SUPERMAN AND LOIS APPEARANCE AT MOTOR CITY COMIC CON

Fans of the CW television network's Arrowverse shows based on DC Comics characters will want to head to Novi, Michigan's Vibe Credit Union Showplace for this year's Spring edition of the Motor City Comic Con taking place May 15 - 17, 2026. The event will feature appearances by Tyler Hoechlin (Clark Kent) and Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois Lane) from the Arrowverse's Superman & Lois tv series. Both actors will be appearing on Saturday May 16 and Sunday May 17 for autographs and photo ops as well as appearing in a panel discussion about their experiences on Superman & Lois.

Tyler Hoechlin is best known for his starring role as Clark Kent alongside his counterpart Elizabeth "Bitsie" Tulloch, who plays Lois Lane in the CW series, Superman & Lois. He has also stared as Derek Hale on MTV's hit series Teen Wolf. He will be available for Autographs ($100), Selfies ($100), Autograph/Selfie Combos ($180), Solo Professional Photo ($120), and Duo Professional Photo with Superman & Lois co-star Bitsie Tulloch ($210).

Like Hoechlin, Bitsie Tulloch is best known for her role in the CW series, Superman & Lois where she brings strength, intelligence, and heart to one of the most iconic characters in comic book history in her role as Lois Lane. She previously starred as Juliette Silverton/Eve on the hit fantasy drama Grimm. She will be available for Autographs ($80), Selfies ($80), Autograph/Selfie Combos ($150), Solo Professional Photo ($100), Duo Professional Photo with Superman & Lois co-star Tyler Hoechlin ($210).

Michigan’s largest pop-culture event since 1989, Motor City Comic Con gathers comic book and multimedia dealers from across the country, offering a vast variety of pop-culture merchandise, including comics, art, t-shirts, movie memorabilia, posters and more. The event also features entertainment celebrities available for autographs and fan meet and greets and who participate in panel discussions about their work projects and careers. Based upon its popularity, Motor City Comic Con has expanded over the course of time to now be a bi-annual event with Spring and Fall editions each year.

For more information, visit motorcitycomiccon.com

SUPERMAN ICE CREAM

I was driving by downtown Farmington and decided to check out BROWN DOG, a craft ice cream parlor which only utilizes Michigan dairy with scratch made mix-ins, that has been getting some nice word of mouth around Metro Detroit. Most specifically though, I was looking to taste test their Superman ice cream, or as they call it instead, for DC Comics copyright reasons, SUPERDOG ice cream.

Superman ice cream was my favorite ice cream as a kid. I have this incredible memory of the first time I tasted it! A bunch of neighborhood kids piled into my best friend's dad's station wagon to go see SUPERMAN at the local drive-in movie theater. Going to see Christopher Reeve's as Superman flying around on a movie screen from the back of a car with a whole group of friends was an epic summer night. It was made even better as we stopped to get Superman ice cream on the way there.

I was wowed by Superman ice cream. Up until then I had only had chocolate, strawberry or vanilla flavored ice cream. Now before me was this mix of bright colors and various flavors. This ice cream really was super!

The Superman ice cream was colored red, yellow and blue matching the coloring style of the superhero. Plus, each color had a different flavor. Blue had a bubble gum taste to it, Red had a red pop flavor, and Yellow was lemon. Eating the three together was a unique experience and was so good! 

Superman ice cream originated here in Detroit during Prohibition when Stroh's Brewery stopped making beer and switched its production over to ice cream. When alcohol became legal again the breweries reopened opening the taps back on for Stroh's beer but the company kept making ice cream too. We had an ice cream parlor near our house that served Stroh's and I'd regularly stop in to get a scoop, or two, in a waffle cone throughout my youth.

Then in 1999, Stroh's shutdown its Detroit operations. The brewery was sold to Pabst and the ice cream company to Melody Farms. Dean Foods has owned the Stroh's ice cream brand since 2007. The new owners of Stroh's ice cream kept the packaging but produced the ice cream with their own pre-existing recipes from factories out-of-state shipping it to Michigan. To me, what Dean Foods now calls Super Rainbow tastes like vanilla with red, white and yellow food coloring. Doah!

