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Photo Diary: December 2017 Part 4
Comic Books
My Favorite Kid-Related Movie Experiences Of 2017
Over on my pop culture blog, UnitedMonkee, I’ve been running down lists of my favorite movie-watching experiences of the year. While going over everything I watched last year, I realized that I had a great deal of fun watching movies with my kids, and not just the repeated viewings of Moana and Barbie Video Game Hero!
Hey, Kids Comics! – Supergirl, Cosmic Adventures In The 8th Grade
We’ve finally hit the sweet spot in my house where we’re doing nightly reading with the kids — dubbed Books & Bed, yes I’m a professional writer — and they want to check out comics! I’m sure I’ve talked about this here and there, but actually reading comics with kids can be a little tricky. Even if they’re interested in the format, leading them along in the right order and keeping them invested for what can be a longer reading experience, can lead to boredom or even frustration. Now that our oldest is reading more and more on her own and has had a fair amount of experience with comics, though, she’s a lot more interested.
And that means I’m buying more kids comics, which I’m pretty stoked about. Over the summer we spent some time at my inlaws’ place and I found myself with an afternoon to myself and a new comic book shop called Midgard Comics & Games to explore! I usually dive through longboxes looking for random 90s comics that I’ve always been curious about, but that time I decided to lean into the kid’s rejuvenated love of the medium and walked away with Supergirl, Cosmic Adventures In The 8th Grade by Landry Q. Walker and Eric Jones as well as the second volume of Scooby-Doo Team-Up, which I will get to in a later post.
Hey, Kids Comics! – DC Superhero Girls
You never know how, when or where your kids will finally be interested in the things you love. When I first heard about DC Superhero Girls a few years back, I was super stoked because it looked like it would be perfectly up my daughter’s alley. Young women with cool powers all going to school together and fighting bad guys? What could be better?! Continue reading
Hey, Kids Comics! – Dance Class Volume 1: So, You Think You Can Hip-Hop?
I’ve loved comic books since I was 9 years old. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to turn that affection into a career. As the parent of two kiddos, I want to have samplings of my hobby I can pass them when and if they show interest. Hey, Kids Comics! will chronicle my experience going through these offerings and not only evaluating my kids’ potential interest but also passing along any potential trouble spots for children and parents. As always, I encourage you to read these books first to see if you think your kid will enjoy them.
As usual, I picked up Dance Class Volume 1: So, You Think You Can Hip-Hop?
And it was actually pretty successful because she wanted to check this book out as soon as she saw it in the stack when we got home. I knew nothing about the comic, but we dove right in and she seemed to have a good time with it. The book actually has a lot of ties to the world of comic strips in that each page is a self contained gag or story, though some elements carry throughout like the performance of Sleeping Beauty and the dreamy new hip hop dance teacher (was this an Angelina Ballerina story too?). Like with Tiny Titans, I wasn’t sure if she would get the format or the gags, but she seemed to have a really good time with it.
I must admit, I did find myself laughing at some of the jokes, which I wasn’t really expecting. I didn’t fully get into this book though because of a few characters and choices made in regards to them. First, there’s a young woman named Lucie who isn’t skinny as a rail (she looks like a normal kid, in other words) and she’s sometimes the butt of fat jokes. Many of those come from the mean girl character Carla. They’re far from the worst examples of either stereotype (as you can see in this panel), but I’m not super excited about presenting my kids with them, at least right now.
With that in mind, I planned on returning this book to the library and maybe not mentioning it again, but then I saw my daughter practicing her ballet movies with this book opened up to the page where they describe the different positions. I was blown away. So, I think I’ll maybe give these books a read-through ahead of time and note where some of the jokes I’m less comfortable with are so I can change or skip them when reading because she really seems to dig it right now.
