A Brief History of Grifonton, Page 9

PANEL 1

A dramatic transformation scene showing a figure with wings emerging, feathers falling around them.

NARRATION: "Oh, he thought it a fitting punishment to turn me into a great beast! Ha! He thought to make me hideous! HA! He thought to make me envy others for their humanity and mortality!"

PANEL 2

The Gryphon in her full form, proud and magnificent, speaks to the brothers.

GRYPHON: "Lo! I am now ageless, free, powerful and beautiful!"

BROTHER: "Well, I think Im beautiful."

PANEL 3

One brother examines the Gryphons claws, which appear human-like.

BROTHER: "Your claws! Theyre like hands."

BROTHER: "I thought gryphons had talons like an eagles."

PANEL 4

The Gryphon explains her unique anatomy.

GRYPHON: "The gods curse was a blessing and it suits me just fine."

GRYPHON: "I was allowed to keep my hands as a reminder that I am only human under this skin."

Everything that follows is original 2005 commentary except where noted “–RN 2012″:

Another sub-story that got cut here was that after she was turned into the Gryphon, the first thing she did was travel across the land gathering people whom she deemed wicked and putting them to their deaths. In this way she garnered quite a name for herself and helped to purge the world of its last vestiges of evil. I suppose that god really did have a plan. Two birds with one stone: punish the self-righteous by giving them monstrous size, strength and wings, then let them self-righteously seek revenge on all those they judge unworthy of existence. Yes, it was a little backwards, hence the scene got cut. Plus, Mom wondered why the Gothic horde existed if the Gryphon was playing god’s hangman. My excuse was that the Gryphon was getting lazy as the millennia passed. I know I had to cut it, but it was a pity to lose that glimpse of her self-righteous vanity at work.

Things I didn’t get to say to Thomas and William thanks to that ruddy cut:

“All the vicious, selfish, greedy, hateful people of the world have passed through my claws like the wind through the branches of a dead tree.”

“I am actually in the possession of a genuine femur from the last dictator of the United States of America! Want to give it a look?”

And, when they balked at my, er, alternative lifestyle I replied, “You kill animals without remorse. What is the difference when it comes to an animal killing humans? It’s not like I didn’t eat them. All the meat got put to use.”

Suggested listening: “Still Life” by Men at Work