Rocking the Big Top with The Greatest Showman

When I was younger I remember when my parents would take me and my sisters to the circus. I remember sitting in the seats with my family and just watching with amazement as the lions jumped through hoops, the trapeze artists flew through the air, and the clowns made the crowd laugh.

As I grew older my family did not go to the circus as much and it slowly faded out of our lives. Fast forward to a week and a half ago when I walked out of the theater with my children and wishing that I took them to the circus before they closed up.

Yes, my friends, watching The Greatest Showman, left me walking out the theater missing the circus, but it also left me feeling full of life and happiness.

Sitting by the Tree with Ferdinand

As a child, there are a lot of children's book that I remember reading over and over. "Where The Wild Things Are", "Green Eggs and Ham", "The 5 Chinese Brothers" and "Ferdinand". I remember getting excited whenever my teacher would take one of those out to read to the classroom and I would just sit there and listen in awe as the story was being read. On December 15th one of my favorite books is going to hit the big screen and it is a great translation of a childhood classic.

Getting down with the FLOOR KIDS

There is a breakdancing game for the Nintendo Switch and it looks pretty awesome!! Check out the video below and then read on for more information about the game.

Floor Kids is a unique breakdance game featuring dance battles, freestyle gameplay and funky beats. Discover original hand-drawn animation by JonJon, a fresh soundtrack by Kid Koala and innovative controls that allow you the freedom to play the way you like. Lead your crew of B-boys and B-girls through the city, unlock new characters and locations, battle against your friends, and discover new combos as you rock to the beat and find your style.

• Choose from 8 diverse characters, each with their own set of authentic and original moves.
• Find your style with an innovative control system that responds to different rhythms, holds, and combinations.
• Discover over two dozen original music tracks by DJ Kid Koala, each with corresponding rhythm challenges.
• Win over the crowds with a scoring system that rewards musicality, originality and style.
• Dance at many different locations, either in solo freestyle mode or in local 2-player battles.

While there may have been many dance games that came out over the years, I don't think that many of them touched on Breakdancing. I have to get myself a Nintendo Switch this holiday season just so I can get this game. If the Fandads are able to get their hands on this game we will give you a full review soon.

Floor Kids is out December 7, 2017 for the Nintendo Switch.

Remember friends, the Nintendo eShop Cyber Deals – Last Chance – Treat yourself this holiday season with big savings on select digital games. Act fast, though, as the sale only runs until Dec. 11 at 8:59 a.m. PT.

I Elf'ed It All Up!

Is it already that time of year? Yes, yes it is. Our family's favorite elf on the shelf is back from the de...attic...er...North Pole, yeah that's it. We got him out  he arrived just in time, but as luck would have it, that damn elf didn't seem to move this morning.

So what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? Of course like any responsible parent I panicked and moved him thinking that our daughters were still sleeping but one of them was already in the bedroom talking about how "Sprinkles" had not moved. Crap! I had to return him to the top of the tree. Of course daughter numero dos saw that he moved slightly. Or did he? I think I put enough doubt into her head that my cover was okay. Gotta love making your kids think they're seeing things, dad of the year right herrrr.

Anyway, crisis averted, well for the most part. I had to jump on the old Google-ma-jig to research reasons why our elf didn't move.

Some of the more memorable ones were that the kids took too long to go to sleep, that she was too tried to make it to Santa, that she was on strike, and my favorite, that it was too warm out and she lost her magic. This last one got a little crazy because then we were supposed to grab some tongs and put her in the freezer to charge her up again.

Madness.

I think we ended up deciding that it was a combination of the warm weather and everyone being up late in the house. You know, like no one ever sees Santa, we can't see her move so she waited until the coast was clear, but it never was.

They're six and seven, I don't think they're quite ready to crack the case of the stationary elf. Anyway, I'm not making the same mistake twice, Sprinkles has already picked some prime real estate tonight.

What a Lush

In any case if she ends up "not moving" for a few days we can chalk up to her being hungover.

So what are your elf on the shelf stories? Any other good excuses err...reasons why your elf might not move? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.

Until next time...

Power Up with Mario at Breakfast Time!

With Super Mario™ Cereal, Nintendo and Kellogg’s® have teamed up to take fans on a breakfast odyssey that will continue long after the cereal box is empty. In addition to collectible Super Mario Odyssey™ box art, each Super Mario Cereal box functions as an amiibo™ accessory, making breakfast a more playful experience.

