Teen Titans Robin and Battlepug for Ansel

Characters from the two things we read at bedtime last night: Robin from "Teen Titans Go!" and Battlepug from the latest and much awaited web comic update.  Robin's take on the situation would perhaps be: "Why must I be plagued by this ridiculous animal?!" Ansel's response this morning: "It takes a lot to make me laugh.  This does not make me laugh."

Monster Broccoli

Archer was quite tickled by "The Secret Knowledge of Grown-ups" by David Wisniewski. Despite knowing that such things as vegetable monsters were tongue-in-cheek, I think he believed there might be some actual revelations in there.  He is always pleased to convince his peers that he hates broccoli, as no cool child would eat consume the stuff.  

Nightwing Beyond for Ansel

Ansel requested Nightwing Beyond based on a sketch by qBATMANp at deviantart.  Actually, he asked for "Nightwing with the glowy symbol that's on the Ipad," but I recognized the magic of Google images. He did not appreciate my inclusion of the utensils, but the Nightwing sticks are just a little too much weapon for lunch in preschool.  

Teen Titans Robin for Ansel

Ansel spent the weekend waffling on whether he wanted Robin from the "Teen Titans" television show (2003-6) or Robin from "The Batman" show (2006-7)  for his next napkin.  When he looked at the napkin this morning, he was not so indecisive in his immediate reaction: "Mom! I didn't want to see the bottom of his shoe!" ... I thought that was the cool part...

Guy Fox from Rocket Fox for Archer

With characteristic 9 year old boy hyperbole, Archer declared Rocket Fox his favorite game ever.  And this despite the complete absence of weapons or bloodshed.  It must have been his affectionate bonding with the cute web comic Rocket Fox before contact with the actual game.  Successful marketing at work.

Bat Owl for Archer

Archer told me this morning that he plans to hide this one in his lunchbox.  Apparently the owl is too realistic and unredeemed by the Batman reference.  While Batman is popular at home, he is not cool enough for third grade today.  Oh well.  I suspected as much, but Archer did not provide a request last night, and I needed a break from drawing Pokemon.

Raccoon and Batman for Ansel

Ansel asked for the raccoon from "The Batman" episode "Pets."  Batman is still cool enough for Pre-School.

Noctowl for Archer

Archer's year end report is on barn owls.  He is completely resistant to the idea of a napkin featuring a real owl, but an owl-like Pokemon creature is ok.  He got the dearth of blue markers/weird pink sky treatment as well, but perhaps with more success.

Herdier and Pikachu for Ansel

More Pokemon characters for Ansel:  It was far too late last night for me to give any consideration to what might be the relationship between Herdier and Pikachu, much less their environment.  Lack of functioning blue markers has reduced me to strange pink backgrounds.

Ace the Bat Hound for Ansel

A return to an old favorite for Ansel: Ace the Bat Hound in his "Krypto the Superdog" incarnation.  Just remember, he is Batman's partner, not his pet.

Bulbasaur with Pasta for Archer

My feelings about Bulbasaur are mixed, but Archer feels he is astoundingly cute...and that he himself is astoundingly cute while he is pretending to be Bulbasaur.

Red from Sky Kid for Archer

The boys really love "Sky Kid" by Jim Zub and Jeff Cruz.  (Based on a video game from the 1980's) We had to read the whole thing twice in two days.  Who knew a series without swords or superpowers could be so compelling? 

A month's worth of napkins

About a month's worth of napkins.  Spending the day at home with a kid who, as it turns out, had both strep and fifth disease, we spent some time arranging napkins on the floor.

Nightwing with Jetpack for Ansel

Ansel wanted to see Nightwing in his latest incarnation on "Young Justice" wearing Batman's jet pack from an episode of "The Batman."  Not sure why he hasn't burned off his left foot, but no doubt Wayne Enterprises... or the Justice League perhaps have worked out the technology.

Frontline Commando with Rifle for Archer

Archer asked for yet another image of Frontline Commando for today.  I think we are all getting tired of the strawberry disarmament technique....although there were strawberries packed in the lunch.  Perhaps a daisy in the muzzle of the weapon instead?

Frontline Commando for Archer

Archer wishes desperately for more allowance to spend on Frontline Commando.  

Batman and Dracula for Ansel

From "Batman vs. Dracula" rediscovered by both kids yesterday.  Just when we think Batman might be out of play rotation, he comes back with a vengeance.  

Battlepug for Ansel

While they are probably not in the target demographic, so to speak, my sons were giddy with delight while reading Battlepug.  Homicidal cute animals, sword violence, and gratuitous nudity are three of their most favorite things.

Hobbes and Calvin in Frontline Commando Armor for Archer

Archer requested a combination of  Frontline Commando and Calvin and Hobbes (his most favorite series of books)  As I had just started making lunch and drawing napkins around the time that any reasonable person would have been going to bed, I don't think I rose to the challenge.  Hard to tell whether Hobbes is upset about the guns, or the pacifistic fruit stuck on the end...probably just as well that it is ambiguous given the continuing collision of Archer's love of the depiction of violence and his Quaker school.

