow Dash and the Very Bad Day, and the one with Pinkie getting Discord's powers. Aside from that the only other arcs worth noting are Manehattan Mysteries and From the Shadows. At this point there have been some notoriously bad and controversial comics like Reflections, The Good The Bad The Ponies, The Root of the Problem, Seige of the Crystal Empire, and Chaos Theory, just to name a few.

Micro Series - First subseries and it's...middling at best. Rarity, Pinkie, Celestia and Luna are easily the best and highly recommended. Twilight, Fluttershy, AJ, CMC and Spike are kinda coin tosses, incredibly middling titles. Avoid the RD comic like a plague, it's awful, lazy and insulting

Friends Forever - Second spin-off series and much more consistent in quality than the micro series despite an awful start with the Pinkie and AJ one. Lots of great and unexpected pair ups(Rarity and Gilda, Fluttershy and Zecora, for example), only really bumps besides the first one was that one period where the writers focused too much on original characters instead of some of the characters included(Spike and Luna focuses on a morally superior than you dragon than Luna, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash focuses more on Fluttershy's bully while RD is put into the background, Celestia and Pinkie focuses too much on some random chef while Celestia drops by every now and then, Rarity and the Cakes focuses too much on AJ's millionth cousin while the Cakes are only there to fix Rarity's mess), aside from that there are honestly some pretty good episode quality comics here. Highly recommend Twilight/Pinkie Pie, Rarity/Gilda, Rarity/Babs Seed, CMC/Discord, Fluttershy/Zecora, Shining Armor/Prince Blueblood, Spike/Celestia, and especially RD/Spitfire and RD/Soarin, especially since they are leagues better than anything the show has done with the Wonderbolts so far

Fiendship is Magic - One shots focusing on villains, I never read these ones. All I know is that the Sombra one was good, the Dazzling one was awful, and everything else(Tirek, NMM, Crysalis) was fine

Legends of Magic - I never read it but apparently it's also good

Ponyville Mysteries - This one literally just started so I don't know how good it is

 

There's also the holiday comics and annuals, all of which are pretty middle of the road. Just don't read the EQG Holiday Special, it's the worst thing ever. Seriously I don't know what IDW has against EQG but almost all comics with it involved is awful and it's honestly annoying and frustrating

Edited June 19, 2018 by Whomps