Review - Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 (@ActionLab)

"He is alone...no one knows his name. No one knows how he got here."

Bigfoot is one of the more enduring urban legends on Earth, but how would he fare on Mars? Would he like the dry, arid climate? Maybe the fact that he would most likely be completely alone would suit him. Unless of course there's life on Mars looking to enslave travelers, much like that of Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 from Action Lab Entertainment. The issue is written by Josh S. Henaman, illustrated by Andy Taylor, colored by Tamra Bonvillain and lettered by Adam Wollet.

The epic saga begins! High adventure on a distant planet of dinosaurs, warlords, kingdoms and sorcery, where Earth's legendary Bigfoot finds himself in a battle to defeat the ruthless emperor of a barbarian planet! The dying planet needed a hero... what they got was a sasquatch!

Bigfoot has never really been known to be much of a talker and Henaman preserves that reputation in Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1. Instead, Heneman relies on another character to introduce the reader to Bigfoot and the harsh living conditions on Mars. In that sense, Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 actually works pretty well, in that Bigfoot maintains an aura of mystery tied to what little is known about him. Henaman still manages to move the story along in a positive direction, effectively giving the reader all the information they need to understand what's going on. It's most likely that Bigfoot will end up squaring off against the ruler of Mars at some point, but in the meantime Henaman does a good job informing the readers of the stakes.

Bigfoot is rendered in a way that's pretty recognizable to anyone familiar with the myth of the creature. Taylor infuses him with brutish physique that allows him to tower over the other inhabitants of Mars. There are plenty of nods to ancient Egypt in Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 that Taylor uses to help visually characterize the setting Bigfoot finds himself in. There's an abundance of character action going on in many of the panels--so much so that at times panels feel a little too busy. The overall harsh appearance of the Mars environment is enhanced by Bonvillain's reliance on primarily reds throughout the book.

It's apparent from the start that Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 is one-part Bigfoot and one part John Carter. Bigfoot finds himself an unlikely companion as he struggles to be free, presumably to go on living his life. Henaman paces the issue cleanly and gets everything in place by the end for the series to unfold. Taylor's illustrations are a little muddied at times, but largely go a great job of showcasing what a civilization on Mars might look like. Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 is a fun first issue that offers a new twist on a very familiar character.

Bigfoot: Sword of the Earthman #1 is in stores now.