Adventures at Comic-Con

Four and a half days. No sleep. Massive crowds. Way too much walking, but an insanely good time could only mean one thing:

COMIC-CON! Our annual adventure concluded a couple of weeks ago, and I am only now just recovering.

The massive exhibit hall. You can literally get lost in here - at least I did.

This year, Bean (aka Super Mario) only attended preview night with us. Pinga stayed back with Grandma and Grandpa. Thanks to them, we got to enjoy the whole convention without kids, (although admittedly, I did go through withdrawals). Bean enjoyed the Interactive Zone at Petco Park, where they had a bouncy slide set up promoting the Smurfs 2 movie.

What's this? A Hello Kitty pop up shop? Um, yes please!

We found out at midnight the night before the Star Wars Fan Breakfast that we had made it in (we had been on the wait list.) This was a breakfast buffet at the Edgewater Grill in Seaport Village. We ate good food, met some nice people and even won some prizes! Hubby won an entire collection of Hallmark Star Wars Christmas ornaments. Which is actually pretty cool. I won this totally
scaryawesome one of kind figure - which we promptly traded with somebody else for a t-shirt, as he wanted it more than us. We're so nice.

I wonder what would have happened if I had brought this home to the kids?

We also partied at Petco Park (yummy free food and a scary ferris wheel ride), saw a celebrity or two, played yet to be released video games, and saw actual Ender's Game movie sets. Plus, as always, we attended interesting panels. Archie Comics is coming out with some pretty cool stuff this year, for reals. And I'm not just saying that because they gave everyone at the panel a swag bag crammed with free comics. I even found time to work at the Unshelved booth for a couple of hours each day. Which, if you haven't read this web comic set in a library, you're missing out. Go read it. Now.

This year's Comic-Con was crazier, more exhausting and more awesome than ever. I can't wait to do it again next year. Wish us luck getting tickets! And check out my past Comic-Con posts here.

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Top Ten Highlights of Comic-Con 2011

After waiting in anticipation for so long, Comic-Con finally came and now it's over. To comfort my post Comic-Con blues, I decided to make a list of the top ten highlights of my experience:

1. Getting up at 5am and standing in line for three hours was no fun, but I managed to buy our tickets for next year!

2. Watching my son play Legend of Zelda on the Wii. SO cute.

3. Meeting up with an old college roommate and wandering the exhibition hall together.

4. Chatting with Andy Runton and buying his latest Owly book.

5. Seeing the entire cast of Napoleon Dynamite up close and hearing them speak about their new animated TV show. Also, scoring some Napoleon Dynamite t-shirts - sweet!

6. To the guy who took the DC Universe cape off his own back and gave it to me - YOU ARE AWESOME.

7. Hanging out with Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes at the Unshelved booth.

8. Hearing my son exclaim "There's Comic-Con!" as we approached the convention center on the second day. Also, my Spider-Baby who was the "most adorable thing ever" according to one attendee.

9. Seeing Steven Spielberg live for the Tintin panel. He even made me cry.

10. Finally, we got some great loot this year. Check it out!

Can't wait until next year!

Steven Spielberg Made Me Cry

As you know, Comic-Con International is well underway. So far, I've bought my tickets for next year, met up with an awesome college roommate, saw the cast of Napoleon Dynamite and chatted with a few of my favorite comic book creators.

Today, I went to the panel for Tintin, where Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson graced us with their presence. Spielberg was presented with a special lifetime achievement award from Comic-Con. Both men are eloquent speakers and made some interesting points about the upcoming film. After being treated to some footage, the floor was opened up for questions.

A cute little kid got up and asked Spielberg what movie he enjoyed making the most. He responded with E.T., and said that he had grown very close to the kids on the set. He explained that on all movies, the cast members become like family but when the movie is over, you go home and go on to other things. This time, however was different. He didn't want to go home and couldn't figure out why he was so sad. He then realized it was because this was the first time in his life that he wanted children and he had never felt this way before. He now has seven children, thanks to E.T.

