© Viz Media

Viz Media has announced that not only is the new, rebooted TV series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal coming to a (small) screen near you this July, they’re also releasing all 200 episodes of the original series—starting today.

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal © Toei Animation

Sailor Moon was the first series for many fans back when anime was first starting to find its footing in the U.S. In my day, you had to find the mailing address of a fan subber, work out the episodes you wanted and what you had to trade in return, and wait for weeks for the subtitled VHS tapes to arrive. Later the series came to TV in a cringe-worthy dub that still earned its share of fans before disappearing shortly after. Now the entire TV series is back, including the final season, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, and will be completely remastered.

Not only will the series be re-dubbed with new voice actors, changes that were made to character’s names and relationships for the English dub will be changed to match the original Japanese series.

Granted, Sailor Moon is repetitive and melodramatic and a good chunk of the episode is just the transformation scenes. My daughter loves it. She’s seen just a little bit of the live action Sailor Moon 2003 series, and even though she didn’t understand a word, she wanted to see more. Later this year she’ll get the chance when the English dub is released.

The first four subtitled episodes are available today on Viz’s Neon Alley and Hulu Plus, so tune in for some good ol’ fashioned moon prism power.

The post The Summer of Sailor Moon Starts Today appeared first on GeekMom.

Cover by Joe Quinones © DC Comics

An original graphic novel almost 10 years in the making—could the wait possibly be worth it? In the case of Paul Dini’s Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell, absolutely. And it couldn’t be here at a better time.

Originally pitched in 2005 and announced in 2006, Bloodspell takes place in a DC universe before there was a New 52. For readers like me who are a little tired of the dark, grim, and gritty world of the New 52, that makes the graphic novel a breath of fresh air from the current continuity. Dinah and Ollie together again! Ollie rocking the goatee! Fishnets for everyone!

If there was going to be a Justice League buddy cop movie, Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell is the one I’d want to see. Zatanna and Black Canary team up after a malevolent, mystical force starts taking out members of Black Canary’s undercover gang. Dinah needs Zatanna’s help to break the magical curse before it takes hold of her as well. Along the way they get help from some familiar faces, and flashbacks give us glimpses of the duo’s escapades during their tenure in the Justice League. (Keep an eye out for cameos of some classic looks, including Black Canary’s first costume.)

Art by Joe Quinones

Joe Quinones, who drew several issues of Captain Marvel last year, did both the cover and the dazzling interior art for Bloodspell. Instead of thin-waisted, top heavy girls who look like they’re about to topple over, Quinones’ Zatanna and Black Canary look like actual women who can throw and take a punch. (Maybe it’s because 24 is back, but I couldn’t help but notice his Black Canary is also a dead ringer for Elisha Cuthbert.)

© DC Comics

Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell is a fun, easy read that any fan of either character should immediately add to their library. In an interview with PREVIEWSworld, writer Paul Dini (who is best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series) expressed his hope that the book will appeal particularly to female fans:

“I think there is a new breed of female fan that has grown up with superheroines over the last twenty years and continues to embrace them. I don’t think they are inspired just by comics, but by the TV shows, movies, and cartoons they watched, and games they played when they were younger… It seems to me if they identify with the characters that much, there’s an audience there that would appreciate some comics that reflect their sensibilities. I just hope our little GN strikes the bullseye.”

In the same interview, Dini described the book as “a Valentine to the more upbeat, carefree spirit of DC Comics.” For anyone who might be a jaded reader of the New 52, this is just the book to remind you that comic books can still be fun.

Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell will be released May 27 at a suggested retail price of $22.99.

GeekMom received a promotional copy for review purposes.

The post Paul Dini Works His Magic in Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell appeared first on GeekMom.

Toad’s Wild Ride © Nintendo

Mario Kart 8 is the newest installment in the franchise, in stunning HD for the first time on the Wii U. Some games define a console, like Oblivion on the Xbox 360 and Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo. Mario Kart 8 has a good chance at being one of those iconic games for the Wii U, and at the very least a must-have for anyone with the console. It’s a high-energy, vivid, fast-paced game that players of all ages will love to play.

© Nintendo

The game comes loaded with Mario Kart basics: your favorite Super Mario Bros. characters, crazy karts, items to toss at the other racers, and tracks inspired by Super Mario’s worlds. Sixteen tracks are “retro” tracks making a return from previous Mario Kart games, but updated with the newer features like hang gliders and anti-gravity racing. The anti-gravity tracks, new to Mario Kart 8, literally turn racing upside-down as Mario and pals glide along walls and drive on the ceiling. In addition to the 16 retro tracks, 16 new tracks take full advantage of the anti-gravity feature. The Electrodome in particular is a stunning and colorful track that you’ll want to play again and again.

