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Things to Do With Your Kids

Heartwarming: Single Dad Dedicated to Learning About Comics for His 4 Y/O Geek Girl

by Susana Polo | 11:54 am, March 2nd, 2012


Lets get the sad part of the story out of the way up here: Matt Logelin runs a blog (and has written a bestselling book) detailing the struggles he faces as the single dad of a daughter named Maddy. Maddy’s mom, Liz, died of a pulmonary embolism the day after she was born.

Okay, now come back with me to the rest of the story: Maddy’s almost four now, and Logelin, while struggling through his fears of learning to braid hair and travelling with a baby, considered himself to have a stroke of luck in that she was turning into quite the tomboy. He felt well equipped to teacher her about baseball, football, and fishing; the things he did as a kid, but Maddy is also very, very interested in comic book superheroes, and those, he confesses, are completely beyond his experience.

What even I sometimes forget, steeped as I am in the “but women don’t read comics/play video games” discussion, is that not every guy reads comics or plays video games. Logelin is one of those guys.

a few weeks back her mind was completely blown when she found a batman mask ready to be cut from the box of her favorite breakfast cereal, and no matter where on earth you live, you probably heard her squeal when i pulled a batman comic book from inside the package. (“squeeeeeeeeeee! dad! this is soooooo cooooool!”).

a few days later brooke [Logelin's current partner] bought her a t-shirt with a bunch of superheroes on it, and when madeline chose it as her shirt for the day, she spent the entire drive to school asking me questions about the superheroes and their personalities and super powers… questions i couldn’t answer for her other than to say that the hulk turns green when he’s angry (i know nothing about wolverine or the other superhero on her shirt, whatever his name is).

But for Maddy, it seems clear, he’ll do anything. Fortunately, they live in Los Angeles, a city with a lot of very cool comic stores. Logelin chose Secret Headquarters as the first stop on the father-daughter exploratory mission, and was surprised to find a comic book girl manning the counter, rather than the comic book guy he expected. Maddy pelted her with questions, got some answers, and copies of Tiny Titans and other comics aimed at her age group.

i stood back, trying to learn all that i could my heart melted when she looked at me with those thankful eyes she has when she’s really, really happy and asked me to read to her. we sat in that store for 35 mins, each page i turned led to more questions, which led me to say over and over again, “i don’t know, maddy” which led the woman behind the counter to smile in our direction.

i left maddy alone to read while i paid for the books she chose, and thanked the woman behind the counter for helping me out. so now i’m trying learn as much as i can about comic books and superheroes so i can be a better father.

Before I go get some tissues, I’m going to let Logelin have the last words:

just when i think i’ve figured things out, i’m reminded that gender identification is malleable and our assumptions are bullshit because i found myself sitting with brooke and my little tomboy, getting my first pedicure. and i fucking loved it.

Seems like Maddy’s off to a good start, and has a good guide to help her out. If she’s willing to read something other than superheroes, can we recommend Jeff Smith’s Bone?

You can read his whole post on the subject here.

(via Comics Alliance.)

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  • Francesca M

    I’m I can’t finish reading this.. I seem to have something in my eye… oh who the fuck am I kidding…

  • http://www.facebook.com/1shewolf JoAnna Luffman

    You too? Must be really dusty around here, or maybe it’s early allergy season.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ashley.e.richard Ashley Richard

    This article gave me so many feelings.  I can’t stop bawwing about this.  ;_;

  • John Wao

    I can think of worse things to spend your time doing….

  • http://wpmututorials.com Andrea_R

    I was going to suggest Amulet, because my 11yo could not check them out of the library fast enough, but the first chapter deals with the family coming to grip with the father being dead.

    Or maybe it would help. I have no idea. :(

  • Katie Marinelli

    This is a wonderful story and it makes me want to write him up a superhero cheat sheet so he can answer his daughter!
    (And Batman? Girl has good taste in super heroes! :D)

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/AIMKKSTERGUSLZNLI4QBTKJBEQ Leilani M

    I know, I was thinking he should send us a picture of her favorite t-shirt so that we can tell them about the characters on the shirt.  Such an awesome dad!

  • http://www.facebook.com/Gorillazfan Emily Hill

    I could no stop smiling as I read this because growing up I never got alot of girl books it was because our family had to choose bills or books so I read the comics my brother read and was introduce to comics I do like DC and Marvel but I seem to flock to Manga’s or Japanese comics more because they tend to have more female lead heroes

  • http://www.facebook.com/nataliemariesharp Natalie Sharp

    AH! Don’t do that to me!  There’s dust in my eye now. Lots of dust in this room. Yeah… that’s it, dust… Also, good call on Bone. Great comic for kids (of all ages.)

  • http://twitter.com/arkhetypon Kate

    I’d also suggest grabbing a Calvin and Hobbes anthology. I know that it’s a comic STRIP rather than a comic BOOK, but I loved those cartoons when I was a kid (and I still do!). 

  • Anonymous

    Polly and the Pirates.

    How that has not been optioned for a movie yet is an affront to all that is good and wonderful.

  • Heather Williams

    My dad raised my sister and I by himself, and he is the reason why I’m an avid comic book fan.  Batman is our “family” superhero.  He passed away about a year ago, and this struck a nerve. I read this at work with tears rolling down my face, but it occurred to me that Maddy’s dad, and mine, are the real superheroes. They do what they have to do to encourage and support their kids, and don’t let convention get in the way of their girls’ growth.  Maddy is one very lucky little girl to have a dad that believes in her and encourages her.  I know, because I was/am that lucky to have had a dad like that, too.  :)

  • Jenn W

    I think it’s awesome that he is going to do his own research and learn about comics for his little girl. He could have easily tried to pass off all of his daughter’s questions to the young woman working at the store, but didn’t.  Oh, and while you are learning about cool stuff to teach your tomboy daughter, I highly recommend ice hockey!

  • Anonymous

    *LOL* at the last sentence.

    I love reading stories about people who aren’t afraid to like things or act the opposite of what’s expected of their gender and encourage others to. I’m not a parent, but I understand what’s like to have a single parent and that little girl is EXTREMELY lucky to have such a loving father just like I’m lucky to have my Mama(even if it did takes her a few years to accept I’ll never be a conventional girl) who also encourages me(even the things she still doesn’t understand like my video games).

    It’s stories like this that remind me of how much I’m REALLY helping my little cousin by encouraging his more ”feminine” interests in the arts, fashion/interior design, and his sensitive personality.

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