Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice- Trailer Park Disaster

  I've already posted a review for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. I feel like I was pretty fair with the film. But now I want to rip into Warner Bros. for a minute. Batman V Superman was rated PG-13. I have no qualms with that nor can I argue about parents taking their kids to see this film, even if they are too young for it. I saw several kids under the age of 13 at the showing I went to today and if I had kids, I would probably be guilty of doing the same.

   But come on DC and Warner- use a little bit of common sense when it comes to the trailers add to the showing!

   The first movie trailer was for the newest Amityville Horror picture. Let me tell you folks; it scared the crap not just outta most of the kids in the theatre- it scared the hell outta me!  In the trailer you've got an SAWK (Scary Ass White Kid) roaming the halls of the haunted house, insects flying out of a girl's eyeballs, blood dripping walls, things jumping out of windows, walls, and mirrors, and normal looking people getting demon possessed and looking all scary.

   Now when it comes to the content of the Batman/Superman film, if there was something too violent or startling and you didn't like it, I really can't defend a person's choice to see this film with children under the recommended age of 13. If you think a live-action superhero movie is going to have the heroes fighting bad guys over an innocent round of Twister, you don't understand superheroes. But, that's not what I had trouble with- it was the choice of commercials before the first meeting of Batman and Superman!

  Know your frickin' audience, Warner Bros! If you are advertising toys, clothes, posters, and other goods towards kids, WB/DC, you've got to expect kids are going to see the thing. Do you really think parents are going to take them to see a slasher flick?  So let's use a little bit of better common sense in picking something a little less heart-stopping than the Amityville Horror when the Wonder Woman movie comes out next year, please!

Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination (Family Comics Friday)

Cover to the last chapter of A Crisis of Imagination #18.

 Maxwell and Lily are siblings from an alternate earth. Maxwell has a magic pen and pad that can conjuror anything he can imagine. Lily has a globe that when powered up can transport you to anywhere in the known universe. Together this brother and sister superhero team are the Scribblenauts.

   Created in 2009, Scribblenauts is a puzzle adventure video game that has developed a sort of cult following. After several years success, the franchise branched out into the DC Universe with Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure in 2013. Featuring over 2,000 characters from the DC Universe, the game spawned a number of action figures, t-shirts, and in 2014, a webseries and eventual print comic book series.

   In this series, Maxwell and Lily return to the DCU after the events of the video game to discover that their beloved friends in the Justice League are being menaced by their former allies. When Maxwell discovers that these supposed friends are being possessed by Shadow Demons, the Phantom Stranger arrives to warn that a crisis looms threatening the very fabric of the multiverse. The key player behind this threat- the Anti-Monitor.

     The book begins like a sugary kids book. I'm not knocking it. But the first two issues weren't really my cup of tea. But once the books started to delve into the rich history of the multiverse and include characters from Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, Earth 2, and Batman Beyond, I really took a shine to this book. It was like reading an amped up all-ages version of Crisis of Infinite Earths.

   Like any good kids multimedia project does, Scribblenauts includes a story that children will enjoy along with little nuggets that bring back a wave of nostalgia to adults. The art, while cartoony, still evoked over 75 years of DC History. By the end of this book, I wasn't wanting it to end.

   There is a bonus story that while too entertaining, it negates some of the stories in this plot. It was never published prior to this collection. I am thinking that is that case as it wipes out one baddies transformation into one of the good guys in the main series.  Honestly, I am not even sure why they included it. 

    One thing that some properties, like Disney, do is push the envelope, often with a bit of innuendo. That doesn't happen here. Nor is there any bad language. Lots of cool lines from classic films like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future abound in this series and they gave me a chuckle. There are some mild violence and a little bit of sorcery but otherwise, like the Scribblenauts video games, this miniseries is considered quite family friendly.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2015 (Family Comic Friday)

This week's Family Comic Friday focuses on the classic British sci-fi series, Doctor Who. Now, you might be saying 'Wait a minute Madman, Doctor Who isn't for kids!" And you'd be wrong! When the show first aired in November 1963, not only was the show aimed at kids- it was an educational series to boot. One week, the Doctor would fight crazy aliens, the next he'd take his little blue box, the TARDIS, somewhere back in time and meet cavemen or Marco Polo. Eventually, the aliens and monsters episodes would prove to be more popular and the time travelling adventures would be phased out completely, unless the Doctor went back in time to meet someone like Shakespeare and battle some aliens posing as the three witches from Macbeth.

