© DC Comics

Have you ever wanted to be a real hero? Only a few days are left in DC Comics’ We Can Be Heroes fundraising campaign, which has already raised over $120,000 to fight hunger in the Horn of Africa. Donate now to be a superhero to thousands of people in Africa, where your money will go toward medicine, care, food, and even a mobile health unit to provide support.

DC Comics is offering special rewards for donors. Rewards for supporting the cause range from a special variant cover of Batman/Superman #1 drawn by Jim Lee, to high-end perks like tickets to a special DC Comics San Diego Comic-Con event or a meet and greet with Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. An exclusive showing of this summer’s Man of Steel has already sold out – in less than two hours — as comic book fans turn their enthusiasm toward a good cause.

DC Comics invites you to be a member of the Justice League to fight the hunger crisis. The fundraising campaign lasts until May 9, 2013, and you can visit the We Can Be Heroes web site for more information.

The post Be a Superhero! Join the We Can Be Heroes Fundraising Campaign appeared first on GeekMom.

Star Wars #4, Art by Alex Ross © Dark Horse Comics

Brian Wood is one of the busiest – and best – writers in the comic book business. Somehow he finds the time to write Mara (Image Comics), Star Wars, The Massive, and Conan the Barbarian (Dark Horse Comics), Ultimate X-Men and the new X-Men series coming this month (Marvel Comics). I don’t know how he does it. I’m already tired just from writing this paragraph.

Brian makes it seem effortless, even going the extra mile to stay fit and healthy. Curious about how he manages it all, I caught up with him to ask him about what’s coming up for the X-Men relaunch, Star Wars, about his adventures in CrossFit, and more.

X-Men #1, Art by Olivier Copiel © Marvel Comics

GeekMom: Will it be easy for newcomers (or readers who haven’t read an X-Men title in years) to jump right into X-Men #1?

Brian Wood: I think so, yeah. That’s always the goal, and our biggest challenge as the makers of comics: to satisfy newcomers and old-timers alike. It’s tricky, but its crucial and I think we did it here. It might take a couple issues before someone new to the X-Men is fully locked in, but getting there will not be boring, I promise.

GM: How did you choose the line-up?

BW: Marvel chose it! Haha. But I concur, it’s a great lineup, all heavy hitters, fan-favorites, and marquee names. There’s dozens of female X-Men and they’re all great, but for this launch we needed the all-stars.

GM: Are you aware of any special efforts being done to publicize the all-female X-Men, given how female-driven titles typically don’t sell as well as the male titles?

BW: Yeah, we’ve gotten some inquiries and done some outreach… honestly, this sort of this is massively high profile anyway, but a few unusual-for-comics publications have expressed interest, like Bitch Magazine, for one example.

And as far as sales go, I like to think this book will be the one that blows away expectations of female-led books selling poorly. If any book will, it’s this one.

GM: Brian Michael Bendis has mentioned that you’re “very involved” in the X-Men 50th Anniversary. Is it part of the X-Men relaunch, Ultimate Comics X-Men, or something new you can give a hint about?

BW: I guess that cat is out of the bag by now, but yeah, X-Men will be one of the four titles making up the 50th Anniversary Event later this year.

GM: Is dialogue with Chewbacca and R2-D2 one of your biggest challenges in Star Wars? In issue #4, R2-D2′s panel isn’t filled with “beeps” and “boops” – was that a deliberate decision to keep the conversation flowing?

BW: Well, later we have some extended conversations with people and droids with plenty of sound effects, and yeah, it’s hard to write that in a way that makes it part of a back and forth, and without the human side of the conversation basically repeating back what the Wookiee or droid says for the benefit of the reader. But it’s a fun creative problem to solve, one I enjoy.

Star Wars #2, Art by Carlos D’Anda © Dark Horse Comics

GM: Some Star Wars fans weren’t convinced that Princess Leia belongs in the cockpit of an X-Wing. Now that we’re 4 issues in, have you noticed your audience changing their tune?

BW: Maybe… or maybe I’m just hearing less of it, haha. But I hope it all sort of makes sense now, once readers see the context and what it all looks like on the page.

I also talk about this a lot – one of my favorite things to say to a skeptic is to run down the list of actions Leia does in the first film, and when you line it all up, especially including the “resisting torture” and “flying the Falcon” and “taking over her own rescue” – I can see people get it. I mean, one of the very first things we ever see her do is shoot a stormtrooper. She’s got the skills.

GM: Is A New Hope your favorite Star Wars film? 

BW: Yeah, it is. I like a lot of Empire, but mostly the Hoth scenes, which were endlessly re-creatable in the snowy Vermont winters I grew up in. But looking back, A New Hope is the right mix of nostalgia and drama and suspense for me. So I try to keep it in mind when I write this series, use that film only as a point of reference.

GM: Through your tweets it seems like you regularly exercise with CrossFit. How do you fit writing so many ongoing titles and a regular exercise program in?

BW: Well, after so many years of telling myself that it was impossible, that I was just too busy to take care of myself properly, I hit some sort of line that, once crossed, could not stand. I decided I needed to TAKE the time to exercise even if it meant wreaking havoc on deadlines for awhile. So I did that.

I’ve since found the balance, but for many weeks it was tough. I was late handing in work. But it really had to be done. My job, like so many people, is to sit in a chair for way too many hours of the day. I’m into my 40′s, and too many of my peers in similar circumstances deal with a lot of health issues. No way was I going to be one of them.

I work out 3x a week, and the intensity level of CrossFit being what it is, that is a huge amount for me. It’s great, it’s the best thing I could have done for myself.

GM: You hinted recently that your diet and exercise regimens are related to your writing. Is that where you got the inspiration for the character of Mara?

BW: Related to my career, in the ways I detailed above. That’s all I meant. I never really considered myself an athlete, even though I was quite active in a few things in my youth. But I am one now, that’s for sure.

But Mara predates all that, actually… Mara came out of some ideas of superheroes and athletes that have been gestating in my back brain for years now. Sometimes ideas just take that long to come together.

The post Brian Wood Talks X-Men, Star Wars, and More appeared first on GeekMom.

Mistborn, Art by Ben McSweeney © Crafty Games

The Mistborn Aventure Game, developed by Crafty Games, is based on the Mistborn trilogy written by Brandon Sanderson. The original three book series follows a band of heroes put together to accomplish the impossible and defeat a god. The world of Mistborn is populated with memorable characters, a setting where ash falls from the sky every day, and a magic system that is compelling and unique.

Mistborn seems to be tailor-made for creating a game in that universe, so when I had the chance to ask one of the Mistborn Adventure Game creators, Alex Flagg, some questions about the game, I just had to know what it was like. He talked about developing the game, the world of Scadriel, working with writer Brandon Sanderson, and more.

(Warning: Some spoilers for the novels follow.)

Mistborn seems like a setting perfectly suited for creating an RPG. Did you find that to be the case, or were there some unexpected challenges?

