Parent blogger Jenny Leonard of The Brick Castle tells us why Adventure Time magazine is fantastic fun for both youngsters and older readers…
In our household we're big fans of Adventure Time, the children's TV show that actually has more depth than you'd first imagine. Featuring a group of characters who were all left alone in a post-apocalyptic world, the animation is very watchable for grown-ups as well as children.
Our first Adventure Time magazine arrived sealed safely in a plastic bag with three free gifts – a pretty cool banana water pistol, a great little BMO notebook and a small bag of sweets. My children and I were all very pleased with that selection.
The magazine itself is a 32-page full-colour matt paper comic, and is actually pretty traditional. It has a pull out double-sided poster in the middle – in this case it featured Marceline and a giant skull on one side and a scene where BMO, Jake and Lady Rainicorn are the size of insects on the reverse.
There are articles about characters. My issue included BMO's blueprint and a special 7-page stylised feature story titled: 'Give Us Back BMO'. Marceline also gets her own double-page spread with '10 Fangtastic Marceline Moments', as does Lumpy Space Princess, who shows us around her 'crib'. I think it's a nice touch to bring modern references into the magazine in a tongue-in-cheek way. It matches the style of the TV programme and gives more for the slightly older reader to laugh about.
One of the features in this magazine is a science experiment, the Fire Kingdom Lava Lamp. By following the instructions, children can make a pretty effective and safe lava lamp using kitchen store cupboard ingredients. I was impressed how the science behind the lava lamp and how it works is explained, and the accompanying photos are really clear.
The magazine has several competitions that children can enter, including designing a game for BMO and questions to win DVDs, as well as some puzzles that are just for fun. There is also a readers' drawings section, with some great artwork from readers. This was always one of my favourite parts of a comic, and as a child I often sent in pictures – I never really won anything though!
Adventure Time magazine has plenty to offer a young fan. Focusing mainly on interaction and activity rather than big chunks of reading, it's great to dip in to and really helpful if you have a reluctant reader. There are 13 issues a year, and a subscription will ensure you have each issue delivered to your door.
Want to read more radical tales from the Land of Ooo? Subscribe to Adventure Time magazine.
