@Dashole  
Good joke. Everyone laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains.

Stallion goes to doctor. Says he’s depressed. Says life is harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says, “Treatment is simple. The great clown Ponyacci is in town tonight. Go see him. That should pick you up.” Stallion bursts into tears. Says, “But doctor… I am Ponyacci.”

Because a writer can’t be cultured or anything silly like that.

@Background Pony  
While I’m at it, I should also mention: consider the source. What is a comic book writer most likely to be familiar with, an opera in Italian from the 1880s, or one of the most influential comic books of their own lifetimes? Which do you think they would choose to put in so that comic book readers would pick up on it? Hint: I’ve put some relevant phrases in italics.

@Background Pony  
If it were a reference to the opera, his name would be Ponyaccio, not Poniacci. Pagliacci is plural and means “clowns”. The character is named Pagliaccio (well, Canio actually, but that’s his stage name).
 
And it is a clear reference to the joke in Rorschach’s diary, in which the depressed man is told to go see “the great clown Pagliacci” (note that it’s Pagliacci, not Pagliaccio, and not “the opera Pagliacci,” which is depressing as hell and wouldn’t work anyway). The man says, “But doctor, I am Pagliacci!” Which is the setup to the plot of the comic.
 
In conclusion, quit talking out your ass.

@Takashi.0  
Pagliacci is more famous than God. Pop culture should be teaching everypony this stuff, but… <.<;

@Background Pony  
As much as I agree that you should do your research, not everyone can afford to go to the opera everyday, you stuck up asshole.

@Ponylooker  
Ponyacci isn’t a reference to ‘Watchmen’. It’s a reference to the opera ‘Pagliacci’. I’m sick and tired of you fucking philistines thinking everything is a reference to some stupid comic book.

No shit. If traditional storytelling has existed for however old Neanderthals have (who theorist say spoke. I’d quote someone, but I don’t care enough), traditional WB/Tartakofski storylines will repeat ad naseum such that endings are predictable 5 minutes after airing. However, someone said “it’s the journey” which I assume is what the cartoon lovers we all appear to be strive for, mah boi… :3

@Itsthinking  
MLP plots have never been surprising. It’s always been about the details of execution. And, apparently, gigantic Watchmen references. So I really enjoyed this one, despite knowing pretty quickly what was going to happen.

…  
It’s like I’m the only one here who actually enjoyed this comic. The art was great, the characterizations were spot on. This could have easily been an episode of the show!  
But that’s just my opinion, I guess.

DESTEROY US ALL! DX

@Itsthinking  
It’s not just a ripoff of Twilight’s, it’s a slightly different A Friend in Deed.
 
Abd pinkie doest do anything new. It’s the same routine

Where are these comics you people speak of?

@Ponylooker  
At least it wasn’t a clone of a previous comic.
 
Pinkie is a character you can do almost anything with and have it make some sense; why waste it with a concept that is only surprising the first time?

Fluttershy comic was much weaker.

@RIG  
What? They did the exact same story with Twilight’s micro. I liked the art, it’s just that they didn’t come up with anything new.
 
Plus, I don’t like songs in comics.

@Itsthinking  
I agree.

@Itsthinking  
<_<

I first read the credits and thought the name Ben Bates looked familar, one google search later and I realized that he works on the Archie Sonic comics too as an artist. Huh. I like his sonic work a bit better to be honest.

@Mayojar77  
she expected a depressed guy.

Probably the weakest micro yet story wise. Art was good, though.

@RIG  
he’s old. What could she expect?

Pinkie Pie’s being a weirdo again… everything is right with the world.

turns out he wasn’t depressed, just tired.