Red X From Teen Titans and Friends for Ansel

 

Riding in the cargo bike on the way home yesterday, Ansel watched "Masks" and "X"- the episodes of the Teen Titans featuring Red X....So he has been recently reminded just how cool he thinks this skeleton masked, morally ambiguous guy is. So cool that there needed to be three of him.

Battlepug and Le Bruiser from Guarding the Globe for Ansel

Ansel loves super dogs even when they are hanging out and not looking particularly super:  Battlepug, from "Battlepug" by Mike Norton looms behind Le Bruiser from "Guarding the Globe" by Robert Kirkman and company.  When we arrived at school this morning, Ansel announced to his best friend, "I have TWO dogs on my napkin!"  I thought I would be getting some flack this morning for their passive poses, but Ansel was unusually pleased.

Red X (and Blue X) from Teen Titans for Ansel

 

Despite the recent series of DC Nation Teen Titans shorts, Red X from the version of Teen Titans that ended in 2006 has got to be an obscure reference in most Kindergartens.  Ansel's best buddy claims to know who Red X is.  I am dubious, but grateful.  Ansel requested a blue and and red version, so that he and his pal can each have one. 

Bruiser from Guarding the Globe for Ansel

Having just received our TPB of "Guarding the Globe" the kids were delighted to discover that one of the Guardians is a french bulldog named "Le Bruiser"  Not a pug, but perhaps the next best thing. From a drawing by Ramson Getty, I think.

The Lorax in Halo Armor for Ansel

A non ironic mash-up of my sons' pop culture exposure for the weekend: We watched "The Lorax" on Saturday. Meanwhile, Archer bombarded us with details about Halo, a game that he has not played and will not play any time in the foreseeable future. But he can still read about it and be an authority.

Equinox Dragon from DragonVale and Toothless for Archer

The Equinox Dragon from DragonVale is upstaging all other dragons in Archer's mind this week. But he has not yet managed to get one.  Perhaps Toothless is wondering just how that dragon gets around with no wings and only two legs. 

Danny, the Fox, and the Fairy Ring From Dragonbreath #7 for Ansel

 

Danny Dragonbreath, the fox and the fairy ring:  We are still reading Dragonbreath #7 at bedtime.  And, Ansel's Kindergarten is working on the letter "F" this week, so the fox character has proved popular at school.

The Fox from Dragonbreath #7 for Ansel

Ansel is reading the seventh installment of Ursula Vernon's Dragonbreath series, "When Fairies Go Bad" which features a fox- his favorite animal this week.

MeatLug and the DragonVale Cactus Dragon for Archer

 
Meatlug from Dragons: Riders of Berk / How to Train Your Dragon meets the Cactus Dragon from DragonVale:   Will hilarity ensue?   Archer humored me with a small smile, but was otherwise unimpressed.

DragonVale Paper Dragon for Archer

 

 I have not had to try to draw something from DragonVale for a quite a while, but Archer is trying hard to get the paper dragon before the end of the week.

Darkwing from Invincible with Batman for Ansel

Darkwing from "Invincible" is so reminiscent of Batman for Ansel that they had to be crowded together on one napkin.

Invincible & Darkwing for Ansel

 

The kids are reading "Invincible" again, all 94 plus issues, plus other related Image Comics compilations.  So age-inappropriate that I can't believe we read most of it a year ago, but so very compelling.  I think Ansel is particularly taken with the dark blue suited Mark and Darkwing #2 as they slightly resemble Nightwing and Batman.

Royal Bengal Tiger Cub with Ansel for Ansel

Bengal Tiger for Ansel

Ansel wanted me to draw the tiger character from Kinectimals.  I was feeling perverse last night, and drew a realistic tiger instead.  Ansel did not see it this morning, but Archer reprimanded me for confusing my tigers.  "A Baby Bengal tiger is white, Mom! That is a Royal Bengal tiger."  My apologies to Bengal tigers, both real and virtual.

Grimmy from Running Fred for Archer

Archer gets so much pleasure out of the intersection of excessive cuteness and horror...particularly when the two meet in a gory game they his mother does not appreciate like Running Fred.

Glissando and Batman for Ansel

 

 Ansel is still quite taken with the cat Glissando from Ben Hatke's "Legends of Zita the Spacegirl" And he noticed that the utility belt is very similar to Batman's.

Snotlout and New Dragon for Ansel

 Archer and Ansel are inordinately excitedly about the next episode of "Dragons: Riders of Berk" airing this evening.  As a veteran rereader of every book in the "How to Train Your Dragon" series, Archer has a theory about just what the new dragon is.  Ansel just wanted to see it on his napkin.

Mabel and Dipper from Gravity Falls with Batman for Archer

Mabel and Dipper from the kids' favorite show of the moment , Gravity Falls, pose with their favorite superhero.

Glissando and Stiltskin from Legends of Zita for Ansel

Ansel loves Glissando the cat from "Legends of Zita the Spacegirl" by Ben Hatke.  This means a lot, as he usually reserves his enthusiasm exclusively for dogs.

Batman Offers Toothless a Fish for Ansel

Ansel came to the conclusion yesterday that Batman was slightly more popular than Toothless with more Kindergarteners (or at least with those who mattered to him)  Or perhaps it is easier to get a Batman backpack?  At any rate, we are covering both bases today.

Chief Justice Num-Nums from Gravity Falls for Archer

In "Irrational Treasure" an episode of Gravity Falls, the 8 1/2 th president of the United States appoints 6 infants to the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Num-Nums.  Archer finds this hysterically funny and requested said Chief Justice drooling on his napkin.  This one is pretty much exactly "as seen on tv" although I added some extra drool, and as Ansel immediately pointed out this morning, while the other baby is pushing on his face on the show, the Chief Justice's eyes are completely closed.

Dipper and Hiccup for Archer

Dipper from "Gravity Falls" chats with Hiccup from "Dragons: Riders of Berk" on Archer's napkin: Perhaps they are discussing whose body is the right proportion?... or the difficulties of preadolescent stardom?  I did distort both of them a bit to put them in the same universe.  Hiccup is taller and thinner when appearing on his own show and usually Dipper's legs are shorter.

Toothless the Night Fury Dragon for Ansel

Ansel selected Toothless from "Dragons: Riders of Berk" (as well as "How to Train Your Dragon" of course) for his first day of school.  He reasoned that it would be popular with his classmates.

Judy and Kitten from Dr. McNinja for Archer

We are rereading the entire online archive for Dr. McNinja, again.  Pictured is his receptionist, Judy, and her second kitten.  The first was eaten by Yoshi the raptor.