Minions at Work: A Photocomic

I like this one in that it suggests another dynamic to the relationship between Minion No. 1 and Minion Number 2. (By the way, in case you’ve been wondering, it’s not a typo or error that I use “No. 1” and “Number 2,” it’s intentional and significant.) Normally, Number 2 seem to be the smart but craven, cowardly, and most of all, lazy guy. Next to him, No. 1 often seems slow-witted and oblivious, easily manipulated by Number 2’s tricks and schemes.

But this one suggests that there’s more to it, that No. 1 may be more onto Number 2 than he normally lets on, and that he may not beyond manipulating Number 2 just as Number 2 sometimes manipulates him. Anyway, I love it when, despite all his best efforts, Number 2 ends up drawing the short straw. He looks so befuddled sitting up there on that giant, cracking, egg.

This is likely an early appearance by the Penguin, since he is wearing his original white motorcycle helmet (later replaced in most cartoons by a pilot’s helmet with a visor). It’s also unusual to get all the early core group of minions in one panel, especially where it isn’t a crowd scene with a lot of other characters present.