Sneak Peek! IDW Micro Fun Packs

Way back in July, a bunch of folks from IDW came to San Diego Comic-Con to announce a bunch of cool upcoming releases for a bunch of their Hasbro-related franchises. I feel kind of bad about that: 90% of the room sat up in their seats the moment they started discussing ponies. We really need to get out more.

Anyway, one of the more intriguing tidbits from that panel was the coming of these things called "Micro Fun Packs", which would feature pocket-sized editions of the micro-series comics. I think that name's pretty clever, too. We now know they are expected to hit store shelves on November 15, so in the meantime we're going to open some up in front of you because this showed up on my doorstep yesterday.

Neener neener.

Come check out "Why They're Never Letting Go Of Your Wallet" after the break.

FNARRR

Right away, we see the first wave of micro fun packs include good pony, best pony, co-best pony, and associate co-best pony, not necessarily in that order. Let's pick one at random to see what's inside!

That's right: spiders!

(Disclaimer: IDW will not be including 8-legged surprises in their November releases. The glitter, however, will stay.)

On the left, we have one of 16 collectible posters featuring cover art from the Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie micro issues, which will look something like this:

You'll also receive one of 16 collectible sticker sheets and one of 16 collectible tattoos featuring these four as well. Rarity and Fluttershy fans will have to wait for the next wave of releases, unfortunately!

On to the comic, then!

Even after getting squished down into 5.75" x 3" pages, the art comes through clearly and the text is wonderfully crisp. These comics have a great balance of ease of reading and portability -- and for the latter, you can always stash these comics in the sleeves they came in as a way to protect them. The paper they print these comics on feels very sturdy, however, and the covers approach cardstock durability. IDW really means for you to take these comics on the go!

Also included in the middle of the comic is a "play set splash page" where you can place your pony stickers -- the stickers have white backgrounds, but they're also cut out so your actual results will look a lot nicer than this reference photo.

Finally, they have a nifty how-to-draw section for beginning artists at the end of the comic book. I'm always for initiatives to get people creating -- and Applejack is the way to go.

Perhaps the best part about these comics, however, comes on the back cover.

Did you think I was joking about the glitter earlier? IDW straight-up bezazzled their micro comic books with high-gloss, textured paper on the back. This almost feels like a passport in your hands, and it's nice enough to frame.

If you're like me and spend every night screaming into your possessions because you can't stop spending money on them, these fun packs are not going to make your life any easier. Many of you will already own full-size paper versions of these micro-series comics, or take digital copies with you on your phone or tablet. In that case, you can always purchase these for those who keep asking you "dude what's up with the horses?" Really, throw these things at faces -- both are tough enough to handle it. They can also make for great prizes at club events or meetups, which I've heard people still host.

Look for these micro fun packs to hit Toys 'R' Us, Target, K-Mart, and select Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby locations near you on November 15!