As always, you can toss red shells, banana peels, and more at your opponents, turning their seemingly easy victory into a nail-biter with little warning. Mario Kart 8 has the power to end friendships. Or, in my case, end my five-year streak of not cussing in front of my daughter. The unpredictable nature of every race adds suspense and admittedly some frustration (curse you, blue spiny shell!) but that’s all part of the Mario Kart experience.

Once you’re tired of defeating everyone in your family, Mario Kart 8 also offers online competitive play with up to 12 other racers from around the world. Battle Mode also makes a return in online play, but on tracks rather than an open arena. There is no online voice chat when playing with others worldwide, so you don’t have to worry about someone else spewing obscenities at your children.

It all boils down to: Do you love Mario Kart games? Then you’ll love this one. Mario Kart 8 is one of the best titles for the Wii U, and if you own the console, I definitely recommend adding this one to your game collection for hours of entertainment.

Mario Kart 8 will be released on May 30 at a suggested retail price of $59.99.

GeekMom received a promotional copy for review purposes.

The post Mario Kart 8 Is a Wii U Must-Have appeared first on GeekMom.

All Photos: Kelly Knox

Summer is the best time to take your kids outside for some science fun in the sun. Not every experiment has to be fast-paced or explosive to make an impression, either. On a lazy summer day, you can take the time to watch ice melt in these simple experiments for young children.

Ice Cube Melting Races

Toddlers and preschoolers can learn about light, heat, and forming a hypothesis with these easy experiments. For the youngest scientists, start simple. Place two ice cubes on the sidewalk, one in the shade and one in the sunlight. Ask your toddler, “Which ice cube do you think will melt faster? Why?”

Any little kid who has spent time outside on a sunny day knows that the sunshine is hot, but watching it work its magic on the ice cube gives you the chance to talk about states of matter, the sun, and anything else your kid can think of to ask about. (We are fond of eating popsicles on the front steps while we gaze at the melting ice cubes.)

For an added twist on the experiment, place two ice cubes in the sun again, with one on black paper and one on white. Ask your child again what they predict will happen. My five-year-old was certain the brighter paper would melt the cube faster. As the cube on the black paper melts faster, talk about how dark colors absorb heat. You can even try different colors of paper to see which gets the fastest time.

Lassoing an Ice Cube

This is an ice magic trick, and can be done indoors so you don’t have to take the materials outside. For a geeky twist on this one, we used a Wonder Woman cup, and I asked my daughter if she thought the “magic lasso” (the thread) could lift the ice by itself.

You’ve probably done this experiment before as a kid yourself. Lay the thread or string across the ice, and sprinkle salt on top of it. After a few moments, you can lift the cube up with just the string, after the ice has melted and re-frozen on the top. When your child invariably asks how that happened, you can talk about how salt lowers the freezing point of water.

More Summer Science Fun

You can check out Cristen’s Playing With Water Phases tips for more fun outside with ice and water, or get the sidewalk chalk and draw the solar system to scale.

The post Summer Science Fun: Ice Cube Experiments appeared first on GeekMom.

Photo: Kelly Knox

It’s summertime, and you know what that means: It’s time to read! (That’s what it usually means for us geeks, anyway.) Once again it’s the perfect time of year to get the kids involved in a reading program that’s actually fun. Not only do they earn rewards like free books and more, they also get another reason to get lost in another world. This summer, think about joining in and logging those books and minutes of your own, or even just sign up for the 2014 GoodReads Challenge. Who says summer reading has to be just for kids?

Your public library is the best place to start looking into local programs. Here are four more national summer reading challenges if you can’t get to the library, or want to take part in more than one.

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading. This year’s theme is Imagination’s Destination. Barnes and Noble offers a reading journal and activity sheets for more reading fun this summer. Once your child has read eight books and returns the journal to your local bookstore by September 2, they receive a free book on a list sorted by grades 1-6.

Half-Price Books: Feed Your Brain. Grab a reading log and other free printables from the Half-Price Books web site. 300 minutes of reading later, your kids ages 14 and under can earn “Bookworm Bucks” (a $5 store coupon).

Pizza Hut’s Spark Your Greatness Summer Reading Challenge. Yes, Pizza Hut. This is a simple reading challenge that asks kids in grades K-6 to read five books and enter their titles on the contest entry web site. They are then entered in a sweepstakes to win even more books and Pizza Hut gift cards. Win-win!