It was Mistborn’s suitability as an RPG setting that drew me to the series in the first place. After I read the first 30-40 pages of Mistborn: The Final Empire (the first novel in the series), I said to myself, “This guy’s a gamer.” The fundamental conflicts of the Final Empire’s society, the well-thought-out and highly detailed magic system, and challenges Kelsier’s crew faced seemed almost purpose built for a tabletop game to me. The world was just bursting with possibilities for fun and adventure. As it turns out, I was right; Brandon was indeed a player, and jumped at the opportunity to have an RPG made of his books. And he’s been highly supportive of all our efforts since.

Mistborn Adventure Game © Crafty Games

Forming Scadrial into a proper setting for a tabletop game did throw us a few curve balls, however. My business partner Patrick Kapera and I had worked on the Stargate: SG-1 RPG together back in 2003, but as it turns out, developing a literary property is quite different from movies or TV. For example, a novel can’t provide the same visual language of a show: every reader has their own idea who Vin looks like, or how Luthadel’s slums might feel, or what a kandra resembles. So it became part of our job to establish a look and feel for the Mistborn universe as part of our process. Fortunately, we were friends with Ben McSweeney, Brandon’s concept artist, and that made the process a whole lot easier than it could have been.

Another challenge was figuring out the myriad details we all take for granted in visual media. While the novels provide a great level of detail and texture about the world the heroes inhabit, ultimately the series only shows us a tiny sliver of that world. If the viewpoint characters never did something themselves, we simply don’t have any information to work with. Suddenly, simple things we all take for granted become big question marks for players; for instance, how do people in the south make their living? How do average people pay for food, and what do they eat? Are there birds in the world (that was a very serious question we debated at one point)? Again, we have been very lucky that Brandon’s been willing to let us flesh out the world in a way that makes it richer and engenders new possibilities for play.

Mistborn Concept Art (Skaa), Art by Ben McSweeney © Crafty Games

How involved was author Brandon Sanderson in the game creation?

Far more than any other licencor we’ve worked with! I had a number of discussions with Brandon at the very beginning, to get his feelings on how he’d like the game to play, which lead us to create an all-new system especially for Mistborn.

Throughout the process, I was able to contact Brandon for his insights on the world and what he thought of certain decisions we made which lead to some cool collaboration; for instance, the power of Feruchemical Cadmium (the ability to hold breath) was something that one of our writers came up with during development, and Brandon liked the idea so much he wrote that back into the novels!

Brandon also wrote an original story called “The Eleventh Metal” for the game, focusing on Kelsier’s training, and quite unexpectedly, he wrote some “liner notes” to our game to give fans his own advice and new insights on the Mistborn universe. It was a really great process overall.

Is your target audience readers of the novels who might be new to role-playing games, long-time RPG players who haven’t read the Mistborn trilogy, or both?

A bit of both, certainly, but we definitely wanted to focus on readers of the novels primarily. The best introduction to the Mistborn Adventure Game in my opinion is the first novel; not only is it a great story, but it gives players a good feel for the world and the basic premise of the game itself – playing as a member of a Crew. To that end, we really strove to give the reader a basic overview, while providing new insights and information on the books for fans of the novels.

The game does not assume the reader has played a tabletop RPG before, so it uses an rules system you can pick up in a few minutes, includes lots of detailed examples, and doesn’t require any more equipment than a handful of standard dice, a few pieces of paper and your imagination. We’ve found a lot of fans of the novels have appreciated our approach, and have been able to dive right in and start playing.

Mistborn Concept Art (Vin), Art by Ben McSweeney © Crafty Games

Why did you choose to set the game during the events of The Final Empire (with the Lord Ruler in power)?

More accurately, we set the Mistborn Adventure Game *around* the time of the first novel – going a hundred years before to anywhere through the third book totally works. But we chose The Final Empire as our pivot point for a few reasons, the foremost being to give gamers as much room to play and change the world as possible. RPGs are all about encouraging friends to make up their own stories together – ideally without worrying if they’re “doing it wrong.” Starting with the end of the Final Empire, the series becomes much more about one plot and makes it much harder for gamers to figure out where their story fits.

A lot of our “what if” advice in the book encourages players to consider what might have happened if Kelsier’s plan failed, or Vin died, or other ways to create space where you can insert your Crew. We found the best way to encourage players to really make the Final Empire their own to explore and change is to assume Kelsier hasn’t pulled off his scheme yet. Luckily for us, the Lord Ruler’s society has created an essentially static society for nearly 1,000 years – it’s pretty easy to assume a game set 50 or 100 years before Kelsier was even born would looks a lot like the world of the series.

Secondly, the Lord Ruler makes a great villain. The Final Empire, prior to the end of the first novel, is an easy place to understand for a gamer; there’s an oppressive government, an unstoppable god-king, dire social divisions and a people direly in need of heroes. That gives players some fixed points to work from, and clear opposition – after all, you don’t feel too bad spending months planning a heist against a noble house if you don’t have to worry about starving or the world ending!

And then of course there’s the practical implications: while we would have loved to cover Alloy of Law, development of the Mistborn Adventure Game took about a year, well before a draft of Alloy of Law was ready to go. Our next book will cover the Alloy era of the series, but we have plenty left to say about the time of the Collapse and the New Empire yet!

Kandra is an interesting choice for a player character. What was your motivation in adding a non-human race to the mix?

Personally, I found the kandra to be one of the most compelling parts of the entire series; TenSoon and OreSeur are awesome characters, and I love their arcs throughout the books. The idea of playing such a weird creature, especially one that’s a “frenemy” to the Lord Ruler and nobility, seemed like a great way to engage players in a really interesting way. For someone who’s really comfortable as a roleplayer and as a fan of the books, I think kandra are a uniquely rewarding option for playing the game.

Plus, y’know, a lot of fans really wanted us to include kandra as a character option. So there’s that.

Which Allomantic power would you most like to have?

Hmm… as a self-employed small business person, I’m gonna go with Bendalloy (which grants the ability to slow down time around you). There’s simply not enough day in the day to get everything done I need to get done and still have time to do all the writing I’d like to do.

If I were to cheat (or were a Twinborn), I’d have to go with Furuchemical Copper; as a creative, I have a lot of ideas I don’t need right now, but would really REALLY like to have them, perfectly recorded, for later. Feruchemical Bronze for wakefulness would be cool too. Sleep is for the weak!

When can fans look for an adventure set in the world of Alloy of Law?

Our hope is they can by Christmas of this year! We have the cover art and all the text in for our Alloy of Law supplement now, and are in the process of illustration, editing and approvals.

As you may expect, there’s about a thousand things that can go off the rails when you’re dealing with a project like this, but we’re striving mightily to see the book out sometime in 2013. For the impatient, we’ll be debuting our first Alloy adventure in August at the Gen Con game fair, so players can strap on their six shooters and start playing in a whole new age!

The Mistborn Adventure Game is available for purchase on the Crafty Games web site. A promotional copy was provided for review purposes.