"This powered-up partnership with Kellogg’s is another exciting way for us to expand the Nintendo brand in unique and creative ways,” said Tom Prata, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. “We are always looking for new opportunities to bring smiles to people of all ages, and this is a fun way to kick off the day.”

The limited-edition cereal box will begin hitting store shelves across the U.S. as early as Dec. 11. Those playing the Super Mario Odyssey game can tap the cereal box on the Nintendo Switch™ system, like you would an amiibo, to receive gold coins or a heart in the game. Even the cereal itself has a Super Mario twist, with colorful power-up marshmallows and a blast of mixed berry flavor in every box.

For more information about Nintendo, visit www.nintendo.com. For more information about Kellogg’s, visit www.kelloggs.com.

A lot to play with at this year's Chicago Toy & Game Fair!

Disclaimer: The Fandads were given free passes to attend the Chicago Toy and Game Fair and received a few items for review purposes. All thoughts, opinions and good times are our own. 

One of the events that my family is always excited about toward the end of the year is the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. This is a great time for my children to see what games are out in the stores for Christmas and what games we might enjoy for family game night. This year we found more than enough, but we will share our top three with you later on down the post.

The Fandads Holiday Gift Guide

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. 

It's that time of year again my friends. That time when you start looking to see what gifts you can get your favorite people in your life. We here at Fandads have compiled a list of a few of our favorite things and things that we hope we will get ourselves from our respective families. Keep reading to see how you can win a few items on our list. 

So without further ado, here is our gift guide for 2017. 

Just Keep Running, Just Keep Running! (Sporty Dad 110)

On October 8th I joined about 45,000 other runners to run the city for the 40th Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The marathon has gone through a few different name changes, but the goal of all the runners is the same: to finish. Whereas last year I trained like a machine to run the marathon, this year my training was not up to par and I was nervous about how things were going to turn out. 

Tugging at the Heartstrings with Coco. Review and Giveaway

Disclamer: The Fandads were invited to an advance screening of COCO and all thoughts opinions and tears are our own.

As soon as the familiar Disney logo appeared on screen and mariachi guitars started playing "When you wish Upon a Star", I knew I was about to watch something special. Just that little nuance was enough to show me that Disney took the time they did to make this movie. This film has been in production since 2011. Coco is not a "let's pull in the Spanish market" movie, it is a "Let's tell a great story about Spanish culture" movie. 

Time for the Justice League! Movie Review

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ TM & © DC Comics

It is finally here! The Justice League movie that many DC fans have been waiting for. The movie that will put the "World's Greatest Superheroes" together on the big screen. While this movie is not perfect, it does have some flaws in it that we will discuss in detail below.

Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You Giveaway

Today comes the release of a new holiday classic from Mariah Carey titled, Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You and the Fandads are giving away 10 copies to our readers. Check out the video below and the full description of the show. Keep reading to see how you can enter to win a copy.

Oh the Fun we Had at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair.

(Disclaimer: The Fandads received complementary passes for these events. All thought, opinions and good times we had are out own.)

Last year the Fandads were invited to the Chicago Toy & Game Fair and here is our recap of the fun we had there.

Chicago Toy and Game week is one of our favorite times of the year and we have written about it numerous times. I mean, how many times can you go to an event and play with all of the toys that you see there? It's like Christmas morning, except there is no clean up to do after you play with the toys. So what did the Fandads play with this year? What toys stood out to us? Keep reading to find out. 

Cars 3 Races Home on Blu-ray

Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with an advance copy of Cars 3 to review. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

This week marked the release of Cars 3 on blu-ray and DVD. The Fandads were lucky to be given a copy to review and the movie is a lot of fun the second time around. If you have not seen the movie yet we will give you a short spoiler-free review. 

MB FINANCIAL PARK KICKS OFF HOLIDAY SEASON WITH “LIGHT UP THE PARK” TREE LIGHTING NOVEMBER 24

Photo courtesy of Carol Fox and Associates Public Relations

It's almost that time of year friends to start enjoying the skating rink at MB Financial Park and we have the information you are looking for as to when the skating begins and the park gets lit up for the holiday.

The Nut Job 2 Giveaway

Hey friends, we an opportunity for you to win one of 5 copies of The Nut Job 2. The movie is already available for digital download and the home version will be released on November 14. Follow the instructions on the raffelcopter below to be entered to win a copy. 

