Battlepug and Valiant from Giants Beware for Archer

Heroic dogs from last night's bedtime reading: the titular Battlepug, by Mike Norton and another appearance by Valiant from Giants Beware.  As far as my sons are concerned, the inclusion of a humorous and violent canine improves any book immeasurably.  I can see that I will need to work on my knowledge of pug anatomy if this continues.

Valiant from Giants Beware for Ansel

Rereading "Giants Beware" by Jorge Aquirre and Rafael Rosado last night, the kids made me promise to preorder the sequel immediately.  Ansel told me this morning that next time he would like Valiant's mouth to be larger.

Bat Bulldog for Ansel

The idea of animals dressed in Bat gear continues to compel Ansel.  There was supposed to be more to this one:  something about how his secret identity is that he is actually Super Pug.  I could not quite follow it, and was pretty sure I couldn't draw it, so I went for the straightforward single character.

Owly and Maverick from Zombie Ace for Archer

Archer rediscovered the Owly books by Andy Runton yesterday.  Luckily, Owly is able to play nice with zombies from video games.  (Maverick from Zombie Ace anyway)  Archer points out that I forgot the white patch on Owly's stomach.  My apologies.

All Star Superman and Red Robin for Ansel

The boys are not usually too interested in the man of steel unless he is working with Batman, but we read some of the TPB of "All Star Superman" last night.  Ansel liked it enough to make his first request for Superman on a napkin... although he still wanted Red Robin to be there with him.  He looked at this in the morning and told me that he wanted a different version of Red Robin- the one with the glider wings so that he could fly with Superman.  I should have known. 

Maverick from Zombie Ace for Archer

Archer's latest addition to his very extensive collection of apps featuring the cute, green undead is Zombie Ace.  It seems that is not only good to fight zombies, it is also fun to pretend to be one while infecting the rest of the United States.

Tap Pet Hotel Mythical Animals for Archer

Archer is planning to spend his hard earned money on the mythical animals from Tap Pet Hotel.  He says he has wanted them for "forever!...ok, for  a couple of days."

Tap Pet Hotel Werewolf and Chupacabra for Ansel

Ansel is not as far along in Tap Pet Hotel as his older brother, so he will have to experience the werewolf and chupacabra vicariously.  I usually try to avoid drawing the same thing for both napkins, but gave in this time due to fatigue and the intensity of the requests.

Snake-Eyes from GI Joe Renegades for Ansel

Ansel has always liked the way the Snake-Eyes character looks despite being too young to see the "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" movie.  We recently discovered GI Joe: Renegades on television, and the faceless, speechless ninja guy is now even cooler.

Run Roo Run for Archer

While there are no weapons or antagonistic violence in the  Run Roo Run app, it in not entirely consequence free as it has led to excessive hopping around the house.

Ruby DragonVale Dragon for Archer

Archer has briefly sampled and discarded an appalling large number of Ipad apps, (most of them available for free of course) but he continues to return to DragonVale. 

Sunstone Tiny Monster for Ansel

Although he is pretty much just a spectator when it comes to Tiny Monsters, Ansel likes the Sunstone Monster almost as much as his brother.  This napkin is not one of my better efforts, awkwardly drawn child and all...And the monster is, no doubt, just not tiny enough.

Great Big War General for Archer

Archer was so much anticipating the "much anticipated sequel" to the Great Little War game, the unsurprisingly named "Great Big War Game" that I let him spend his allowance on it despite the 12 plus rating for "mild/infrequent" mature themes, nudity, substance abuse, profanity, and fantasy violence.  In my meager parenting defense, I can only offer that it is less graphically violent than many games available for 9 year olds.  On a side note, I did change his cigar to a carrot in honor of lunch.

Gold Power Ranger Samurai for Ansel

Ansel has become reinfected with enthusiasm for the Power Rangers- specifically the latest Super Samurai rendition.  Reading Saban Brands' website blurb, I discover that is was only 1993 that the first Power Rangers television show was a worldwide sensation.  Somehow it seems like it was longer ago...  although, I guess that is almost 20 years ago isn't it?

Ace the Bat Hound and Bane for Ansel

As Ansel is 5 years old and will probably not be viewing "The Dark Knight Rises" any time soon, we are sticking with the previous incarnation of Bane with Mexican style wrestling gear for the present.  It is unclear whether Ace is attacking or aiming for a piggyback ride, but perhaps that is for the best.

The Power Rangers Samurai Smash for Archer

Archer has never been a huge fan of the Power Rangers (don't know why we missed that one).  But he is very happy with the combination of violent slashing and big-headed cuteness in Power Rangers Samurai Smash.

Chameleon Queen from Hero 108 for Archer

Archer told me repeatedly how he finds  the Chameleon Queen from Hero 108 to be"amazingly adorable!"  He is hoping that there is a plush toy available.  Apparently, cuteness is a fairly elastic concept.

Krypto the Super Dog and Ace for Ansel

Two old stand-bys for Ansel: Ace the Bat Hound and Krypto from "Krypto the Super Dog."  The need for super pet programming is going mostly unfulfilled right now: Perhaps this is something for the folks behind DC Nation to consider?

Dragonvale Gold Dragon and Sunstone Tiny Monster for Archer

Archer and a friend engaged in a fierce debate yesterday about which was better: DragonVale or Tiny Monsters?  Then they moved on to how is Clark Kent's name pronounced - the friend argued that it was spelled "Knet" and therefore pronounce "Net"... but I digress... Archer's solution to the app debate was to just do both.  He wisely left the "Net" issue alone. 