Hey, Kids Comics! Scarygirl & The Creeps
I had big plans for doing a series of Halloween-related posts here on the blog leading up to my favorite holiday, but it just didn’t happen thanks to that whole parenting thing and work getting in the way. I did, however, do some all-ages, Halloween themed reading that is worth posting about thanks to some books I picked up at the library.
The Adventures Of Scarygirl by Nathan Jurevicius grabbed my attention just from the cover. I love cartoony art styles in comics and this book has it all over the place. The story itself follows the misadventures of the title character who makes friends with a sea monster and a somewhat magical rabbit. She wants to find out why she was dumped in the woods, remembering the face of a specific man, and heads towards his location. The adventure is fraught with betrayal, threats and other dangers that eventually make Scarygirl realize that this man might not be the source of enlightenment she hoped for.
Here’s the thing, though, this book is presented without dialogue. There are some sound effects in here and there are speech bubbles, but they’re filled with images of people and places or a handful of symbols. Even as a 32 year old adult who’s read comic books for a third of his life, I had some trouble following a few of the details, so I’m not sure if that will make it better or worse for a younger reader. I showed my 4-year-old some of the pictures and she dug the style, but she wasn’t too interested. When I read her other comics, I know she can get a bit lost as to which panel I’m reading from and she should be focusing on, so this one might not be the best choice. On the other hand, though, a lack of words might break down some barriers for kids, so I’d recommend checking this one out and presenting it to your kids. If they don’t get too freaked out by some of the pages, they might be all up for this one.
Speaking of the pages, dang this artwork is just gorgeous. While reading the book I found myself wishing I could play it like a video game. I must not have been the only one because it is also a video game that I now very much want to play. Has anyone played it?
I was also very quickly and easily drawn to Chris Schweizer’s The Creeps Volume 1 Night Of The Frankenfrogs. As I’ve mentioned more than once, I love the films of the 80s aimed at kids that put them in real danger like Monster Squad, The Goonies, Cloak & Dagger, E.T. and even The Gate. I got that vibe just from the cover of this book from Amulet Books and was not disappointed.
The Creeps centers around a quartet of outcasts each with a specific set of skills that helps them rid their town of supernatural and sci-fi threats. These kids try to save the world from frakenfrogs while avoiding the rest of their classmates who hate them and dealing with the bad guys behind the infestation.
Again, I showed this one to my daughter but she wasn’t ready to make the commitment to a graphic novel. Still, she seemed to like the look of the characters and was appropriately grossed out by the monsters. To my mind, this book feels like it would fit in with the first batch of original Nickelodeon cartoons from the 90s like Doug, Ren & Stimpy and Rugrats. If that sounds like it might be up your kids’ alley (or yours) then go ahead and give this one a shot!
DC Super Hero Girls Looks Rad!
DC Super Hero Girls is here and I’m already a big fan! The cross-platform initiative plans to take many of DC Entertainment’s popular female characters, re-envision them for a younger crowd and make them easily accessible to kids, specifically young girls. The general idea was announced in the past few months, but USA Today scored the first look at the roll out this afternoon. 
DCSHG will come to life in a variety of arenas. There’s a cartoon presented in webisode chunks (the first one is here) from WB Animation plus a line of toys from Mattel, comics from DC, books from Random House and a variety of other offerings that will presumably make themselves known through the official website.
As you can see in the aforementioned animation, the general conceit here is that all of these young heroes attend the same high school where they’re trained how to use their abilities for good. It sounds like a mix of Ultimate Spider-Man and Monster High or the My Little Pony: Equestria Girls movies. 
From checking out the character page of the official site, it looks like Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Batgirl, Katana and Bumblebee will take center stage, but others like Catwoman, Cheetah, Hawkgirl, Star Sapphire, Beast Boy and Hal Jordan will also appear. Follow the link at the beginning of this paragraph to go through each of them, read through their bios and even click around to see their specific powers and abilities.
The characters will also make their way to toy aisles thanks to Mattel’s action dolls. USA Today got the first look at these. Above you can see the foot-tall versions of Wonder Woman and Supergirl alongside the 6-inch takes on Harley and Bumblebee!
