Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart! (Family Comic Friday)

Family Comic Friday digs into it's to-read pile of recently published books this week to bring you a hybrid graphic novel. It's quite silly. Tons of fun. And maybe just a little bit older of a read than for it's target audience. Find out all about it as we review Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart!

Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart
Written by Thomas E. Sneigoski
Art by Tom McWeeney
Published by Insight Comics
Pages: 168
Retail: $14.99

Kirby, the French Bulldog determined to conquer the world is back! But before he can obtain the secrets to total global domination, he must follow through on his promise to help the ghost of Professor Erasmus J. Peckinpah be reunited with his cryogenically frozen body. That will mean that the two, along with OB the super turtle will need to take a road trip to Area 51. It's deep within the bowels of that heavily guarded facility that Erasmus hopes that a nuclear powered cow has the spark to bring his popsicle of a body back to life! This task will not be easy.

No, we're not talking about all the armed guards and soldiers that protect Area 51. They're a piece of cake for this oddball trio. No, it's the roving gangs of bikers, a ghostly prospector and a deranged (LIVING) mad scientist that will make things tricky. Oh, and did we forget to mention the aliens?

Atomic Frenchie is a book that really can only be described as a hybrid graphic novel. Over half of this book is written in chapter prose form. Throughout the book are comic book scenes that range from just a few panels to a couple of pages.

The tone of the prose sections and the comic ones have a slightly different feel to them. You know that old campfire game? The one where someone starts a story and then the next person builds on the tale only for things to go completely off the rails by the time the story is over? That's how I feel about Atomic Frenchie. I didn't hate this concept. But I would like to know if I am right on the money about it. Does Tom McWeeney (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) control the plot of the story when it's his turn to illustrate the adventures of Atomic Frenchie? Or does Thomas E. Sneigoski (Bone) write up those scenes too? I tried to Google an answer and got nowhere. But that's my theory and I am sticking to it... for now.

This book is full of surprises. Quite of few of them is rather bizarre. Amazon suggests that this book is perfect for ages 8-12. But with some rather old pop culture references, some toilet humor, and a couple of very mild swears, this might be a book more for those aged 10-15.

Another potential put off for some young graphic novel readers is the lack of graphic in regards to that which is novel. I am not criticizing the format. I think it's rather awesome. But parents and guardians might need to explain that this is a mix of two different types of books to the reader.

Secretly, like the parent who sneaks in veggies into a unknowing child's food, that's how proud you grown-ups should be when offering Atomic Frenchie to your child. They'll be hooked on the colorful and humorous art. But they'll actually be doing a whole lot more reading that expected too!

Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2 was a wild road trip of different genres. Great characters and tons of crazy stuff. It's like Mel Brooks and The Tick had a baby!

Atomic Frenchie, Volume 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart  is available in hardcover. Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 1: Sit. Stay. Rule. is available in both print and digital formats.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.