    Though Doctor Who is a little scary and a little violent, at it's very heart, this is a kids show. I started watching about 1981-82. This was when the first Peter Davison (The Fifth Doctor- My Doctor!) episodes as the Doctor were airing on PBS in America. I was 4 or 5 and I'd come home from Kindergarten and plop myself right in front on the tube and watch me some Doctor Who. I loved it!

   The series went away from American airwaves about 1986 and stopped being made altogether in 1988-89 in Britain. Years of waiting and rumors of the Doctor's return meant having to get your Who fixes by either watching old episodes on VHS or finding a novelization of his new adventures. We got a small glimmer of hope with a 1996 TV movie on FOX, no less. But it was another 9 years before the TARDIS would rematerialize on the airwaves. 

   From when Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor advised his future companion Rose and us to "Run!" in 2005, three other actors have assumed the role. David Tennant's Tenth Doctor is by some considered the best Doctor of all-time. I would have to agree (though I am very fond of the Fifth Doctor.) Tennant's successor, Matt Smith is my wife's favorite and really the incarnation that helped make the series become more mainstream and more universally kid friendly. Currently, we are at Doctor #12, played by elder statesman, Peter Capaldi. His Doctor is a little more obtuse, grouchy, and very original series Doctor Who, but the kids and established fans love him anyway!

    If you want to catch up on any of the new Doctors in comics, Titan Comics is where it's at. Concurrently, they run 3 different Doctor Who series containing all-new adventures of the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelveth Doctor. At this year's Free Comic Book Day, Titan offered a book that featured 3 short stories starring the Tennant, Smith, and Capaldi Doctors. Let's take a look at them individually:

   The first story starred the Capaldi Timelord as he and his companion Clara travel to a planet that's seen some odd storms brewing. When the Doctor discovers that the lightning in the storms is alive, he must rescue the creature before it overloads the power core of the planet's research station. The art was very good with great renderings of the Doctor and Clara. But, the story jumps around a little as if the script was deemed too long and edited for time. Only, those cuts removed vital information to making this a very coherent tale.

   Next up is Matt Smith's Doctor as he and his companions travel to London, 2015, where all of the residents are going ga-ga for Free Comic Book Day. The Doctor uncovers an alien plot in which the menace is using his comic to control the London populace. This was a very funny story. The only issue here was that the Doctor travels with 3 all-new companions and this short tale doesn't give very much time for the reader to adequately become familiar with them all.

    Lastly, we have the Tenth Doctor and his new companion Gabby. It's laundry day in the TARDIS and when the Doctor accidently leaves his handy sonic screwdriver in his coat pocket, it turns the dirt on his clothes into a rampaging gunk monster. The best story of the book- it had fun, adventure, and most of all hearts (as Timelords have 2 of them compared to humans who only have the one.)

    This Free Comic Book Day offering has me excited to start diving into these series; especially the Smith and Tennant books. One very awesome teaser at the end of the book was that Titan is to start publishing miniseries based on the 10 other versions of the Doctor with Eccleston's incarnation being first up.

    Another cool announcement (and the reason I choose this book for today's Family Comic Friday selection) is on August 15th (2 weeks from tomorrow), Titan will be hosting the second annual Doctor Who Comics Day at various comic book shops and libraries around the globe in celebration of the release of the first Titan Doctor Who Crossover event. Be sure to check the Doctor Who Comics Day page for more details. And then check with your local comics retailer or library to see if they are participating in this event. Hopefully, they are and you can pick up some free goodies, meet some fellow Whovians (fans of Doctor Who- DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU IT'S CALLED 'DWEEKS' AS THAT'S COMPLETELY FALSE!), and have to some fun!

   So, what are you waiting for- check out these fantastic comics today and become the newest companion to the Doctor!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating:  12th Doctor tale: 8 out of 10 stars.
               11th Doctor adventure: 9 out of 10 stars.
               10th Doctor story: 10 out of 10 stars.
    AVG Rating: 9 out 10 stars.

Howard B. Wigglebottom Listens to a Friend: a Fable About Loss and Healing (A Family Comic Friday Extra)

 You're probably asking 'Hey Madman, this isn't a comic book- so why are you reviewing it?' Well, I recently won this book as a giveaway on goodreads.com. Goodreads is a website for bibliophiles to be able to track and record their reading journals and book collections. Plus, there are tons of contests to win free books- including graphic novels and comic books; which is how I got attracted to the site.

