Children often admire their parents. More often than not, it is the little things parents do that matter more to children than the big things. In Atomic Ace (He's Just My Dad), the young narrator proves the importance of this statement. He loves his dad but believes he is still raised like any other kid despite the fact that his dad is a superhero. The young narrator just considers it part of his dad's job to go to the center of earth's core or into outer space to stop crime and prevent natural disasters.
Atomic Ace still finds time for his son, but Insect King attempts to disrupt his father's success streak. Even the best of us make mistakes, and Atomic Ace is no exception. He misses an important moment in his son's life: his son's first band concert. Even though Atomic Ace initially loses to Insect King, he teaches his son the importance of lifting yourself up after defeat and trying again.
This story was very unique compared to other children's stories due to the complexity of the graphics. I could tell that Jeff Weigel was a comic book writer and illustrator not only by the story line but also by the drawings of his characters. Atomic Ace looked just like a superhero out of the local newspaper comics. I enjoyed that intermixed within the main story of the young narrator's typical days is his dad's daily adventures as a superhero. Atomic Ace's adventures on the job included thinking bubbles above the characters' heads, another comic book feature.
For those kids who only want to read comic books, Atomic Ace (He's Just My Dad) is a welcome addition to kid's repertoire. Weigel uses a comic book feel throughout while also developing a storyline that captures the true spirit of what it means to be "like father, like son."
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