IDW’s Strawberry Shortcake comic is based on the newest incarnation of the franchise, Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures. The first issue issue has her facing off against Steve Pieman, a Yootoobz (the book’s fictional version of the website) celebrity, who obviously turns out to be the Strawberry Shortcake’s old antagonist, The Peculiar Purple Pieman. Those who haven’t seen the new show but are familiar with the Pieman should know he has not made an appearance in the new serie at all. This is his triumphant return and it feels off.
Having an older character be modernized is one thing but now he’s an internet celebrity and constantly using a selfie stick. Yeah, he’s pulling his old tricks of cheating his way to the top but he’s lacking the over the top antics of his previous incarnations and he also doesn’t the signature dance (“Yah-tah-tah-tah-tah-tah-tah-tah, tah-tah-tah-tah! Cha!”). Luckily, this Strawberry Shortcake is more keen to his tricks and is quick think he might be up to something. Good to see her being more independent and not so easily swindled like she was in the old stories.
The art captures the style of the show well. The characters are all bright and vibrant especially with the effects during the bake off. The combination of art by Amy Mebberson and Fernando Peniche doing the coloring makes for a great product.
It’s not bad but it just seems like they can do so much more especially with the Pieman. Is he going to be plotting a scheme every issue he’s in to boost his viewership on Yootoobz? Let’s hope not. Hopefully the team will take a page from the My Little Pony comics (which most of the crew has already worked on) and do some things the TV ser[easy-tweet tweet=”The Pie Man is back!” user=”@IDWPublishing” hashtags=”#IDW, #Comics, #Strawberryshortcake”]ies can’t like exploring alternate realities or flushing out some plot holes which didn’t get covered properly in the show. This issue is a dull start but there is potential. With any luck this series will become one fans will definitely have to check out.
