‘Littlest Pet Shop’ Joins IDW’s Line Of All-Ages Comics

IDW's line of licensed cartoon books is blowing up. Not only is the publisher the home to a huge new Cartoon Network event that ties into a number of ongoing series, it's also the publishing home of Hasbro's My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and now Littlest Pet Shop. It will be written by Georgia Ball (My Little Pony) with art by Nico Peña and Antonio Campo (The Penguins of Madagascar).

The Littlest Pet Shop series follows the exploits of Blythe Baxter, who discovers she can talk with animals.

The new cartoon and toy line are a sort of reboot of a Kenner's (bought by Hasbro in 2000) original toy line from 1994 and its corresponding animated series from Sunbow Productions. The new Littlest Pet Shop cartoon that IDW's comic is based on debuted on The Hub in 2012.

Here's what Hasbro's director of global publishing, Michael Kelly, said about the new comic series, according to a press release:

With the incredible triumph of My Little Pony comics, it should come as no surprise that we are now looking toward Littlest Pet Shop to continue that success. It’s wonderful to be part of the resurgence of interest in all-ages comics, and we are certain that Littlest Pet Shop comics will be welcomed with great excitement by readers.

IDW Managing Editor David Hedgecock added, "We’re thrilled to be working hand in hand with Hasbro on another of their all-ages properties."

The series kicks off in May with an exclusive subscription cover by artist Sara Richard.