Daddy Mojo

All age comic books for February 3

Happy New Comic Book Day! That happens every Wednesday for most of you, like Boom! Studios, IDW, Marvel, Image, Oni Press, Action Lab, and Archie Comics. For those of you keeping score, that’s every comic book house except for DC Comics, whose books come out on Tuesday. Regardless of who you’re celebrating, make it a good one and phone ahead to your local comic book store so that they can save books for you. Now, let’s look at the all-age-comic books that are arriving this week.

Our oldest son is 11 now and he’s been enjoying The Amazing Spider-Man for two years now. The Amazing Spider-Man #101 is being re-released in a facsimile edition. This is cool because it’s the first appearance of Morbius and the facsimile edition means that it’s printed the way it was in the 70s, vintage ads, letters to the editor, and everything. This comic book, even in its modern incarnation is fine for a 10-year-old. There might be one or two bad words in the comic book, but it’s nothing they’re not hearing in school or on TV.

Marvel Action is one of the best all-age titles out there. It’s a team-up between Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing. Marvel Action Origins #1 is out this week and takes a look at two Marvel characters and their origin story. Granted, we need another Peter Parker origin story like a hole in the head, thankfully the other origin story in this comic is Thanos. Each subsequent issue will also feature two characters from the MCU.

What are you reading this week? Let us know in the comments or hit us on Twitter to share the all-age comic book 411 that we’re missing.

Issues, all age comic books, they got em.

Little People, Big Dreams, Charles Darwin is go-to, smart fun for 4 and up

“This is not a baby book”, I told our nine-year-old. “Are you sure, it looks like a baby book”, he said with an unsure look. I understand why he questioned us. Little People, Big Dreams Charles Darwin looks like a book that demos young, and it can be. It does so in a way that the content is presented younger and certainly speaks to audiences that aren’t of his mature student behavior or the third-grade vintage. To us, it’s a book that takes a very smart subject and brings it down to a level that he can easily understand. This series is fun, engaging, makes young readers think about real people, and does so in a way that second graders can understand.

This series is great and this book is awesome.

Send A Girl!, non-fiction for agenda girls that wants to be loved

As a rule, I recommend children’s non-fiction books to young readers. I work in elementary schools, know the librarians who run their libraries and try to weave in real stories whenever possible. Based on that criteria, Send A Girl! by Jessica M. Rinker, with illustrations by Med Hunt is an illustrated book that will be reading candy for some niche audiences, but that’s it. Send A Girl! The True Story of How Women Joined the FDNY is about the first crew of firefighters, which included Brenda Berkman, who became the first women to join the FDNY.

It means well, but comes off as stale and preachy

Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon slays the sophomore slump

In a literary corner in the elementary book wing of life, Lola Dutch and Amy Wu are best friends, hang out together and do crafts. Lola Dutch is a ridiculously cute rhyming illustrated book about a young girl and the power of imagination. Amy Wu is the titular character in the series from Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua that is just as entertaining. However, Wu demos a little bit higher and shows aspects of Asian, specifically Chinese heritage in a way that’s fun, relatable, and educational for elementary-aged readers. Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon is the second book in the series and continues its broad appeal to young readers aged four and up.

We love a sophomoe book series that surpasses its first release

Honeybee, a massive love letter to bees that young readers will relish

It’s a testament to an author when their work can be beautiful, moving, educational and disgusting all in the same book. Somewhere in a combination of those adjectives is the secret sauce for getting elementary-aged readers hooked into a subject matter they otherwise might not be attracted to. Honeybee, The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohman is an oversized illustrated book that wrangles all of those things, as well as a little poetry AND a narrative device. The result is a coherent story that has action, the wonder of life, the reality of death, and the promise of a new day. As a bonus, it’s also a true story about something all kids and parents know of, but really don’t know anything about.

The fabulous buzz on this book is true

All age comic books for January 27

Happy new comic book day! That happens every Wednesday and there are a couple great all age comic books released each week. This week is great if you’re a Star Wars fan who wants a graphic novel for readers in elementary school and up. Star Wars Adventures is an ongoing series from IDW Publishing and captures the action and fun of a galaxy far away, but keeps the content appropriate for ages seven and up. Most importantly it does this without watering down or babyizing the story. This is a great comic book or graphic novel for libraries too.

For the entire list of all age comic books this week just jump on past the picture.

Everyone has issues, these all age comic books are fun though

The Torchbearers satisfyingly finishes the Darkdeep mglit trilogy series

That headline sounds likes like a backhanded compliment. It isn’t meant to be but does require a little history. The Darkdeep, the first book in the series was a perfect example of mglit escapism. It set up a world where the kids felt real and the dangers they eventually discovered were equally as scary. The Beast was good but was muddled at times. There was so much happening that the broader world that the kids and the Darkdeep created was confusing and felt like too much. Ironically, in The Torchbearers, authors Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs say hold my drink; amp up the action, widen the book’s scope and end the series in a way that’s fun to read for ages eleven and up.

The TOrchbearers rounds the Darkeep series with ooomph

Arkhamaniacs, a DC Comics graphic novel that runs with glee for 8 and up

When I was a younger man, the Muppet Babies rubbed me the wrong way. I saw the ‘babyization’ of already famous characters represented as infants or babies as robbing the tomb of my childhood. It should also be said that I was also 22 and had a friend who seriously started a petition to remove Barney from PBS because he was annoying. The ’90s, combined with being in your twenties and trying to find yourself was a wacky time wasn’t it? With that mindset clearly in the rearview mirror, I read Arkhamaniacs. I also gave it to our kids to read. Our nine-year-old loved the graphic novel and immediately curled up in bed to read it.

An original all-age graphic novel that immediately attracts 8-year-olds