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge. Reading logs, weekly challenges, sweepstakes, you get the idea. Register for the site and help Scholastic reach a new reading world record this summer.

The post Book It to These Summer Reading Programs appeared first on GeekMom.

© Disney

Recently I decided to take my five-year-old’s superhero TV experience beyond The Wonder Pets by starting with Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. After all, Rachel’s interview last year with Eliza Dushku about her role as She-Hulk had me intrigued about the Disney XD series. Finally, a female superhero on TV for my daughter to idolize, right? Wrong.

The Jen Walters you know is not the Jen Walters of Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Rather than a lawyer, She-Hulk is now a Hollywood stunt-woman, as you can see when the character is introduced:

“When you’re a 6’5, indestructible, green-skinned woman, your career options are limited,” laments She-Hulk. In an interview with Comics Alliance, producer Cort Lane explains the change in her origin.

But with She-Hulk, being a lawyer wasn’t enough for us. We realized she needed to be such a kick-butt hero in her own way, and we know that she is in publishing, and she’s smart and in some ways more accustomed to the world and more accepted by the world than the other Hulks, so we were able to play that up and the idea of Hollywood stunt woman we thought was fun.

I would have loved to explain to my daughter that Jennifer Walters is a heroine with both brains and brawn, who knows how to expertly defend the innocent whether she’s arguing in a courtroom or punching a living planet in outer space. She-Hulk is now literally a “strong female character” and nothing more in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. 

Determined to give this Jen Walters a chance, we watched a She-Hulk-centric episode together. I do admit to being a fan of the character’s design (hooray, correct body proportions!), but the hits just kept on coming. As “Galactus Goes Green” begins, She-Hulk squeals about a night on the town in Las Vegas. (In another episode, she expresses her excitement about a sale at the mall.) That’s not the Jen Walters I think of, but okay. Later in the episode, as Galactus shows up, Red Hulk tells her, “Better leave it to the big boys, Shulkie.”

Granted, Red Hulk is supposed to be un-likeable and an all-around jerk, but I had to wonder what sort of impression that makes on a five-year-old. My daughter turned to me and said, “She-Hulk wants to do something, right? But they won’t let her because the boys are stronger.” I felt like Hulk-smashing something myself.

So, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. is not going to be for us.

She-Hulk has been a hot topic lately, thanks to the “Slut Hulk” interview last month that also reduced the character to little more than a male fantasy. I’m just glad that Charles Soule has been handling the character so well in her solo comic book series. In fact, he teased a new story arc later this year, where Jen “shows off [her] courtoom chops.” I have a hunch (thanks to some foreshadowing) that she might be facing Matt Murdock in a courtroom showdown. Now there’s a battle best suited for Jennifer Walters—not the “big boys.”

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© Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo might have a long name, but once you hear his unique brand of “kid hop,” you won’t forget it. You won’t find soothing lullabies or a chirpy rendition of the “clean up” song here—Skidoo mixes beats and rhymes to bring hop hop songs to kids that will truly get them hopping.

Skidoo’s newest release, The Perfect Quirk, is perfectly suited for all kids out there—especially geeks!—who love to embrace what makes them unique. A theme to many of his kids’ songs is originality, and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has it in spades. The Perfect Quirk features songs that reach out and grab kids’ interests, as you can see in the first video from the album, “Pillow Fort Pillow Fight.”

After hearing “Pillow Fort Pillow Fight” for the first time, my daughter chanted it for days. Another favorite on the album is “Imaginary Friend,” with clever storytelling and a hook that I find myself attempting to rap when no one else is around. (You can find a preview of the song on 23 Skidoo’s web site.) Kids will even hear songs that will get them to think, like “3 Pointed Back,” which encourages listeners to think before pointing fingers to laugh at someone else. The first song on The Perfect Quirk, “You’re It,” is practically a geek kid anthem and an affirmation that weird is wonderful.

The Perfect Quirk will be released on June 24, 2014. If you’ve been looking for kid-friendly hip-hop or family music that won’t put you to sleep on your next road trip, pick the album up this summer.

GeekMom received a promotional copy for review purposes.

The post Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s Perfect Quirk appeared first on GeekMom.

All Photos: Kelly Knox

Sunshine, water, and leaves are not only the perfect ingredients for a summer day, but also almost all you need to demonstrate simple plant biology basics. These experiments start with one little question to ask your preschooler or kindergartener: “Do you think plants breathe?”

