2017-06-29T20:00:00-04:00

Big screen, small screen, these Netflix options are close to the source

We’re part of the Stream Team for Netflix and were compensated for this post. All thoughts are our own. The remaining part of 2017 has lots of great movies coming to theaters. Not surprisingly, many of them have prequels, sequels or movies that are similar to them showing on Netflix. If you watch something then it will pop up the next time in the “Because You Watched…” line that’s below Trending Now. Let’s take a looks at five major movies coming out and some Netflix options that fans of those films will want to see.

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Best all ages comics for July 26, 2017

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New comic book day is every Wednesday. Simply search #NCBD on twitter to see what folks are reading. For parents and young readers they want to discover the best all ages comics, these are those comic books that will be OK for readers as young as five years old. Granted, all of the comics won’t demo that young, but we’ll provide rough suggestions for what ages will appreciate them. Here are five of the best all ages comics that you’ll find at stores this week.

Kid Sherlock #2

Kid Sherlock is a mini-series from Action Lab Entertainment that is entertaining for kids as young as five. Watson is a dog. Sherlock is a student at Baker Elementary. Mysteries will be solved at the school by a highly observant and polite kid. Parents will enjoy reading these to young readers and early elementary school students will enjoy the sly humor and just might be curious about the source material.

Go Go Power Rangers #1

Go Go Power Rangers #1 is a new series from Boom! Studios. Aside from unintentionally reminding readers of an all-too-catchy theme song from a semi-robot detective, it’s the previously untold story of what happens to Billy, Jason, Kim, Trini and Zack in the days after they become Power Rangers. Did you see the movie? They’re still high school students who are now dealing with super powers. This will be OK for ages 11 and up.

Mighty Thor Little Golden Book

These aren’t technically comic books, but anyone four knows this format. This week has a couple new releases from Little Golden Book including Thor, Thunder Strike! featuring Hulk. Ages 2 and up will be able to enjoy this book and just might hold onto them until they’re reading them to their kids.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Usagi Yojimbo

This original graphic novel combines two of the best all ages comics that you’ll find in the comic book store. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures and Usagi Yojimbo are each outstanding, can be picked up any month and will provide hours of enjoyment. The turtles are transported to feudal Japan, where animals speak and everyone is anthropomorphic. It’ll feature lots of action, TMNT fighting, samurai rabbits and a distinctive, minimal style that Stan Sakai does so well.

Lumberjanes #40

Call it science-fiction, humor, highly intelligent or a silly summer camp story with mermaids and monsters. Whatever you call it Lumberjanes is one of the best comic books out there now. The fact that it’s one of the best all ages comics is simply a happy coincidence.

Best all ages comics, comic books, go go power rangers, little golden book, boom studios, kid Sherlock, action lab entertainment, thor, hulk, TMNT, teenage mutant ninja turtles adventures, usage yojimbo, stan sakai, lumberjanes.

Humor

Superhero

Action/science fiction

Pedal Power, the untold story of how bikes, cars and cities got along

Name a city where bikes are the nom de transportation. Most of you probably said Amsterdam and it is, but it wasn’t always that way. Pedal Power by Allan Drummond is a book that any kid who is learning to ride their bicycle can identify with, but not in the way that you might think.

Rather, Pedal Power is the story of Maartje Rutten, a young mother living in Amsterdam in the 1970’s. She likes to ride her bike around town with her son in the baby seat, but it’s getting more dangerous. Some older buildings are being demolished to make way for new highways and just like any other metropolitan city traffic is getting worse. She wanted a more bike friendly environment that would accommodate all levels of cyclists, not just athletes.

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New all age comic books for July 19, 2017

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It’s the weekend, let’s head out to the local comic book store and dig into the new all age comic books. Where is your closest comic book store? Just type in your zip code and you’ll be directed to one that is most likely within 10 miles of your home. This week has some jamming new all age comic books from the finicky art kid, tween movie adaptation purist, Whovians to superhero in tights folks and more. Here are 5 cool all age comic books that are good for ages 5 and up.

