Dynamite Entertainment has launched a five-part comic series titled Disney Villains: Gaston, which delves into the antagonist's life before the events of Beauty and the Beast. The narrative follows Gaston as he navigates a magical transformation into a squirrel and his subsequent efforts to regain his human form.
From a squirrel's perspective to the King's enemy
The plot of Disney Villains: Gaston centers on a surreal premise where the titular character is transformed into a squirrel by an alchemist. According to the source, the story tracks Gaston as he attempts to steal a specific pendant to reverse the spell, while simultaneously evading royal guards and establishing himself as a primary adversary to the King.
This narrative choice shifts the perception of Gaston from the "witless brute" encountered by Belle in the original film to a more cunning and resourceful adventurer. By placing the character in a position of vulnerability, the comic explores his adaptability and desperation, though it maintains his core arrogance throughout the five-part arc.
Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak's refusal to "sanitize" the villain
Written by Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak with art by Milena Ciccarello, the series takes a distinct tonal path compared to recent Disney live-action cinema. While films like Maleficent and Cruella reimagined their antagonists as misunderstood anti-heroes or victims of circumstance, this comic doubles down on Gaston's negative traits.
As the report says, the comic highlights Gaston's willingness to mistreat Le Fou and his tendency to double-cross the team of thieves he assembles. This approach suggests a creative pivot back toward the original essence of these characters, where the appeal lies in their unapologetic malice rather than a tragic backstory designed to garner symapthy.
Scar, Ursula, and Hades join the Dynamite Entertainment roster
The Gaston series is part of a broader initiative by Dynamite Entertainment to expand the lore of several iconic antagonists. Other installments in the series provide depth to Scar from The Lion King, who is depicted as a methodical political strategist, and Hades from Hercules, who is reimagined as an overworked, corporate-style manager suffering from divine social exclusion.
The collection also includes stories featuring Ursula from The Little Mermaid, who is portrayed as a faleln goddess seeking revenge against Triton, and Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians, who attempts to steal royal crown jewels. these expansions mirror the decades of development previously reserved for Disney protagonists like Aladdin, Ariel, and Cinderella, who have long enjoyed extensive sequels and television series .
The mystery of the alchemist and the missing royal guards
While the comic provides a "hilarious explanation" for why its new supporting characters do not appear in the original Beauty and the Beast movie , the specific details of these explanations remain unverified in the reporting. It remains unclear exactly how the alchemist's role fits into the wider magical ecosystem of the kingdom or why the royal guards' pursuit of Gaston was so thoroughly erased from the film's continuity.
Furthermore, the source does not speciffy if these comic narratives are considered official Disney canon or if they exist in a separate, expanded universe. given that many direct-to-video sequels have faced uncertain canonical status, the official standing of the Dynamite Entertainment series remains an open question for collectors and lore enthusiasts.
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