Bubbly Leaves

Grab a glass jar with a lid from the kitchen, fill it with water, and head outside on a sunny day. After your child selects a large leaf from a plant or tree nearby (which by itself had my five-year-old occupied for a while), drop it into the jar and close it. Place the jar in a sunny spot. After an hour, ask your child to look in the jar and report what they see inside.

Bubbles!

As oxygen is released by the leaf in the sun, many tiny bubbles form to show photosynthesis in action. While your kids are likely a little too young to understand much about the process, you can explain that it’s how plants turn sunshine into food and release oxygen for us to breathe. For more help talking—or singing—about photosynthesis, just ask They Might Be Giants.

Older kids might enjoy learning more about the science behind the experiment, or trying variations. What if the jar is left in the shade? What if you use a brown leaf in the autumn?

Original experiment found in Earth Science Experiments by Louis V. Loeschnig.

Capturing Leaf “Breath”

Not only do plants produce oxygen, your child might be surprised to learn they release tiny drops of water as well. While you’re waiting to go back and check on the jar of water, get a plastic sandwich bag and a rubber band or tape. Send your little leaf scout back out to find a small branch or clump of leaves.

Gently place the bag over the leaves and seal it with the rubber band or tape. After a couple of hours, check on the bag and see what’s inside. Your child will discover droplets of water captured by the bag. Plant “breath” has water much like our breath fogs up a window or mirror.

Want more know-how on the process? Read up on transpiration and be prepared for your preschooler’s persistent questions.

The post Summer Science Fun: Do Leaves Breathe? appeared first on GeekMom.

Splatoon © Nintendo

E3 is typically about the Next Big Game from the usual publishers, like Ubisoft, Activision, and the rest. But E3 isn’t just Mortal Kombat X and Assassin’s Creed: Unity—there are family friendly games at this show, too! Here’s a quick roundup of some of the best video games coming out soon for families and kids featured at this year’s E3.

Nintendo came out swinging at this year’s E3, hoping to generate interest in a console that has disappointing sales and what seems to be a doomed, short shelf life. If this week’s announced lineup of upcoming games is any indication, though, the Wii U is going to be alive and kicking—at least in 2015.

Not only did Nintendo showcase Hyrule Warriors (a Legend of Zelda/Dynasty Warriors mash-up), and announce an untitled Legend of Zelda for the Wii U, Mario Party 10, Yoshi’s Wooly World, and Bayonetta 2, some games at the show were real standouts.

Splatoon

A third-person shooter developed by Nintendo, Splatoon is vibrant, unique, and immediately grabbed my attention. That’s no easy feat during a Legend of Zelda heavy show. The goal in this multi-player game is “to get your ink on as many places as possible and claim your turf.” Once you see it in action, you’ll want to dive into the messy fun. (Wii U, 2015)

Mario Maker

Make your own Super Mario Bros. levels with Mario Maker. What else do I have to say? Parents who played it as kids will dig the nostalgia, and kids (especially the ones who dream of being game designers) will love the challenge. You can even flip between the classic 8-Bit and a 3-D Mario world. (Wii U, 2015)

amiibo © Nintendo

amiibo

Nintendo’s answer to Skylanders and Disney Infinity is amiibo. These figures come to life within the game—starting with Super Smash Bros.—and can fight for you or against you. Each figure can learn new stats and tactics the more you play. (Wii U, 2014)

Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes

Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes © Disney

All of the fun of Disney Infinity in the Marvel Universe, and the Play Set stories are penned by Marvel vet Brian Michael Bendis? Sign me up. Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes includes more than 20 Marvel characters, including the Spider-Man play set, announced at E3. The Hulk also comes to the Playstation 4 as an exclusive. (Playstation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, 2014)

Skylanders Trap Team

Skylanders Trap Team is coming this fall, and GeekDad Andy Robertson got his hands on the game at E3. Swing by his YouTube channel to see the new game in action with characters revealed at E3. (All consoles, 2014)

Did any other family-friendly games at E3 stand out for you? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Best Family Games at E3 2014 appeared first on GeekMom.

© Marvel Comics

Marvel Studios, Disney, and more have joined forces to search for the real Guardians of the Galaxy in their new Guardians for Good contest.

The contest puts out the call for high schoolers across the United States to share how they are improving their communities through service, science, or innovation.

Applicants are given the chance to talk about their experiences with Peer Guides before submitting their final entry, a video explaining their work and the advice they received from the Peer Guides.