Simspsons Comics

Simpsons Comics is so consistently great that it might fly under your radar. Some of the humor might not resonate with kids younger than 9 on all of the stories, but they’ll love the colors, as well as the pacing of the comic book. Each issue usually comes with two to three stories that are silly and laugh out loud funny. In Simpsons Comics #240 Homer falls head first into the adult coloring book fad. It’s a touch Alice in Woderland and very, very funny for ages 10 and up.

Pink Panther Pink Anniversary

Pink Panther Pink Anniversary is one for the fans, but those fans-for the television show and comic book are 5 and up. This is one for the fans as it celebrates Pink through since his premier in 1971. If this issue is like the other then it will feature new stories, mixed in with classic ones. While the art difference might disappoint some parents kids will laugh as you read it to them or let them have some read alone time.

Batman/TMNT Adventures

If you didn’t pick up one of the best new all age comic books when it came out in individual issues this is your chance. Batman/TMNT Adventures collects all five issues from this fabulous mini-series that has Bats teaming up with some heroes in a half shell. What this mini-series does so well it that it pairs action and plot-in an all age comic book friendly format that neither young readers nor established comic book fans will pay any mind to it. This is fabulous story telling with action and more that ages 5 and up will love.

War For The Planet of the Apes novel

So, your tween wants to see War For The Planet of the Apes? It’s rated PG-13 and it’s on the harder edge of that rating, use your own judgment parents. When I was a tween and low teen kid my parents wouldn’t let me see R rated films, so I read the books. Name a book and they’ve got a movie novelization available. Name a bad movie from the early 80’s that kids wanted to see that was rated R and I read the book. Odds are, in those cases the books were better. This week has the movie novelization for War For The Planet of the Apes out. It’s got all of the end of the world mechanics in place, minus the state of the art motion capture work.

Ducktales

Ducktales is coming to Disney XD! Ducktales-don’t you miss that theme song? Disney Ducktales is being brought back to comic books by IDW and this week has the series starting with #0. This is an all new story that is easier to read and has more punch than the existing IDW Disney duck series. Get your Ducktales on, the water is fine and hum along to the song in your mind.

The music in the podcast is from Parvus Decree.

Humor

Superhero

Action/Science-fiction

Dig the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip RV in Atlanta on July 21

The Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip RV is ending its nationwide trip in Atlanta on July 21. The summer slide is real and all summer long the Scholastic Reading Road Trip RV has been cruising across the USA helping kids, parents and communities keep kids reading during those school-free months. An RV full of free reading activities, authors signing books and giveaways is just the sort of thing to help out parents and energize young readers.

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Bobs and Tweets #2 Perfecto Pet Show, early elementary a go-go

Bob and Tweets are birds of a different color. Specifically they’re two families who are quite different, the Tweets are neat and the Bobs couldn’t bother. This is the second book in the series by Pepper Springfield with illustrations by Kristy Caldwell. This is a silly book, that’s fun to read-and if early elementary kids saw the first one, then Bobs and Tweets #2, Perfecto Pet Show is one you’ll be able to tell.

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New all age comic books for July 12, 2017

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Headed to the comic book store this weekend to check out the new all age comic books? You’ll find lots of classic names in new packaging, a cool craft book, classic video game name finally comes to stores and others. What all age comic books are you reading? If it’s anything that’s under our radar or one that you particularly want folks to know about please leave any suggestions in the comments here on the post or over at the podcast.

Mighty Mouse

We were skeptical about Mighty Mouse coming back to comic books. Granted he’s a classic character and the premise sounds great, but it was on Dynamite Comics. Dynamite does some fine comic books for older readers, but the all age market place didn’t seem like their scene. Mainly it was their advertisements for their other comic books that I was concerned about. The last borderline all age comic book we saw from Dynamite was a couple of years ago and featured advertisement for other Dynamite books that were not for all ages.

