Annotated 20-22
Definitely time for Harky to remind everybody why he’s in charge, with a combination of vocals and backbeat. Penk doesn’t have the drum right now, so Harky’ll just do his own percussion in panel 2.
Gondolessa knows this is necessary–letting Don Gobligno take over would be disastrous, and probably eventually fatal to Harky and Gondi–but he still greatly regrets that the coalition on which he’s staked his people’s and his lover’s future has been reduced to brawling in the road.
Not having made his own move yet and not really THAT close to the Don, Iver is free to enjoy the show. He’ll learn from this, too: his attack on Harky will be a little more rooted in cultural (if prejudiced) values, a little less transparently self-interested. There’s a reason the armed forces talk about not leaving anyone behind, even when it would be strategic to do so: if you want your soldiers to give their all, you have to at least pay some lip service to how much you value them. Harky, of course, actually means it.
I also noticed Iver’s and Gondolessa’s stepback as Harky approached. They were reading the situation correctly.
Harky’s not really hard to read here, though. Which makes Gobligno look that much more of a dumbass.
Epic facebeak!
Beakpalm? Beakwing?