I don't know if it was the fact that E.T. is one of our all-time favorite movies, or if it was because I was holding my sweet baby on my lap, but for whatever reason I began to tear up. It was dark, so I don't think anyone noticed. In any case, it was touching, and a beautiful declaration of what it means to have a family. A few minutes later, there was time for one more question. A man wearing a t-shirt that said, "if it's possible, I'd like to meet Spielberg and shake his hand and say thank you" came up and asked a question. The crowd started clapping as they read the shirt, and Spielberg invited him to come up on the stage. Peter Jackson started taking pictures of the shirt, and Spielberg followed suit. He presented the man to the audience, shook his hand, and the crowd went wild. Poor guy looked confused by all the attention he was getting. I got emotional again, because of how humble Steven Spielberg is, how much he embraces his fans. He even said that he shouldn't be up on the stage, that he should be in the audience with us. My favorite thing that he said to us was something like "Stay kids at every age. The day I grow up is the day I stop making movies, and that's not going happen anytime soon." Wonderful advice, from a legendary filmmaker.

Time for Comic-Con!

Eight months, one baby, and one nerve racking experience later, Comic-Con is finally here! It's been worth the wait...where else can I lose my iPod Touch amongst a sea of 130,000 people and actually get it back? And where else can I see the entire cast of Napoleon Dynamite? Sweet! Here's a taste of what's been going on around here, leading up to the big event:




Earlier this week, I appeared on San Diego Living on behalf of San Diego Bargain Mama and discussed attending Comic-Con with kids. I was pretty scared at first, but it was also kinda fun. Here's my segment:



Happy Comic-Con! Anybody else attending?

Comic-Con Recap

San Diego Comic-Con celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, so of course that's where we spent our weekend. This has become an annual tradition for us - see my past Comic-Con posts here to see what what it's all about. We usually go for all four days, but this year the tickets sold out by April so we only got to go for one day. Not enough time to see everything, but we did manage to see some fun things.

My usual favorites were all there: Unshelved, a comic strip about daily life in a library, Bumperboy, a "cute" comic that I discovered last year, and of course Owly, the wordless graphic novel about the most adorable owl you have ever seen. This year, they had new Owly shirts which made me happy. That cute kid to the right is not mine, but he's wearing the new Owly shirt that I got for my son. I also made a pretty discovery called Long Tail Kitty, written and illustrated by the talented Lark Pien.

What would Comic-Con be without all the costumes? I actually feel kinda bad for the people who dress up and have their picture taken every five minutes. Anyway, here are some of my faves from this year:

Harley Quinn - Not because I'm a fan, but because I think it's a well put together costume.

Cute kids. Made me miss mine (we didn't bring him this year because he's really hyper and we were only there for one day anyway.)

Tigress from Kung Fu Panda - because I AM a fan.

Another highlight was this special Comic-Con 40th Anniversary book. It's hardcover and smells spectacular. It's also loaded with historical photos from past years and chock-full of interesting facts, stories, and artwork. I'm looking forward to sitting down with it and reading it properly. I didn't get to see any celebrities this year, but hubby saw Ray Bradbury by the bathroom with a swarm of people taking his picture. That's it for this year. See you next time!

Top Three Comic-Con Finds

One of the things I love most about going to San Diego Comic-Con is discovering new things to read that I probably wouldn't have heard about otherwise. This year was no exception. I'm always on the lookout for books that are suitable for all ages, and I was not disappointed with what I found. These are my top three discoveries for this year:

Dinosaurs Across America by Phil Yeh presents a fun way to learn about U.S. geography. This full color, non-fiction book follows Patrick Rabbit and his dinosaur friends as they learn fun facts about the country. Each U.S state is represented in a graphic novel style which makes for an entertaining read. It's humourous, informative and educational all at the same time - what more could you want? As a Canadian trying to learn more about the United States, I will definitely turn to this book every time.

Phil Yeh has done admirable work, having written and illustrated a myriad of comics and graphic novels. He founded Cartoonists Across America And The World, gives numerous graphic novel workshops in libraries and in schools, and travels the world promoting literacy. Dinosaurs Across America was picked as one of the best 25 graphic novels by the School Library Journal. Yeh is also one of the most down-to-earth people I have ever met. Be sure to check out his website for additional great books such as The Winged Tiger and for other news.