   Howard B. Wigglebottom is a kind-hearted rabbit whose friend Kiki is acting very weird. She's pushing people, yelling at them, and crying. When Howard finds out that a very special friend of her's passed away, he very much wants to make her happy again. So how can Howard and friends help Kiki without making things worse?

   This is the latest volume in the Howard B. Wigglebottom series. The books are written by Howard Binkow and Reverend Ana of the We Do Listen Foundation. The organization is comprised of educators, artists, and licensed therapists in hopes of making serious issues relatable for children. This book tackles the extremely tricky subject of death and it does a very good job of making it understandable. Even better, they work to make the subject no longer frightening and not to be treated as taboo. The back of the book even includes a study guide for parents and educators to better broach the subject with children.

    The 15 books in the Wigglebottom series can be purchased on Amazon. But to garner the full effect, I recommend you check out We Do Listen's website.There you can check out free animated versions of select titles, songs, activities, and much more. You can even buy copies of all of the books for only $6 apiece or you can get all 15 volumes for only $75!

   A great teaching guide and storybook for children under the age of 10.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
 

Sisters (Family Comic Friday)

  Ever have that younger sibling that drove you nuts? Was your older brother or sister a big bully or at least that's what you thought because they always got their way or you into trouble? Then this true story graphic novel is the book you've been looking for Or that you should have written!
 
    Sisters is the 2014 sequel to the awarding winning graphic novel Smile by Raina Telgemeier. In this graphic novel, Riana is going on a semi-cross country drive to a family reunion along with her mom, younger sister, and baby brother. It's total sibling rivalry between Raina and Amara, mostly because while Raina is the oldest and a budding artist, it's the younger who keeps winning art awards and accolades.

    Throughout the trip scenes from the sisters lives are recounted. It's not a very good time for the family right now as their dad recently lost his job and his new vocation is preventing him from taking the trip with the fam.  That situation has caused the gang to move, pinch pennies, and has put a strain on the marriage of Raina's folks. Then there's also that little matter of Amara's pet snake who got loose in the family van and may have died somewhere under the seats or it might still be lurking around in the back under the cooler.

   I really enjoyed this tale. Though not all of the family crises mentioned in this book are solved by the final page, Sisters did have an enjoyable enough ending. Plus, with this being the second book, I'm sure a third book is on its way in this a trilogy friendly world. So, some matters will probably be addressed and solved then.

   The art was quite good and it matched the dynamic storytelling. Like I mentioned earlier, this is the sequel to another book called 'Smile.' I'm such a fan of this book and of Telgemeier that I hope to get my hands on that book very soon. Plus, I'm interested to know if Amara ever became famous like older her sister. If anybody has any info on her, please leave me a note in this review's comments section.

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Bakers Meet Jingle Belle One Shot (Family Comic Friday)

So before the review, let me introduce our players in this classic holiday comic team-up:

 The Bakers: This is the brain-child of Eisner Award winner Kyle Baker (Plastic Man.) His series The Bakers is loosely based on the antics of his four children, his wife Liz, and himself. When I've read old issues of The Bakers, I feel like I'm reading a cartoon version of the Cosby Show. The kids try to outsmart stay-at-home dad, Kyle, especially when he's pressed for a deadline, while Mom is a career woman who loves her husband and kids, even if their all a little crazy.

Jingle Belle: The daughter of Santa Claus and star of several one-shot annual holiday tales. She's the creation of Paul Dini, the creative genius behind Batman: The Animated Series and the Justice League series. Jingle looks like a giant elf and she's often seen giving her dad fits as she'd rather be a glamour star instead of the next Kris Kringle.

So we've meet everyone involved. Let's get started.

This one-shot published by Dark Horse Comics has Jingle Belle forced to assist her father on Christmas Eve. At the same time, Mom and Dad Baker need to do some last minute Christmas shopping and are in desperate need of a sitter. Somehow Belle is accidently sent to the Baker household and winds up watching the baby Bakers. Hilarity ensues when Papa Claus is chased by police as a prowler in a red suit when he goes searching through the Bakers neighborhood for his errant daughter.

