Bigfoot
| Bigfoot | |
| Produced for: | Fantomen 20/2012 |
|---|---|
| # of pgs: | 32 |
| Writer: | Falco Pellerin |
| Artist: | Joan Boix |
| Original colorist: | Reprostugan |
| Producer: | Egmont Kärnan |
"Bigfoot" is a 2012 Team Fantomen story, written by Falco Pellerin, with art by Joan Boix.
Plot synopsis
The Phantom, keeping up with times, is in his radio room, receiving an e-mail from Diana. While the UN office in Morristown is rebuilt, she has been sent on assignment to Oregon, USA, to head a survey investigating the status of the redwood forests there. They have accomodation at the Bigfoot Inn, located in a redwood forest. Near the inn lives Bob Peterson who manufactures paper in the traditional way. Peterson is visited by two men from the Norsewood paper company who strongly insist that he sells his company and his plot of redwood forest to the company.
The Phantom and Diana take a walk in the redwood forest. They meet two men who have built a trap to capture a mysterious creature that is claimed to live in the forest, Bigfoot or Sasquatch. They continue into the forest and find a house. When the Phantom knocks on the door it is opened by an elderly man with a shotgun, McGrinchy. He claims that they have come to steal his research on the mysterious Bigfoot. Bob Peterson later tells them that McGrinchy once was a respected scientist that went crazy but is mostly harmless.
That night the Phantom wakes up at the inn smelling smoke. Somebody has set fire to Bob Peterson's studio. The Phantom, Diana and others help to extinguish the fire. When they are done the Phantom finds a very large footprint in the rubble. The next day they return to McGrinchy's cabin. He tells them that he saw a bigfoot setting fire to Peterson's studio. He also declares that both Peterson's house and the inn should disappear since the forest only belongs to the Bigfoot.
The next night the Phantom goes to investigate McGrinchy. At Peterson's house he finds what appears to be a man dressed in an ape suit trying to set fire to the building. When Diana shows up the ape tries to carry her off. She is thrown off but not before finding out that that it is somebody wearing an ape costume. The Phantom goes after the "ape" and finds it in the forest. But this time the "ape" is much stronger and the costume appear to be genuine. The "ape" knocks him down, then disappears.
Next morning, one man from the Norsewood company comes running to Peterson's house, still dressed in the ape costume, shouting that he has indeed seen the Bigfoot. He is arrested by the sheriff on suspicion of having started the fire. McGrinty explains that Norsewood is not interested in the trees but the minerals beneath the ground. Meanwhile the genuine Bigfoot is looking at the group of people outside Peterson's.
After breakfast, the Phantom and Diana return to McGrinchy, asking to have a look at his research on Bigfoot. He declares that he has finished his research on that subject but instead will focus on another mysterious creature that he spotted the previous night, a man dressed in a blue costume that goes by the name of The Ghost Who Walks. As the Phantom and Diana walk back to the hotel, the Bigfoot is sitting in a tree looking at them.
Appearances
Recurring characters
One-time characters
- Mrs Woods, owner of the Bigfoot Inn.
- Bob Peterson
- McGrinchy
- Mr Cox, Norsewood
- Mr Stark, Norsewood
Behind the scenes
- The Phantom and Diana drive through Grants Pass, Oregon, past a letterbox with the name "Barks". This is a reference to Donald Duck animator and comic book artist Carl Barks who lived in Grants Pass until his death in 2000. The name is incorrectly spelled "Grant's Pass".
Related stories
References
Reprints
This story has been published in the following publications:
Australia
- "Bigfoot", The Phantom #1643
Norway
- "Bigfoot", Fantomet 20/2012
Sweden
- "Bigfoot", "Fantomen 20/2012