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Little Red Riding Hood © Nosy Crow

The classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood comes to the iPad and iPhone in a captivating interactive storybook that continues to delight my four-year-old day after day. Little Red Hiding Hood, sporting a red hoodie in this updated story, gets some help from the reader as she saves Grandma from the Big Bad Wolf in this re-telling for the iPad generation.

Little Red Riding Hood from developer Nosy Crow adds choices along Red’s journey to let the reader decide how best to stop the Big Bad Wolf from getting his great big teeth on Little Red Riding Hood, giving a “Choose Your Own Adventure” feel to the fairy tale. (But don’t worry – there are no wrong paths that end up in the wolf’s stomach). My daughter loves to explore every path to play each mini-game along the way to Grandma’s house, from collecting thistles and other items to a Simon-style musical memory challenge.

Encouraging the reader to interact with the story was one of the developer’s goals with the app, according to Tom Bonnick, Digital Project and Marketing Manager at Nosy Crow. ”Our foremost ambition was always to make the most engaging and innovative reading experience as possible,” Tom said. “We’re firm believers in reading for pleasure, and so when it comes to apps, that means creating a story that is as compelling and exciting as anything else a child could do on an iPad.

“We wanted to create something that took full advantage of the potential of an iPad as a platform – and Little Red Riding Hood uses almost every conceivable feature… and we were really excited by the creative potential of non-linear narratives — the idea that a child can not only choose a different path in their version of the story, but create different outcomes that are dependent on previous choices.”

In most versions of the fairy tale, Grandma ends up inside the wolf’s stomach, and soon after Red joins her until the lumberjack comes to their aid. In Little Red Riding Hood, however, it’s up to the little girl to scare away the wolf and unlock Grandma from the closet — a change my four-year-old appreciated, as she has the opportunity to chase away the bad guy herself.

When I asked Tom about keeping the two out of the wolf’s innards, he told me, “Well, although I’m quite comfortable with reading print versions of the story of Little Red Riding Hood that end in that decidedly more gory way, we felt that the nature of our apps made that impossible to contemplate: they are incredibly innovative stories, where user interactivity drives the narrative forward, and that would necessitate a child having to be actively involved in the act of the wolf eating Grandma (as opposed to simply reading about it)… and it also didn’t feel like who we are — we’re really proud of making stories that are very child-and-parent friendly.”

The mini-games keep my daughter coming back to play the app again and again, which is not typical for her when it comes to interactive storybooks. When I asked her if she had a question for the makers of Little Red Riding Hood, my preschooler asked hopefully if more stops along Red’s path would be coming soon. Tom revealed that the app’s illustrator, Ed Bryan, is already working on the next fairy tale app in development – Jack and the Beanstalk — so she can look forward to a brand-new story later this year.

Little Red Riding Hood is available in the iTunes store for $4.99 for the iPad and iPhone. While I was initially wary of the price, the nine activities inside the story have made it a re-playable, entertaining app that has been worth every penny.

The post Hello, Little Girl! Explore the Many Paths of Little Red Riding Hood appeared first on GeekMom.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Chloe Bennet, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain de Caestecker, Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, and Brett Dalton) © ABC / Marvel

Last night ABC premiered the first trailer for what’s sure to be this fall’s most anticipated show – Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fans of The Avengers film should be pleased to hear that Agent Phil Coulson (played by Clark Gregg) will be back and taking his turn in the spotlight for the ABC drama.

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. web site is asking enthusiasts to tweet with the hashtag #coulsonlives to unlock another trailer for the show.

Curious what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be about?

Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. Coulson’s team consists of Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage, Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) expert pilot and martial artist, Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker); brilliant engineer and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) genius bio-chemist. Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet).

 

From Executive Producers Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”); Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot co-writers (“Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”); Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”); and Jeph Loeb (“Smallville,” “Lost,” “Heroes”) comes Marvel’s first TV series.  ”Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television.

The post Coulson Lives! Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Heading to ABC This Fall appeared first on GeekMom.

Much Ado About Nothing © Lionsgate

When Joss Whedon needed a break after the hectic filming of The Avengers, he didn’t go on vacation. Instead, he invited his close friends to his home for two weeks to make a film: William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. At last night’s kick off for the Seattle International Film Festival, a theater packed with 3000 eager Whedon fans cheered and laughed at the Bard’s comedy just like we were all groundlings gathered at the Globe.

Much Ado About Nothing is a tale of love, focused on two romantic pairings mixed in with a fair bit of drama. After returning from war to rest at the home of Don Leonato (played by Clark Gregg), Claudio woos the sweet Hero, which serves as the main plot of the story. But it’s the pairing of the reluctant Benedick and Beatrice, played by Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker respectively, that provide the more memorable and entertaining moments of the film. (If you’re a longtime fan of Angel and you want to see Wesley and Fred get the happy time together they deserved, buy your tickets now.)

The fast-paced “skirmish of wit” between Beatrice and Benedick translates well to this updated version, with a bit of slapstick thrown in to give the movie some real laugh out loud moments. Granted, the theater was filled to the brim with swooning fans, but there was something magical about a Shakespeare comedy giving the older gentleman next to me a fit of the giggles.

When updating the play for the screen, Joss Whedon made only a few alterations that flowed seamlessly without changing the text. Casting a female as one of the villain’s henchmen, giving some context to Benedick’s and Beatrice’s relationship without adding any dialogue, and having modern touches like cell phones and a paparazzi-style photographer all worked well. My favorite scene was the masked party in the backyard, where acrobats performed to the strains of “Sigh No More, Ladies,” the song included in the original play but this time with music written by Joss himself. The entire scene was enchanting, celebratory, and like the film, utterly romantic.

Hero and Leonato © Lionsgate

After the film, Joss Whedon and members of the cast appeared onstage for a short Q&A, where they revealed their own favorite scenes and moments filming the movie. Not many claimed prior Shakespeare experience – “Shakesperience!” Whedon interjected – and Nathan Fillion admitted not having much time to prepare for the role. In fact, he thanked Joss for not letting him “chicken out” from the movie.

The moderator asked if speaking Shakespearean dialogue without a formal British accent seemed odd to the actors. “Joss would host readings at his house for a [Shakespeare] play here and there,” answered Alexis Denisof, “and I don’t think we ever thought about it at those readings. They were just a fun excuse to get together to hear a play and have a glass of wine with your friends… That spirit sort of infused this film.”

Much Ado About Nothing absolutely feels like a gathering of old friends, with many familiar faces from the Whedonverse, all joining together to match wits and talk of love and marriage. The film opens nationwide on June 7, 2013.

The post Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing is a “Shakesperience” appeared first on GeekMom.

Justice League at Target © Target / Warner Bros.

Much to the delight of geek moms everywhere, this summer Target has teamed up with Warner Brothers and DC Comics to bring a wide assortment of Justice League merchandise to stores nationwide. From Batman hooded towels to a Superman snack container, there are some truly unique products to be found in Target stores right now. (Seriously, where else will you find Wonder Woman’s invisible jet as a baby’s pool floatie?)

Wonder Woman Camp Chair © Target / Warner Bros.