I choose this book for my final holiday Family Comic Friday review of the 2014 season because both series are really funny and fun for children of all ages. The Bakers is cross between a family sitcom and a hipper version of the Family Circus. Jingle Belle, while obviously drawn with a little sex appeal, is reminiscent of those classic claymation holiday specials we've all grown-up watching, such as Rudolph and 'The Year Without a Santa Claus.' Sadly, both series are currently defunct. But I've found The Bakers in several library collections and both titles and their numerous volumes can be found in bargain bins and online for reasonable prices.

There's very little to object to in this one shot and it's participants' respective series. The only thing I don't agree with is how Santa curses- a lot! "#$%!" is often how his outbursts are portrayed, but I don't think he should do that. He's not a bad Santa. He's just flummoxed by the generation gap between him and his ultra-cool daughter.

Creatively, the story was very funny. Paul Dini provided the script while Kyle Baker drew and inked. The Baker family also contributed as co-plotters. I would've like this book to have been 48-pages instead of 32. That way, there could've been a small back-up feature where Baker wrote a Christmas follow-up and we could've seen Dini's wonderful art. Unfortunately, the only art of Dini's we get to see is a team-up collaboration the cover, where Dini draws Jingle Belle and Baker fills in the rest of the page.

This is a heart-warming Christmas special that could very well become a holiday tradition of yours as it's going to become one of mine.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

BirdCatDog (Family Comic Friday)

A Graphic Novel by Lee Nordling & Meritxell Bosch

 

Now I'm not a fan of graphic novels without words. I feel like I don't get my money's worth and I also feel like I've been dumbed down. However, since I do publish family friendly reviews of comics and graphic novels, I would be remiss if I vetoed reviewing books that weren't my thing.

 

'Three Heroes, Three Stories, Zero Words." That's the concept behind this all-ages graphic novel. The story reads two ways- straight across or left to right. On top of each page you’ve got a bird who wants to be free, in the middle a cat whose is need of a little adventure, and on the bottom is a loyal guard dog. Now if you only want to read about the bird, you just read the top section straight across. However, if you want to enjoy the nuances of how these intrepid animals’ stories enter twine with each other, then you read the book as you'd normally do.

 

In essence, there are 4 ways to read this book. It's a very clever concept that I expect will win this title some awards.

 

example of the 4 ways to read this book.
straight across or l-r.

The art is adorable. The stories are clever. The use of a separate color palette helps keep the action clear and flowing, though I must admit a couple of times, I got lost in the panels as the art isn't 100% sequential. Since this tells the story of 3 characters, the panels do have to go backwards a little bit at times. For example, you might see the bird escaping from a predator hawk by using the dog as cover. By the time you get to the dog walking to the middle of his yard and then you see the two birds flying past. It might seem like they looped the canine twice but in reality to explain why the dog shows up all of a sudden in the bird's story, you have to show what happens in the dog’s story.

 

I doubt children will have a problem with this. But if for some reason it becomes a concern, now you can explain these seemingly out of place time loops.

 

Again, I expect good this from this book in the near future. I really expect it to win a variety of publishing awards for its creative format. The book is intended for all ages but it could double as infant's 'first graphic novel.' But it's not a board book so pages could be damaged. But hey, let's get them started early right?

 

In paperback form, this book sells on Amazon for $6.95 or less. That's not a bad price! I found BirdCatDog at the library in hardback form, so that could be an option as well.


Worth Consuming


Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

Superman Family Adventures #4

The Daily Planet has a visitor in the form of a tiny monkey named Titano. He’s on loan from the Metropolis Zoo for a photo shoot. But when a chunk of Red Kryptonite falls from the sky and is digested by the curious ‘George’, trouble grows to epic proportions. Its Superman to the rescue until the radiation from the Red Kryptonite causes the Man of Steel to split in two!

  Now it’s Kent versus Can’t with a giant radioactive chimp terrorizing Metropolis! It’s the story of the century! Somebody find Olsen and bring Chief his coffee!

The team of Art Baltazar and Franco continue to pump out instant classics like this one. I love how they created exciting new stories for kids that are rooted in the New 52 universe while harkening back to the classic DC stories that mom and dad read as a kid! It’s a stroke of Disney-like genius- offering something for the whole family to enjoy.

The end of this book offers a study guide for teachers to use. I know if I still taught, I’d use this resource. I wonder if any teachers use this today.

Another Baltazar/ Franco gem that I found at my local library. Great comic, great series, great creative duo and Great Scott!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.