Five winners will be selected to win:

Two round-trip tickets to Hollywood, including hotel accommodations, from July 20 through July 23, 2014, to be on the red carpet at the World Premiere of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy on July 21, 2014; an invitation to the first-ever GUARDIANS OF GOOD INNOVATION & SERVICE SUMMIT on July 22 at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, where professionals and peers will share their knowledge; a backstage tour of the Disneyland Resort; and a red-carpet screening of the film at a Dolby® Atmos ^TM Theatre in or near the winner’s hometown.

Entries will be accepted from June 11 to June 29, 2014, so send your teens to the official contest web site for rules and entry information.

The post The Real Guardians of the Galaxy: Marvel’s Guardians for Good Contest appeared first on GeekMom.

Searching for a clue in Seattle’s Gas Works Park. All photos: Kelly Knox.

This post is sponsored by Earth to Echo, in movie theaters July 2, 2014.

If you live in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York City and you’re looking for something fun to do on a summer day, you’re in luck! Take part in the Earth to Echo Geocache Adventure for a spectacular trip around your city, as you use your smartphone to unlock clues at each step of the journey. Not only will you be treated to scenes from the upcoming film Earth to Echo, you and your kids might even uncover amazing new places in a city you thought you knew everything about.

A family flick in the same vein as The Goonies and E.T., Earth to Echo follows a band of plucky kids as they take their own incredible journey to help a new friend. Your kids will love going on a similar adventure, as you solve the mysteries and answer questions at each stop on your geocache hunt.

Our daughter had a blast searching for each clue at four different stops, as we raced around Seattle. We even discovered landmarks that we didn’t know existed in the middle of the city. A trip to the Space Needle is a must almost any time you’re visiting downtown Seattle, but a rocket ship in the middle of the city? A space travel supply store? Who knew the Emerald City housed these hidden gems?

But you don’t have to just take my word for it. Here’s a look at our family geocache adventure below, starring a five-year-old so excited, the GoPro could barely keep up with her.

We weren’t the only ones unlocking the mysteries of the Earth to Echo adventure that day; at our final stop at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company, we ran into another enthusiastic couple who had just finished their own trek across town.

If you’ve been looking for just the right opportunity to get into geocaching, this is it! Geocaching is a pastime that you and your family can easily get hooked on together, and this adventure is a fantastic place to start. Here’s how!

Calling all adventure seekers! EARTH TO ECHO opens in theaters on July 2nd — but you can prepare for the journey in the meantime with the brand new Geocaching EARTH TO ECHO Adventure! Geocaching is a family-friendly activity, where adventure seekers can use an app or GPS on their mobile devices to search for cleverly hidden containers placed in nearby neighborhoods.

Go on a Geocaching adventure in your city with Earth To Echo! Play to unlock the mystery today.

New York: https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/echogeocachingny
Los Angeles: https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/echogeocachingla
Chicago: https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/echogeocachingchi
Seattle: https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/echogeocachingsea

And be sure to check out Earth to Echo this summer, in movie theaters July 2, 2014.

This post is sponsored by Earth to Echo.

The post Go On the Earth to Echo Geocache Adventure appeared first on GeekMom.

© Marvel Comics

Last week the first official Women of Marvel podcast hit the Internet, featuring some of the editors and staff at Marvel Comics in New York City. Editor of Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel Sana Amanat, Jeanine Schaefer, Judy Stephens, and Adri Cowan host the first episode, chatting easily about their backgrounds and their plans for future podcasts. (Giveaways, creators, and celebrity guests, to name a few!)

The Women of Marvel also quickly followed up the first podcast with a “mini-episode” yesterday, featuring Captain Marvel writer Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Not only will the hosts provide recommendations for anyone daunted by getting into comic books, I was excited to hear about the creation of a Women of Marvel book club that encourages listeners to read and discuss a comic each month.

And join in on the Women of Marvel podcast’s book club! Each episode, the hosts will chat about a current female-led book and answer the Qs you send via Twitter (with the hashtag #WOMReads) and email—and ask you to join in on the talk with them. 25 first come, first served digital codes for each comic will be given away per episode, so make sure to listen to find out how to get yours and join in on the discussion!

If you’re in the mood to tune in to other female fans leading discussions on comic books and superheroes, check out the phenomenal podcasts 3 Chicks Review Comics (with new episodes coming soon) and The Arkham Sessions.

The post Listen to the Women of Marvel appeared first on GeekMom.

Sherlock is also fascinated by five teapots. © BBC.