While most of the goods have a playful Silver Age feel to them, you will spot many Justice League characters sporting their New 52 costumes on signs around Target stores. And as Man of Steel gets ready to hit theaters in a couple of weeks, it’s easy to predict we’ll be seeing even more Superman merchandise in the store. Who knew Target of all places could become a comic book nerd’s go-to store for fun finds like a Batman or Wonder Woman camping chair?

According to the press release,

In addition to the exclusive summer collection, Target will be part of a broader partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products that will offer more traditional Justice League licensed products. The broader partnership will span more than 20 categories including home, stationery, toys, apparel and accessories. All Justice League licensed products will range from $1 for Justice League temporary tattoos to $59.99 for a Justice League Rocker Chair. Target will also offer Justice League Halloween costumes for kids later this year.

You might pretend to get the Wonder Woman sand bucket for your kiddos, but it’s okay if you’re really getting it for yourself. I made a big show of purchasing a shiny Wonder Woman placemat for my daughter, but who has two thumbs and has eaten all her meals this week on it? This mom.

The post Forget the Hall of Justice: Find the Justice League at Target appeared first on GeekMom.

This summer the Avengers assemble once again – in the Tri-State Area! In Disney and Marvel’s first animated crossover, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, and Iron Man find themselves accidentally de-powered by Dr. Doofenshmirtz, and turn to Phineas and Ferb for help.

The first meeting of the Marvel Universe promises to be a lot of fun, with the crossovers and team-ups that fans dream of. Agent P and Nick Fury! Dr. Doof and a host of villains including Red Skull, Whiplash, and Venom!

You can catch the trailer for the upcoming Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel during tonight’s new Phineas and Ferb episode on the Disney Channel (9 p.m.). Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel airs later this summer on the Disney Channel.

The post Phineas and Ferb Embark on Mission Marvel appeared first on GeekMom.

Monsters University © Disney / Pixar

Monsters University may be a Pixar first—a prequel—but it captures the same magic of the delightful monster world crafted in Monsters, Inc. The story of how Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan became friends is full of laughs, scares, and even some unexpected setbacks, creating an entertaining film that shows moviegoers that it’s not always easy to achieve your dreams.

Monsters University takes us to college with Mike, where he encounters Sulley for the first time (not in the fourth grade, to the dismay of some Pixar purists). Although Mike is bursting with enthusiasm, eager to take part in the school’s prestigious Scare program, he’s met with skepticism from faculty and students alike. Mike is determined to show his fellow monsters that he has what it takes to be a Scarer.

One of the most skeptical is the president of Roar Omega Roar, Johnny Worthington. His voice is immediately recognizable.

Hearing Nathan Fillion’s smarmy voice is just one of the many delights from the voice acting in the film; as can be expected, Billy Crystal and John Goodman are fantastic, and Helen Mirren is downright frightening as Dean Hardscrabble.

Monsters University is gorgeously detailed, from every little tuft of fur to the well-worn floorboards in Mike’s dorm room. The most impressive visual treat, however, was the animated short film preceding the movie, The Blue Umbrella.

During the first few moments of The Blue Umbrella, I couldn’t tell if the short was animated or filmed. It is breathtaking. The story is sweet and simple, evoking some gasps from the smaller children in the theater, but leaving all with a smile on their face.

What impressed me the most about Monsters University is the film’s message that even though life is filled with setbacks, you can still appreciate yourself for who you are and find other ways to achieve your dreams. It’s not a lesson often found in a children’s movie.

It might be the healthy dose of nostalgia for the good ol’ days of college talking, but I enjoyed Monsters University more than Monsters Inc. I wasn’t sure if my four-year-old would understand the concept of college at such a young age, but Pixar tells the story so well that she was able to follow it without trouble. The monsters are more funny than frightening, making Monsters University a perfect film for kids big and small.

Monsters University is rated G and opens in theaters on June 21, 2013.

I attended a promotional screening of the film for review purposes.

The post When Mike Met Sulley: Monsters University appeared first on GeekMom.

Jennifer Walters and She-Hulk (She-Hulk #21, art by Greg Horn) © Marvel Comics

This summer, She-Hulk and Rogue enter a strange new Marvel universe: the shelves of romance. With two new novels from Hyperion hitting stores today, Marvel strives to placate longtime comic veterans and appeal to a whole new audience. The She-Hulk Diaries and Rogue Touch accomplish both as two entertaining stories that easily fit the bill of summer beach reads.

The She-Hulk Diaries, written by Marta Acosta, is narrated by Jennifer Walters as she navigates through life after She-Hulk has gotten kicked out of the Avengers Mansion. Jen is determined to get things back on track.

The She-Hulk Diaries places an emphasis on the dual nature of Jen’s identities; I never considered Jen as completely separate from She-Hulk until the novel pulled the interesting move of switching to third-person for Shulkie’s exploits.

For those who have followed Jen through the years, the novel does mention events from her comic book endeavors, such as her work at Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, and Holliway and her relationship with Tony Stark, giving comic book fans a sense that they’re still in the Marvel universe.

The She-Hulk Diaries focuses heavily on Jen’s love life rather than She-Hulk’s superheroics, but as She-Hulk has been known for her flings in the comics, it doesn’t seem completely out of character. However, Jen’s diary is rife with “OMG!” and other ridiculous acronyms that seem a little odd for a high-powered attorney, but that’s a minor complaint for a fun read.

Christine Woodward’s Rogue Touch sets a darker tone than The She-Hulk Diaries from the get-go. Twenty-year-old Anna Marie is on the run.  As the novel opens, she’s alone, hungry, and unable to hold a job, trying to survive without hurting anyone with a simple brush of her skin.

One night she crosses paths with the enigmatic James, who seems to hide a secret as deep as her own, and he takes her on her first adventure. Together the two flee cross-country and find themselves irresistibly attracted to one another.

While every reader has their own take on a character, for me, Rogue in the novel evoked Anna Paquin of the first X-Men film rather than the Rogue of the comic books. Rogue Touch creates a new past for Anna Marie, who in this version was raised by a bitter aunt after her parents disappeared. Anna Marie is given a likable Southern personality—she even rocks out to Carrie Underwood—and her point of view conveys just how terrible it would be to never be able to touch another person again.

Much of the attention on the prose versions of these Marvel superheroes is spent on romance rather than heroics. The She-Hulk Diaries and Rogue Touch are admirable efforts to reach out to a new audience for Marvel, and I hope they succeed in drawing in new comic book readers. Even existing fans might find something that piques their interest—I found myself looking through the She-Hulk issues on ComiXology to catch up on what Jennifer Walters is up to now.

If romance is one of your guilty (or not-so-guilty) pleasures and you love the Avengers and the X-Men, pick up The She-Hulk Diaries and Rogue Touch today.

Promotional copies of the novels were provided for review purposes.

The post She-Hulk and Rogue Swoon in New Novels from Marvel appeared first on GeekMom.