Taking on Thor: Ragnarok with the Revengers! Movie Review

Disclaimer: The Fandads were invited to an advance screening of Thor:Ragnarok. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

You have probably heard by now that Thor:Ragnarok is one of the best reviewed Marvel movies to date and we are here to tell you that the Fandads agree. This has got to be one of the funniest movies in the Marvel Universe along with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. 

Being a Bad Dad with the Bad Moms! Movie review and Giveaway

Motion Picture Artwork © 2017 STX Financing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The holiday season can be very stressful for parents. Whether it is getting the right Christmas tree, decorating the house or finding that last minute gift, parents are always trying to be the superhero for the holidays. Last year, we saw three moms who grew tired of being perfect moms and decided to do things their way. For this Christmas season we see the same moms flip the table on the most wonderful time of the year.

Balling in Vegas with the Ballers from HBO. #Giveaway

Disclaimer: The Fandads are working with HBO to help promote the latest season of Ballers in exchange for prizes for our readers. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

Oh the tough decisions Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne Johnson) and Joe Krutel (Rob Corddry) have to make in the latest season of Ballers. From trying to get a football team in Las Vegas to getting one of their clients to stop promoting a company's product that is not a good fit for the NFL, the boys have their hands full this time around. 

Season 3 of Ballers was just released digitally on October 23rd and the Fandads want to give two readers a copy of this hit show, but first let's talk a little about why this season is so good.

Cars 3 Digital Giveaway

Hey friends, today we would like to celebrate the digital release of Cars 3 next Tuesday by giving you the opportunity to win one of five digital copies. All you have to do to enter is below in the Rafflecopter.  The contest runs for one week and winners will be emailed once the contest ends. 

Skylanders Season 2 is Here!

Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided early access to the second season of Skylanders Academy for this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

Photos provided by Netflix

On October 6th the second season of Skylanders Academy started streaming on Netflix and the Fandads were given the opportunity to watch the first three episodes before the official launch date. I never knew there was a show based on the video game phenomenon, I just knew of the video games and all the characters for the games.

Luckily, my daughter never got into these games. I know that if she did my wallet would hate me. I mean have you seen the number of Skylander figures that are available for these games? It seems like every time we pass by that section the number of figures has multiplied. Are there that many figures in the actual cartoon? The answer to that question is easy: no.

The Snowman is coming for you! #Giveaway

Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with a prize pack for this giveaway. All thought and opinions are our own. Our sponsor will be supplying the prize to the winner. 

You Could Have Saved Her I Gave You All The Clues

When it comes to horror movies or thrillers, I am always ready to watch them. I remember the first time I saw the trailer for The Snowman and thought to myself, "That looks creepy. Is that a real head on a snowman?" In a few days I will get the answers to my question when the movie comes out. In the meantime are you ready for The Snowman? Let's find out!

Meet Mario this weekend in Chicago!

Hey friends, looking for something fun to do this weekend? If the answer is yes, get ready to power-up and head to Navy Pier this Saturday, October 21st for Mario's Journey Across the Country comes to Chicago

The new Black Panther trailers roars on the internet!

This morning we were treated to the new incredible trailer for the Black Panther movie coming out next year from Disney and Marvel Studios. If you think the poster above is amazing just wait until you see the trailer. 

LEGO Unveils New York Comic Con Exclusive

This coming weekend is the East Coast's largest pop culture phenomenon New York Comic Con and although the Fandads will not be there we are able to show you the LEGO NYCC Exclusive set that they will be selling there. 

Viewing Vacation Pictures on my Television with the Amazon Fire TV #sponsored

Disclosure: The Fandads were provided with an Amazon Fire TV Stick for this post. Thanks to Amazon for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

When I was younger, I would remember friends wanting to show me pictures of what they did on their summer vacations. I remember it being either an exciting thing or a tedious thing. Depending on where they went it was fun to look at their pictures, but imagine 4 or 5 people huddled around a photo album looking at printed pictures of different sizes. Come to think of it now, it wasn't that much fun to do.

Why my favorite part of Captain Underpants came after the movie finished

Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with a copy of Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie for review. All thoughts, opinions and laughs are our own. 

Back in the days when I used to work at Waldenbooks, getting the newest Captain Underpants book was a big deal. I remember children coming into the store with their parents excited to get the books and I would smile at the insanely hilarious titles of each book. Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets. Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wedgie Woman. Captain Underpants and Revolting Revenge of the Robo-Boxers. I think I was just as excited as these children when a book came out, but for me it was more about seeing the titles of these fun books.

