@Phantom Rider  

 
It’s also possible that somepony might use dye or whatever to cover their mark for whatever reason. (Somepony actually did so on the show in fact, albeit for a less-than-benign purpose.)

@Background Pony #6090  
Except that this is Prancy Drew in a suit, not the real Sappho (who shows up in the background later).

A lot of animators’ ponysonas are in the show. Wild Fire, Peachy Pitt, etc. This is no different.
 
And fans started shipping Sappho with Rarity and commissioning/begging the artist to draw more and more. (Jenn Blake says Rara’s her favorite, but that’s about as gushy as it gets. Maybe the shipping’s due to this, but the point is that she didn’t start it herself.) The two positioned so you can think they’re making eyes at each other instead of reacting to RD is a nod to her fans - there aren’t as many of the comics as of the show, but they’re there!
 
(As for not showing her CM, I do wish they’d gone with ankhs, or had her hair block it. She’s a bit too old for her flank to be clearly shown and clearly blank, though I guess there’s no reason somepony couldn’t just take a particularly long time to find their special talent.)

[deleted]

…I need this comic…NOW….

@Background Pony #F9AE  
I don’t suppose she’s named in the comic?

@Background Pony #BA14  
Well, she did have a cutie mark.  
But I think Hasbro or IDW didn’t approve its inclusion because, well…  

So, is this OC/self-insert/whatever a blank flank?

@ThePonderPony  
A panel or two later, the actual OC pony is shown looking at the discarded costume in confusion in the background.
 
Didn’t you see the issue? ;)

@ThePonderPony  
You can see the character talking with Rarity about the costume in the background of another panel.

The character actually isn’t canon, didn’t you see the issue? That’s a disguise the foal detective is wearing, Ala Pinkie’s Fluttershy suit.

@Starswirl  
Technically, she’s canon now. It’s just that not a lot of people read or pay attention to the comics, some even hating them. So she won’t get much recognition. That’s rather sad as I’ve grown to love quite a few characters from the comics.

@Background Pony #F9AE
 
@kleptomage  
Eh, I don’t think she’s so bad. I can actually see one of the fillies undergo a goth phase and get this kind of mane colour.
 
Also, if the character appears in an official IDW comic, can it still be called an OC?

@Background Pony #F9AE  
It would be better if she did not include her OC. Shipping aside, just look at how that jet black mane sticks out amid all the bright colors.

Does anyone else feel slightly offput about the new artist adding her personal OC into her issues? Especially with the whole shipping stuff?

@Background Pony #6090
 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
 
Probably, she DOES ship her that OC of hers with Rarity afterall.
 
Not that I can hold it against her for having Rarity as a waifu, if you are gonna Waifufag it’s best to have good taste while doing it at least!

Take RD out of there, and you got the artist’s true intention.

nice art style