Talking to My Father's Ghost: An Almost True Story (graphic novel)

★ 當爸爸過世後，他竟然天天來找我聊天——而且還挺可愛？！
★ 用幽默面對失去，用漫畫說出最難開口的告別
★ 療癒系「鬼故事」，笑著流淚的年度話題之作
★ 獻給每個還沒說完再見的人

「爸爸的喪禮才剛結束，他就開始纏著我了……而且，這其實挺美好的。」——Alex

這一年，Alex多了一位特別的陪伴者——爸爸的鬼魂。
他們一起在冬日海灘散步、到滿是響尾蛇的沙漠露營、坐在公路邊的餐館裡邊吃派邊聊天。鬼魂老爸依然碎念：報稅要準時、鏟雪要確實、小費一定要給兩成。但Alex心裡其實有更重要的問題——現在，是出櫃說自己是雙性戀的好時機嗎？還是該問問爸爸，為什麼當年明知道傷身，卻還是那麼愛喝酒？

在媽媽、哥哥與一大家子的陪伴下，他慢慢學著怎麼把話說出口，也學著真正道別。

“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