July 1, 2016 | Page 2 of 3

Win tickets to Batman: The Killing Joke at Avalon on 7/25

A feature film that is rated R? Holy ghosts of Team America, please tell me more. Batman: The Killing Joke is an R rated film that will have a two night theatrical appearance via Fathom Events. The animation in Batman: The Killing Joke is similar to that which is used in Batman: The Animated Adventures. The Killing Joke earns its R rating and is not appropriate for children. However, fans of the graphic novel or a deep appreciation of the dark knight will relish seeing a Batman tale where the joker goes too far.

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New all age comic books for July 20, 2016

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It’s a great week for graphic novels and trade paperbacks. It’s not that there aren’t any great new all age comic books, it’s just that there are a couple new graphic novels or trade paperbacks that bundle together some cool series.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Great Lakes Avengers, Dragons Riders of Berk and The Cloud are three different graphic novels. The Cloud is a fabulous fantasy book that’s brand new for fans of Mouseguard or the Jim Henson titles that have come out on Archaia. Dragons continues the adventures of Berk, while Squirrel Girl is a great title that girls will really love. Ignore the T+ rating on this one as it’s great for anyone 7 and up.

In action all age comic books you’ll find 2 new Star Wars magazines, Doctor Who, Back to the Future and a couple others. Humor readers will enjoy two of our go-to books, Lumberjanes and Simpsons Comics, both of which are some of the best humor, content and art for ages 6 and up. Grumpy Cat, Groo, a new Betty & Veronica series, a couple Disney books and Strawberry Shortcake round out the comics.

The music in the podcast is from Scott Holmes, you can dig all of his music over at Free Music Archives. The links in the post will take you to TFAW where you’ll save up to 20% off your online orders. To find your closest comic book store just put your zip code into the Comic Book Shop Locator site.

Humor

Superhero

Science fiction/action

Oscar and the Amazing Gravity Repellent, doesn’t repel, is amazing

Oscar and the Amazing Gravity Repellent by Tina L. Peterson is a book that hooks you from the title, baits you with curiosity once you start reading it and reels you in once you’re 20 pages deep. It’s a story with characters that any student 8 or older will relate to and does so in a way that surprising and very mature. By ‘mature’ I mean that there aren’t any juvenile pranks, body noise jokes, aloof parents or other things that might be in an upper elementary to middle school book. If your reader is down Wimpy Kid, but looking for something with almost no pictures, a strong sense of storytelling and lots of imagination then they’ll love this book.

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Play Well LEGO Camp, fun for brick builders in summer and beyond

We were provided with classes for review. All thought are our own. When is summer camp not a summer camp? When it happens year round is the obvious answer. That’s the case with Play Well. During the summer Play Well has dozens upon dozens of LEGO camps for kids 5-14. Our oldest son attended a Play Well LEGO Camp the other week and absolutely loved it. We liked it too, for many reasons. However, going back to our original ‘boy-turns-into-a-store’ metaphor, Play Well has LEGO classes year round to engage your budding brick builder.

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New all age comic books for July 13, 2016

The middle of July is a great time for kids to read some all age comic books; it’s hot and this keeps them inside and there are dozens of great titles out this week. When you factor in the trade paperbacks there is something for every reader this week, regardless of their reading level or knowledge of characters. Our favorite comic book this week is Mickey Mouse Shorts Season 1, but look deeper into action or superheroes and there is something for you too.

Mickey Mouse Short Season 1 is a mini-series from IDW that is a comic book adaptation of the animated shorts that you may have seen on Disney. These shorts are funny, clever and feature animation is not tradition Mickey Mouse. The animation in those shorts is reminiscent of blocky, government production that you might associate with the 60’s. However, they’re funny, refreshing and a pleasure to watch when you see them on television. The comic book version is adapted from television by Scott Tipton.

Also in humor is Scooby Doo Where Are You? #71, Spongebob Comics #58, Bravest Warriors trade paperback #7 and many others.

The biggest surprise is how many superhero all age comic books there are this week. DC brings a couple nice older stories that will be great for any age reader. Daring Adventures of Supergirl trade paperback brings in a 1980’s tale when she moved to Chicago and Tales of the Batman Alan Brennert reprints some classic Brave and the Bold, plus other cool stories with Bats.