This fall, PBS Kids is premiering a brand-new show aimed at encouraging preschoolers to explore problem-solving skills and basic math concepts. Peg + Cat is the creation of Billy Aronson and Jennifer Oxley, who was also the creative director for Wonder Pets and 3rd and Bird.

The Chicken Problem © Random House

Oxley’s involvement alone was enough to get me interested in the new series, but it wasn’t until my daughter and I picked up The Chicken Problem at the library that we really began to be excited. Written by the show creators, The Chicken Problem is a fantastic introduction to Peg’s world. Peg is a girl who loves solving problems with her friend, Cat, and she has a personality that immediately leaps off the page and promises to translate well to the small screen.

The most striking part of Peg + Cat’s world, though, is the mathematical concepts that make up their world—literally. Flowers are created out of division signs, the clouds drifting in the sky are infinity symbols, and each page hides formulas and numbers. A commenter on the Peg + Cat opening song on YouTube identifies a formula in the background as a partial differential equation of a wave function.

If The Chicken Problem is any indication, Peg + Cat will be a fantastic way to get preschoolers like my daughter excited about solving problems. Three games are already up on the PBS Kids web site, and the pattern recognition activity Chicken Dance really got her wheels turning. According the PBS Kids press release, Peg and Cat’s adventures will take them across the whole wide world and beyond.

Each episode features a story in which Peg and Cat encounter an unexpected challenge that requires them to use math and problem-solving skills in order to save the day. Their adventures take viewers from a farm to a distant planet, from a pirate island to a prehistoric valley, from Romeo and Juliet’s Verona to Cleopatra’s Egypt to New York’s Radio City Music Hall. While teaching specific math lessons, the series displays the value of resilience and perseverance in problem-solving.

Peg + Cat premieres October 7, 2013 on PBS Kids.

The post The Fun on Peg + Cat Adds Up This Fall on PBS Kids appeared first on GeekMom.

Star Wars Turns One © Lucasfilm

Every time my daughter is invited to a birthday party, my wheels start spinning for the perfect gift. I’m not a fan of buying a present that simply matches the party’s theme. I prefer to find a gift that shows a little more thought, that still fits her friend’s personality and might even (gasp!) make their brains work a little. With that in mind, I surveyed my fellow GeekMoms for their go-to gifts for children of all ages. From games to toys to books, the GeekMoms have you covered with our favorite birthday presents for kids.

Ages 0-3

BabyLit Board Books
Jackie spotted her first BabyLit board book in a bookstore when her daughter was just a couple of months old, so she really bought Pride and Prejudice: A Counting Primer for herself. As a librarian and crafter, these tap right into Jackie’s deep love for literature and great design. She has given these as baby gifts to fellow lit geek parents (definite crowd pleasers), and feels they would make great first birthday gifts as well. Turns out Jackie’s daughter really loves them. She reaches for Sense & Sensibility almost nightly, and sometimes grabs it to turn through the pages a second time. Jackie can’t wait for Halloween and Christmas, when it will be time to dig into Dracula and A Christmas Carol. [$8.99]

Global Babies
Another librarian friend turned Jackie onto the Global Babies board book when she was still pregnant, since babies love looking at pictures of other babies. [$6.95]

Little People DC Super Friends Play ‘n Go Batcave © Fisher Price

Little People DC Super Friends 
Fisher Price’s durable Little People sets range from a farm to Noah’s ark to Disney princess figures. Their DC Super Friends sets, though, are a geek toddler’s dream come true. Playsets include a Play ‘N Go Batcave, Wonder Woman’s Invisible Jet, and more. DC Super Friends Little People are a fantastic way to introduce the world’s finest superheroes to tots.

LeapFrog My Pal Violet
Jackie’s daughter was given a LeapFrog My Pal Violet for her first birthday (there is also LeapFrog My Pal Scout), and she thought it was great. It connects to a computer with a USB cable so parents can customize it with their child’s preferences. You can program your child’s name, favorite color, favorite food, etc. This is a lot of impact at a reasonable price. The age range is given as 6 months to 3 years, and Jackie thinks it might be an even bigger hit for a second birthday. [$20.99]

Go Baby Go! Poppity Pop Musical Dino
The Fisher Price Go Baby Go! Poppity Pop Musical Dino is a huge hit in Jackie’s house. It has a bowl with a bouncing mechanism that pops balls back out, and her 15 month old loves throwing in every other toy she owns to see if they will pop out, too. Jackie recommends it as a fantastic gift for first birthdays. [$29.99]

Plush AT-AT
Jackie originally bought the plush AT-AT from ThinkGeek for her husband to keep on his desk at work. Now it is a happy addition to her toddler’s toy bin. Bottom line: It’s great for any age that likes Star Wars and stuffed things. But if it’s for a little one, maybe save it for a second child or wait until their first birthday, when the new parent worrying frenzy about baby-safe toys has worn off. [$9.99]

Monza
The Monza racing game by Haba is great fun for all ages. It is aimed toward young preschoolers who are learning their colors and counting. The pieces are made of wood, and hold up to abuse. Cathé’s copy of the game has been played many times by at least a half dozen kids and shows no wear and tear. [$22]

Ages 4-7

Kaskey Kids Sports Guys
Kaskey Kids has put a sporty spin on your classic Army men. GeekMom Rachel says that her son will get a whole tournament going with his hockey guys, and the color commentary can be hilarious. She’s given (and received) several sets of hockey guys as gifts, but there are also baseball guys, football guys, soccer guys, and soccer girls. Each one comes with a field or rink and other equipment for hours of play. [$11.99 to $29.99]

Geistes Blitz
Geistes Blitz is a game much in the same vein as Spot It. The game includes a deck of cards and five wooden objects. As the cards are flipped over, the players grab the object that is represented on the card. Younger children will need help with this game, but quickly catch on (and often beat the adults!). [$20]

Rock On! © iLaughnLearn

ROCK ON! Geology Game & Rock Collection
It’s hard to imagine that you’d want to bring any additional rocks into your home. However, the ROCK ON! game is pretty awesome and puts all of those tiny pieces into a nice carrying case. It comes packing 18 “specimens,” a rock guide, rock marker chips, and cards filled with educational and fun facts for the whole family. [$25]

Rory’s Story Cubes
The Post family has given Rory’s Story Cubes as a birthday gift more than once. They are perfect for any age kid. Dice with pictures on them that you can make stories up with? Yes, please! This game is straight up fun. [$9.99]

Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit
If the birthday kid is into Harry Potter, science, or–even better–both, the Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit will be right up their Diagon Alley. It’s recommended for kids ages 6 and up with adult supervision, though, so you might want to run it by the professors (i.e. the parents) first. [$19.99]

The Superhero Starter Kit © Chicken Socks / Klutz

The Superhero Starter Kit
Know a superhero in training? This Superhero Starter Kit includes a shiny red cape, as well as cardboard masks, wrist shields, and stickers to accessorize the entire super ensemble. It also has a hilarious book so that a little wonder can learn superhero moves and other tidbits. [$14.95]

DK First Reference Books
For kids who constantly ask “Why?” and want to know how things work, the DK Reference Series books are a dream come true. (Their parents will appreciate having a go-to source for answers other than the Internet.) The books are detailed but age-appropriate, covering topics like the First Human Body Encyclopedia, First Earth Encyclopedia, and First Space Encyclopedia. [$16.99]

Don’t Let the Pigeon Finish This Activity Book!

