They say don’t judge a book by its cover. But what about by its title? In that, you can probably safely guess whether Image Comics‘s wild new series Moonshine Bigfoot is for you or not, given that the inside of the issue is exactly what’s advertised on the tin: a wild mash-up of cryptids and The Dukes of Hazzard starring a Bigfoot that makes moonshine.
Written by Mike Marlow and Zach Howard, with art by Steve Ellis, the story itself is relatively simple — before it gets purposefully complicated. In a riff on Superman’s origin, a baby bigfoot was given away by his bigfoot parents, and picked up by a childless couple. He was then raised in their moonshine-making ways, which is where we find Moonshine Bigfoot in the modern day.
The front half of the book is essentially one wild car chase as Moonshine Bigfoot and his hippie girlfriend Amethyst try to get away from the law, and other forces that either want to stop or capture them. That’s a difficult enough challenge, to execute a car chase in comic book form (don’t know if you know this, but comic book art doesn’t move). But Ellis is more than up to the challenge, executing wild action scenes that always keep the characters — and their Hot Wheels-esque vehicles — front and center.
The second half of the book is somehow crazier than that, as Moonshine Bigfoot — spoilers here — delivers his moonshine to a cryptid-friendly bar. And while that happens, an Illuminati-esque organization sends the chupacabra after him. Oh, and by the end of the issue, things get even bigger and wilder than that.
It makes sense, given the car chases and ludicrous premise, that Marlow and Howard would also go for broke in this issue, not hitting the brakes at any point on the comedy or the insanity. In that, if there’s one knock for the book it’s that it’s packed with so much dialogue, action, and scene changes that it all gets a little overwhelming. At times it’s like reading 30 pages of MAD fold-ins with an ongoing story. Not necessarily a bad thing (we do love those fold-ins, don’t we folks), but occasionally your faithful reviewer needed to take a little pause while reading to take it all in.
To contradict that last paragraph though, that’s also a good thing. In a time when 20 page comics often take under five minutes to read, Moonshine Bigfoot #1 is like sticking your head under a pick-a-mix and letting the candy flow into your mouth until you feel sick. Or to unmix that metaphor: this is a lot of bang for your buck. Maybe too much at times? But that’s certainly preferable to the alternative.
Overall, this is a wild debut that promises big, somehow crazier things to come. So grab some moonshine, kick up your (big) feet and get ready to put your pedal to the metal… Moonshine Bigfoot #1 is a wild ride.
Moonshine Bigfoot #1 Rating:
Moonshine Bigfoot #1 Official Synopsis:
Buzzard County, 1981—Moonshine Bigfoot spends his days making a living while outwitting clueless cops, reckless rivals, and buffoonish Bigfoot Hunters. All is hunky-dory until he draws the attention of an Illuminati-esque cabal. With his partner in life and crime, Amethyst, our hairy hero is about to learn that some problems can’t be handled just by jumping them in a souped-up Mach 1.
Comic Book Club Live Info:
Discover more from Comic Book Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.