♥♥♥ For Your Valentine, the Beginning Reader

I am a huge fan of Toon Books and their commitment to instill children with a love of reading as well as a love of art and design. Too much stuff meant for kids in the bookstore is visually jarring and  just plain ugly. There's no reason why early readers should suffer through garish colors and dumbed-down storylines. They'll have enough visual disappointment in later life…

Thereza Rowe's ♥♥♥ (Hearts) looks like another Toon winner, with bold artwork in  a sophisticated palette. The story features foxes, sharks, chickens and kitty guards… and a quest for a lost heart. Beautiful enough to give to your grown-up Valentine, this book is perfect for beginning readers. 

Dinner and a Movie with Marvel Avengers and MarketSide Pizza

I didn't get to see Marvel's The Avengers in theaters (grandma and grandpa took the kids without me!) so I was anxious for it to be released on DVD. When I was asked to treat my family to dinner and a movie featuring the Walmart Exclusive Marvel Avengers Blu-Ray/DVD and Graphic Novel combo pack and MarketSide Pizza, I didn't hesitate. Pizza and comic books are kind of a no-brainer for me.

We love comic books in this household. And superheroes. Just between you and me, I've always been more partial to the Marvel universe than that other realm. The Marvel superheroes always have more humanistic flaws that I can relate to. They sort of teeter on the brink between superhero and supervillain. Well, you can see how I'd like that…

Anyway, back to shopping. I decided to go to Walmart while the kids were in school because it's Halloween season and I don't like arguing over candy and costumes. Especially while I'm trying to concentrate on serious business. Like, for example, using the augmented reality Avengers app Super Hero AR to enhance my shopping with Avenger-y goodness– another Walmart exclusive.

Using the app on your mobile device, you can scan special Avengers displays throughout Walmart and unlock a "Which Avenger are You?" quiz as well as interactive animations and sounds. Kind of cool! This big display lets YOU interact with the Avengers. 

Point your mobile device at it, using the Super Hero AR app, and be surrounded by the Avengers!

You'll also want to pick up a MarketSide pizza or two, emblazoned with your favorite Avengers. I tried to use the app on the signage above the pizza display but it wouldn't work for me, sadly. Captain America = Pepperoni, Iron Man = Five Cheese, Hulk = Everything. I got cheesy breadsticks, too. Nom nom.

When I got home, I was impressed with how nice the Walmart exclusive Avengers graphic novel is. It's full-sized and full-color, with glossy, thick pages. I was expecting something smaller and more perfunctory but this is the real deal for Avengers fans. Jasper ran off with it, immediately.

We also used the app to check out the AR features on the DVD packaging and pizza box. So cool- you get a whole little Marvel universe to interact with. This is way more impressive in person, I have to tell you. It looks very 3D and you can see it in 360º! Squint at my screen shot and you can see all the Avengers hanging out on top of skyscrapers, as superheroes are wont to do.

The kids love eating in front of the TV, especially all together. The movie is a bit long for younger kids and Roo said there were too many bad words.

Roo also says that Captain America is cute and that daddy likes Black Widow. I concur.

Jasper was ready for bed before the movie was over but he has added the Avengers graphic novel to his bedtime reading queue.

To see my whole shopping/Marvel Avengers Superhero AR app experience, check out my Google + album.

Keep up with all things Avengers by liking Marvel on Facebook and following @Marvel on Twitter.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Marvel. #MarvelAvengersWMT #CBias #SocialFabric. As usual, all opinions are my own.

Marvel's The Avengers: LEGOfied

I've mentioned how excited I am about the Joss Whedon-directed Marvel’s The Avengers, which hits theaters on May 4, 2012, but I'm even more excited now that I've seen the LEGO version of the theatrical poster:

I know. Isn't it amazing?! The Marvel Avengers LEGO sets look pretty epic. Look at the hair on Black Widow and the sheer bulk of the Hulk, so cool. I can't wait for fan-directed Avengers LEGO films to hit YouTube! Maybe I'll get my dream of a Whedon-esque musical version, á la Dr. Horrible…

For more information on the toys coming soon in conjunction with Marvel's The Avengers, as well as updates on the film premiere and events, "like" Marvel's The Avengers on Facebook and follow the @Avengers, Marvel’s @Agent_M and the #Avengers hashtag on Twitter.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I did not receive any incentive for posting about this event. I am simply a HUGE fan of Joss Whedon's many, many excellent productions (most of which ended much, much to soon) and an all-around comic geek girl. If they wanted to ply me with Avenger swag, I'd be totally into it but all opinions are, as usual, strictly my own. 

New Avengers Trailer

So, what do you think? I'm excited.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I did not receive any incentive for posting about this event. I am simply a HUGE fan of Joss Whedon's many, many excellent productions (most of which ended much, much to soon) and an all-around comic geek girl. If they wanted to ply me with Avengers swag, I'd be totally into it but all opinions are, as usual, strictly my own. 

Counting Sheep

Jeff Corriveau is a cartoonist who does a comic strip called Deflocked. It's one of seven new strips being considered for The Wichita Eagle, my local daily newspaper. The paper was recently bought out and has been undergoing massive changes. Hopefully, they will emerge as a more useful circular, but I take the revamping of their comics as a good start in the right direction. Seriously, folks… Wichita needs to get out more often. No, wait, that's just me.



Jeff has worked as a comedy writer for years and years ( Jenny McCarthy, Colin Quinn, Sarah Silverman, Jaime Pressley, Joel McHale, Aisha Tyler, Brooke Burke, Star Jones, Kevin Nealon…even the esteemed Larry David has given Deflocked his seal of approval– and that man likes NOTHING) and the bio on his site lists his qualifications thusly: "His daily brushes with unbridled narcissism and clueless pomposity fuel his unique point of view." I am not sure if he's referring to his former clients, his one year old daughter or himself, but I find that totally hilarious.




Anyway, check out these samples of Deflocked and if you like it, please VOTE YES on the Eagle's survey (scroll down). Now! Hurry, because the survey closes on November 1st. I don't think you even have to be a Kansan or register. Tell all your friends! Maybe Deflocked getting into our paper would up our coolness. Or at least our collective acerbic wit. Dude, the sheep is named Mamet…