Written by Brandee Stilwell
Illustrated by Ron Randall
Published by DC Comics
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when Sasquatch Detective appeared in my review stack. Would this be a zany comedy a or trip into the bizarre? It’s a little of both in a charming, progressive and empowering way.
Sasquatch is a sixty-four-page offering that collects the backup strips from Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, which shows Tonya working as an undercover police officer to solve crimes. Some of the stories are labeled “to be continued” despite this book being a one-shot.
However, the last page directly ties into an incident with Tonya’s family during the origin story. It’s an intriguing plot point that will hopefully bear fruit going forward
Tonya Lightfoot is sasquatch from the Appalachian Mountains who after years of dreaming becomes an LAPD detective. For all the hijinks that ensue, Tonya is intelligent, unapologetically sassy and is a kind soul, making it easy for her to spit in the face of adversity.
Plus, it helps that she is eight feet tall, scary fast and just as strong.
Despite her physical appearance, Tonya doesn’t hesitate goes undercover as a hooker on the streets on Los Angeles. She even has a little fun with it and dresses up as Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman. Now, it’s hard to imagine who Tonya is going to trick into paying for her services considering she has claws, fangs, a lot of fur and is publicly known as the first sasquatch police officer in the history of law enforcement.
The message here is don’t let people’s opinion hold you back, which makes for a good story. However, the adversity that is supposed to fuel such a narrative is often absent or arrives small doses. Tonya being ridiculously good at everything makes any hardship she encounters immaterial. While the primary goal of any comic book is to entertain, the message, which is essential, gets lost in the ease of it all.
The artwork provides some visuals that carry the flair of an animated series that’s big on laughs. Tonya meeting Wonder Woman exhibited a humorous sense of irony while a family of bears voicing their displeasure over being stereotyped will crack a few smiles.
Overall, comedian Brandee Stilwell has done a great job of introducing the world to a fun character who is comfortable in her own fur. If you’re looking for something outside of the cape and cowl variety, Sasquatch Detective is an inherently enjoyable option.
Rating: B+
