The Geek/Parent Hat

While I have been a geek much longer than I have been a parent, there are moments when I have to remind myself that I am a parent. While I have a ready list of comic books to suggest to parents, there are times when someone might ask for a recommendation and then I give them a few and then they tell me that it's for their 12 year old nephew.

I read a large amount of independent titles along with Image. Most of these titles are edgy and for mature readers. While I enjoy these titles so much, I am careful to recommend them. They are not for the faint of heart. My oldest son, who is now 21, has never lived with us. He was raised by his pentacostal mother who at times could be very strict but then be much more liberal than I could ever be. So while my son had strict curfews, she allowed him to run the gamut when it came to entertainment.

I remember one evening on the phone when he was about 14, he recommended “Preacher.” I assumed that I have read everything from the Vertigo line, but somehow “Preacher” missed my radar, so I was a late comer to that story. I loved it. As an atheist, it was right up my alley but I will admit that it was borderline blasphemous (I am honestly shocked that they are planning to make this into a movie). At that moment I had forgotten my parent hat. Wait, what was my 14 yeard old doing reading “Preacher?” On top of that, did his mother approve of this? This is the time of the internet and oftentimes, children will have access to things that we parents might never even know about.

In our day, no matter how well we hid our secret stash, ma dukes would find it. They were physical and tangible objects that took up space. We were bound to get caught since we only had to slip one time. Nowadays, a porn stash and hentai books can fit in a thumb drive that we would need a password to hack into it. So if he got away with it, shout out to the young G. Still, “Preacher” deals with some heavy themes.

I am a huge fan of Octavia Butler, but I am hesitant to recommend it for children. Butler dealt with difficult themes along with intersectionality. Her work bites hard and is revolutionary on every conceivable level. I want my children to be readers of her. At that moment with my oldest, I felt it was time for me to introduce him to her. He taught me a valuable lesson that day.

The first is that each parent knows his or her child. I know my children. I know what they like and what they are ready for. So while I might recommend some dope comics for them, they might not dig it and really enjoy something else. My middle son enjoys manga. That's how he gets down. That is totally outside of my lane so I should seek ideas from manga readers.

Second is that no parents are created equal. Some parents really engage their children when it comes to pop culture. Some might be in the middle. Others might just let their children roll how they want. My mother had no clue what I was doing reading comics but she saw that it kept me off the streets, so she supported my comic book habit. She had no clue what I was talking about when my brother and I would geek out. Every parent gets down differently. That is also okay.

Finally, we have to give our children the benefit of the doubt. As a parent, mentor, and educator, I have learned that children surpass every standard we set for them. They will get concepts that are completely over our heads. We have to stop assuming that they might not get something.

I hope this post helps. It's something that's been on my mind for the last few days. Today was the opportunity for me to put it out. You know your child better than anyone else. You know their perks and what they dig. You know how they get down. So while a comic might have that Mature rating, one never knows how they will grow from that.  

Nelson Beats the Odds

written by Ronnie Sidney II, MSW

illustrated by Traci Van Wagoner

There is so much to be said about the Public Education system in the United States. Working in and out of this system, I have witnessed some stories that makes one want to torch the entire thing. In many cases, our children are being smashed and discarded on so many levels. In several parts of the country, the Public Education system serves as a primer to the prison industrial complex. In those areas, children are just warehoused and then channeled into prison. In “Nelson Beats the Odds,” Ronnie Sidney gives the reader a ride through the public education system in the U.S.

Nelson is a student who has issues while in school. He is “diagnosed” with ADHD and placed on medication. The rest of the story shows Nelson trying to mask his issues and getting into more trouble. Soon Nelson meets a teacher who really cares and helps him overcome his issues. Sidney demonstrates how Nelson's entire community stood up to help him. Despite how the system treated Nelson, he triumphs and surpasses his goals with the help of family and friends.

Sidney does a wonderful job at explaining how for many our children there are systemic and human roadblocks to their growth and development. Sidney also demonstrates how sometimes we impede the path of our children in subtle ways. Sidney does not lay blame on any one institution, instead he points out how deep the problems are. He also explains how the solution has to be multi faceted. He is clear that it does take a community to help a child reach his or her goals. Sidney's simple story telling allows this book to be read by almost any level while leaving the discussion to the readers. The happy ending is needed since we see so many stories like Nelson's go in a completely different direction.

The illustrations by Traci Van Wagoner are great. Wagoner does a wonderful job at moving the story. The paneling works well and the segue's are not confusing. Nelson's constant frustration is evident through Wagoners breakdowns and coloring. Wagoner seems to work well with Sidney. The paneling is top notch and easy to follow. This is not something I see often with new artists.

If anyone is looking to see where comic books and social justice can intersect, books such as “Nelson Beats the Odds” are perfect. For those on the college level who teach future educators, this book is also recommended. It can be used as a tool to discuss the importance of empowering students as we educate them. As a parent, this book is empowering and helpful. Sidney provides tidbits of information that can help parents make decisions for the future of their children. I am sure educators can use this tool in clas to find students who feel exactly how Nelson did. Finally, Sidney explains how educators are crucial in the role of facilitators. For many students, it can be that one teacher who makes or breaks them. Through many of the characters, Sidney introduces the reader to many of Nelson's detractors and his motivators.