Fat Pony
October 17, 2013 6:47 AM Subscribe
The book is about a little warrior princess who is given a silly looking pony on her birthday, and it’s not exactly what she wanted … So [the story] is about finding value in something unexpected - Kate Beaton, best known for her Hark! A Vagrant book and website, announces Fat Pony, her new project. Wired Interview.
Sounds like fun! To paraphrase Neil Gaiman: Kate Beaton should be a household name for little girls of all ages and genders.
(Side question/comment, since Rock Steady brought it up: Does anybody know if the Fat Pony cameo in Adventure Time was done with Beaton's cooperation, or was it a straight ripoff?)
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:02 AM on October 17, 2013
(Side question/comment, since Rock Steady brought it up: Does anybody know if the Fat Pony cameo in Adventure Time was done with Beaton's cooperation, or was it a straight ripoff?)
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:02 AM on October 17, 2013
She mentioned it in interviews favorably so I'm going to go with "loving homage"
posted by dismas at 7:06 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by dismas at 7:06 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
Funny? I hear that pony is a stone killer!
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:07 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:07 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am excited about this. Kate Beaton's work always brightens my day.
In the Wired interview she says the pony did appear on Adventure Time.
posted by Hicksu at 7:07 AM on October 17, 2013
In the Wired interview she says the pony did appear on Adventure Time.
posted by Hicksu at 7:07 AM on October 17, 2013
Huh. Fat Pony--in terms of body shape and personality--resembles our Chubby Cat.
posted by Kitteh at 7:08 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 7:08 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
I remember a long time ago, in the comments to one of her pony comics, saying something about "watch Adventure Time this week and you just might see a familiar face!" So, yep, homage.
This was long before I got into Adventure Time, so when I started watching it I got really excited because I knew PONY IS COMING.
For the record my favorite pony adventure is pony vs. wizard. PONY
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:09 AM on October 17, 2013 [5 favorites]
This was long before I got into Adventure Time, so when I started watching it I got really excited because I knew PONY IS COMING.
For the record my favorite pony adventure is pony vs. wizard. PONY
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:09 AM on October 17, 2013 [5 favorites]
My fat pony t-shirt is now more relevant than ever! I win!
posted by emjaybee at 7:13 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by emjaybee at 7:13 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
King: "Emasculating my son is not what I had in mind."
YOU SHOULD HAVE SPECIFIED
posted by JHarris at 7:21 AM on October 17, 2013 [8 favorites]
YOU SHOULD HAVE SPECIFIED
posted by JHarris at 7:21 AM on October 17, 2013 [8 favorites]
I like how the wired article uses the innocent panel of fat pony munching grass, as though the next panel isn't fat pony shitting out a sad ghost.
posted by elizardbits at 7:27 AM on October 17, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 7:27 AM on October 17, 2013 [7 favorites]
WANT NOW!!!!!!!!!
posted by mikelieman at 7:34 AM on October 17, 2013
posted by mikelieman at 7:34 AM on October 17, 2013
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Oh I know a lot of non-Scholastic children's publishers who are going to be HELLA PISSED.
posted by ominous_paws at 7:44 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by ominous_paws at 7:44 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
I KNEW I HAD CHILDREN FOR A REASON.
posted by 256 at 7:45 AM on October 17, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by 256 at 7:45 AM on October 17, 2013 [6 favorites]
I KNEW I BOUGHT OFF-BRAND CONTRACEPTION FOR A REASON.
posted by ominous_paws at 7:46 AM on October 17, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by ominous_paws at 7:46 AM on October 17, 2013 [13 favorites]
I KNEW I HAD NO CONCEPT OF AGE- OR GENDER-APPROPRIATE ENTERTAINMENT FOR A REASON.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:47 AM on October 17, 2013 [25 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:47 AM on October 17, 2013 [25 favorites]
A story about "finding value in something unexpected" bodes well for her attitudes toward the webcomic sphere that made her famous.
posted by StoicRomance at 7:58 AM on October 17, 2013
posted by StoicRomance at 7:58 AM on October 17, 2013
Oh man, Fat Pony is one of my favorite things. I love Kate Beaton's work in general, but something about that dumb fat little wonder of an equine resonates with me in a way that basically makes me always smile to think about. My only complaint has been that there's not enough comics about him.
Today clearly needs to be a Fat Pony t-shirt day.
posted by cortex at 8:06 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
Today clearly needs to be a Fat Pony t-shirt day.
posted by cortex at 8:06 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yay Fat Pony! Sadly my nieces are too old, but I will get one for myself!
posted by immlass at 8:32 AM on October 17, 2013
posted by immlass at 8:32 AM on October 17, 2013
No one is too old for fat pony.
posted by elizardbits at 8:33 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 8:33 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
Aw yiss. Some motha fuckin fat pony.
Also: Kate Beaton should be a household name forlittle girls of all ages and genders. everybody. But you know, especially little girls.
posted by Renegade Duck at 8:46 AM on October 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
Also: Kate Beaton should be a household name for
posted by Renegade Duck at 8:46 AM on October 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
I think Fat Pony resonates with so many people because he is us: most of us are not very majestic, and just stumbling through whatever tasks we've been assigned in life, and we often feel out of place and thrown into situations that are out of our depth, but it mostly works out in the end, kinda.
At least, I know I'm a Fat Pony. (I am also that Aw Yiss duck.)
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:49 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
At least, I know I'm a Fat Pony. (I am also that Aw Yiss duck.)
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:49 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
Beyond the obvious excitement over ANY more Fat Pony, I'm pretty stoked that Kate Beaton is writing a princess book for kids. I LOVE her work, and my five year old daughter loves princesses (especially warrior princesses). Plus, if you've followed Beaton on the internet at all, you'll know that she is very cognizant of positive portrayals of females in media--something I am constantly on the watch for with my daughter.
