84. Terror of Momotaro

Air Raid Robertson on Nov. 14, 2010

I didn't do a Capital of Helsinki strip last week. On the other hand, I did two strips on the preceding week. I guess that makes up for it.

I considered the Shubert gag from the last strip to be a misstep in the art department. So, I'm pretty much playing it safe for this particular outing.

The subject matter is pretty much within the typical scope of the series as well. Fairy tales and folk stories are common springboards for Capital of Helsinki strips. I do usually stick with European and American mythology though. So, I suppose going with an Asian folk tale is something of a new thing.

The basis for my strip is the story of Momotaro (“Peach Boy”). Momotaro is a heroic character that dates back to ancient Japan. He is loosely comparable to characters like Hercules, Beowulf, Theseus, or Gilgamesh. His origin usually revolves around a childless elderly couple finding him encased in a giant peach floating down the river.

In most cases Momotaro grows up to embark on an epic journey where he fights evil with the help of some talking animals. Things don't really go so well for him in this instance though.