So, I've been on a search to find a Superman ice cream that matches the flavor that I loved as a kid. The Hudsonville, Purple Cow and Kroger brands in our local grocery stores have Superman inspired flavors that have a marshmallowish Blue Moon, cherry and vanilla mix with the original look of the ice cream to them. That just doesn't cut it! And Blue Bunny's Scooper Hero is the worst with a blah vanilla flavor for all three colors of ice cream.

So, now it is time to give BROWN DOG's craft ice cream a taste test. Will SUPERDOG meet or exceed my expectations?! I hope so because at $8.00 a pint of this ice cream is pricey.

With three distinct flavors for each color, BROWN DOG is already out doing many of the Superman ice cream wannabes out there. Blue is Blue Moon; Red is tart Cherry; Yellow is zesty Lemon. The coloring blends together for a nice presentation, but how does the mix of flavors compare to my childhood favorite ice cream flavor?

The Blue Moon of SUPERDOG has more of a marshmallow flavor than the original bubblegum taste to the Superman ice cream I loved as a kid. The cherry has a nice tartness to it but is different than the red soda vibe of the original. The lemon though is spot on. Unfortunately, the Blue Moon flavor overpowers the cherry and lemon rather than complimenting them. 

BROWN DOG'S SUPERDOG has a decent taste to it but at what it costs for a scoop or pint just isn't what I'm looking for. If you are looking for an original Superman flavored ice cream this isn't it. That being said it was good enough that I am interested in trying out some of the other offerings from BROWN DOG on their ice cream menu. They have some FAYGO flavored ice cream that looks very tempting to try and some alcohol-infused Irish Cream ice cream has piqued my interest.

For more information about this ice cream parlor and restaurant go to browndogbarlor.com. They have Michigan locations in the cities of Farmington and Novi. Stop by and eat in or order online and take out.

And my search goes on for a Superman ice cream that meets my high, and possibly improbable to find, expectations. Is there a flavor of Superman you have discovered that is fantastic? Share it with us!

SUPERMAN THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES

Warner Bros Home Entertainment provided ageekdaddy.com a complimentary Blu-Ray box set of SUPERMAN: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES, which originally began airing in 1996, all 54 episodes of the television series have been remastered and are being released in a Blu-Ray box set on October 26, 2021. SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES provides an imaginative, heartfelt look at the Man of Steel's adventures in Metropolis alongside Lois Lane and opposite the villainous likes of Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Darkseid and more. The television series garnered 11 Emmy Award nominations and two Emmy Award wins, including top honors as the Outstanding Special Class Animated Program of 1998. 

SUPERMAN: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES box set features nearly 21 hours of entertainment spread over six Blu-Ray discs, which includes not just all the exciting episodes of the tv show but also lots of bonus content including an all-new series-defining featurette entitled Superman: Timeless Icon, a special video commentary episode and three specially selected episodes with audio commentaries by the showrunners.  Plus all 54 episodes have been remastered from the original 35mm Interpositive sources, giving special attention to extensive color correction, dirt and scratch clean up, and adding a grain reduction pass to create a pristine picture, all while making sure not to affect the original lines in the artwork of the animation. The audio was also retransferred from the original audio masters. The remastered episodes though are still presented in the series' original aspect ratio (4x3) to maintain their original look just with cleaner and crisper imagery and sound.

Following a precedent set by Batman: The Animated Series, these Superman cartoons featured numerous guest stars. Notable series guest stars featured Mark Hamill, Ed Asner, Dean Jones, Melissa Joan Hart, Robert Morse, Al Roker, Brian Cox, Jason Priestley, Peter Gallagher, David Warner, Michael Dorn, Christopher McDonald, Bruce Weitz, Andrea Martin, Miguel Ferrer, Ron Perlman, Bud Cort, Gilbert Gottfried, Robert Hays, Dennis Haysbert, Laraine Newman, Nancy Travis, Xander Berkeley, Jonathan Harris, John Glover, Sandra Bernhard, Jack Carter, Ernie Hudson, Henry Silva, and Robert Patrick. The cast and guest stars for SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES provided for a true A list of talent involved in producing the show whose resumes include one Academy Award and 10 Oscar nominations; 37 Emmy Awards and 186 Emmy nominations; 16 Golden Globe Awards and 54 nominations; five Annie Awards and 38 nominations; four Grammy Awards and 14 nominations; and nine individuals honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There really was some super talent involved with this animated series!