We’ve been talking up Mo Willems a lot lately. However, unlike all of his other Pigeon books, this is one that the kids can actually play. Don’t Let the Pigeon Finish This Activity Book! has portions you can cut, paste, draw, and color. It even has finger-puppets! Of course, there are plenty of cute (and sometimes crazy) sections to read, too. [$19.99]

Liquid Watercolors
Add liquid watercolors to a creative child’s collection of art supplies. Vivid colors offer up all kinds of opportunities for artistic exploration. Tie on a paintbrush or two, along with some pipettes and let the fun begin. (Set of six watercolors, $18)

Ages 8-12

Rush Hour
ThinkFun’s Rush Hour game is always a hit. Encouraging critical thinking skills, the game features a small base (think: portable), a number of little cars, and 40 mind challenge cards. Players work to maneuver the little red car out of the gridlock. With four levels of play, the classic game is suitable for ages eight and up (even adults). Rush Hour Jr. is great for six to eight-year-olds. Those inclined to love animals more than cars will like Safari Rush Hour. [$16-18]

Duct Tape Tote
People are making artwork, wallets, prom attire and all sorts of other cool things out of duct tape. Is there anything that it can’t do? This Duct Tape Tote starter kit will answer that question, allowing kids to get creative with duct tape and craft a unique tote bag that they can take to school, the beach, or to a friend’s house. Just rip, wrap, and wear. [$11]

Jungle Speed © Asmodee

Jungle Speed
Jungle Speed is a fun board game that will get all of the players running all over the house. This game was featured in the first season of Penny Arcade’s Strip Search and is great fun for all ages. [$19.99]

Blokus
Blokus is a good, standard game. For kids who spend a lot of time in the car, a travel version of this game is perfect. Even if kids don’t have someone to play with, they can make designs or practice strategy by themselves. [$14.99]

King of Tokyo
King of Tokyo has a lot of different elements to it. You can take over Tokyo as a famous monster, attack other monsters, build up powers, collect points, or all of the above. The deck of power cards is substantial and different powers will come up in almost every game. [$44.99]

Tree Houses You Can Actually Build
If your gift recipient has some outdoor play space, Tree Houses You Can Actually Build by Jeanie and David Stiles will inspire older kids to get outside, let their imagination run wild, and create a fun space of their own. Pair the book with a collection of hardware – pullies, clamps, and rope – and they’ll be occupied for days on end. [$18.95]

Star Wars Folded Flyers
Klutz offers a wide variety of activity books for kids ages 8 and up, and their Star Wars books will definitely light up the face of any young Jedi. The Star Wars Folded Flyers are a great pick for fans of things that fly, and Star Wars Thumb Doodles are fun for kids of almost any age.

Kris Bordessa, Rachel Cericola, Amy Kraft, Cathé Post, and Jackie Reeve contributed to this gift guide.

The post The GeekMom Birthday Gift Guide appeared first on GeekMom.

FemShep’s Pie, Art by Len Peralta © All the Nomz

If you’ve got hungry geeks to feed, look no further than All the Nomz, a cookbook put together by Lee Daniels, David Lewis, and Marian De Kleemaeker. All the Nomz is a cookbook with collaboration from notable geeks, created to help raise funds for the Child’s Play charity.

For as little as $5—but consider donating more!—you’ll get a digital cookbook with over 20 recipes from contributors like Marian Call, The Doubleclicks, Phil Plait, and more.

Recipes follow a wide variety of themes, geeky and not, and include concoctions like “One Bread to Rule Them All,” “Storm’s Really Great-Tasting Guacamole” from Greg “Storm” DiCostanzo of Paul and Storm, and the ominous “TacoDoughnut.” (GeekMom is not responsible for anyone who attempts to consume a TacoDoughnut.)

The cookbook is also peppered with brief biographies and Q&As from each contributor, so you might even learn something new about your favorite geeks.

All of these culinary delights help support a fantastic cause. Donations to Child’s Play provide games, toys, books, and movies to lift the spirits of ill children who are spending significant time hospitalized. Please consider supporting All the Nomz to encourage such a worthy cause. If you’re still undecided, take a look at the sample preview. But how can you resist a cookbook with a recipe for Fem Shep(ard)’s pie?

Artwork by Len Peralta; used with permission.

The post Cook Up Good Food for a Good Cause With All the Nomz appeared first on GeekMom.

Sherlock Holmes © BBC

When a show or movie reaches out and grabs its fans, they can be inspired to create amazing things. Geek fandom is known for crafting exquisite costumes, food, jewelry, and more, all for the love of a show. I recently discovered some geek-inspired beverages—officially licensed and not—that are perfect for grabbing a cup and settling in to re-watch your favorite episodes.

Sherlock Tea from Adagio Teas

Adagio Teas makes a wide variety of blends based on many different tastes and fandoms. At Adagio you’ll find tea blends inspired by movies like Harry Potter and the rebooted Star Trek, and shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender and True Blood, all packaged in tins with striking fan art.

Moriartea by Adagio Teas © Adagio Teas

The Sherlock-inspired teas caught my eye immediately. Some of the most memorable scenes in BBC’s Sherlock happen when a character has a cuppa in his hand. There are 31 blends created by Cara McGee, so fans of both the show and the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will find something to suit their tastes. Fans who dream about a particular relationship on the BBC show will even find something that’s just their cup of tea.

I’m dying to try the MORIARTEA, described as a “spicy chai backed by more ginger. Guaranteed to burn the heart out of you. Because that’s what people BREW.”

TARDIS Mug © ThinkGeek / BBC

Doctor Who Tea from Adagio Teas

Cara McGee of Adagio also created twelve tea blends inspired by Doctor Who. One of Adagio’s highest ranked fandom blends is the TARDIS tea, which sounds absolutely lovely: “Ethereal earl grey and enchanting black berry with notes of vanilla.”

You’ll also find blends created with the ninth, tenth, and eleventh Doctors in mind, and brews imbued with the essences of Captain Jack Harkness and companions Amy Pond, Rose Tyler, and Martha Jones. Cara McGee seems to be a true Whovian. Her ode to River Song in the form of a tea blend says simply for its delightful description, “I could describe this tea, but that would be spoilers.”

And if you find yourself in need of a good cup of a tea—I hear it’s just the thing for heating the synapses—you can pick up a TARDIS mug from ThinkGeek to complete the experience.

Take the Black Stout © Ommegang / HBO

Game of Thrones Beer from Brewery Ommegang

If you’re looking for something a little stronger than tea, look no further than the officially licensed Game of Thrones beer crafted by Brewery Ommegang.

