Talking to My Father's Ghost: An Almost True Story

「在葬禮結束後不久，我爸就開始纏著我……而且，這真是一種喜悅！」——亞歷克斯

受到真實人生經歷啟發，亞歷克斯．克羅庫斯的圖像小說，是一部真摯又幽默的故事，講述失去父親後，反而在死後更深入認識他的過程。

故事橫跨一年，亞歷克斯與父親的鬼魂一起散步在冬日海灘、露營在充滿響尾蛇的沙漠、並在無數小餐館共享餐點。期間，他一邊聽著父親囉嗦的教誨──關於報稅的重要性、鏟雪的正確方法，以及為什麼小費一定要給到兩成──一邊思考自己真正想向父親傾訴的話。

他是否該趁此機會出櫃，告訴父親自己是雙性戀？還是應該問父親，為什麼嗜酒成癮，差點毀了健康？在母親、兄弟、龐大的親友團，以及父親鬼魂本身的陪伴下，亞歷克斯嘗試找到向父親道別的方法。

承襲羅茲．查斯特《我們不能談點別的嗎？》與艾莉森．貝克戴爾《歡樂之家》的傳統，本書透過幽默描繪家庭的怪癖與矛盾，同時深刻探索失去親人的經驗，以及悲傷如何在社群間擴散。真摯又充滿共鳴，它觸及普世的哀悼之感。

透過幽默療癒： 以連環漫畫的形式呈現，本書帶有週日漫畫的懷舊氛圍。亞歷克斯將家人與朋友畫成擬人化動物角色，讓嚴肅的對話充滿俏皮趣味。他對悲傷與記憶的誠實探索中穿插著輕快與溫暖，使閱讀經驗既抒情又帶來安慰。

新銳漫畫創作者： 這是漫畫家亞歷克斯．克羅庫斯的第一部長篇圖像小說。他的網路漫畫《Loud & Smart》，記錄了浣熊亞歷克斯與千禧世代朋友們在大城市過著「貌似成人」生活的瑣碎冒險。在《與父親的鬼魂對話》中，他將一貫的幽默帶入全新敘事場域，以精準的喜劇節奏和真誠的筆觸，引領讀者穿越龐大而可怕的情感。

適合讀者：

• 羅茲．查斯特、莎拉．安德森、泰勒．費德與趙米雪（Michelle Zauner）的粉絲

• 尋找關於悲傷、記憶與家庭關係的幽默而深刻作品的讀者

• 《Loud & Smart》漫畫粉絲

• 喜愛非典型鬼故事的讀者

“Shortly after his funeral, my dad started haunting me . . . and it’s been a delight!” —Alex

Inspired by real-life experience, Alex Krokus's graphic novel is a heartfelt and humorous story of losing a parent and getting to know him better after his passing.

Set over the course of a single year, this book follows Alex and his father’s ghost as they stroll along winter beaches, camp in rattlesnake-infested deserts, and share countless diner meals together. Between fielding fatherly lectures on the importance of doing his taxes, how to properly shovel the driveway, and why he should always tip twenty percent, Alex tries to figure out what he needs to say to his dad. 

Is this a good time for him to come out as bisexual? Or maybe he should ask his dad why he loved drinking so much when it nearly destroyed his health? With help from his mom, his brother, a whole cast of extended family members, and, of course, the ghost himself, Alex tries to figure out how to say goodbye.

In the tradition of Roz Chast's Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? and Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, this graphic novel uses humor to examine family foibles and eccentricities as well as the experience of losing a parent. Relatable and heartfelt, it speaks to the universal experience of grief and how it ripples through a community.

HEALING THROUGH HUMOR: Told in a series of vignettes with illustrated panels, this graphic narrative evokes the nostalgia of Sunday comic strips. Alex casts his family and friends as anthropomorphic animal characters, lending a playful irreverence to their most serious conversations. His insightful and honest exploration of grief and memory is punctuated with moments of levity and warmth, making this a cathartic, funny, and uplifting read.

EXCITING COMICS CREATOR: This is the first long-form graphic novel from cartoonist Alex Krokus. His webcomic, Loud & Smart, follows the mundane misadventures of raccoon Alex and his millennial friends as they navigate their arguably "adult" lives in the big city. In Talking to My Father's Ghost, Krokus brings his trademark humor to new narrative terrain, guiding readers through big, scary feelings with expert comedic timing and refreshing honesty.

Perfect for: 

• Fans of Roz Chast, Sarah Anderson, Tyler Feder, and Michelle Zauner
• Anyone looking for a funny, insightful book about grief, memory, and family relationships
• Readers of Alex Krokus's comic strip series, Loud & Smart
• People who enjoy unconventional ghost stories