Herdier for Ansel

Another image of Pokemon's Herdier "the moustache dog" as Ansel likes to call him.  Pretty much a complete background failure on this one, but I felt compelled to put something behind the dog, as drawing the Pokemon character did not present much of a challenge.  And fancy backgrounds have become another entitlement as far as the kids are concerned.  Ansel in particular feels that I am shirking my napkin duty if the whole thing is not colored in.  

Dodo Dragon for Archer

Yet another dragon from DragonVale: a baby dodo dragon.  After this extensive run of DragonVale napkins, I am thinking fondly back to previous fixations on Batman, or Star Wars....

Herdier and Lillipup for Ansel

After several months of what I had considered a successful remission, Pokemon suddenly reappeared with a vengeance at our house over the weekend.  On this napkin, I made a halfhearted attempt at the peculiarly lush backgrounds from the Pokemon movies as there is not a lot of challenge involved in drawing the characters.

Plant Dragons and Victini for Archer

Plant Dragons from DragonVale pose with Victini from Pokemon:  I had not really considered the parallels between the characters from these two franchises, but their appeal is not very dissimilar.  

Butterfly Dragon for Archer

DragonVale continues to absorb Archer's attention...and to extract the entirety of his allowance. Perhaps I am pleased that he is not spending it on candy?

Kid Nightwing, Puppy and Batman for Ansel

Kid Nightwing (with the addition of an Iron Man like palm blaster), a puppy, and Batman from The Justice League, season 2.  Ansel, the five year old art director, gave me explicit instructions, posing for both figures, and showing me the bright blue marker spots he had made on his palms during school yesterday.

Cactus Dragon for Archer

Although I am really hoping for a break from DragonVale, the Cactus Dragon is one of my favorites to draw.

Claudette and Valiant from Giants Beware for Ansel

Two characters from "Giants Beware" by Jorge Aquirre and Rafael Rosado.  Both of the boys loved the book, and it had to be read completely within a 24 hour period.  Given the nicely calibrated mixture of violent adventure, cuteness and dogs, they were even able to overlook the fact that the main character is female.  As always, the strawberry does not appear in the book, and is merely a vain attempt to make the sword more appropriate for a Quaker school lunch.

Reindeer Dragon for Archer

The rather undragonlike Reindeer Dragon from Dragonvale was only available during the holiday season:  Apparently Archer has worked out some sort of deal to trade with one of his friends who has a surplus.  But this led Archer to the question of why there is not a Chanukah dragon?  Given the possibilities of menorah wings or horns, I have to agree that there might be a missed opportunity.

Bulk and Puppy for Ansel

Bulk from Lego Hero Factory holds an unnamed, and probably not pleased, puppy.  It was late, so I could not decide whether the intersection of Hero Factory fangs and puppy skull was fortuitous or merely unfortunate.  Ansel was quite peeved that Bulk's entire head is not included.

DragonVale Dragons for Archer

Three dragons from DragonVale:  I usually refuse to draw multiple characters on one napkin, but evidently I had more time and masochistic impulses than usual last night.  Archer asked for four dragons originally, but the Bone Dragon somehow did not make the cut, despite the fact that is less cute, and therefore my favorite from the group.

Bulk for Ansel

Yet another Bulk from Lego Hero Factory.  Ansel originally rejected this image as "looking too much like a monkey."  A week later (and after some threats that perhaps his brother would take it to school instead) he decided it was not all bad.

Sakura Dragon for Archer

The spring cherry blossom themed dragon from Dragonvale.  Archer requested it despite the fact that he had just missed his opportunity to acquire one.

Kid Nightwing for Ansel

Another bizarre drawing of my 5 year old with an action figure body and hair.  The pose, strange foreshortening and all is from a snapshot of him posing as Nightwing...well, Kid Nightwing.

Harry for Ansel

Ansel had a rare opportunity to play with a real live dog yesterday, so I got a night off from drawing the stuffed chicken.

Kingdom Rush Characters for Archer

More characters from the game Kingdom Rush which is Archer's preferred game this week.

Breakfast as Robin for Ansel

Breakfast the rooster from the Fuzzy Five dressed as Robin leaps out the window.

I have trouble keeping my Robins straight, but I think he is dressed more in the Tim Drake manner.  Ansel will make it clear for me later today no doubt.  

Red Panda for Archer

Archer took a break from video games and other trademarked characters to appreciate the cuteness of real animals today.

Nightshade for Ansel

Nightshade from the Fuzzy Five is still Ansel's top request. No batman paraphernalia this time, although I could not resist a dramatic backdrop.

Kingdom Rush Characters for Archer

More video game violence: not particularly mitigated by the presence of a strawberry. Archer's latest focus is "Kingdom Rush"  He is able to monologue about the game for astounding lengths of time.

Nightshade as Dark Knight for Ansel

Nightshade from The Fuzzy Five (fuzzyfive.com) impersonates the Dark Knight in a "Batman Animated" environment.

Rocka for Archer

Rocka from Hero Factory apparently just never loses his appeal for our older son, even when it is not one of my better efforts.