Geeks and tea go together like Picard and Earl Grey. Granted, it’s the height of summer and a hot drink might be the furthest thing from your mind, but you can start planning ahead now for cool autumn nights by checking out this list of phenomenally unique teapots. Some are blatantly nerdy and some are subtle references to your favorite shows, but all are must-haves for tea-sipping geeks.

© ThinkGeek

TARDIS Teapot

You can’t have a list of geeky teapots without having ThinkGeek’s well-crafted TARDIS pot at the top.

This officially licensed Doctor Who teapot, which comes in blue and chrome, is practically a must-have for any Whovian who needs a super-heated infusion of free-radicals and tannin, just the thing for healing the synapses. (ThinkGeek, $39.99)

United Kingdom Map Tea Pot

© Rockett St George

If you’re throwing a tea party and inviting Sherlock Holmes and Jim Moriarty, only one teapot will do. Sherlock fans with an eye for detail will spot Benedict Cumberbatch pouring a cup of tea in “The Reichenbach Fall” with this gorgeous bone china teapot with a hand-printed map of the United Kingdom.

And if you need the perfect brew to serve, don’t forget to stop by Adagio Teas for fandom-inspired tea blends. (Rockett St George, £72.00)

Doctor Who TARDIS and Dalek Design Teapots

© BBC America

If you’re looking for something a little more subtle than a TARDIS shaped teapot, this sleek porcelain design might be more up your alley.

The “Doctor Who Home Collection” teapots from BBC Worldwide also feature a Dalek, if you prefer to EXTERMINATE your tea. (Truffle Shuffle, £39.99)

© Paramount

Captain Picard’s Tea Set 

© Saenger Porcelain

Peter Saenger’s tea sets fit together like puzzles, and look right at home in Captain Picard’s quarters on Star Trek: The Next Generation. (Anyone else daydream about having tea in Picard’s quarters? Just me? Anyway…)

The Design II porcelain teapot and cups fit snugly together to keep warm even in the cold vacuum of Federation space. Saenger’s sets are unique and wonderful conversation pieces themselves. (Saenger Porcelain, $275)

Nightmare Before Christmas Teapot

© Disney

If you’re sipping hot tea on a cool Halloween night while you wait for trick-or-treaters, there’s no better teapot to brew it in than this Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired teapot.

Featuring the colorful trio of Jack, Sally, and Zero, this teapot works just as well sitting on your counter for all to see as it does brewing tea. (Fun to Collect, $39.99)

The post 5 Teapots to Make Tea Time Geek Time appeared first on GeekMom.

© Barnes & Noble

When was the last time you went into an actual bookstore?

Barnes & Noble gives you and your family an excuse to get to one this summer! The bookstore chain has announced “Get Pop-Cultured,” a series of events to “celebrate popular entertainment.” But with Batman Day, Marvel Comics Day, and Comic Convention Collectibles events all on the calendar, they might as well have named the promotion “Get Geek-Cultured” instead.

Upcoming highlights for July include:

• Batman Day, July 23 – Giveaways and store activities to celebrate Batman’s 75th anniversary, including a free comic book
• DC Comics Spectacular, July 23-27 – Special offers on all DC Comics graphic novels, activities, and giveaways
• Comic Convention Collectibles, July 24-27 – Exclusive Funko figure

In August, Barnes & Noble stores will hold events for Frozen, Marvel Comics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a Page & Screen Weekend. While details are coming soon, all activities look geek-family-friendly and a good excuse to get out of the summer heat and into a cool bookstore.

Barnes & Noble is also hosting a number of author appearances at stores nationwide, including William Shakespeare’s The Jedi Doth Return author Ian Doescher, comic book scribes Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction, Space Mountain author Bryan Q. Miller, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Goodnight Darth Vader’s Jeffrey Brown, John Scalzi, and many more. Check the full list to see if your favorite geeky author is coming soon to a store near you!

The post Barnes & Noble Celebrates Batman, Marvel, and More With In-Store Events appeared first on GeekMom.

All photos: Kelly Knox

If your kids are missing their friends from school, or you’re just looking for another excuse to have some neighborhood friends over, combine learning and water for the ultimate in summer science fun. Thanks to this fun activity from PBS Parents, your kids and their friends can play and learn by making penny boats out of aluminum foil before jumping in the water themselves.

Penny boats take only a few household materials to make but can really get kids’ wheels turning as they design their own seaworthy vessel. Just gather a roll of aluminum foil, a tub or kiddie pool of water, and as many pennies as you can dig up from the sofa seat cushions. Crayons, pencils, and paper will also come in handy for the first step for the activity.

Begin by asking kids to draw what they imagine their boats will look like, and then have them guess how many pennies a boat made of foil can hold.

