Beast: Do you find it cause for concern that the cryptozoological entity whose name you employ is not the same as the one you physically resemble?
Griffin: What-- What do you mean?
2/ Close-up on Beast. He is expositing brightly as he continues to push against The Griffin.
Beast: Well, griffins, if the stories are to be believed, did have leonine bodies, as you do, but their heads were supposedly those of eagles, whereas you have chosen to continue the leonine motif.
Beast: Not a look I would choose for myself, mind you, but to each their own.
3/ Close-up on Beast. He is purposefully messing with Horton. That much should be obvious through his sideways glance. Their fight requires so little of his concentration.
Beast: And then there's the tail...
4/ Close-up on Beast. Shaking his head. Still fighting.
Beast: No, no, no. I do believe, good sir, that you are supposed to be a manticore.
5/ The Griffin knocks The Beast back. All this talk has confused and enraged him.
Griffin: Aaaurgh!! Just shut up already! I didn't name myself, okay?
Griffin: Those jerks from The Secret Empire told me they'd make me powerful...
Griffin: How was I supposed to know they'd turn me into this-- this freak!?
6/ The fight is distracted by Linda Donaldson, an attractive blonde woman leaning over the railing of a nearby stairwell. She is dressed in appropriate businesswoman's attire. The exact kind of person you would expect Hank McCoy to fall for. Almost like she was planted there specifically to lure him into a false sense of security. The Beast is not happy to see her throw herself into this situation, and less so that she's siccing armed personnel on him. The Griffin, though he says nothing, is equally concerned by these men and their guns.
Linda: Security! I've found them!
Beast: Linda! No!
Linda (TB): That creature! It called me by name! But how?
The opening repartee between Beast and Griffin is great. The kind of self-aware near-meta commentary that I love to see in my comics. And mighty well-written to boot.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'm not as clear on the 6th panel and where it fits into the whole thing. Perhaps if the story continued on, it would make sense, but as it is, it feels like it doesn't quite belong (particuarly that thought balloon at the end).
Linda Donaldson was planted at the Brand Corporation to snuggle up to Hank McCoy and steal his mutant formula. She kind of blew it when he ran away with a wannabe Brotherhood of Evil Mutants for a couple issues, which prompted the Secret Empire to send in The Griffin. Through all of this, nobody can piece together that Hank is actually The Beast because he wears a latex mask and gloves. It's equal parts infuriating and endearing.
DeleteFair enough. Nevermind that second part of my comment (and thank you for clearing up my confusion).
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