“Letters To An Absent Father” Makes Me A Little Happysad
Over the past month, the super-talented Maré Odomo has been uploading a series of Pokemon-based comic strips to his Flickr account. Letters to an Absent Father, which has since expanded from a planned four comics to eleven, takes place from the perspective of Ash Ketchum as he writes a letter to the father that he never met (though I still maintain that his father is Professor Oak, you know that something was going on between the “Pokemon Professor” and Ash’s mom).
Although I occasionally catch Maré’s work on Facebook, I completely missed out on the comics until they started making the internet rounds. I’m glad that they finally came to my attention – I’m in love. The comics are pretty touching. They aren’t just sad, anybody can do sad. Odomo’s strips fill you with that funny feeling where you’re sad, amused, and completely nostalgic all at once. The tone and disjointed narrative style remind me a little of A Softer World.
It’s hard not to feel for Ash, especially when Maré pointed out that Ash might not even be mailing the letters:
They are letters to his dad who is never around. I haven’t decided whether or not he actually sends them or if he just keeps them in his backpack and carries them with him wherever he goes.
Come to think of it, does Ash even know who his father is?
Check out all of the current strips below, and keep an eye on the Flickr album for more.
Gregory Gay - May 19th, 2010 - 
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Nick on May 19, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Wow, happysad is right. These are incredibly touching, charming and wonderful. Thanks Greg for sharing this.
SteveoSchwartzo on May 19, 2010 at 6:04 pm
These are beautiful. I would buy a book of these if he wrote it. Hell, I’d buy two.
HydroCannon on May 19, 2010 at 6:31 pm
I’ve seen a few of these around the internet the past few weeks. But I haven’t read all of them until now. They’re great! And they make me think how strange the Pokemon world is. Kids leaving home so early and wandering the world.
Also in the show there are a lot of parents that leave their spouse alone at home to pursue dreams. Where is Gary’s dad? Brock’s dad leaves then returns. Where are Misty’s parents? May’s dad leaves home to be a gym leader. Perhaps when Ash’s dad was young he left home and as an adult misses the open road and can’t settle down for more than a few years. Perhaps that is Ash’s fate.
I’m going too far into this, aren’t I? Anyway love the comic! and I agree with Nick and SteveoSchwartzo.
P.S. I know that in the Pokemon musical Giovanni is supposed to be Ash’s dad, but I don’t believe that’s canon. Yeah, Pokemon freak.
Mckma on May 19, 2010 at 7:35 pm
The last one was pretty depressing in my opinion. It was like this bittersweet feeling of being lost…
Kyle on May 19, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Greg,
You should note that Maré – like Ash – hasn’t had much of a relationship with his father. In EXP he explains the inspiration for the comic where Ash and Pikachu on a train:
“[The] first time this happened to me, that I can remember, was on the number 26 bus going from Wallingford to downtown Seattle. It was crowded. A people on their way to work. I was on my way to school and tired and listening to music or a podcast or trying to read a book.
Anyway, it was just some Asian guy.”
Gregory Gay on May 19, 2010 at 10:03 pm
I should really get on this “buying EXP” thing that I keep meaning to do.
Bob on May 20, 2010 at 12:20 am
Under any other circumstances, this would be depressing.
However, because it pokes at the bizarreness of the Pokemon world, I found them mostly hilarious, but touching.
Savage on May 20, 2010 at 9:45 am
Awesome strips!
toasterfire on May 20, 2010 at 4:11 pm
My favorite part is the pikachu scratching at the door.
Exene on June 13, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I’ve been following this person on tumblr. The last one is my favorite “what do I do now” lol
Putin on June 21, 2010 at 2:38 am
I BAAAAWWWed.
Not one of these, but the one that has “I just have to try a little harder” reminds me of the comic in which Oak tells Ash, “There’s no easy way to tell you this, but I have cancer. I have two months to live.” Ash puts on “oh no” face, then throws a pokeball at the stunned Oak, who is sucked in as Ash grins manically. The next scene is at a pokemon center, where Joy tells Ash that his pokemon are fighting-fit, whereupon Oak bursts out of the pokeball and he and Ash high-five.
Медведев on September 3, 2010 at 5:44 pm
я тоже возьму. doneck-portal.ru