I wanted a way to introduce the fact that Tetsuko had a boyfriend at this point in the series, and that her upcoming transformation was going to be a point of contention between the two. Hence the "flashback" in the restaurant, where Derek Horner reacts very badly to the bicep she accidentally flexes here. (A muscle that, to be sure, is larger than most women have, but certainly nothing like what she'll possess in about 25 pages!)

I still have a version of the beginning of this story that opens a day or so before the current opening; it was abandoned because it would have put off the big "transformation" climax another five or more pages. This alternate opening would have explored Tetsuko's relationship with Derek, and established him as even more of an asshole than is evident in the existing story (and that's sayin' something!) You'd also have been introduced to another character that might very well become Tetsuko's romantic interest P.T. (Post-Transformation).

Which is not say that Derek will disappear from the storyline... oh no! I gots plans for that bastard...

And if you're interested in reading the script for the proposed "alternate" beginning of Tetsuko #1, here it is (in a new window).