girl power

Recently, DC Comics announced they were launching a new line of books and products called "Super Hero Girls" aimed at girls age 6-12. It's really kind of exciting, as the comic industry has done a poor job of engaging women throughout their history. Finding a strong heroine who is not over-sexualized or who doesn't simply play a supporting role is not easy.


I can't say I gave it much thought before having a daughter, when as a boy, I had all the heroes I could ask for. When Nat came along though, I began looking for a heroine who could play the roll in her life that Superman and He-Man did for me in my youth. We have enjoyed She-Ra and Supergirl through the years, but the one that my daughter loves the most is Wonder Woman.

Oh Captain, My Captain

I think it's confession time.

We have a bit of a superhero problem in this house.

It's not uncommon for us to be invaded by Superman, the Flash, random Avengers, Wonder Woman, etc. As a result, our closet has no shortage of costumes for the kids to dress up in (and me from time to time, if we're being honest). The kids have all the action figures, we've seen all the shows (Netflix has proven invaluable with all the cartoons the kids have had access to.) Free Comic Book Day is an annual outing, both the older kids have their favorites. Santa would in fact get hate mail from our address if he didn't provide a little superhero fix on December 25th.

I don't think there is anything wrong with our obsession, mind you. I love the idea of superheroes. They show us a better version of ourselves. They provide an example to aspire to, even if we will never be able to fly or shoot webs from our wrists, or compel the truth from someone by throwing a lasso around them. They vanquish evil, stand up for the weak, and affect change in those around them.

So, we play dress up. We imagine. We let the worlds of Marvel and the DC universe overtake our living room. And soon, the two boys and their heroes will be moving into the same bedroom. A room overrun with mutants and aliens and defenders of truth and justice is exactly what Godzilla wants, and exactly what he wants to share with his baby brother.

A superhero themed room though needs superheroes to fill the walls, so who should go up first, but the first of them all. Action Comics #1 staring Godzilla as the Man of Steel. Maybe you remember it, maybe you don't (go ahead, take a look, he makes a good Superman). The second thing will be the other iconic American hero, Captain America. And what more iconic image of Cap is there than the cover Jack Kirby and Stan Lee put together after JFK's assassination. While this cover may not be as recognizable as AC1, It is one of Marvel's most important.  It was a story of a man out of time who represented the strength of democracy and perseverance. It showed that we can overcome our trials based on our will power and conviction, and that is a message I want my kids to learn. Who wouldn't want to embody such a message? Combine Captain America with Iron Man, Thor, Ant Man, and Wasp, and you have the perfect template to base another anchor to the boy's room.

Breakfast and Cartoons

I like drawing.

My kids like to eat.

So, it wasn't a huge leap for me to connect the two.

The genius of this project however, is that beyond drawing, I like to sleep.

Once the kids were old enough that I could trust them to eat unsupervised, I started sketching some of their favorite cartoon characters on post-it notes. I picked ones which each of them individually liked more than the other, so there would be no confusion. I then stuck them to Correlle lids and filled two bowls with some of their favorite cereal. Place a cup of milk for each of them in the fridge, and I found myself an extra half hour of sleep.

The early ones were simple pencil sketches with a single highlight color.

I branched out a bit in the next ones, adding more color, perhaps refining the lines with ink, but the trick was to really leave the process organic, as the original idea was to give myself a little bit of a break.

Becoming Christopher Nolan

With all the buzz over the Lego Movie out right now, how would you like to make your own Lego movie? A year or two ago, I downloaded an app called "Lego Movie Maker," and ever since, my kids and I have been having fun making stop motion movies whenever the mood strikes.

You see, they're really into playing with my iPod.

And being creative with Lego bricks.

But mostly they're into playing with my iPod.

Dress Up

We have a large hamper full of dress up clothes at our house. It started when Nat was just a little thing. We would pick up princess costumes after Halloween on the clearance rack. And the collection grew. She was even given her very own pop-up "fashion show" tent. As far as costumes, we had a little of everything, from Cinderella to Belle, to renaissance, to flapper-girl. And jewelry, shoes and purses to match.

Oh the purses!

Then along came Godzilla. And train conductors, firemen, knights and superheros all began appearing in the hamper. He has masks and belts and hoods and capes and even a pair of fireman boots. The two of them go through phases where dress-up is included in every day's play. Right now is one of those phases. They are forever wearing masks and crowns and "glass slippers" and capes.

Did Somebody Say Free Comic Books?

We got back from Free Comic Book Day at BuyMeToys here in South Bend (who did an awesome job by the way) and Nat wouldn't even get out of the car until she had finished her comic. Once she did, it was straight into a chair to read the next one. And then the next. Reading has always been a passion of hers, and she was very excited to even go today.

We have been reading to her since day one. From board books up to picture books and easy readers and now chapter books. It was last fall when we brought home Brian Jacques' "Redwall". She was enthralled. It was a whole new world of fantasy that opened up to her. Up until that point, she mostly enjoyed princess stories. Disney has a way with little girls, and she still loves the fairies and princess', but she has graduated to more complex storytelling. She reads stories like the "Dear America" series, and "The A-Z Mysteries". These are stories that develop characters and conflict. They engage her mind and imagination.

Today it is comic books. If you want character development, look no further. If you want conflict, do I have to say it? If you want imagination, comics will keep you dreaming until you are old enough to be a fanboy (or girl) and not just a kid. If Free Comic Book Day does nothing else, I hope it brings dads together with their kids to read something new, and to open their eyes to a world they never knew existed. Because when you dive into a book with your kids, be it Cinderella, My First Alphabet, or the New 52, you help encourage a lifelong love of reading, and that's something I think is worth spending time on.