After a slow previous issue, Bionic Man #12 kicks the action back up to speed and gets back into the story.

First, the official description from Dynamite:

Something has been stalking Steve Austin. Something BIG. The moment Bionic Man fans have been clamoring for finally arrives with the introduction of Bigfoot into the hit series. His origins are unknown, but whatever this mysterious creature may be, Steve Austin has something it wants… and it will kill to get it.

As the description and front cover already spoil, this issue features the introduction of big foot. This addition isn’t what I was expecting from the Bionic Man comic, but it certainly takes the chances that the original TV show couldn’t pull off due to budgets or physical limitations. At the very least, the team have taken the time to attempt to blend big foot into the Bionic Man setting, suggesting a bionically enhanced beast as opposed to simply being ‘big foot’.

This is shown through flashbacks, where it is revealed to be at the hands of Russian scientists. Given the introduction of this issue, as well as various themes throughout Bionic Man, the potential for contrast between America and Russia certainly seems interesting, although it has the potential to go either way. It good be a success, or it could simply drag up old cold-war themes for the sake of it.

What does work, however, is the action itself. Steve Austin as a character is physically augmented thanks to his bionics, and the title makes good work of demonstrating what such a man would do with his ‘powers’. It still doesn’t match the atmosphere and flavor that Kevin Smith’s initial run achieved, but its certainly working. As Steve Austin himself questions, can he even get headaches anymore?

This comes to its height near the end. Steve Austin is a character who is often seen as ‘unbeatable’ due to his bionic enhancements. Needless to say, the confrontation with Big Foot doesn’t exactly go to plan.  Bionic Man #12 doesn’t end on a high note, and will definitely leave fans waiting for the next issue.

4/5