The brewmasters kicked off their beer series with a blonde ale that embodies the Lannisters. “Iron Throne is certainly fair in color and soft in appearance, yet it still possesses a complexity and bite to be on guard for,” said brewmaster Phil Leinhart on the ale’s official web site.

The Iron Throne Ale sold out quickly, but luckily the brewery promises that their next beer in the series will be available in larger quantities to satisfy the throngs of Game of Thrones fans. The Black Stout, inspired by the Night’s Watch, is a brew described by Ommegang’s Mike McManus as “a hearty and robust beer to fortify those heroically standing watch at the Wall. Like their lives, the beer is dark, complex and bold.”

Star Trek Wines from Vinport

Vinport is offering several wines based on fan-favorite episodes of the original Star Trek series. Produced by the Viansa Winery in Sonoma, California, these red wines are a limited edition that are currently on pre-sale.

Star Trek Wines © Vinport / CBS

The labels, created by artist Juan Ortiz, use a minimalist look to capture “The Trouble With Tribbles,” “Mirror Mirror,” and “The City on the Edge of Forever.”

Downton Abbey Wine from Wines That Rock

If you prefer a wine inspired by the past rather than the future, you’ll be happy to hear that a licensed Downton Abbey wine is coming soon from Wines That Rock. Although little is known about the wine, Wines That Rock assures fans that the Bordeaux clarets and whites will be authentic, thanks to a team-up with a vineyard with “over 130 years of experience in creating the world’s best wines so these are wines the Crawley family would have been proud to serve at Downton.”

The wine should be released in time for the premiere of the fourth season of the show on PBS.

The post 5 Geeky Beverages Inspired by Your Favorite Shows appeared first on GeekMom.

Grace from Outer Space © Mike Davis

If you’re the parent of a young girl, chances are you’ve been inundated with princesses and Barbie in “girl” books and movies. My daughter has created her own interesting mix with her playtime, with passions ranging from Barbie and princesses to Power Rangers. What I’d really love, though, is to give my four-year-old a story to latch on to that includes not just a plucky heroine, but introduces her to new science concepts as well. I was delighted, then, to come across this Kickstarter campaign for Grace from Outer Space—a picture book app aimed to “get young girls interested in astronomy, science, and technology.”

Project creator Jenna Bryson has a background working with children as a musician and entertainer. She enlisted the help of an illustrator and an astronomy graduate student to create a factually correct story that follows the adventures of a little girl whose home is among the stars.

[Grace from Outer Space] is a rhyming picture book story for kids about ages 4-8 years old. It’s a slice of life story, depicting what it might be like for a little girl to live on a space ship with her family. It’s full of wonder, imagination, and best of all, scientific facts!

In reading the book, kids will learn through the eyes of our curious heroine. Some of the ideas introduced by ‘Grace’ include the concept of black holes, the speed of light, and dark energy.

The fundraising campaign has just a few days left and a long way to go, so consider donating to its efforts if you’ve been looking for an iOS app with a STEM focus for your young kids.

The post Meet Grace from Outer Space appeared first on GeekMom.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf © Nintendo

Animal Crossing: New Leaf recently made its U.S. debut on the Nintendo 3DS—and I agree wholeheartedly with Corrina’s son—”[This] game beats any other in the series by a landslide.” In addition to exciting new features like making changes to the town, mayor, and visiting Tortimer Island; I’m a huge fan of the way Animal Crossing: New Leaf employs QR codes for adding custom designs to clothing, flags, and even the ground. Now you can bring your fandom into your town and make it a place you’re proud to be mayor of.

Naturally, thanks to the wonders of the Internet, there are thousands of Animal Crossing designs out there—many of them with geek flair. Here are some of my favorite QR codes for your town that let you fly a Mockingjay flag, emulate everyone’s favorite bro Clint Barton, go steampunk, and more.

Unlocking and Using QR Codes

First things first, though. If you haven’t already unlocked the machine in the Able Sisters’ shop to read and create QR codes, you will need a little patience first. Simply speak to Sable while she works at her sewing machine every day until you become friends (This can take 7-10 days.) She’ll then place the machine in the shop and guide you through the steps of using it.

Once you find a design online that you like, just hold the 3DS camera up to the screen to read the code. I’ve had varying degrees of luck reading the codes — the ones on the official Animal Crossing web site just won’t work — but the designs look just like they’re advertised once you scan it in.

For your first design, might I suggest a one-of-a-kind GeekMom shirt?

GeekMom Shirt in Animal Crossing: New Leaf © Nintendo

Other Great Geeky Designs

There are a multitude of Tumblrs out there with QR code after QR code of fantastic designs. Here are some of my favorites for those times when I want to cosplay or geek out around town.

10th Doctor’s Coat
Buzz Lightyear and Woody
Direwolf Sigil (Game of Thrones)
N7 (Mass Effect) Jacket
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Flags
Sailor Moon
Steampunk Dress and Hat

Costumes and clothing are just the beginning. You can compose your town tune as the theme from Doctor Who or just turn your entire town into the world map from Dragon Quest. With practically unending, customizable game play for you and your kids, Animal Crossing: New Leaf is one of the best titles out for the Nintendo 3DS.

The post Fly Your Geek Flag (Literally) in Animal Crossing: New Leaf appeared first on GeekMom.

This week on Hasbro Studios’ Transformers Prime Beast Hunters, Optimus Prime and the Autobots must find the Decepticon warship to rescue one of their own. In this exclusive clip, Ratchet discovers the full extent of Megatron’s plans and attempts to make his escape — but can he get away in time to stop Megatron?

This season of Transformers Prime Beast Hunters is almost at an end, so don’t miss the action this Friday at 7:30 pm EST on Hub Network.

The post Sneak a Peek at Transformers Prime “Synthesis” (Exclusive!) appeared first on GeekMom.

When I’m on Pinterest, I’m usually there scouting for crafts or surfing through the best category on the site (Geek, of course). It’s rare that I look for anything to use as a solution to a problem. But when I was fed up with the continual state of grime on our glass shower door, I remembered my cousin had told me about something she’d spotted on Pinterest.

I took to the pins in desperation to find the magical cure for soap scum.

If you search for shower cleaner on Pinterest, one comes up time and time again: Blue Dawn and vinegar. The dish-washing liquid, when combined with an equal part of vinegar, is a solution that many pinners praise for taking off soap scum without scrubbing.

I don’t know what mystical ingredient blue Dawn has hidden inside, but this stuff works. Just spray, wipe, and rinse. I’ve stopped trying to scrub with Magic Erasers or any other commercial cleaner on the shower doors since trying the Dawn and vinegar solution. I would love to post a side-by-side comparison showing you our scummy shower glass and the clean result after using this mixture, but I just don’t have a camera good enough to focus on icky soap residue. (Plus, I’m not sure you really want to see where I shower every day.)