Lego Racer X for Ansel

Whenever possible, I try to satisfy the urge for rare and expensive lego minifigures by drawing them on a napkin.  (Good luck with that, Mom)  Ansel asked for this one, Racer X from "Speed Racer" in 2008, probably thinking that it looked like a ninja crossed with a Power Ranger. 

Samurai Vs Zombie Defense for Archer

Samurai vs Zombie Defense from Glu Games:  Samurai swords, slashing of zombies, splurting of blood:  what more could a 9 year old boy ask for?  It was very important to Archer that I include both of the metallic ghostly(?) characters behind the samurai as there had been some confusion as to which one was more desirable. But it was just too much stuff on one napkin as far as I was concerned.

Red Panda for Ansel

Ansel visited the Prospect Park Zoo last week and was reminded that red pandas are pretty cool even though they do not have super powers or weapons.  He wanted me to copy a napkin I had done for his brother a couple of months ago.  The napkin is packed away in a Fresh Direct (that's  a grocery delivery service for those of you who do not reside in NY) cardboard box on top of the closet.  And it's here on the blog somewhere...but neither of those locations offered immediate gratification at 11 pm last night.  And, unlike say a "Kid Nightwing" napkin,  the red panda napkin does come up on the first page when I google the term.  I did my best to approximate it, but according to Ansel this morning, it was not exactly like the previous one.  

Bane and Nightwing for Ansel

 

Ansel asked me to redraw one of his drawings, making sure that Bane had enough muscles.  My version was not as successful as his: I did not leave enough room for the Bat Hound.

The original:

Mythic Sunstone Tiny Monster for Archer

 

Archer requested a Sunstone, his favorite from Tiny Monsters, and I mistakenly drew him a Mythic Sunstone.  He accepted the substitution affably enough this morning.

Mini Marvels Captain America with Armor for Ansel

Ansel's Mini Marvels / Captain America kick continues.  Today the Captain is wearing a suit of armor made for him by Iron Man in Chris Giarrusso's "Mini Marvels: Rock, Paper, Scissors" Perhaps the strawberry is armored also.

Shogun Total War Battles for Archer

Archer tells me that he likes Shogun: Total War Battles because the characters "fight like real men."  What this means to a 9 year old, I am not certain.

Mini-Marvels Red Skull & Capt America for Ansel

 

While our kids often claim to be uninterested in Marvel characters, Chris Giarrusso's "Mini Marvels" books are always good.  Ansel asked for a Mini Marvels style Red Skull.  I did my best to comply as there was not an obviously google-able rendition by Mr. Giarrusso to work from.

Willawaw from Scooby-Doo for Archer

 

As both kids have a remarkably high tolerance for Scooby-Doo, Archer asked for the title character from "Watch Out! The Willawaw!" the 25th episode of the show from 1978.

Red Skull and Captain America for Ansel

Ansel has learned how to play Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty from his older brother.  He says it's pretty good, although you don't get to actually punch Red Skull.

Go Ninja for Archer

Archer says he is playing Go Ninja because he "loves cutting off heads."  A statement guaranteed to warm any mother's heart no doubt...  The strawberry is there of course to suggest that what is really going on is the cutting of fruit.

Tom and Jerry and Puss in Boots for Ansel

I am not proud to  say that this one pretty much describes the screen related portions of Ansel's weekend:  He played the Puss in Boots video game, and watched Tom and Jerry do the Nutcracker.  Of course, there were no strawberries in either one.

Brimstone Tiny Monsters and Batman for Archer

As Batman often hangs out with gargoyles, it seemed appropriate that he would consort with the Brimstone varieties of Tiny Monsters.  Archer does not have any of these, but he is working on it.

Thor and Mythic Electric Tiny Monster for Archer

While Thor is definitely not a favorite with my sons, there was something going on at summer camp yesterday that made his hammer very desirable.  As there did not seem to be a Mythic Lightning Monster in the Tiny Monsters universe, we ended up adding the Mythic Electric as the most appropriate companion for the Asgardian. 

Heroclix Batman and Robin for Ansel

Ansel asked me to draw two of the huge number of Heroclix underfoot in our living room.  At about one inch tall, they do not offer much detail for those of us with geriatric eyesight, but you would think that I have a pretty good idea what Batman and Robin look like by now...

Firework and Evergreen Dragons from Dragonvale for Ansel

Thank goodness Archer managed to hatch a Fireworks Dragon in Dragonvale after his total lack of gratification with the Solstice Dragon in June.

Robin from The Batman for Ansel

Robin from the TV show.  Ansel was very displeased with the split in the cape.  I can only offer in my own defense that the bifurcation of the cape does appear in the source material...but I should have known better.

Characters from No Zombies Allowed for Archer

Archer found that he could bond with another kid at camp yesterday by discussing their mutual interest in playing No Zombies Allowed.  It seems impossible to have too many games involving green zombies with bad teeth.

FrozenFlame Tiny Monster for Archer

Archer has so far been unable to acquire the Frozenflame monster from Tiny Monsters, but he tells me that he has a Theory.

Batman and Robin from Dress Up Batman for Ansel

My 5 year old art director specified the silver Bat costume from the online game Batman Dress Up, but paired with Robin from the television show "The Batman" and a slightly different version of Mr. Freeze's hideout.  I had aspirations to improve on the somewhat awkward drawing of Batman in the game, but ending up not even doing that well.