When my close friends preview this strip before I post it and they tell me it makes them sad, I feel like I’ve done my job. I hope it makes you sad, too. In a good way. To enhance the effect, put on some weepy orchestral music like I do and let the tears flow.
Okay, now for some controversy! A friend of mine who spends a lot of time outdoors recently suggested to me that rattlesnakes don’t climb trees. We were discussing, of course, Bigfoot’s brief encounter with a reptile back on page 18. I told him that my research suggested they do climb trees, though not often, and asked where he got his info. He said, and I quote, “I’ve just always heard that.” So I went back over my research and still found links suggesting rattlesnakes can climb trees (California Department of Fish & Wildlife say so, so do these folks and these people) and this is just one of the videos I located of the phenomenon. Believe it or not, I actually do try to research this stuff when I can. I mean, what do I know from snakes?
But I also found the subject was brimming with controversy and many people believe that rattlers cannot climb trees. There were compelling arguments from both camps. So, while my initial research does bear out my storyline, I started worrying about people getting stuck on an odd, insignificant detail like this. I’d rather people focus on the story and not on herpetological controversies. So I made the executive decision to replace the rattler with a generic snake if only to remove any hurdles that may prevent budding snake enthusiasts from enjoying the actual story. You can see the changes in this before/after image. So yeah, while my research tells me rattlers climb trees, Untold Tales of Bigfoot is really in its first draft form and I don’t mind making a call like this in service to the story. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one. Or the Bigfoot.
Okay, now that we’ve cleared up the snake controversy, I should probably let you know about next week’s UTOB. For those of you enjoying the story as it’s rolled along for the last few months, be warned — once Bigfoot and Scout go through that tunnel in the cave, everything changes. Yup. When you stop by this site next week (or receive the update in your email), things might feel (and look) a little different. Why? Can’t tell you. But as they say in the sasquatch biz, this is where we separate the men from the Bigfoot. -v
Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear what you think of the comic. Just remember, Untold Tales of Bigfoot is for grown-ups and kids. So let’s keep the comments appropriate.
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