Next, construction begins! Give each child a piece of aluminum foil and challenge them to design a boat that will hold a large number of pennies. There’s no wrong way to float your boat: Boats can be square, round, kayak-shaped, or wherever their imagination takes them.

Once the boat is floating in the water, drop in pennies one by one and keep track of how many coins the boat holds until it sinks. Encourage little scientists to experiment and try new shapes to increase the number! At our summer learning party, the kids shaped and re-shaped the boats to hold almost 100 pennies in them. In fact, I ran out of pennies! If you’re having a party with five or more kids, you might need to pick up a roll or two of pennies to be prepared.

While kids are building and experimenting, you can talk about buoyancy and what makes a boat float. A great resource is the FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman book Show’s Over, which includes a similar activity with more details to explore in depth.

You can also take the experiment further! Check out Penny Boats on PBS Parents’ Adventures in Learning for more ideas.

Here’s your chance to win a goodie bag from PBS Kids! Enter below to win books, activities, stickers, and more, perfect for kids who might be looking for some summer learning fun during the dog-days of summer.

Entry is open to U.S. residents only. To enter our giveaway, just log in to Rafflecopter with your Facebook account or email address (use a valid email so we can let you know if you win) by July 20, 2014.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for additional entries! If you already like/follow us, it will still enter you in the giveaway.

Winner(s) will be chosen randomly using Rafflecopter and notified by email. If there is no response in two days, then a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PBS Kids provided activity and promotional materials for this summer learning party. 

The post Summer Science Fun: Let’s Party! [With a Giveaway!] appeared first on GeekMom.

Image by IGGPPC, Used With Permission

The International Geek Girl Pen Pal Club (IGGPPC) is a fantastic organization year-round, but this summer they’ve gone above and beyond to create an online summer camp for geek girls!

The online camp runs August 16-24, where you’ll get to sit ’round an imaginary campfire and spin tales in a Jane Austen Letter Writing Challenge, learn about things like the visual language of comic books, ballet stretches, and how to start freelancing, and even get hands-on with crafting and an online tabletop game tournament.

Visit the camp’s web site for more details about what’s in the works, and be sure to register starting July 20. Once you’ve signed up you’ll be assigned to a camp troop. And okay, your kids can sign up, too.

As someone who never went to summer camp as a kid, I can’t wait to sign up for geek girl camp and start making some friendship bracelets!

The post Forget the Kids—Here’s a Summer Camp Just for You! appeared first on GeekMom.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #5 © DC Comics

Finding a great all-ages comic book that you actually enjoying reading with your kids is like unearthing a rare treasure. There are just a few titles that I can read to my five year old at bedtime, and even fewer that feature some of her favorite superheroes. So when I heard about Scooby-Doo Team-Up #5 starring Wonder Woman, I picked it up faster than you can say, “Jinkies!”

The story begins with Daphne and Velma learning to be Amazons on Themiscyra. While the two train while riding kangas, Fred and Shaggy hang out in the invisible jet, as men can’t set foot on Paradise Island. But there’s a mystery to solve, and Wonder Woman lets the girls know they came highly recommended for the job—by the World’s Greatest Detective.

Art by Dario Brizuela © DC Comics

The comic effortlessly combines the feel of the Wonder Woman TV show (complete with Scooby-Doo singing the theme song to himself) with the personality of a Scooby-Doo cartoon, all with the look of a Super Friends episode. Prepare for nostalgia, geek parents! There are even references to the Golden Age adventures of Wonder Woman, and enough superpowered action to keep little readers’ interests.

There’s even a short scene where Wonder Woman explains why Amazons—who are dedicated to love and understanding—fight their foes, that answers the question well in terms kids can understand. Oh, and don’t forget, there’s a mystery for the gang to solve.

This sounds like a lot for one little issue of a Scooby-Doo to include, but the experienced writer Sholly Fisch accomplishes it all. And best of all, it’s just plain fun.

You can pick up two parts of the story digitally for $0.99 each (with the second part to be released soon), or swing by your local comic book store to grab the print issue for $2.99.

The post The Scooby-Doo/Wonder Woman Team-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed appeared first on GeekMom.

I told myself after The Phantom Menace that I’d never let myself fall victim to Star Wars hype again, but after seeing what Lucasfilm and Disney have in the works for Star Wars Rebels, I just can’t resist. I’m officially hyped.

Star Wars Rebels will introduce a crew that includes a Twi’lek pilot, a former Jedi Knight, a female Mandalorian, an astromech with attitude, and more. This is the beginning of the Rebel Alliance fighting against the Galactic Empire.