Here are a few notes based on our experiences:

• When mixing up your Dawn and vinegar solution for the spray bottle, be sure to follow the original directions and heat the vinegar first. My husband made a batch without realizing that was a step, and the result didn’t work as well.
• As you can imagine with something that uses heated vinegar: this stuff does not have the “lemon” smell you normally associate with cleaners. Or, as my daughter put it, “Why does it smell so bad in here?” The odor dissipates quickly enough, but just be prepared for a strong vinegar smell. Chances are you might prefer it to a chemical cleaner.
• Some reviewers mention that using less Dawn (instead of an equal part) will result in fewer bubbles and suds, or sprinkling salt on the bubbles to get them to go away. I’ve not had an issue with that yet, but it’s worth noting. If you see a lot of bubbles in the bottom of the stall, be sure to clean it all out to prevent slipping.

Most comments insist that you select blue-colored Dawn specifically. I’ve only tried blue as a result, but the scientific side of me is dying to make a few test batches with other kinds to see if it does make a difference. If you try out this pin and have success with another color or brand, please let me know in the comments below.

Pinbusted or Pintrusted? Trusted.

It might not work for the glass doors in every shower, but it worked for mine.

The post Pinbusted or Pintrusted: Dawn and Vinegar Shower Cleaner appeared first on GeekMom.

Equestria Girls © Hasbro Studios / Shout! Kids Factory

As the last season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic ended, Twilight Sparkle repeatedly reassured herself—and loyal fans watching—that “everything is going to be just fine!” With Twilight Sparkle becoming a new princess, fans (particularly adult ones) were concerned that the show might be heading off-track into something different than the Equestria that Pony fans know and love.

In the first full-length feature My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, that’s literally what happens as Princess Twilight Sparkle enters the strange world of human high school. With all of these changes, is friendship still magic?

Equestria Girls picks up right where the season ended. Soon after nervously arriving in the Crystal Kingdom to meet with the other princesses, Twilight Sparkle’s crown is stolen by the new villain Sunset Shimmer. To get it back, Twilight follows her into a magical mirror that leads to an alternate dimension, where she is shocked to find herself in human form. She must learn how to navigate through life at Canterlot High if she’s going to retrieve her Element of Harmony. Fortunately, Twilight Sparkle finds some help in the new forms of some familiar friends.

With the show’s lead writer Meghan McCarthy at the helm, rest assured this is still My Little Pony. The film is filled with lively musical numbers that had my daughter dancing along, the same messages about friendship that the show espouses, and humor that gets chuckles from kids and parents alike.

The “Mane Six” might be human teenagers in the movie, but they have the same personalities and quirks that endeared them to fans in the first place. I particularly appreciated the way the film integrated cutie marks into all of the teens’ styles, helping fans spot cameos from all of their favorite little ponies. (Yes, Derpy Hooves is in there.)

For all of these additions and changes, there is only one that gave me pause.

I can accept the new princess and human forms—after all, this is a kids’ show with the end goal of selling toys—but the inclusion of a love interest simply there for Twilight Sparkle to blush and stutter over was unexpected. Twilight Sparkle has always been an unabashed nerd (which is why we all love her) who never loses sight of her goals, so watching a guy turn her into a stereotypical swooning teen was my least favorite aspect of Equestria Girls. Luckily, McCarthy confirmed on Twitter that the character, Flash Sentry, won’t be in the upcoming season, so I can put away my nerd rage.

Is Twilight Sparkle really a princess? Yes. Do they all look like stick-figured Bratz dolls in the movie? Yep. Did my four-year-old love it all? Absolutely.

Equestria Girls is a fun side foray into a new world of My Little Pony. I was fully prepared to dislike it, but overall I enjoyed watching it with my daughter—and I won’t be pulling out my hair when she watches it over and over.

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls comes to DVD and Blu-ray on August 6, 2013.

A promotional copy was provided for review purposes.

The post Enter a New World of My Little Pony in Equestria Girls appeared first on GeekMom.

Adventures of Superman #12, Art by Chris Weston © DC Comics

The rows of comic books lining the walls of a comic book store might look daunting to newcomers. Title after title beckon new readers, but it’s hard to know where to start (or how to return to the fold if it’s been years since you read a comic book). If you’ve been looking for a few good titles to get into comics, consider giving these three DC Comics “digital first” books a try.

To buy and read digital comics, you can find web sites and apps from each publisher, such as DC Comics and Marvel, or download ComiXology for a wider selection. (There is no pricing difference between the apps.) DC’s digital first comics are readily available and only 99 cents to buy.

Digital titles from DC Comics include Injustice: Gods Among Us, Batman ’66, Batman Li’l Gotham, Arrow, and more. To get started on your path to comic book obsession—or even to start your preteen on his or her own—I recommend these three fantastic recent issues from Adventures of Superman, Batman Beyond, and Smallville Season 11.

Adventures of Superman #12

Adventures of Superman © DC Comics

The issues of Adventures of Superman are typically one-shot stories that harken back to the old school Man of Steel, before he was broody and Snyder-y. Adventures of Superman #12, written by Rob Williams with art by Chris Weston, is told from a unique point of view: Ma Kent’s. It can’t be easy being the mother of the world’s greatest hero, and this issue relays that beautifully.

There’s even a cover by Bruce Timm, pages packed with Superman in action against classic villains like Brainiac and Grodd, and a good ol’ fashioned “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” from Perry White thrown in. At only 99 cents, it’s quite a bargain for a story that any GeekMom can identify with.

Batman Beyond #27

Batman Beyond © DC Comics

Scott Peterson and Annie Wu bring Batgirl into the future of Gotham in a compelling three part arc starting with Batman Beyond #27. The issue kicks off with kicking butt as Commissioner Barbara Gordon jumps into the middle of a riot in one of Neo-Gotham’s roughest neighborhoods. Barbara holds off as long as she can, but when the tide turns, an unexpected ally enters the fray.

This new heroine is fearless and willing on to take on the mantle of Batgirl to save her own neighborhood. She’s not a detective, she’s a scrapper. I love the costume and look of Batgirl Beyond, which Wu created as the kind of character she wanted to see as a teen herself.

Smallville Season 11 #56

Smallville Season 11 © DC Comics

There’s been a lot of talk about bringing Wonder Woman to the screen. I wish that Smallville was still on the air, just to see the version of the Amazonian princess Bryan Q. Miller has crafted for that universe. Diana of Themyscira makes her grand entrance in Smallville Season 11 #56.

Miller and Jorge Jimenez start the issue with an absolutely adorable flashback to the first meeting of Diana and Steve Trevor, and the action kicks in from there. As the 12 issue “Olympus” story arc begins, Senator Martha Kent is under attack, and it’s not Clark who comes to her rescue. Who is the mysterious heroine? And what will happen when she crosses paths with Superman?

If these first forays into the DC Universe give you the comic book bug, head back to that comic book store. Not only can you pick up collected print editions of these digital issues, tell the staff at the store what you like about these. Chances are, they will have more titles to recommend. And then, guess what? You’re into comic books!

The post Want to Start Reading Comics? Dive In with These DC Digital Firsts appeared first on GeekMom.