Tim Daly (Madame Secretary, Private Practice, Wings) led the cast as Clark Kent and Superman alongside Dana Delany (Body of Proof, Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Lois Lane, David Kaufman (Danny Phantom, Stuart Little) as Jimmy Olsen and Clancy Brown (Dexter, The Shawshank Redemption, SpongeBob SquarePants) as Lex Luthor. The star-studded cast included series regulars – and their characters – Lauren Tom (Angela Chen), Victor Brandt (Professor Hamilton), Corey Burton (Brainiac), Joseph Bologna (Dan Turpin), George Dzundza (Perry White), Brad Garrett (Bibbo Bibbowski), Shelley Fabares (Martha Kent), Joanna Cassidy (Maggie Sawyer), Lisa Edelstein (Mercy Graves), Mike Farrell (Jonathan Kent) and Michael Ironside (Darkseid).

If you buy SUPERMAN: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES utilizing a Geek Daddy affiliate link this blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into this blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

DC ANIMATED MOVIE INJUSTICE

Warner Bros Home Entertainment provided ageekdaddy.com with a complimentary 4K Ultra HD edition of the DC Animated Movie INJUSTICE. 

Inspired by Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios’ popular video game, and the best-selling DC graphic novel based on the video game, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year One by Tom Taylor, comes the newly released animated film INJUSTICE. This animated movie transports viewers to an alternate world within  the DC multi-verse of storytelling that has gone mad with superheroes taking sides and battling amongst each other for control of the Earth.

The Joker has duped Superman into killing Lois Lane, sending the Man of Steel on a deadly rampage. Unhinged, Superman decides to take control of the Earth for humanity’s own good. Determined to stop him, Batman creates a team of like-minded, freedom-fighting heroes. But when Super Heroes go to war, can the world survive?

While it is a cartoon this animated film isn't meant for for children to view. Like many other releases in the DC Animated Movie series INJUSTICE is rated R for bloody violence. With scenes like the clip below that shows Superman killing Joker by pulling his heart out of the villain's chest this isn't the cheery Super Friends cartoons that are often identified with the animation of DC Comics stories. Be prepared for epic, violent brawls in this movie. Parents may want to have their kids sit this one out but it is very worth viewing for superhero fans in their teenage and adult years.

INJUSTICE is available in a 4K Ultra HD pack that also includes the movie on Blu-Ray and Digital and a Blu-ray + Digital combo pack. Both movie packs includes lots of extra bonus content in addition to the feature presentation. This includes Adventures in Storytelling – Injustice: Crisis and Conflict , a featurette where the storytellers behind the new INJUSTICE animated film discuss how all the intense drama and unabashed action was brought to life. Content from prior DC Animated Movies and the Warner Bros Animation Studios vault of DC content are also included.

Buy INJUSTICE utilizing a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into the blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

I am geeked to watch INJUSTICE! DC Animated Movies have earned a Geek Daddy nod of approval for their adaption of stories that provide a comic book feel to the animation presented on screen in these films. I've enjoyed playing the video game and reading the comics this movie is inspired by and am really excited to view this film now. Who else is looking forward to taking in this superhero battle royal in INJUSTICE?!

SUPERMAN AND LOIS SEASON 1 ON BLU RAY

Warner Bros provided ageekdaddy.com with a complimentary Blu-ray of SUPERMAN & LOIS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

SUPERMAN & LOIS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is flying onto Blu-ray and DVD this week. If you missed this superhero series airing on The CW Network now you can binge watch all 1 one-hour episodes. Plus the home entertainment video release of the show also includes 80 minutes of special features. In addition to the tv episodes enjoy, the Blu-ray and DVD include the featurettes Superman: Alien Spirit, Superman and Lois: Legacy of Hope, Never Alone: Heroes and Allies, as well as the DC FanDome Superman & Lois Panel.

