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Crowdfunding Spotlight: The Wicker Pasty by Trystan Mitchell

By John Freeman on May 25, 2023

The Wicker Pasty by Trystan Mitchell, publishing as Bigfoot Studio

Currently seeking relatively modest support on Kickstarter is a wonderful looking comics project, The Wicker Pasty by Trystan Mitchell, publishing as Bigfoot Studio.

Offering “a full colour Cornish folk horror fantasia, featuring occult foods and folklore, baked goods and elder gods,” The Wicker Pasty is a 32-page colour comic book written, illustrated and set in the heart of Cornwall, riffing playfully on themes of folk horror and cultural identity.

With a side order of Lovecraft and ritually baked goods, it takes its cues from a darkly whimsical Cornish storytelling tradition familiar to audiences of Footsbarn, Bedlam and Kneehigh Theatre.

The Wicker Pasty opens during a Cornish summer, the festival of Gool Hoggan is in full swing.

Researching an episode for his food and folklore series, podcaster Jack Cousens, at the invitation of a maverick recipe hunter, finds himself in the ancient Cornish harbour village of Pendhu. He discovers a community blessed with exceptional good health and long life, following a faith tradition as old as the neolithic monuments that crown the headland above the village.

But when his friend fails to appear, Jack learns more of local custom and folklore, and while the drums in the streets grow louder he wonders how, and to what purpose, a person could vanish from the knowledge and recall of an entire village…

“With flavours enjoyed by a tongue held firmly in the cheek, The Wicker Pasty is baked from several locally sourced ingredients, says Trystan. “A love of the folk horror tales that film and kids’ TV were on fire with when I was growing up on the moors, encounters with old time pellars and charmers in out of the way homesteads, the inventive comedic storytelling of Cornish ‘folk’ theatre and the community traditions and celebrations that still mark out the wheel of the year, alongside the ongoing conversation exploring cultural identity and inclusion…. oh, and a love of pasties.”

Well, you me at pasties. So, if you’d like to see this smashing looking project brought to life, possibly the first comic book to feature genuine Cornish hedging built in the traditional manner, head to Kickstarter now.

• Back The Wicker Pasty on Kickstarter here

• Follow The Wicker Pasty on Facebook

• Follow Bigfoot Studios on Twitter

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.