But wait, there’s more. Powerpuff Girls are back with #1, Guardians of the Galaxy trade paperback Vol 2 (great for kids!), Teen Titans GO! trade paperback Vol 2 (Great for kids!) and a couple Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles round things out.

Do your kid (or you) like Kung Fu Panda? If so then you’ll enjoy The Mighty Zodiac from Oni Press. Our first look at this comic was the last issue and we can recommend it to any age 6 and up who like action and can read a little bit.

For ages 11 and up you can check out Kong of Skull Island, it’s an original King Kong mini-series prequel from Boom! Studios that has great art, big action and classic monsters. Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy #2, Micronauts #4, Princeless trade paperback Vol #5 Make Yourself Part 1, Sonic Universe #87, Usagi Yojimbo Volume 30 trade paperback and others hit also.

It’s worth noting that Star Wars Little Golden Book, I Am Sith comes out too. Some comic book stores will have this, all book stores will and this series of early reader Star Wars books are fabulous. If you shop at Costco you can purchase four of them in a pre-packaged bundle that will save you some money too.

Where is my closest comic book shop? The links will take you to TFAW where you’ll save up to 20% on your online orders.

Humor

Superhero

Action/Science fiction

Peanuts, Friends Forever 2016 Special, flawless storytelling and art

Peanuts is one of the go-to franchises for generations of people. Since the late 60’s Peanuts have been around and on the forefront of publishing or television. With Peanuts, Friends Forever 2016 Special from Kaboom the characters are ending their monthly comic book run. I suspect that we’ll still see Peanuts and their characters in graphic novels, but this is it (for now)

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The Secret Life of Pets review

The Secret Life of Pets is a great example of the less you know about a film the more it surpasses expectations. Prior to seeing the film the only thing I knew about it was what I saw from the main trailer. It’s rather pedestrian stuff with lots of sight gags about what your pet might do when you’re not home. Having seen The Secret Life of Pets I can assert that they saved the best stuff for what is not in the preview. This is the most even handed and consistently paced Illumination Entertainment film yet that is a fun ride from beginning to end.

If you’re going to the film arrive early because there is a five minute short film starring the Minions. It’s short, funny and leaves you wanting more of the chatty yellow creatures.

The first four minutes of The Secret Life of Pets is essentially the above trailer. They’ve crammed all the good stuff into the first couple of minutes, I thought. In reality it’s exactly the opposite and the film hammers home the funny with absurd pairings, excellent vocal work, dazzling visuals and a surreal plot that will all but take you down the rabbit hole. Read no further if you don’t want spoilers…….

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New all age comic books for July 6, 2016

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This week in all age comic books brings one of the best characters out there coming to an end. Peanuts has its final issue-and it’s fabulous, but it’s also sad, funny, poignant, beautiful and as great as you remember from the classic strips. Also out this week in humor books is The Flintstones #1, Donald Duck #15, a new Lumberjanes trade paperback, Popeye Classics #48, Regular Show #37 and a couple others.

In action and science fiction it’s a good week for time and space. There are two Doctor Who comic books, Doctor Who Adventures (great for kids 6-13), a Doctor Who book featuring River song and a new Doctor Who comics event that features the four most recent doctors! All of this leads up to Doctor Who Comics Day, which is June 9. Arguably, this is a bigger deal in the U.K. than elsewhere, but bigger comic shops will still have something going on.

In sister Doctor Who news, a new monthly comic called Torchwood is out this week. It’s not an all age comic book per sea, but ages 12 and up will love it.

Also in science fiction is Invader Zim, a comic from Oni Press that is quickly becoming one of our must-reads on many levels. It really is great for boys or girls of any age, the content is great for them and they’re already familiar with it through the Nickelodeon show. Bottom line, the art and story in this comic make it a fun read that you’ll find yourself borrowing from your 6 year old once they go to sleep.

It’s a light week for superheroes with only Spidey #7 and Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel. However, we’re reading some great all age superhero books now-and will review them soon on the site. They’re background, introduction type stuff that early readers will gravitate towards if they like action and big name heroes that their friends like.

Where is my closest comic book shop? Alternately the links will take you to TFAW where you’ll save up to 20% on your online orders.

Humor

Action/Science fiction

Superhero