If you’re going to do a Bigfoot project, you’ve got to go … well, big.

“A big book with lots of different creators seemed most appropriate for the concept,” said Josh Howard, who came up with the idea to do the Sasquatch anthology, a softcover graphic novel that collects almost 30 stories and various pin-ups from a host of creators. “You can’t do anything small when it comes to Bigfoot. A mini-series was never really an option.”

All this week Jessie Garza has been chatting with some of the creators who contributed to Josh Howard Presents … Sasquatch here at Blog@ — folks like Jason Burns and Frances Liddell, Otis Frampton and Wes Molebash, with more on tap for Thursday and Friday. Today we have a special “bonus” interview with Howard, who not only oversaw the project, but also contributed some stories of his own.

Blog@: So what was the genesis of the Sasquatch anthology project — where did the idea come from?

Howard: I’ve always wanted to do something centered around the concept of Bigfoot or Sasquatch. It’s just always something I’ve been fascinated with ever since I was a kid. But I never really had a solid idea for an entire series, but I had a few different snippets of ideas. Occasionally me and a few friends would get together and all try our hand at drawing our own versions of the creature, and the idea kind of evolved from there.

Blog@: How did you go about picking the creative teams? What were you looking for?

Howard: I started with friends and people whose work I admired, and then branched out by looking for really talented indie creators who were hungry to showcase their talent with a cool concept. There was no shortage of enthusiasm on this book.

Blog@: Tell us a little bit about your contributions to the book.

Howard: I have two stories, both vastly different from each other. One is kind of a humorous take in a style that’s a little more cartoony than my regular stuff. The other story is a little darker and done in a more gritty, exprerimental style.

Blog@: Did any of the teams involved surprise you with their submissions?

Howard: Absolutely. There are more than a couple of stories that just floored me, both in concept and execution. I’m probably more proud of this project than most anything else I’ve been involved with.

Blog@: There are a lot of variations on the Sasquatch theme, and even the name … Bigfoot, Yeti, Abomidable Snowman. What are some of your favorite stories and legends associated with it?

Howard: I love Bigfoot documentaries and films from the 70s. I don’t know why, but the popularity of the creature just exploded during that decade, and a lot of really bizarre stuff was produced. I think it may have had something to do with the hair. Everyone really seemed to love hair in the 70s.

Blog@: So, Bigfoot — fact or fiction?

Howard: Faction.

Blog@: And finally, if you ever came face to face with one, what would you do?

Howard: As controversial as this might be, I would probably shoot it. The debate will never end unless a body is produced.

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Check back in tomorrow as we turn the reigns back over to Garza, who talks to Pat Bussey about what’s probably the zaniest story in the anthology. The book is out today, so look for it at your local comic shop!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 at 12:10 pm and is filed under Creators, Graphic Novels, Independent, Interviews, News & Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.