Also, we're members of the Scholastic Book Club! That's got to help when buying a cool book from them, right?
posted by sleeping bear at 9:09 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, we're members of the Scholastic Book Club! That's got to help when buying a cool book from them, right?
posted by sleeping bear at 9:09 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh, man, I hope my little cousins are still young enough for this when it hits the shelves.
"Fat Pony" is one of Nellie the Cat's nicknames. She's not properly fat (really! The vet says so! She gets a quarter cup twice a day!), but she has that whimsical legs-too-short-for-her-rounded-body shape, big googly eyes, a mostly white coat, and sometimes leaves the tip of her tongue out.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:18 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
"Fat Pony" is one of Nellie the Cat's nicknames. She's not properly fat (really! The vet says so! She gets a quarter cup twice a day!), but she has that whimsical legs-too-short-for-her-rounded-body shape, big googly eyes, a mostly white coat, and sometimes leaves the tip of her tongue out.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:18 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Excellent She is also going to be at Thought bubble over here in Leeds. Might see if I can manage to go this year.
posted by koolkat at 9:20 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by koolkat at 9:20 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Our culture is so much richer for having Kate Beaton in it, making the wonderful things she makes. I am beyond pleased.
posted by erlking at 9:22 AM on October 17, 2013
posted by erlking at 9:22 AM on October 17, 2013
"Fat Pony" is one of Nellie the Cat's nicknames. She's not properly fat
Pics or get out.
Kate Beacon is one of the internet's natural treasures.
posted by MartinWisse at 9:29 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Pics or get out.
Kate Beacon is one of the internet's natural treasures.
posted by MartinWisse at 9:29 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hooray!!
I wore a Kate Beaton shirt to a Marian Call show and found out they are friends and it makes me happy when the people I enjoy the art of are friends for some reason.
Everything about Kate Beaton makes me happy like a puppy.
posted by NoraReed at 9:48 AM on October 17, 2013
I wore a Kate Beaton shirt to a Marian Call show and found out they are friends and it makes me happy when the people I enjoy the art of are friends for some reason.
Everything about Kate Beaton makes me happy like a puppy.
posted by NoraReed at 9:48 AM on October 17, 2013
I'm envious of the UK folks who get to go to Thought Bubble, it sounds like a great con. Some year...
posted by Artw at 9:50 AM on October 17, 2013
posted by Artw at 9:50 AM on October 17, 2013
-"Fat Pony" is one of Nellie the Cat's nicknames. She's not properly fat
--Pics or get out.
Here you go. You can't really see much of her stubby legs in that shot, though. She gets them from her father. Her mother and brothers all had long, elegant black legs with well-turned ankles.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:35 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
--Pics or get out.
Here you go. You can't really see much of her stubby legs in that shot, though. She gets them from her father. Her mother and brothers all had long, elegant black legs with well-turned ankles.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:35 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
So pleased to see this. The recognition Beaton has gotten for her work is, no joke, one of my favorite things about the internet.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:35 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:35 AM on October 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
I have the perfect girl to buy this book for. Hooray!
posted by bibliogrrl at 10:55 AM on October 17, 2013
posted by bibliogrrl at 10:55 AM on October 17, 2013
A story about "finding value in something unexpected" bodes well for her attitudes toward the webcomic sphere that made her famous.
Could you expand on this? I'm not sure what you're trying to say.
posted by zamboni at 11:31 AM on October 17, 2013
Could you expand on this? I'm not sure what you're trying to say.
posted by zamboni at 11:31 AM on October 17, 2013
The recognition Beaton has gotten for her work is, no joke, one of my favorite things about the internet.
And it's still quite early in her career. Perhaps in the fullness of time, she'll be right up there with the likes of Gorey, Sendak and such.
posted by acb at 11:54 AM on October 17, 2013 [5 favorites]
And it's still quite early in her career. Perhaps in the fullness of time, she'll be right up there with the likes of Gorey, Sendak and such.
posted by acb at 11:54 AM on October 17, 2013 [5 favorites]
Yeah, I've said this before but I really do think she is one of the, or maybe the, major artists of her generation in the same way those guys are. I had this feeling from her work from the first time I saw it, and it has been amazing and so, so gratifying to see her continue to get new opportunities and new fans, and to see how she's managing her career and all the attention.
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:28 PM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:28 PM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
But can we all agree that doing a Fat Pony/My Little Pony mashup is EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN?
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:45 PM on October 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:45 PM on October 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
you just had to say it
posted by LogicalDash at 3:32 PM on October 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by LogicalDash at 3:32 PM on October 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
Since Watterson, Larson and more recently Breathed have decided to hang 'em up, nobody has consistently made me laugh the way Kate Beaton has with Hark, A Vagrant.
The way she simply draws faces that emote so fucking much is astounding. And the attention to history is just the icing on the cake. *swoon*
I can't wait for Fat Pony.
posted by Sphinx at 7:09 PM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
The way she simply draws faces that emote so fucking much is astounding. And the attention to history is just the icing on the cake. *swoon*
I can't wait for Fat Pony.
posted by Sphinx at 7:09 PM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
OH MY GOD this is the best thing.
Yes, tomorrow (later today, whatever, I work nights now) is a Fat Pony shirt day and one day soon I'll have a Fat Pony book to sit on the shelf next to my Fat Pony figurine and everything is good and nothing is bad!
posted by rewil at 2:22 AM on October 18, 2013
Yes, tomorrow (later today, whatever, I work nights now) is a Fat Pony shirt day and one day soon I'll have a Fat Pony book to sit on the shelf next to my Fat Pony figurine and everything is good and nothing is bad!
posted by rewil at 2:22 AM on October 18, 2013
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