As a lifelong fan of comic books — specifically the ones published by DC — I’m very excited about the track that DC and WB are taking with this concept. Ultimately, I wish we didn’t have to make such a big effort to create entertainment that doesn’t alienate girls from the world of super heroes, but this seems like a really solid move. My daughter already has a good deal of comic-related toys in her ever-growing collection, but the fact that more will be aimed specifically at her is aces in my book!
DC Entertainment Offers Super Back To School Supplies
When I was a kid, there weren’t a lot of fun ways to show that you were a superhero fan. In the 80s and 90s, the heroes were somewhat well known, but nowhere near as ubiquitous as they are today. To give you an idea, it took over a year for me to find a shirt with a simple Superman symbol on it whereas today you have several options just at Target alone.
So, when I got an email from the fine folks over at Warner Bros. Consumer Products about a whole batch of superhero-themed back-to-school products for girls and boys I was equally excited and jealous. I would have LOVED a Superman lunchbox when I was a kid! But, I’m even more excited that my daughter will have her choice between Batman, Superman, Batgirl and Wonder Woman ones from Thermos when she goes back to school! Jinkies, there’s even a Scooby-Doo one. All five of these are well insulated and padded to keep lunches safe, while the superhero versions also come with a smaller zipper compartment along the bottom.
But, school’s about more than just lunch (apparently). To get all of those pesky books to school, you can use Fast Forward Inc.’s Supergirl or Batgirl Mini Backpacks or the Batman one which comes with a lunchkit.
Finally, dig these last few accessories. The Accutime Cape Watches featuring Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman will allow your kid to count down the minutes to recess all on their own. Meanwhile, the Batgirl Vaultz Locking Binder Pouches actually come with a combo lock to keep your phone, cash and other supplies from falling into the wrong hands and the Batman Vaultz Locking Pencil Box looks like it’ll keep your stuff secure while still looking like it came right out of the Batcave!
Real talk? I’m 32 and been out of school for about a decade, but I’ve got my eye on that Superman lunchbox, the Wonder Woman watch and the Batman box. Head on to your local school supply retailers or online to get while the getting is good.
The Pop Poppa Nap Cast Episode 99
The crazy-delayed 99th episode of The Pop Poppa Nap Cast is finally here, even though it was recorded nearly a month ago! Just push play to hear about surviving a sick house, going “down the Shore,” one crazy night and my first official comic book pitch!
The comic shop I mentioned visiting is called October Country. It’s in New Paltz and it’s rad.
This is what Lavallette, NJ looks like. It was pretty great, I’d definitely go back.
I mentioned looking up the Oni site for a review I wrote for a great comic called Mermin. Check that out here and my take on the next two books here.
I’m not sure when I’ll be back for the next episode, but I’ve got a few fun things planned to celebrate the hundredth episode! Stay tuned!
For more of me check out UnitedMonkee.com, Comic Book Resources, Geek.com and @PoppaDietsch on Twitter.
Hey, Kids Comics! – Mermin Books 2 & 3
I’ve loved comic books since I was 9 years old. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to turn that affection into a career. As the parent of two kiddos, I want to have samplings of my hobby I can pass them when and if they show interest. Hey, Kids Comics! will chronicle my experience going through these offerings and not only evaluating my kids’ potential interest but also passing along any potential trouble spots for children and parents. As always, I encourage you to read these books first to see if you think your kid will enjoy them.
After being drawn to the first volume of Joey Weister’s Mermin from Oni Press, I was already excited bout the next two books. As it happened, I was able to score Mermin Book 2: The Big Catch
The Big Catch picks up immediately afterwards with Mermin’s underwater pal Benni and fellow grade schooler Penny joining up with Mermin’s group of friends. While they deal with bullies and other usual school stuff, there’s also a pair of self appointed paranormal investigators trying to prove that our boy is an alien. This all comes together at the end as Mermin faces off against one of the agents in a homemade mech suit before ending in a cliffhanger revealing that he needs to return home!