I've always been attracted to "cute" comics, but they have to be more than just a bunch of cute pictures to make me read them. Luckily, Bumperboy And The Loud, Loud Mountain has it all - lovable characters, a charming story and of course, appealing illustrations. Written and illustrated by Debbie Huey, Bumperboy is one of those characters that draws you in to his world of Bubtopia and makes you love him. The concept is simple: Bumperboy and his best pal Bumperpup discover "borp holes" that transport them to different places where they create adventures. The book is sincere and non pretentious. I felt happy after reading it. Debbie Huey also struck me as a super sweet person. Unfortunately, the first book in the series Bumperboy Loses His Marbles is out of print so I didn't get to read that one. Huey's website however, is one of the best I've seen and you can purchase Bumberboy merchandise on there too, including t-shirts, buttons, stickers, memo pads and Bumperboy minicomics.

CryptoZooey by Steve Troop is a brand new all-ages comic book. Inspired by the death of zoologist Steve Irwin who died in 2006, CryptoZooey tells the story of a young girl Zooey, who discovers that her missing parents are world renowned cryptozoologists. From the book we learn that crptozoologists are explorers who search for living examples of mythological and legendary creatures, such as the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot. I've always been fascinated by these creatures, so this book is right up my alley. The story is tons of fun, as we watch the mischeivous Zooey interact with the monsters. The illustrations are bright, spirited, and really add to the story's humorous tone. The quest to search for her missing parents left me wanting more and I can't wait for the second issue to be released. Check out the Cryptozooey website for more fun and to read the first five pages free!

Wordless Wednesday - Playing Outside at Comic-Con

Comic-Con=Vacation

Comic-Con starts TONIGHT! Which means that for the next four days I'll be spending all my time at the San Diego Convention Center and not blogging. I'll be back on Monday though. For anyone who cares, here's a neat article about Comic-con from MSN. Have a great week, everyone!

Closing Comments

I hope you all enjoyed "Countdown to Comic-Con" week! I'm happy to have had the opportunity to share some of my favorite things with you, and only wish I could have shared more. Don't forget to enter my giveaweays if you haven't already. If you happen to be in the San Diego area in a couple of weeks, you should consider going to Comic-Con. It's a great experience, one that you'll always remember. But you better hurry...tickets are nearly sold out! Hope to see some of you there!

Fly Away with Little Capers

There's something about being a Superhero that's just so appealing. I've seen kids running around with sheets pinned to their backs, as they let their imaginations run wild. I've witnessed adults pretending that they have superpowers, myself included. It's fun to escape from reality every once in a while, especially when it involves wearing a cape.
Little Capers are adorable t-shirts that are perfect for your little superhero. Featuring original, fun and stylish designs, these shirts come with a shiny detachable cape. There are numerous styles available, suitable for both boys and girls. You can choose short or long sleeves, and there are even shirts for infants (these come without capes.) The regular shirts come in sizes 2 to 8.

My son received the "Blue Earth" hero, and I actually squealed with delight when I saw it. It's incredibly well made, the graphic is unique, and best of all it has that beautiful shimmering cape. It's the perfect thing for him to wear to Comic-Con (or anywhere for that matter.) I love the non-commercial aspect of the shirts and how they can encourage kids to be their own hero, and not feel like they have to copy anybody else.
Check out the Little Capers website for all the different styles and start saving the world today!


WANT TO WIN? One winner will receive one shirt of his or her choice. To enter, go to the Little Capers website , then leave a comment on this post telling me which shirt is your favorite. Please include your email address. The deadline to enter is Friday, July 18th at Midnight. Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

*Update - The winner is #50 Channah. Congratulations!

Comic-Con Costumes

In case you don't already know, it's countdown to Comic-Con week here at Mama Sparkles. A major part of the convention are the costumes. There is even a Masquerade , an onstage competition designed to show off all these costumes. It's so much fun to see people dressed up, and some of them can be pretty creative. Here are some of our costume pictures from last year:


Daphne from Scooby-Doo


The Incredibles

The Ghostbusters


The Black Widow, Electro, and Spider-Man


And finally, my son the Spider-Baby

Comics from Canada - Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws

Let's be realistic here - people from Canada can be pretty funny and this comic strip by Chad Solomon and Christopher Meyer is no exception. Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws is a delightful little comic about two mischeivous brothers and their humorous pranks.

