Tag Archives: Wonder Woman

Petrucelli Picks: 2018 Gift Guide: Our Picks for the Best Home and Garden Wonders

Such incredible is the Instant Pot (instantpot.com)that users call themselves “Potheads”. And with good reason. The device has never allowed grass to grow under its sturdy bottom—Instant Pots can be used for sautéing, pressure-cooking, steaming, warmer, even making yogurt and cheesecakes.

Such magic for $100.

They were founded by Instant Brands Inc., and hit the market in 2010, One can choose among a few different types of Instant Pot—including one without the yogurt function (the 6-in-1) and another that has Bluetooth capabilities (the Smart). I have the No. 1 bestseller: the 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker.

Need recipes? Have a suggestion? Join the Instant Pot Community on Facebook; a week before Christmas, more than 1,627,440 Potheads were chatting and cooking.

Truly a miraculous, easy-to-use appliance. Instant Pot new York-Style Cheesecake, anyone?


We wax poetic on the neat line of candles from Insight Luminaries (insightluminaries.com). Wizards and muggles will relish the Harry Potter-inspired wonders. Choose from several and illuminate on several that cast a warm glow as they display famed Hogwarts house crests, fan-fave phrases , even the exclusive Golden Snitch. The huge  sculpted pillar candles last forever because the exterior never melts! And we really really like the trio votive collection.

Harry Potter Hogwarts Large Insignia Candle

Insight Luminaries also creates DC Comics with candles. Especially nifty are the tin candles featuring such femme faves as Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Wonder Woman.


We have used Fiskars (fiskars.com) scissors for decades. And we mean the same pair with their trademark orange handles. Yep, that shows just how dependable and well-made Fiskars products are. Our garden work is now easier with two great finds.

The Fiskars Stand-Up Weeder is designed to remove weeds and their roots without sore knees, an aching back or harsh chemicals, with an enhanced design to make a weed-free lawn easier than ever.  Just place the head over a weed, step down on the reinforced foot platform, and the four serrated, stainless-steel claws will grab the weed by the root for clean removal. 3995_IU_-step_001_HRAn offset hand reduces wrist strain, a viewing window in the pedal makes claw placement mistake-free, and an easy-eject mechanism clears the head between uses for quick and easy cleanup.  And they come with a lifetime warranty.

Raking the leaves and picking them up got a lot easier when we found Fiskars’ Hard-Shell Bottom Kangaroo Garden Bag. The pop-up gardening container makes outdoor cleanup easy, and a hard bottom provides durability that can stand up to any terrain. Hate gardening?  Use this toys or laundry from your clothesline—the reinforced bottom offers enhanced durability.

HardShell® Bottom Kangaroo® Garden Bag (30 gallon)

An innovative design folds to 3.5″ for space-saving storage, and an internal spring pops it up when you’re ready to use it. Sturdy handles make carrying and unloading our Kangaroo Gardening Container easy. A durable, tear- and mildew-resistant design provides lasting value, and the HardShell bottom prevents damage, even if you’re dragging it over rough terrain.

 

A wonder, woman: “The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen: Awesome Female Characters from Comic Book History”

Think strong female protagonists are a modern invention? Think again. Women have been a staple of comics since the creation of the medium. Prepare for a deep dive into pop culture and the fantastic female characters who shaped the world of superheroes with The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen: Awesome Female Characters from Comic Book History (Quirk Books, $24.95).

Author Hope Nicholson, owner and founder of Bedside Press, is one of the fastest rising stars of the comic book industry. Here,  Nicholson plumbs each decade of comics’ rich history, from the ’30s to today, exploring not only prominent women (both fictional and real) but also key trends. Readers will time-travel through the birth of the industry in the ’30s, the wartime comics of the ’40s, the Golden Age of superheroes in the ’50s, the popularity of romance comics in the ’60s, the indie comics boom of the ’70s, and the creation of the modern comic book trade from the 1980s to today.

Immersive chapters highlight a diverse slate of iconic and forgotten characters, with each heroine receiving her own write-up, paired with vintage art and essential reading suggestions. Each chapter ends with an “Hero of theDecade” feature packed with facts and thoughtful critique about some of the most important female protagonists of all time, including Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Watchmen’s Silk Spectre and Ms. Marvel. These heroines are celebrated for their lasting pop-cultural impact and the important role they played in redefining the way people interacted with women in comics.

The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen introduces long-lost characters while allowing readers to see their favorites in a whole new light.  We also learn that the superwomen of the comic book industry weren’t merely confined to the page.

Throughout the book Nicholson reveals fascinating anecdotes about women who worked in the medium, from the all-female creative team at publisher Fiction House during World War II to the surge of female creators during the independent comics boom of the 1970s.

Longtime and recent fans alike will love this comprehensive look at the female characters who have defined comics since the very start. From the halls of comic cons to the halls of academia, The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen will become your go-to reference for history’s greatest heroines.