INTERVIEW: Celeste Bronfman heads to Equestria for ‘My Little Pony’ comic
Photo: Celeste Bronfman is the writer of the latest issue of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Photo courtesy of the writer / Provided by K2 Publicity with permission.
Celeste Bronfman, an accomplished writer known for Degrassi and Discovery Kids’ Big Top Academy, has had many forays into comic book writing, including penning stories for The Rivers of London and Insider Art. This month she heads to Equestria for an issue of the ongoing IDW series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
Bronfman’s one-shot issue, which will be released Wednesday, June 2, centers on Celestia and Luna as they overcome their fears and face the mighty Kraken, according to press notes. Recently the Canadian writer exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about all things comics and MLP. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What do you love about the My Little Pony franchise?
I love that My Little Pony centers around friendships and emphasizes how powerful these connections can be. Even when things aren’t looking great for the ponies, there’s this undercurrent of hope in the show because we always know their friends will show up to save them — whether it be from an evil unicorn king or from a fashion disaster! The friendships in My Little Pony are the beating heart of the franchise, and it is due to the characters loving each other because of their differences, not in spite of their differences. It’s the reason I was immediately drawn to the series and why I think others connect to it as well!
What can fans expect from your particular issue?
I think longtime fans of the series are going to be excited to see a much more vulnerable side of Celestia. We’ve come to know her as this composed ruler who keeps her emotions to herself, but in this issue, she’s forced to face a traumatic childhood experience that leads to an emotional response unlike anything we’ve seen before!
Another cool thing fans can look forward to seeing is Celestia and Luna as young fillies. As a fan, I’ve always wondered what their relationship was like back then, so I had a lot of fun exploring this new/old dynamic!
Why do you think this franchise has proved so enduring, gathering not just young fans but also adults?
My Little Pony is really unique in that it connects with people of all ages — and it’s because the themes in the franchise are so universal. My Little Pony emphasizes that your differences are your strengths. It’s Fluttershy’s connection to animals and Twilight’s thirst for knowledge that help them overcome the challenges thrown their way. They thrive when they are being the fullest expressions of themselves.
So much of the time this is a difficult thing for us to do in our own lives. There’s pressure in school and in the workplace to change ourselves to fit in. So the idea of learning to embrace your differences is something that resonates for everyone, no matter what age.
When did you first fall in love with comics?
Oh wow, probably the first time I walked into a comic book store. I was passing by and came to a halt when I saw this huge window display filled with Sailor Moon mangas. I raced in and spent all day wandering through the shelves, completely enamored by the new worlds I had yet to discover. I started going back to that comic book store every weekend, and the owner generously let me sit in the corner to read issues featuring Captain Marvel, Supergirl and … the list goes on, but you probably have other plans today. Those were truly some of the greatest days of my life. Being able to see these female characters own their power helped me find my own, which is why being able to write comics now, and know other kids might use these stories to do the same, is an absolute dream come true.
What’s the future look like? Any upcoming projects you can discuss?
I’ve got some exciting comics projects in the works that I hope to announce soon! And in the film/TV space, I have a short film called Quell and a very personal TV pilot about a fan’s relationship to fandom that I can’t wait to pitch around soon.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Celeste Bronfman writes the latest issue of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic for IDW. Click here for more information.