Initially, I was attracted to this comic at Comic-Con because it looked like it was kid-friendly. Then I found out it was from Canada and had a pretty interesting concept as well. I was completely sold. I purchased the first full color graphic novel, The Sugar Bush, and was not disappointed. This book is kid-friendly, fun to read, has great illustrations and is also educational (which I love.) The fun continues with their second graphic novel, The Voyageurs, where our young mischeivous heroes experience the trials and tribulations of being a Voyageur.

Set in 18th Century colonized North America, the book follows the two mischievous Ojibwa brothers, Rabbit and Bear Paws. With the help of traditional Ojibwa medicine (spirit powder), which tranforms them into animals, the pair gets caught up in a pretty funny situations. The stories are based on the Seven Grandfathers, which promotes virtues such as respect, bravery, wisdom, love, humility, honesty, and truth. I love the books' simple charm as they teach us to respect nature, help animals, and respect our neighbors. We also learn a lot about First nations history, culture and tradition. A map and a description of the characters included at the beginning of each book is appreciated and sets the tone for the adventures to follow.

You can purchase Rabbit and Bear Paws and learn more at their website. There are sample pages from the different graphic novels, and every Monday there's a new strip to read. This is a unique, all ages North American Indian comic that's both entertaining and informative. It's a great read and I look forward to reading more of their creations in the future.

Favorite Find - Unshelved

If you grew up reading the Sunday Funnies, then you probably enjoy reading to some degree. And if you like reading, then you probably enjoy a trip to the library every now and again. So what would happen if you combined comic strips with the library? That's exactly what Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum have done with Unshelved.

I remember when I first discovered Unshelved. While wandering the giant exhibition hall I was handed a flyer with a comic strip on it. I took it and shoved it into my bag with all the others I had received. Later, as I emptied my bag and tossed all the fliers I came upon this particular strip again. I read it and laughed. I wanted more. I quickly marched back to the exhibition hall and ran toward the Unshelved booth, as it was about to close. Tired and out of breath, I stated that I wanted to buy the book. Then I noticed that there were three volumes available. And t-shirts. Oh dear. I had to settle for just one book that time, but since then I've read all five volumes (I will get the sixth at this year's Comic-Con), and I have a shirt. I also remember that I kept sneaking peeks at my book during a film festival that night and snickering. My laughing probably wasn't appreciated, but that's okay because reading Unshelved was totally worth it.

The library setting is perfect because it's full of hilarious characters. I love these characters because they are real...we've all known the old-fashioned librarian who's hopeless at technology. We've all encountered the overly friendly children's librarian, and we have witnessed the charming young adult librarian who would much rather play than work. But most of all we know the library patrons, the ones who ask the annoying questions, give unwanted advice and do the most unexpected things. Yes, the library is a very funny place indeed, and Unshelved captures this humor with quick wit and sarcastic one-liners.

If you like comic strips (and even if you don't), you should give Unshelved a try. You can read the daily strip, sign up for their email, read all the archives, buy the books, t-shirts and more at their website. Another really cool part of Unshelved is Book Club. This is a full color page that they publish every Sunday. It features a different book every time and is presented in an entertaining way by the characters. Book Club is great if you're looking for suggestions for what book to read next...but I suggest you start with Unshelved.

WANT TO WIN? One winner will receive a copy of Unshelved Volume Six: Frequently Asked Questions. To enter, leave a comment on this post and tell me what your favorite comic strip is. Please include your email address. The deadline to enter is Tuesday, July 15th at Midnight. Winner must provide a U.S. or Canadian mailing address.

Update: The winner is #1 Mary512. Congratulations!