Which, of course, leads right into the third book which finds Mermin bringing his pals underwater to Mer where tensions with neighboring Atlantis are taut as a fishing line. While there, the kids learn more and more about Mermin, his family and the deal with his brother. Without giving too much away, this one ends on an even bigger cliffhanger that takes Mermin’s friend Pete away to Atlantis!
Even without such an Empire Strikes Back-esque ending, I’d be hooked on this series because I love the kids — from Pete’s nervousness to Penny’s amazing courage — and am fully intrigued when it comes to the hows and whys of Mermin’s self-imposed exile on the surface. Weiser’s cartooning and storytelling chops continue to impress and stay incredibly consistent throughout all three books lending a continuity between all three volumes that makes it feel like one whole thing. The third book also allows Weiser to expand the visual look of the book which sounds like it will continue into the next, which hits in September.
In the red flag department, these next two volumes are pretty consistent with the first. There’s a bully kid named Randy who is a total jerk, the talked-about death of a particular character (who I think will pop up eventually) and more fisticuffs, but not anything more than you might see on an average Cartoon Network adventure series. Speaking of which, I’d love to see a Mermin cartoon if anyone’s paying attention. There’s a mountain of goodness to be mined here for a multi-season series.
Hey, Kids Comics! – Three Thieves Book One: Tower Of Treasure
I’ve loved comic books since I was 9 years old. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to turn that affection into a career. As the parent of two kiddos, I want to have samplings of my hobby I can pass them when and if they show interest. Hey, Kids Comics! will chronicle my experience going through these offerings and not only evaluating my kids’ potential interest but also passing along any potential trouble spots for children and parents. As always, I encourage you to read these books first to see if you think your kid will enjoy them.
I’ve had my eye on Scott Chantler’s Three Thieves Book One: Tower of Treasure
Opening the book, I was treated to a tight cartooning style that reminds me of older newspaper strip artists but with a precise modern viewpoint. The clean coloring and composition of the book make it a big, bright, fun adventure on the whole even though there are several dark moments for our heroine and her pals to survive.
Speaking of the heroine, her name is Dessa Redd and she’s an acrobat in a traveling circus along with her friends and coworkers Topper and Fisk. She has a mysterious past that involves a kidnapped younger brother that catches up with her during a performance that goes awry. Blamed by the circus folk for ruining their latest meal ticket, she decides to go along with Topper’s plan to rob the nearby treasure tower to make up for her earlier mistake. Given her acrobatic skills, she has relative ease making her way through the traps set up by the mysterious Greyfalcon, but the heist does not go off without a hitch and our heroes have to figure out a way to avoid capital punishment.
I’m personally not a fan of faux-medieval fantasy stories, but this one sticks more to the real world adventure (traps, escapes, treasure) than the mythical which I appreciate. It’s kind of a mix of the aforementioned Indiana Jones vibe and something like Princess Bride. The fantasy motifs allow for more interesting-looking characters like Topper and Fisk, but don’t take away from the reality of the situation which is pretty serious for the titular Three Thieves.
That’s also the biggest red flag of the book for parents. The main characters are threatened with hunger and death at various points and the Queen is an all around awful human being, but I would put this on the same level of your average Disney movie. Actually, while reading this book I kept thinking that it would make an awesome movie. I try not to get too far into that headspace when reading comics, because it’s not the point, but a live action version of this would be AMAZING, especially given the prominence of the young female character. I’d be stoked to take my daughter to see Tower Of Treasure on the big screen.
Anyway, Chantler’s world feels so lived in and interesting that I just want more of it, which is good because I’ve got the second and third books sitting here waiting to be read! If you want to check out more about Three Thieves, head over to the official website where you can actually read pages from the story to see if it’s up your and your kids’ alley.