Recently Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie was released on Blu-ray and my children and I could not wait to see it again. We were lucky enough to be invited to an advance screening of the movie and I think I was more excited than my children. My daughter has never read the books so she was not that interested in seeing the movie. I remember pointing the books out to her whenever we would go to a bookstore and she would just shrug. She wasn't interested in seeing a man run around in his underpants. I can tell you that that all changed after we saw the movie and now my daughter wants to read all of the Captain Underpants books.

If you are not familiar with the Captain Underpants books it is about two boys, George and Harold, who are the best of friends. The two are always causing mischief in school and together they make a comic book titled: Captain Underpants. The boys finally get caught one day and with the help of a hypnotizing ring they hypnotize their principal, Mr. Krupp, into believing that he is Captain Underpants.

The movie basically follows the first book and the third book in the series. The movie gives us the origin story of Captain Underpants and show us the deep friendship between George and Harold. This friendship is fantastic to see on the big screen. There are not that many movies that I can think of recently that shows the great friendship and love two boys can have for each other. Their friendship reminds me of friends that I had when I was younger. Friends that were inseparable and we would play from sun up until sun down. Harold and George brought me back to my childhood and that is one reason that I loved this movie.

The other reason I loved this movie came when the movie finished. No, I was not happy that it was over, it was one of the songs that played at the end that made the room a little dusty for me. I remember my friend Scotty from Dads Who Change Diapers mentioned it in a post about how the song "A Friend like You" by Andy Grammer struck a cord with him. I don't remember hearing the song at the screening we went to. I think we were rushing out to avoid a tantrum and probably just walked out as the credits started rolling.

When watching the movie at home with my children we watched it all the way to the end and when this song came on, I lost it a little. The great thing about Captain Underpants is not Captain Underpants, it is the friendship between George and Harold. These two boys have a friendship that I think most males had when they were younger. We all had that friend that we would hang out with 24/7 and never get tired of just being around them. It is refreshing to see a friendship like this in a movie where so many young eyes will be watching it.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is a fun movie for the kids, but it also packs a lot of emotion and tells a great story about friendship.

The Lego Ninjago Movie Review

Disclaimer: The Fandads were invited to a screening of the LEGO Ninjago Movie, all thoughts, opinions and laughing are our own. 

Imagine if your father was an evil villain who was always trying to capture the city that you lived in. Now imagine that everyone knew that he was your father. Yeah, going to school would be a bit of a bummer with everyone scared of you and the high school cheer team creates a cheer especially for you. School wouldn't be the best place to be, but at least you have your small group of friends to cheer you up and help fight off your evil dad because you are ninjas.

Keeping the environment safe during SepticSmart Week

As a dad, there was one moment in both of my children’s lives that I was dreading and that was potty training. I mean, the concept of it sounds easy: take your child to the bathroom and have them sit on the toilet and viola, potty training is done. But is that ever really the case?

Hofbräuhaus Chicago is the place to celebrate Oktoberfest this year

Disclaimer: The Fandads were invited to attend the opening of Oktoberfest. All thoughts, opinions and full stomachs are our own. 

Last Friday the Fandads were invited to celebrate the beginning of Oktoberfest at Hofbräuhaus Chicago in Rosemont, IL. This is the second time that we were invited to this event and it was a lot of fun and let us tell you about it if you have never been.

5 Wonder Woman Moments We can not wait to rewatch!

With the Wonder Woman movie coming out on Blu-ray today there are a few moments that my daughter and I can not wait to rewatch. I mean the entire movie is fantastic, but there are a few key scenes that stick out in our minds. Let us share them with you. 

Hasbro takes over Providence at #HASCON

HASCON has come and gone and it seems like there was a great time had by all that experienced the 3-day event from Hasbro. While the Fandads were not able to attend, we do have some awesome news regarding upcoming Transformers exclusives and some great pictures from the event to share with you. Let's begin! 

Silicon Valley Season 4 Giveaway

Disclaimer: HBO is providing the Fandads with a DVD copy of Silicon Valley to giveaway to their readers in exchange for promoting the release of the new season. The Fandads will be sending the prize to the winners at the end of this contest.