Quality Reading with Penny-Farthing Press

The first time I walked by the Penny-Farthing Press booth at Comic-Con, I remember thinking that it looked different from all the other booths. It stood out because it looked neat, well organized, and the books looked unique and of high quality. The people running it also seemed like they were super nice and friendly. My interest was peaked enough that I went over to take a look. I'm glad I did, because in regards to storytelling and artwork, the books are indeed of the highest quality. I quickly fell in love with two of their titles: Decoy and The Loch.

Decoy


Created by Courtney Huddleston, Decoy is a charming series about a cute little alien who gets stranded on Earth. An outsider on his own planet, Decoy just can't seem to get the hang of being violent like the others of his species. The Metas are a shape-shifting, barbaric race who hunt the peace-loving and gentle Kranch creatures. On a mission to Earth to capture a fleeing Kranch, Decoy refuses to display any acts of violence like the other Metas. His kindness and compassion result in him being abandoned. Then there's Officer Bobby Luck, a rookie cop who's conceited, inexperienced and an annoyance to his new partner Tessa Moreno. His poor judgement nearly gets him killed, if not for the lovable alien who makes the ultimate sacrifice. Seeing a creature in need, Decoy creates a symbiotic union and bonds himself to Luck forever. Now, one cannot survive without the other. Together, they become the ultimate duo, fighting crime and saving the world!
Decoy is the perfect blend of Sci-Fi, adventure and humor. I love how the books don't take themselves too seriously. The stories are fun and suspenseful, and just when the action starts to feel a little tense, its humor relieves you. The relationship between Luck and Decoy is especially touching. As time goes on, they not only depend on each other physically, but also emotionally. They don't speak the same language, and they don't need to. Each one understands what the other one needs, and together they make a perfect pair. They're pretty darn good at solving crimes as well, often cracking jokes at the same time.
While reading Decoy I came to learn and to appreciate the fact that things are not always what they seem. In the face of evil, as on Decoy's home planet, it is possible for good to exist. In Officer Luck's case, a kind gesture and a little help from a friend really can make a positive difference. I was uplifted and inspired while reading these books.
This beautifully illustrated series includes several graphic novel titles as well as individual comic book issues. While Decoy is definitely an all ages character, I personally think the books would be most enjoyed by the young adult age group (and adults), as some of the monster images might be a little frightening for younger readers.

The Loch

For the younger children, The Loch is the perfect series for them to read. These beautifully bound hardback books are great for those who are easing into chapter books yet still rely on pictures for comprehension. This appealing trilogy was created and written by Marlaine Maddux and is gorgeous to look at. The lush illustrations by Courtney Huddleston support the brilliant storytelling, making this reading experience an absolute pleasure.
I've always been fascinated by stories surrounding The Loch Ness Monster legend. The Loch Trilogy embraces this legend, but puts a different spin on it with the creation of a whole other world that exists beneath the Loch Ness. This underwater realm is full of colorful creatures, including one young plesiosaur named Nessandra. Together with her friends, she must complete a Knowledge Journey in order to fulfill her destiny as leader of the Loch. The books are a culmination of their adventures along the way and all the lessons that they learn.
Each book is so enjoyable to read that I couldn't wait to read the next one in the series. You can really identify with these characters as they learn about their relationships with the world and with each other. At the end of the trilogy I felt as if I had grown up and become a different person, just as they had. The thing I love the most about these books is that in addition to being fun to read, they are also educational. I learned so much about geography just by reading them, which is amazing because geography is usually something that I struggle with. Not only that but at the end of each book there is a glossary for "drywalkers" (humans). These include terms and unusual words from the books and are very useful and interesting. There is also a Loch comic book and short animated DVD, which are equally delightful.

You can purchase Decoy and The Loch at the Penny-Farthing Press website. I highly recommend them!

WANT TO WIN? There will be two winners: one winner will receive two graphic novels in the Decoy line, The Original Series and Storm of the Century. Another winner will receive a Loch Trilogy. To enter, leave a comment on this post and tell me which set of books you would choose if you win. Please include your email address. The deadline to enter is Monday, July 14th at Midnight. This contest is open to readers from the U.S., Canada and Overseas.

UPDATE: The winners are #1 gkstratos and #14 melissa. Congratulations!