Ted Anderson

I'm not going to lie to you, folks: Things are looking pretty grim for everyone's favorite ponies. I mean, sure, they're having a good time on the cover for their next issue, celebrating the milestone 50th issue with a big party, complete with cake, presents, candy apples, and even some festive hats. Inside, however, things aren't quite so festive.

Listen, I don't know if you've seen the two My Little Pony: Equestria Girls movies, but I have, and I can tell you that they raise a whole lot of questions that they never get around to answering. Not only is it an alternate universe where the world's friendliest horses are (relatively) human students at a high school, but they also occasionally magically transform into winged half-horses in order to fight actual Satans. And now, it seems they also have the Holidays. This is the revelation at the core of next week's Equestria Girls Holiday Special by Ted Anderson and Tony Fleecs and Heather Breckel, in which Sunset Shimmer -- she's the one who turned into Satan -- is spending her first Christmas with her new friends, and folks, if you were hoping this would answer some of the questions you had from the movies, I get the feeling you're out of luck. On the other hand, it's a story of Holiday Friendship, and there's a good chance that someone will turn into a demon.

Listen, I like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic a lot, but if there's one crucial flaw in the entire franchise, it's that it's not about superheroes. I mean, honestly, I like friendship and peppy songs as much as anyone, but how am I supposed to enjoy those things in comic book form if they do not also involve using phenomenal powers to concuss evildoers? Fortunately for me, that problem has been neatly solved by writer Ted Anderson (also known as NPR's Chief Brony Correspondent), artist Ben Bates and colorist Heather Breckel, in the pages of next week's My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Annual 2014. It seems there are now pony superheroes and, more importantly, thematic pony villains who are dressed as hot-rod mummies. Really.

If you weren't able to snag Kaite Cook and Andy Price's San Diego Comic-Con exclusive My Little Pony story this past summer, IDW's My Little Pony 2013 Annual—Spotlight should cure what ails you. The reprinted tale is only part of the appeal for fans, however, as Ted Anderson and Tony Fleecs are expanding The Hub's animated My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic world with a prequel story that ties in

While the full cast of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic have been up to Moon-based shenanigans over in their ongoing series, they're also galloping through solo adventures in the pages of the My Little Pony Micro-Series. It's been a series of one-shot adventures where Twilight Sparkle has dealt with an agoraphobic novelist, Rainbow Dash has slugged it out with weather goblins, and now, it's Pinkie Pie's turn.