It’s a crazy title that really works. As soon as you hear it, you say: WTF?!
Bigfoot, karate, Cthulhu, monster fights—what’s not to love?
Dan Price was kind enough to stop by First Comics News to answer some of the burning questions about Bigfoot Knows Karate.
First Comics News: Who is Bigfoot, and where does he live?
(A question I’ve been asking since childhood!)
Dan Price: In the tale of BIGFOOT KNOWS KARATE, Bigfoot is existing peacefully in the forest, helping the helpless of the wilderness and saving the life of a small, white rabbit from wolves, and then hunters, with outcomes that are less than wholesome.
There have been so many interpretations of Bigfoot in history and pop culture over the years, whether it be the Patterson/Gimlin film or Harry and the Hendersons, it was important that our Bigfoot stand out. Our ‘Squatch is a principled, high-functioning warrior tied into something much bigger than himself.
1st: How does he stay hidden from society while learning karate?
Dan: If I have learned anything about Bigfoot during the early research of this book, the important thing is that he is a blurry bastard. That allows Casey Allen, my co-writer, and me a lot of creative ways to move Bigfoot around the game board.
Hiding from man is not mandatory. Yes, he is elusive… something the great ninjas have mastered. But Bigfoot is bigger, faster, and stronger than any man who walks the earth. He does not need to hide. Sometimes being hidden is just a byproduct of where he’s going.
As far as learning karate… stay tuned.
1st: When you say he knows karate—
Does he have a white belt and just brag to his friends, “I know karate,” or is he a legit ninja?
Dan: While I think the bragging thing is hilarious, legit ninja don’t even begin to cut it. He’s skilled in multiple forms of martial arts disciplines, a master of multiple forms of weapons.
If you took the mastery of Bruce Lee, the aggression of Sonny Chiba, the scale of Kareem Abdul Jabbar (except 3 feet taller and a lot bigger), the discipline of Mr. Miyagi, and the resolve of any Chuck Norris meme, you are still only halfway there.
Bigfoot is the king of the mountain of martial arts.
1st: What exactly is a Kung Fu ’Thulhu?
Dan: Imagine a giant fishman monster with the psychological bent of Max Cady from Cape Fear, the pageantry of Macho Man Randy Savage. That’s Kung Fu ‘Thulhu.
Kung Fu ‘Thuhlu is the brainchild of Casey. We were going through character ideas to be the antagonist of the first issue, and he blurted out the name, and I went to the drawing board immediately.
1st: How do you and Casey collaborate on the writing process? Is the story fully planned out, or do you write it issue by issue?
Lots of phone calls. Lots and lots of phone calls. Casey and I talk 4 days a week when we are writing an issue, going back and forth on whether Cthulhu can breathe comfortably out of water, or the concept of astral projection.
Dan: But the arc was developed two years ago. There is a long synopsis for each issue, so we know exactly where we are going, leaving bread crumbs along the way. We also have treatments in progress for the next arc and beyond.
Casey is the man. I’m very proud that I get to work with such a talented writer and great friend.
1st: How do you balance the humor with the action in the script?
Dan: Honestly, I think the funniest thing about the book is the title, BIGFOOT KNOWS KARATE. And I give you that the character concepts are strange with Kung Fu ‘Thulhu and Chupacabra with a Shotgun, but the jokes in the story are far less than you’d think.
This is the story of a very deadly cryptid warrior being hunted down by an unknown agency. It’s part Godzilla vs. Kong, part Kill Bill. Throw in some X-Files to round out the cocktail.
1st: Can you walk us through the evolution of Bigfoot’s visual design?
Dan: Originally, the story was supposed to be a comedy. That was 2014. He was a goofy-looking fellow with a sour face. It wasn’t funny. He wasn’t funny. Everything but the title got scrapped.
In 2017, I started doodling the fella again and started posting the sketches on Instagram. He had these gaunt eyes and a warrior expression, and this set the tone for the book. A cryptid warrior, the only one of his species. What would that do to your psyche?
We’ve been lucky to receive over 250 pieces of fan art, and to say seeing the different interpretations hasn’t affected my art would be a lie. I love seeing how other artists see the character, and I think I draw from their enthusiasm for Benny.
1st: How do you approach drawing fight scenes to both deliver action and move the story forward?
Dan: I think having an inner monologue for Benny is a big help with that. It allows Casey and me to push the thoughts and escalation of the situation to match the action.
1st: The series seems to hint at a deeper mythology—how far does it go?
Dan: It goes deep. We will be exploring that in a future prequel book, BIGFOOT KNOWS KARATE: Hinagon, which takes place in Feudal Japan by Casey Allen and me, with some gorgeous art by Adam Caswell.
But even in the main series, we draw upon cryptids from different lore and mythologies throughout the comics. Whether it be a Minotaur or the Chilean Alicanto, the different creatures from around the world help bring the broader story together.
1st: How do you promote Bigfoot Knows Karate to new readers?
Dan: It’s like Godzilla vs. Kong meets Kill Bill with a twist of X-Files.
1st: What have you learned from your audience through conventions and online feedback?
Dan: Keep doing what we are doing. We’ve been lucky to get well over three thousand copies of BIGFOOT KNOWS KARATE to good homes. The response to the stories has been really motivating.
1st: What conventions will you be attending over the summer?
Dan: My next convention is Greater Austin Comic Con this July 19 – 20th. Can’t wait to be back at that one!
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