I clearly need to check out the fairy tale-based comics at Webtoons more often, because I so rarely go explore their site that I stumbled upon The Beastslayer by accident whilst looking for a different story, not even thinking about searching for retellings artists might be publishing there.

This webtoon is an intriguing retelling of the Disney version of “Beauty and the Beast,” and you can tell immediately by appearance alone, because the respective colourings of Belle and Beast from the film are borrowed for the colour palette the artist chose for Gale Castor (same palette as for Belle) and the prince (same palette as for Adam). I found these aesthetics fetching, because the gorgeousness of the visuals and the artwork are what I like best about Disney’s version.

The plot kicks off slowly, with a little backstory to set up the world as is typical in webtoons, using the one-panel-per-scene storytelling technique. Soon you realise this is going to be a gender-swapped retake on the fairy tale with a Beauty figure that’s a mix of Gaston and Belle. Which isn’t as weird as it sounds, I promise!

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