The period between Episodes III and IV is rife with potential, and if the SDCC trailer is any indication, it gives Star Wars Rebels ample opportunity to bring in characters from both trilogies, including Artoo and Threepio, Jedi Luminara Unduli, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. There’s also a Sith Inquisitor voiced by Jason Isaacs (you may know him as Lucius Malfoy), and a look and feel strongly influenced by Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept art… Okay, okay, I’ll allow myself a small fangirl squee.

Star Wars Rebels premieres this October on Disney XD.

The post Star Wars Rebels: The Hype Menace appeared first on GeekMom.

Princess Leia #1 by Terry and Rachel Dodson © Marvel Comics

A new Star Wars ongoing comic book series, coming in January, that covers the period of time between Episodes IV and V. Princess Leia grabbing a Rebel pilot helmet and taking center stage. Does all of this sound familiar? It’s because the same thing was announced in 2013.

Star Wars #1, Art by John Cassady © Marvel Comics

This weekend at San Diego Comic Con, Marvel Comics announced three new Star Wars comic book series coming in 2015. All three titles boast impressive creative talent. Star Wars: Darth Vader, an ongoing series, comes from writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salvador Larroca in February. A mini-series, Star Wars: Princess Leia, by writer Mark Waid and artist Terry Dodson, hits comic book store shelves in March. And Jason Aaron and John Cassaday are taking the helm of Star Wars, an ongoing series with a story that begins shortly after the Battle of Yavin as the Rebels begin to plan their next move.

This premise is the same as the Star Wars series from Dark Horse Comics that wraps up next month. In the Dark Horse series, writer Brian Wood has taken us from action-packed space battles to Leia-centric storylines that do the character justice through the twenty issue series, and combined with the brilliant artwork from Carlos D’Anda, each issue has maintained a “this feels like Star Wars!” quality.

I’ve enjoyed the series so much that I find it hard to be excited for the new ongoing from Marvel. Of course I’ll pick it up—these comic books, unlike the Expanded Universe, are actually going to be in Star Wars canon. That makes them practically required reading for any Star Wars fan. I’d just be more excited if this wasn’t the same ground that Dark Horse’s series hadn’t already covered well.

I am, however, happily intrigued by Mark Waid writing the five-issue Princess Leia mini-series beginning next March. I’m a fan. But why couldn’t it be an ongoing series? With the other two Star Wars series as both ongoing, this is a noticeable move by Marvel Comics, which has made some otherwise fantastic strides in the number of ongoing female-led books recently. Like the other Star Wars titles, I’ll gladly pick up my five issues of Star Wars: Princess Leia, but… I want the whole cake.

The post Marvel’s Star Wars Comics: A Not-So-New Hope appeared first on GeekMom.

All photos: Kelly Knox

Birthday parties are a happily unavoidable part of childhood, but party after party can add up financially with presents for each of your kids’ friends and classmates. To save money ($5 for a card, seriously!) and add a more personal touch for my 5-year-old’s friends, we draw and write our own birthday cards.

My daughter has been getting bored with making the same old cards lately, so I thought she might enjoy painting a print on her cards. As a bonus, it saves a lot of time to simply paint and press the design to the card! Prints can be used not only for birthday cards, but little notes to say thank you or hello. And if your recipient has a favorite character from a TV show or movie, you can simply trace the design to make the print feature a familiar face. Here’s how we did it:

What You Need

• Styrofoam dinner plates
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Paints and paintbrush
• Blank cards

Get Printing!

Trace the blank card (we used 4-by-5.5 inches) on the inside of the styrofoam plate. Then, cut out the rectangle. Flip the rectangle over so that the inside of the plate is facing the table. The corners on the back should be slightly curved up to help you or your kids remove the little printing plate easily when it’s pressed against paper.

Then, it’s time to grab a pencil and draw! Be sure to draw deep lines in your plate so that the lines show up well when paint is applied.

Once the styrofoam plate design is complete, you now have a mini-printing plate to create a practically limitless supply of wallet-friendly birthday cards. Paint the design, flip the plate over, and press to the blank card to print your custom birthday card.

If the birthday boy or girl is a big fan of a certain TV show, you can trace an image from a coloring book on top of the styrofoam to make them the perfect card.

Do you have any other tips for saving money on birthday cards? Let your fellow GeekMoms know in the comments below!

The post Stop Buying Birthday Cards! Easy Print Making for Kids appeared first on GeekMom.