I am not as computer savvy at the fellas on Silicon Valley, but I love watching all the hijinks that Richard and the crew of Pied Piper go through each and every week. If you have been following us here at Fandads, you know that we are fans of the show and have another opportunity for you to catch up with our latest giveaway. The fourth season of Silicon Valley, the “incredibly funny” (Uproxx), Emmy®-nominated HBO comedy series from Mike Judge and Alec Berg, will be available tomorrow on Blu-ray™ and DVD.

Pirates of the Caribbean Digital Giveaway #PiratesLife

Hey friends we have another fun giveaway for you this week and it involves pirates, zombie sharks and explosions. Have you guessed what movie it is? Yes, it's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales. So how can you win a digital copy of this movie? Keep reading to see how you can enter.

Hascon Final Scheduling is Released!

Last month we told you about an awesome event coming up with Hasbro and the final programming schedule has been released and it looks like it will be a great time! For those of you in the Providence, Rhode Island area make sure you try to make it to HASCON with your family. 

Thoughts from the Son of Immigrants

The picture above is from a tree at the neighborhood park that was blown down during a windy rainstorm that hit the city not too long ago. As you can see, the tree was uprooted and the branches were broken as the once mighty tree now laid on its side waiting for the city to come and chop it up. So what does this tree have to do with anything parenting related? Let me tell you.

Wizard World 2017 in the Books

Disclaimer: The Fandads were given a pass to attend Wizard World Comic-Con. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

Wizard World Comic-Con 2017 came and went and the Fandads were there on Sunday to take in as much as we could. I usually try to hit all days of the show, but this year I had prior engagements and could only attend Sunday's events. Even though it was only one day, my family and I took advantage of it and had some fun. Let me share some of the highlights with you. 

Star Wars Rebels Season 3 Review

When Star Wars Rebels first started I was excited about a new Star Wars show that would not only give us new characters, but it would also be considered cannon for the movies that came before and after it. I remember watching it and immediately loving the fact that there were two strong female characters in the show and those two: Hera and Sabine instantly became my daughter's favorite characters. 

Learn about the Science of Speed with Acceleration Nation by NASCAR

Disclaimer: The Fandads were compensated for this post to talk about the new NASCAR Acceleration Nation App. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

Since watching the Cars movies with my children they know a little about NASCAR and motorsports, but they never really learned much about the science of racing. What does a blue flag with a diagonal yellow stripe mean? What is the difference between "downforce" and "drag"?

If you have your children asking you questions like this then you need to download the new Acceleration Nation app by NASCAR. The website and app, which is available on Android and iPhone, features fun games, info on races, details on cars, and learning materials about the science of racing!

Get Ready to play with Hasbro at HASCON

What happens when Hasbro, a toy company know for making some of the most iconic toy lines, decides to host their own convention for their fans? You get the 3 day family extravaganza know as HASCON! Hascon will be the first time that hasbro has done an event like this and they are going all out for their fans. Continue reading to see all of the amazing things that will be available for fans to see and do in September. 

Get Ready to have fun with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #GOTGVol2

Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with a copy of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 for review. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

I remember when I first heard that they were making a Guardians of the Galaxy movie I thought it was not going to do well. A talking tree and raccoon is not going to be an easy take for those that are not familiar with the comic and boy am I glad I was wrong. Guardians of the Galaxy is one of my favorite series of movies from Marvel Studios and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has picked up where the last one left off. The movie was just released on Blu-ray this past week and it is a blast to watch at home. 

Get ready to Find the Force on Force Friday UPDATED

Ok, friends, with the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in December, you know there is going to be a lot of new toys coming out with all the characters you love and new characters that you will love too. On September 1 get ready to Find the Force, a global augmented reality (AR) event rolling out to commemorate the worldwide launch of new products inspired by STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI.

Take home The Lion King and Born in China with Disney

New Splatoon 2 Nintendo Switch bundle

Hey friends, if you have not yet bought a Nintendo Switch, WalMart will be the exclusive home to the new Splatoon 2 bundle. So what is so special about this new bundle? Keep reading to find out.

Big announcements from Wizard World

Q&A sessions with standout celebrities David Tennant (“Doctor Who,” “Jessica Jones”),  John Barrowman (“Arrow,” “Doctor Who”), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy , “The Walking Dead”) and casts of “Firefly” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and WWE® Superstars, sci-fi speed dating, anime, cosplayer and comics creator sessions, adult and kids costume contests and more highlight the programming offerings at the 20th annual Wizard World Comic Con Chicago, August 24-27 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Most programming is included as part of the standard event admission and is in addition to the live entertainment options (magic, dancing, music, etc.) all weekend.