After years of facing super villains, monsters and alien invaders intent on wiping out the human race, one of the world's greatest super heroes and comic books' most famous journalist come face to face with one of their greatest challenges ever -- dealing with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents! Superman & Lois stars Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch reprising their roles of Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane from the CW Network series Supergirl. They are joined in the show's cast by Jordan Elsass (Little Fires Everywhere), Alex Garfin (New Amsterdam), Erik Valdez (Graceland), Inde Navarrette (13 Reasons Why), Wole Parks (All American), Adam Rayner (Tyrant) Dylan Walsh (Blue Bloods) and Ennanuelle Chriqui (Entourage).

Take in the show with Blu-ray's unsurpassed picture and sound watching Superman & Lois: The Complete First Season in 1080p Full HD Video with DTS-HD Master Audio. All fifteen episodes in high definition! Or you can settle for the standard definition imagery available on DVD. The bonus feature content is the same on either.

Buy Superman & Lois: The Complete First Season utilizing a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this blog will receive a small commission from amazon.com. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

SMALLVILLE THE COMPLETE SERIES

Warner Bros Home Entertainment provided ageekdaddy.com with a complimentary THE COMPLETE SERIES: SMALLVILLE Blu-Ray + Digital box set. Opinions expresses are honest and my own.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the debut of the first season of television show SMALLVILLE, Warner Bros Home Entertainment is releasing on October 19, 2021 a box set that for the first time includes all 218 episodes of the series on Blu-Ray. Smallville: The Complete Series 20th Anniversary Edition also includes 28 hours from all 10 seasons. Bonus features include the original 1961 pilot for The Adventures of Superboy starring John Rockwell, a special on Smallville's 100th Episode: Making of a Milestone, a feature length documentary on the history of DC Comics, as well as deleted scenes, gag reels and behind the scenes featurettes from each season of the show. Whether you watched this tv show when it first aired like I did or are a superhero fan who wants to binge watch this series for the first time, THE COMPLETE SERIES: SMALLVILLE is a great addition to your home entertainment video library.

The tv show follows the life of teenage Clark Kent growing up in the small town of Smallville, Kansas as he evolves into the hero we all know as Superman. Next to Christopher Reeve, Tom Welling is my second-favorite actor to portray the role of the Man of Steel and Michael Rosenbaum provides my favorite adaption of Lex Luther when it comes to the movies or television. The slew of DC Comics inspired television shows airing on The CW television network now wouldn't be occurring if it wasn't for the successful Emmy-winning 10-season run of SMALLVILLE.

Check out this 20th Anniversary reunion interview at this year's DC FanDome with actors Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum reflecting back on their time filming SMALLVILLE:

Buy THE COMPLETE SERIES: SMALLVILLE Blu-ray + Digital box set using a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase from Amazon. Commissions are reinvested into the blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated.

KRYPTON SECOND SEASON NOW ON HOME VIDEO

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray featured in this post

If you are a cable television cord cutter like myself and haven't signed up for the DC Universe streaming service there are quite a few shows like KRYPTON that can be hard to keep up with. Originally broadcast on SyFy and later streamed on DC Universe, this live action television show takes viewers to Superman's home world 200 years before the birth of the Man of Steel. You did know Superman is an alien from outer space didn't you?

This show gives insights into the lineage of the House of El which Kal-El (Superman's birth name) originates from. KRYPTON shows how Superman comes from a heritage of heroes though his Kryptonian relatives didn't have the spectacular abilities he has on Earth. In fact, Superman would be just like an average person on Earth if he visited Krypton because the yellow sun of our planet's solar system reacts with his body chemistry providing the powers that make him a super hero.

So KRYPTON is more like a science fiction story than a comic book superhero adventure because its characters don't have extraordinary abilities. That being said some of the villains that comic book fans are sure to be familiar with make appearances in the show despite it taking place 200 years before Superman is born. They include Brainiac, Doomsday, Lobo and General Zod.

Brainiac

Lobo

If you missed seeing KRYPTON during its original run on the science fiction cable network SyFy or its reruns on DC Universe, you can watch it on home video via Blu-ray, DVD or Digital. Warner Bros Home Entertainment had previously released the first season on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital and now the complete second and final season of the show is available too. Thanks to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment for sending a Blu-ray + Digital Combo Pack of KRYPTON: THE COMPLETE SECOND & FINAL SEASON for this cord cutting dad blogger to view!