Mighty Mouse plays it just right. The comic book has ads for other Dynamite comics, but they’re all OK for any audience. That’s a bonus because the plot and art for Mighty Mouse is a hoot. It references the classic appeal, while treating readers like they have a brain and are based in today’s culture.

Star Wars Legends The Original Marvel Years, Vol. 2

Back in the late 70’s Marvel Comics was the only source for Star Wars in comic books. Star Wars went back to Marvel in 2014 and they’re re-printing some of the original comics. Star Wars Legends The Original Marvel Years Vol 2 has Star Wars 24-38, Annual #1, Star Wars Weekly (from the U.K.) 94-99 and 104-115. This retails for just under $40, but classic Star Wars fans will love going back in time to look at these issues.

Art of Coloring: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas

Halloween is just over three months away and that means the onslaught of Nightmare Before Christmas merch is nigh. Truth be told, this merchandise never really gets old for us and this film still holds up as well as it did in 1993. Art of Coloring: Tim Burtons’ Nightmare Before Christmas is for age that can color well enough to stay in the lines and enjoy Oogie Boogie

Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man

Spider-Man is for the kids and Marvel Universe Spider-Man Vs. Sinister Six Digest issues 9-11 of this great monthly series. It also includes Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #1

Centipede

How is it that the classic Atari games have not been made into comic books or movies? Centipede is a new title from Dynamite that’s a great example of a teen comic and up. This is vengeance, with a Centipede twist, monster bugs and world killing messiness. It’s not for all ages, but those looking for strong science fiction action will dig this one.

Humor

Superhero

Action/sci-fiction

Catch the Summer of Mars with NASA through September 4

Mars is more than a red planet that inspired bad movies in the early 2000’s. Mars is the red planet that NASA will visit within this generation and the astronauts that will be part of that mission are already born. To our 7 and 5 year old that doesn’t mean too much, but to adults who can fathom how large a feat this really is it’s mind boggling. This is the Summer of Mars and NASA is rolling out the red carpet for its Mars Rover Concept Vehicle.

The Mars Rover Concept Vehicle is touring the east coast and is appearing at Suntrust Park in Atlanta July 14-16, National Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. July 21-22, Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ July 29-30, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York August 3-6 and at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, GA on August 12.

It’s important to point out that the Mars Rover Concept Vehicle is a concept. This is not the actually vehicle that’ll be rolling on big red looking for Marvin or manhunters. However, the vehicle is the real deal in that it’s big, life size and has some of the working conditions that astronauts will encounter up there. It also looks a lot like the Batmobile and somewhere Christopher Nolan’s Mars parents are smiling at their most famous progeny.

It’s also beautiful. The tires look like something a child would play with. They’re airless, metal creations that can fold inward, but are also strong enough to climb over rocks with enough traction to power through Mars sand fields.

The interior is part tank, hybrid car and DeLorean. Its seats are surprisingly comfortable and are compromised of a series of rolls. The interior dash is sleek and makes great use of space. There really is a gear shift too and it steers like a normal vehicle. However, its top speed is six miles an hour, so don’t any mental images of doing doughnuts. This vehicle is all science, packaged in just enough pop culture to make children dream about going to Mars.

I was slightly more excited about seeing it than our children. But once they actually saw it, they got it and you could see their eyes spin with wonder and curiosity. Do you have a great name for the Mars Rover Concept Vehicle? They’re having a contest on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to #NameTheRover. The contest runs through August 6 so use the hashtag, keep it family friendly and get creative.

After the vehicle’s tour it’ll go back to Kennedy Space Center where visitors can experience all sorts of outer space adventures. In speaking with the representative from there our kids seemed most curious about the Rocket Garden. It’s two words that normally wouldn’t create a compound word in definition, but in this case they do and that’s part of the wonder of space travel.