I was just going to do a quick post about the inspiration for the Big Bay character in the BEDLAM strip. Then I got here and started trying to find sample strips with the Big Man and decided to post the majority of that story arc where he was introduced. I can add some commentary along the way. I have omitted a few. We can save those for when we feature another character. Speaking of…

We have the added bonus of meeting Fred Stanton at the beginning of this arc. I got a bunch of ideas for him in the BEDLAM 3.0. For now though, he is just a suburban conspiracy commando. Complete with his helmet and Star Trek T-shirt. More on him later.

Good ‘ol Fred reports his Bigfoot sighting to the authorities like a good citizen. But lo and behold…

Initially I wanted to pay tribute to the Vincent Trout Hamlin Alley Oop character. But this was not working out for me. Every preliminary sketch was just a flat out rip off of the character. And it really didn’t mesh with the overall style of the Bedlam strip. I was at a momentary loss. So I do what I always do when in a bit of a rut. I started reading.

I had been buying up cheap comic strip books when I saw them. Trying to study the form, etc. Around this time I had happened upon some collection of Chester Gould’s DICK TRACY strips.

That was it. That iconic hooked nose. The pointed chin in profile. And it worked with both my style and my intent to make the Bigfoot character less primate looking than generally portrayed.

So my failed tribute to one great became an accidental tribute to another

I make no bones about my interest in fringe topics. I love out of the box thinking. I love “What ifs.” Love the idea of wonder and mystery still left out there in our Universe.

Some people think I’m nuts. But I got a soft spot for the Bigfoot topic. I used to be a pretty hardcore skeptic (I subscribed to Skeptical Inquirer and everything!). My interest in these people began as a joke, Mainly after finding THE LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK on tv late at night in Rexy’s garage (if I started spinning yarns from there we’d be here all week).

Back then I was still operating under the idea that the Bigfoot was an individual creature. One dude moving all around. Makes no sense.

If I get any chance to reference “Beans & Cornbread” by Louis Jordan I’m taking it.

With daily strips you get Sundays (do they even do that anymore?). What we have above was hand colored with watercolor and crayon.

When you are not syndicated and trying to fill a strip a day, you sometimes do things like sneak a pal in.

I love that “zoo buddies” line and I had a lot of fun drawing this story arc.

Ⓒ John Heatter.