Two hundred years before the present day life of Kal-El, a corrupt regime leading the Kryptonian city of Kandor executes Val-El, grandfather of Seg-El (Superman's grandfather), for treason. Seg-El and his parents are stripped of their upper class privileges and banished to live in poverty within the city's slums. Fourteen years later though the same man who condemned the Els gives them a way to reverse their fortunes.

He arranges a marriage between Seg and his youngest daughter Nyssa, which will allow the El family to be restored to the upper class of Krypton society. But then a strange man, coincidently named Adam Strange, wearing a Detroit Tigers baseball cap arrives from Earth's future. You have to appreciate a time and space traveling adventurer who sports the Old English D!

Adam Strange & Seg-El

Strange warns Seg that a cosmic evil is seeking to erase Superman through temporal meddling. Adam Strange (based off a Buck Rogers style character popular in DC Comics during the 1950s & '60s) and Seg-El (Superman's grandfather) soon discover that Val-El was killed to cover up his discovery of an alien threat to Krypton. The two set off to save Krypton's present and Earth's future!

Season 2 starts with General Zod in control of Krypton on a ruthless mission to rebuild the planet according to his own ideals and set upon conquering the universe. Seg-El unites resisters though in an effort to defeat Zod. Can Seg-El prevail or will the future of both Krypton and Earth be altered? Instead of modern day Earth being protected by Superman will mankind be living under the conquest of Zod?

General Zod

KRYPTON: THE COMPLETE SECOND & FINAL SEASON includes all 10 one-hour episodes. The Blu-ray and DVD editions also include 2 featurettes (The Fate of Superman + Villains: Modes of Persuasion).  You can pickup KRYPTON: THE COMPLETE SECOND & FINAL SEASON on Blu-ray or DVD from Best Buy. If you get it through a link in this post ageekdaddy.com will receive a small commission from Best Buy at no additional expense to your purchase. This dad blogger appreciate your support!

FANTASTIC PUMPKIN CARVING TEMPLATES

Still planning on carving some jack-o-lanterns for Halloween? Here are some fantastic pumpkin carving templates courtesy of costumesupercenter.com of fan favorite super hero and Star Wars characters. These Avengers, Justice League and Star Wars pumpkin stencils are free to use for your Halloween decorating.

Just print out a template, tape it to a pumpkin, and trace along the lines of the drawing with a knife. If you aren't very artistic like myself these free pumpkin carving stencils are a great way to create jack-o-lanterns that are sure to impress the trick or treaters that stop by your house. Let your geek side by carving spook-tacular jack-o-lanterns this Halloween.

AVENGERS

Captain America

Black Widow

Hulk

Ironman

Thor

JUSTICE LEAGUE

Aquaman

Batman

Superman

Wonder Woman

STAR WARS

Luke Skywalker

Princess Leia 

Chewbacca

Kylo Ren

REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN

What is better than a comic book inspired movie featuring Superman? One with four Supermen of course! Warner Bros. Animation has just released a new addition to its series of DC Universe Movies titled REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN that is available now on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. These feature length films actually provide a cinematic universe for DC Comics characters similar in scope to what Marvel has done with their life action films but don't get as much fanfare due to being cartoons that are released straight to home video.  If you are a fan of comic books and superhero flicks, these DC Universe Movies are well worth checking out.

In this newest DC Universe Movie, the Earth is dealing with a world without Superman. But in the aftermath of Superman being killed by the Doomsday monster, and the subsequent disappearance of his body, leads to a new mystery – is Superman still alive? The question is further complicated when four new super-powered individuals – Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy and the Eradicator – emerge to proclaim themselves as the new Man of Steel. In the end, only one will be able to proclaim himself the world’s true Superman.



REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN is the second half of a two-part DC Universe Movies experience that began in August 2018 with THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN – the two films portray a faithful animated version of  DC’s landmark 1992-93 “The Death of Superman” comic book storyline. The REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN features some well known names voicing characters led by  Jerry O’Connell (Carter, Bravo’s Play by Play, Stand by Me), Rebecca Romijn (X-Men, The Librarians) and Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Meg) as Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively. The trio is joined by  returning voices of the Justice League from previous DC Universe Movies: Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Terra Nova) as Batman, Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent, Daredevil) as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore (S.W.A.T., Criminal Minds) as Cyborg, Nathan Fillion (Castle, The Rookie) as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs, Insatiable, Ugly Betty) as The Flash, and Nyambi Nyambi (Mike & Molly, The Good Fight) as Martian Manhunter.