Some highlights of the more than 120 hours of panels scheduled include:

Interactive Q&As with David Tennant (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.), John Barrowman (Sunday, 1 p.m.), Michael Rooker (Friday, 1 p.m.), Dean Cain (“Supergirl,” “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” Saturday, noon), Paul Bettany (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Saturday, 11:30 a.m.), Danny Trejo (Machete, Death Race: Inferno, Sunday, 2:15 p.m.), Gene Simmons (KISS frontman, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.), John Cusack (Say Anything…, HIgh Fidelity, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.), Christian Kane (“Leverage,” “The Librarians,” Sunday, 11:30 a.m.), Loni Anderson (“WKRP in Cincinnati,” Sunday, 2:30 p.m.) and many others Group sessions with the casts of “Firefly” (Summer Glau and Jewel Staite, Saturday, 2:30 p.m.), “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (Cobie Smulders and Elizabeth Henstridge, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.), “Doctor Who” (Alex Kingston, Jenna Coleman and Catherine Tate, Sunday, noon) and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (Nicholas Brendon and Charisma Carpenter, Saturday, 5 p.m.)

Wrestling talk with WWE® Superstars Roman Reigns™ (Thursday, 5 p.m.), Alexa Bliss™ (Thursday, 6 p.m.),  Kevin Owens™ (Friday, 3 p.m.), Charlotte Flair™ (Friday, 4 p.m.) and The Hardy Boyz™ (Saturday, 4 p.m.)

Creator-themed hours featuring industry superstars Rob Schamberger, Clinton Hobart, Mike Grell, Dean Haspiel, Barbara Slate, Alex de Campi, Trevor Muller, Danny Fingeroth, Joe Harris, Steve Geiger, Lani Sarem, Genese Davis, Maggie Thompson, Dr. Travis Langley, Victor Dandridge and more

Anime-themed sessions with Wizard World’s own Mogshelle and Laycee and others

“Nothing Stays Dead in Comics,” featuring Wizard World Editor in Chief Brian Walton on the cyclical death and rebirth of comics and the relaunching of Wizard

Wizard World Concert: Performed By World Of Warcraft Composer Jason Hayes and Video Game Band “Critical Hit” (Saturday, 5:30 p.m.)

Sci-Fi Speed Dating sessions (tired of lookin' for love in Alderaan places?) (Thursday 6 p.m., Friday 4, 6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.(LGBTPQ), 1, 3:30, 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.(LGBTPQ), 1, 3:30 p.m.)

Kids programming all four days, including story time, face painting, puppet shows, dance parties, magic, learn to draw, (and Kids 10 and under are free every day with paid adult)

World-famous Wizard World Comic Con Adult Costume Contest, Saturday at 7 p.m. and Kids Costume Contests on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Cosplay with special guests Brit Bliss, Mogshelle, Papa Bear, Princess Morgan, Termina Cosplay and more, throughout the weekend

Unless noted, programming events take place in the designated General Programming Rooms or show floor stages at the convention center. VIP tickets or additional costs may apply to ensure access to select activities, as noted.

A full list of Wizard World Comic Con Chicago programming is available at http://wizardworld.com/programming-entertainment/chicago (subjects, guests, times and rooms subject to change).

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Show hours are Thursday, August 24, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, August 25, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 26, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, August 27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10 and under are admitted free with paid adult.

In other big news...

As the saying goes: “Nothing stays dead in comics.” Pop-Culture leader Wizard World, Inc. today announced the digital re-imagination, re-conception and re-launch of Wizard, as part of a new digital initiative which includes WizPop, a daily pop-culture news service reporting on the biggest stories of the day in pop-culture, entertainment, and fandom. WizPop will also feature a weekly round-table reviewing the relevant news of the week. Bridging video, editorial and convention operations, the revitalized Wizard digital initiatives will speak to fans worldwide in Wizard’s distinctive snarkily-smart voice.

The predecessor to the re-constituted Wizard was Wizard Magazine: The Guide to Comics, had a wildly successful run for nearly two decades as the respected and widely-followed voice of comics and fandom.

Brian Walton, the former Editor In Chief of Nerdist and Vice President of Editorial Operations at Legendary Digital Networks will serve as Editor In Chief of Wizard in addition to his role as Director of Content for Wizard World. Luke Y. Thompson, formerly of Nerdist, Topless Robot, Deadline, and OC Weekly, has joined Wizard World as Associate Editor. 

