Odlaw

Odlaw is the main antagonist from the immensely popular series of puzzle-books known as Where's Waldo?, although he is given much more information in the lesser known cartoon series based upon the books.

Odlaw is a classic example of the "evil twin" archetype and resembles the titular Waldo, but has a black and yellow patterned shirt, and a mustache - what makes Odlaw most different from Waldo, however, is not his physical differences but his behavior.

Odlaw is described as disputatious, acquisitive, unpleasant, loathsome, uncaring, repugnant, traitorous, duplicitous, manipulative, blameworthy, unmerciful, obnoxious, ruthless, hateful, greedy, rude, cocky, snooty, selfish, menacing, sadistic, conceited, diabolical, egotistical, unscrupulous, argumentative, cantankerous, prejudicial, avaricious, conniving, possessive, contentious, delinquent, and unlikable in almost every way and his only true goal in life is to obtain Waldo's magical walking stick - his quest to obtain this walking stick verges on the obsessive and drives most (if not all) of his many schemes.

Odlaw's first appearance was in 1991 in the story "Where's Waldo: The Magnificient Poster Book!" where he was given the more generic role of an "anti-Waldo" - the idea of him being the opposite of Waldo goes as far as his name: which is Waldo spelt backwards.

Gallery

Add a photo to this gallery