Bonus content that comes with 4K, Blu-ray and Digital editions of REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN include:

Lex Luthor: The Greatest Nemesis (Featurette) – Evil Genius. Archenemy of Superman. Misunderstood hero? This documentary will look at one of the most renowned villains in literature and debate his ethics and motivations throughout his publication history and as the calculated anti-hero of Reign of the Supermen. It also explores how Lex Luthor is emblematic of technology without limit, often demonstrating what effect unbridled power, resources, and influence can have on humanity. The documentary discusses the affinity for storytellers to associate Lex Luthor and with the field of science as they challenge our morals and integrity with real world issues such as cloning and what can happen if science fiction became science reality.

A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Justice League vs. The Fatal Five – An entertaining, insightful exciting look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection.

From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “Heavy Metal”

From the DC Vault: Justice League Unlimited, “Panic in the Sky”

REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN is rated PG-13 for sequences of action violence. The movie has a runtime of 87 minutes. Other previously released DC Comics movies from Warner Bros. Animation you might want to think about picking up include: All-Star Superman, Batman -- The Killing Joke, Justice League -- The Flashpoint Paradox, Green Lantern -- First Flight, and Suicide Squad -- Hell to Pay. All together there are more than thirty DC Universe Movies to watch!  For more information on these great straight to video animated movies fly over to dccomics.com/movies.

Also Fathom Events occasional hosts special showings on the big screen at local movie theaters around the country of these films which I'd encourage you to keep an eye out for. I've gone to a few of these Fathom Events DC Universe Movie showings and always had a good time at them.

Enjoy a Super Summer of Reading

Don't let all the hard work the children in your life have put into reading over the previous school year stagnate during their summer recess warns Gabrielle Miller, the president and CEO of the non-profit organization Raising A Reader, which is dedicated to helping families develop, practice, and maintain literacy habits for children ages 0-8 that are critical for a child's success in school and life.  Miller notes that with no homework assignments from teachers many of the 50 million plus children that are on summer vacation will stop reading during this break from school impairing their learning abilities when they return in the fall.  She reached out to A Geek Daddy to help spread the message that parents need to incorporate books into summer vacation activities and establish regular reading routines for their children.

"Summer reading should be all about the parent-child experience," Miller communicated to A Geek Daddy. "Rather than having it be a chore, or a list of must-read books, summer is a terrific opportunity to build family reading experiences.  Whether it's as simple as reading with children so they can see how much adults love reading, or visiting places and doing activities tied to a book, there are a host of ways reading can help children enjoy the summer and be ready to start school in the fall."

Here are a  few Raising A Reader tips for parents on helping their children have a super summer of reading:

• Participate in a local public library summer reading program that will often provide fun educational activities during the break from school plus challenge kids to read in order to earn an invitation to a special event like a pizza party or other  rewards or prizes.  Many libraries across the United States participate in the Collaborative Summer Library Program which provides a uniform theme and resources for libraries to use to encourage kids to read.  This year's theme is Wellness, Fitness & Sports.  Check out what your local library has to offer kids to help keep them reading during the summer.




• Invite the family pet to join the book sharing experience. Even if your child can’t read yet, have her ‘read’ the story to you and the pet. Children who can read will be able to practice their skills and children who have not yet learned to read will begin to think of themselves as ‘readers’ which is very important to lifelong learning. 


• Find books that are centered on summer activities he or she enjoys. If your child likes to go horseback riding, for example, find books about horses or stories with horses as an integral part of the plot. This will give a child a welcome change from the types of books read during the school year and better complement their summer. 


• If you are taking a trip, read books about your destination with your child before you leave. Do some research with them on the location and find things in the area they want to do while visiting. And don’t forget to play “I Spy” with road signs or license plates along the way.


• Write a book with your child about them, your family, their favorite foods or toy, their friends or whatever interests them most. Your child can draw pictures or use actual photos. If you’re worried that your child spends too much time watching TV or playing video games, have him or her tell you or write a story about their favorite TV show or video game. You can also use one of many templates available to create and print the book on your computer.