WizPop the daily video news service will share the uniquely authoratiative point-of-view of Wizard covering the larger universe of all things pop-culture.

In addition to standing as a daily digital presence, plans are in the works to return to publishing Wizard as a premium quarterly magazine.

From “Casting Calls” to “The Drawing Board,” classic Wizard Magazine columns will be revived as web-based articles and regular video features. Wizard and WizPop will feature news and reviews of the latest in comics, tech, movies, gaming, TV, music, and toys. Also returning will be the hallmark in-depth feature interviews with some of the biggest names in the comics and entertainment industries.

“To a generation of fans the Wizard name has stood at the intersection of entertainnment and pop culture. By introducing Wizard and WizPop as vibrant digital incarnations, Wizard World will expand its pre-eminent position in the industry to connect and interact with millions of fans every day,” said John D. Maatta, Wizard World President & CEO. “With the triumverate of Wizard, WizPop and the Wizard World live convention platform we have created a 24 hour a day digital and live experiential platform serving the fans of pop culture—the Wizard experience and the on-going conversation doesn’t stop when a Wizard Comic Con ends.”

On August 25, at the 20th annual Wizard World Comic Con Chicago, Wizard and WizPop will launch at www.wizardworld.com.

Check out the first episode of WizPop at http://wizd.me/7ge0.

Moving forward one word at a time

Every week it is the same routine with my son and my wife. I pack my backpack with my laptop and he hands me his water bottle to hold on one of the side pockets designed to hold water bottles. We get in the car and make the 15-20 minute drive to the children pediatric center for his appointment. We walk into the office and check in at the front desk and take a seat until it is his turn.

What to do? The RETcon, Hot Dog and Wonder Woman edition

Hey friends, looking for something to do this weekend in Chicago? Our latest installment of What to Do will give you some ideas of how to spend your weekend.

Getting our fill of steak at Culinary Fight Club

Disclaimer: The Fandads were invited to cover Culinary Fight Club all thoughts and opinions are our own. 

My wife and I have always talked about trying out as many restaurants as possible. It is kind of a goal of ours to enjoy a nice exotic meal and just really sit there and savor the entire experience. Obviously, since we have children, sometimes it is hard to go to a nice restaurant and just take our time eating. One day we will have that luxury, but in the meantime, we have fun events like the Culinary Fight Club to give us that experience.

Man vs Child: One Dad's Guide to the Weirdness of Parenting Book Review

I remember the time before my children were born I would read a lot. I would grab a book and spend a few hours sitting down just reading. I loved going on journeys to different worlds and just enjoying the pleasure of reading. Sometimes, I would finish a book in a day or two because I had the time to do it, then my children were born.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is coming to your television soon! #giveaway #GotGVol2

Hey friends, in conjunction with today's digital release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and upcoming home release we have teamed up with our friends from Allied and Disney to give away 5 Digital Download Cards to our lucky readers. So how can you win one of these cards? Keep reading to find out.

HBO's Latest Home Offerings #giveaway

Disclaimer: HBO has provided the Fandads with copies of these shows for review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

Today HBO Home Entertainment has released two outstanding series on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD and we want you to win a copy of one of them, but before we do that let's talk a little about Crashing and Big Little Lies.

Sharing and Making Memories of "Yesterday" with Paul McCartney

Whenever people ask me what Fandads is about I always answer: "It's Gil and myself writing about sharing our love for all things geeky with our kids." There is no limit on what the geeky things can be. We share with our children our love for comic books, handheld games and even music. We never force anything onto them: if they like it, they like it, if not, no big deal. 

Nintendo announces new 2DS for August

Photo courtesy of Business Wire

Hey friends, if you are looking to update your 2DS or looking to get a new 2DS Nintendo has something for you on August 25th.

Earning Medals and staying fresh like a #Dadlete Can! (Sporty Dad 110)

Disclaimer - The Fandads have teamed up with Russell Athletic and were compensated for this post. All thoughts, opinions and tired feet are our own. 

A few months ago I teamed up with Russell Athletic to write about their Cool Force Performance underwear and talked about how they kept my "boys" cool when I was being the sporty Dadlete that I am. Now Russell Athletic has released their new FreshForce™ Performance underwear and what better way for this dadlete to try these out than by running a half marathon with them on? So how did this turn out? Keep reading to see what happened.