This One's For The Children

It has been stated that kids just don't read comic books anymore. Compared to how things used to be this is hard to argue. The big two companies have taken to putting "All-Ages" versions of their books that have come and gone over the years. The fact that DC's Tiny Titans is making it to at least fifty issues before it's retired is a pretty amazing feat. It's hard to identify why this is. Kids will watch the movies and the cartoons, but it just doesn't translate into going to the comic shop. Maybe a comic book just isn't very intriguing for a youngster who has spent most (or all) of their life living in a digitized world? I know I got into comics from perusing spinner racks at the nearest grocery store. Now I hardly ever see comics in grocery stores. What happened there? I guess if grocery stores could still sell them they would still order them.

If your kid is reading comics in your house with any consistency, then that probably means that you are reading comics with consistency. A trickle down effect that may mean that your love of the X-Men since childhood just makes your kids think the X-Men are lame. Allow me to make a few more timely recommendations that kids can identify with all on their own without the baggage of the decades of continuity. Maybe if you ask nicely they'll let you borrow them when they're done.

Super Dinosaur
By Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard
Image Comics/Skybound


There is one thing that will always be true. Kids love dinosaurs. Stick a dinosaur in battle armor and it would seem an obvious recipe for success. The real star of the book is Derek, Super Dinosaur's bestest pal and son of super genius Doc Dynamo. Each issue has more than enough slam-bang action to keep your rambunctious rascal entertained. There are also some real human moments, like when Derek has to deal with his father's severe memory loss. This can be a very real problem with family. A grandson could be dealing with this issue with a grandfather, and it's pretty awesome how this comic can connect in that way. Don't expect this comic to slow down. It moves at ADHD speed, but at the end of the day it is the kids that save it all. With a little help from a talking tyrannosaurus rex.

Snarked!
By Roger Langridge and Lisa Moore
Boom!/Kaboom!


The young Queen Scarlett and her brother Prince Rusty have formed an alliance with the begrudging Wilburforce J. Walrus and his happy-go-lucky carpenter pal Clyde McDunk to find her missing parents to re-claim her corrupted home kingdom in this goofy, Lewis Carroll inspired, madcap adventure. All signs point to the mysterious Snark island that contains a creature everyone fears but very few have ever seen. Langridge has been cartooning for a while and deserves high credit. He doesn't miss a beat and is never afraid to delve into the wackiness of this adventure.  This book seems like a good pick for silly kids who love to read, or have a particular fascination with the sunday funnies.

Adventure Time with Finn & Jake
By Pendleton Ward, Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb
Boom!/Kaboom!


Already a commercial and critical success as a television show on Cartoon Network. Adventure Time has just recently found its way onto the comic book rack. Finn the Human and Jake the Dog reside in the Land of Ooo. They hang out, high five, use Jake's magical powers, and practice "battle burns" in this wildly imaginative comic. I've never seen the show, but I am actually totally in love with this comic book. If you have an oddball child that you already know is a fan of Adventure Time then give them this as a treat. Maybe they'll be so appreciative that they won't stick you in a nursing-home someday.

-BS