• Create an outdoor reading area so the whole family can enjoy the summer weather and not feel stuck inside. Children generally read indoors, so being outdoors will create a new environment for enjoying a book and boost a child’s enthusiasm for reading. 


• Let your child choose. Books are great, but so are comic books, magazines and even educational websites such as National Geographic Kids. Let them chase their interests and they’ll be reading more than they realize.

My kids love super heroes so we're encouraging them to enjoy a super summer of reading with DC Super Heroes books from Capstone Publishing, which specialized in children's books and digital products specializing in the educational market serving class rooms, libraries and parents looking for good materials for their children to read.  Capstone Publishing has a wide range of DC Super Heroes books to choose from suitable for all ranges of children to enjoy from those in their preschool years having mom or dad read to them to elementary school students just learning to read on their own to teens who are looking for something interesting to read during their high school years. They generously sent A Geek Daddy a free sample of the books in their super hero collection perfectly matched to my kids reading level to help keep my 7 year old twins reading over the summer months.  Easy to read Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman stories written for a children's elementary school aged audience will keep my kids interested in flipping through books all summer long.  My kids also just discovered through these book Capstone Publishing sent us the world of the DC Super-Pets which is a line of books featuring stories about the unique animal companions to the super heroes and villains of the DC Comic book universe.  My kids have fallen in love with the DC Super Pets collection!

My twins also are participating in our local public library's summer program to help keep them reading during their break from school.  Each week they are provided a list of challenges involving reading books and educational activities that if are completed allow them to grab something from a treasure chest of prizes.  Also throughout the summer they'll have the opportunity to spend some time visiting the library and reading to a therapy dog in training.  They are both excited to share their new DC Super Pets books with the therapy dog when they have a chance to read to it this summer.  At the end of summer there is a party for all the kids who participated that includes a magic show and Kohl's department store provides all the children with Kohl's Cares stuffed animals and books as a reward.  Have you checked out what types of summer activities your community public library has to offer?

For more information about all the wonderful books that Capstone Publishing has available for young readers, visit CapstoneKids.com.  Parents can be super heroes by ensuring their children read over the summer.  I hope all of our A Geek Daddy readers have a super summer of reading!

INJUSTICE 2 Super Hero Video Game Arriving In 2017

For fans of DC Comics super heroes, 2013's INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US from NetherRealm Studios is one of the most action packed and immersive video game experiences to date allowing players to engage in combative competitions featuring these characters.  Similar to the dream sequence shown in the recent Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice movie this fighting game also has Batman battling Superman in a dystopian future  INJUSTICE takes place in an alternate reality from the primary DC Comics fictional universe where the Joker has tricked Superman into killing Lois Lane and their unborn child.  Fueled with grief, Superman becomes a dictator over the world ruling the planet as its High Councillor imposing his will over all of subjected humanity.  Batman doesn't let this go on without a challenge and leads a resistance that also includes Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman.  I've spent a lot of hours having fun playing this game on my PlayStation 4 and its mobile version on my iPad so it was exciting to find out that a new and improved sequel will be arriving in 2017.

Available for Playstation 4 and Xbox One, INJUSTICE 2 will feature a massive roster of Super Heroes and Super Villains allowing players to create the ultimate version of their favorite DC Comics characters personalizing them with unique and powerful gear that can be earned throughout the game.  INJUSTICE 2 will allow gamers to take control of how their characters look, fight, and develop through a variety of game modes.  The game will continue the cinematic story introduced in INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US as Batman and his allies work to putting the pieces of society back together while struggling against those who want to restore Superman's regime.  In the midst of this chaos, a new threat appears that will put Earth's existence at risk.



To get INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US fans excited about the upcoming sequel, players of the mobile app version of the original video game can now unlock INJUSTICE 2 versions of Superman and Aquaman through its in-game Challenge Modes.  The mobile device version of the game is available as a free download on the App Store and Google Play.  It does contain in-app purchases but casual games can enjoy the game without spending money as I've personally had a lot of fun playing it without buying any enhancements or power-ups.

For more information, visit injustice.com or follow @injusticegame on Twitter.

App provides tour of Detroit locations used in filming Batman V Superman movie

While I've been wanting to see director Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice movie which is based upon the iconic super heroes of DC Comics lore because I've been following the adventures of these characters since watching their guest appearances on Saturday morning Scooby Doo cartoons as a kid, I'm also very excited to watch the flick to see how many local spots I can identify throughout the film.  The movie spent five months filming in Michigan using a film studio in Pontiac that I drive by all the time on my way to and from work and 40 remote locations that ranged from the Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum on the East Lansing campus of Michigan State University to multiple locations within Detroit including the popular Hygrade Deli in the city's Corktown neighborhoods to the historic Detroit Public Library building in Midtown.  For those fans who want to explore the real life locations portrayed in the fictional world of Gotham City and Metropolis from the movie there is a new app designed for iOS devices that can help with that.



The Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice mobile tour app from the Michigan Film & Digital Media Office debuted in coordination with the March 25, 2016 premiere date of the movie in theaters across the United States. The app features an interactive map that highlights 12 Detroit spots used for filming the Warner Brothers movie providing a summary about the Batman V Superman scene shot at the site and information about the real world location.  Movie fans and travel enthusiasts visiting Detroit can utilize the app, created by Grand Rapids-based Mutually Human, to take a self-guided tour exploring all the locations from Batman V Superman scenes shot in Detroit.  While using the social media functionality of the app you can earn rewards and unlock features while taking either a virtual or physical tour of the featured Detroit filming locations.

The Detroit locations featured in the app include the Fort Street Financial District (Downtown Metropolis), Guardian Building (Wayne Building in Gotham), World Trade Center (Wayne Building in Metropolis), Russell Industrial Center (Boat Yard), Masonic Temple (Diana's Hotel), Belle Isle Bridge (Washington D.C.), Ransom Gillis House (Abandoned House), Detroit Public Library (Museum Gala), Michigan Central Train Station (Abandoned Gotham Building), Old Wayne County Courthouse (Washington DC), and Hygrade Deli (Raffi's Restaurant).  In addition to the tour features of the app, users can also view video segments and photos from the movie and utilize the camera function to take your own custom Batman V Superman themed photographs.

To download the FREE app that is available for Apple devices visit batmanvsupermantour.com

Batman vs Superman: which Super Hero cereal will you choose for breakfast?

My first experience reading a comic book was flipping through some issues of Superman™ that my grandparents picked up to keep the grandkids amused during our visits to their house.  I've been a fan ever since and have passed on my passion to my children so that a love of comic books has now become a family affair.  So we were excited to see that General Mills has created two new DC Comics Super Heroes cereals to correspond with the upcoming Warner Brothers movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  As Batman™ and Superman are dueling it out on the silver screen they'll also be matching up against one another on store shelves.  Which Super Hero cereal will you choose for breakfast? #BatmanCereal or #SupermanCereal ?

With the Man of Steel's emblem embossed on the front of its box, Superman™ Caramel Crunch is sure to get your kids' attention.  Parents should know that it just isn't a cool box design when it comes to this cereal but it is as good for kids to eat as Superman is good as stopping dastardly villains.  Superman Caramel Crunch has 12 grams of whole grain per serving and is a good source of Calcium and Vitamin D.  Plus it is missing a lot of bad things that parents should be on the look out for avoiding in children's food such as no artificial colors or flavors.  Your dentist will probably be happy with it only having 9 grams of sugar per serving as well.

The Caped Crusader's cereal shows off the character's dark side with its chocolate strawberry flavor and a big bat symbol on the front of the box.  Like Superman Caramel Crunch, this cereal has no artificial flavors or coloring and only 9 grams of sugar per serving.  Also neither of these cereals contain high fructose corn syrup.  Batman™ Chocolate Strawberry does pack a nutritional wallop with plenty of Calcium and Vitamin D.

So when it comes to #SuperHeroesCereal are you Team #Batman or Team #Superman?  CLICK HERE to download a $1 OFF any Superman or Batman Cereal coupon when you select your choice!

In addition to celebrating one of this year's most anticipated movies, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, through the creation of dueling cereals, General Mills is also giving away for a limited time four collectible comic books in specially marked boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios and Lucky Charms cereals beginning March 7, 2016*.  So there will be some extra fun to be had at breakfast time discovering these special comic book editions!

*Comic books cannot be found in Batman and Superman Cereals.