Beast (Marvel Comics)
| Beast | |
|---|---|
| File:Beastastonishing.PNG Beast. Art by John Cassaday. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | X-Men #1 |
| Created by | Stan Lee Jack Kirby |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Henry "Hank" Philip McCoy |
| Team affiliations | X-Men, Xavier Institute For Higher Learning, XSE, Avengers, Defenders, X-Factor |
| Notable aliases | Blue Beast |
| Abilities | Superhuman Strength, Speed, Stamina, Agility, Reflexes; Regenerative Healing Factor; Heightened Senses; Genius Level IQ |
The Beast (Dr. Henry "Hank" Philip McCoy) is a fictional Irish-American comic book character and superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a mutant and a member of the X-Men and was formerly associated with the Avengers, the Defenders and X-Factor. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in X-Men #1 (September, 1963). Fighting his feral urges and fears of loneliness and rejection, the blue-furred Beast has dedicated the totality of his physical gifts and brilliant mind to the creation of a better world for man and mutant; Hank is equal parts biochemist and political activist.
Character biography
Henry Philip McCoy was born in Dunfee, Illinois, United States, to Norton and Edna McCoy. His father was employed at a local nuclear power plant and was subjected to radioactive contamination in an accident at work that has been implied to be the cause of his son's mutation. Hank was born with a vast intellect and unusually large hands and feet for a human; in fact, his limbs were comparable to those of a gorilla and later stories reveal his nickname in school was "Magilla Gorilla."
Henry's mutation fully manifested itself in his adolescence and although he used his powers to excel in athletics for a time he was quickly forced to seek refuge from the inevitable ostracism and irrational hostility of normal humans. He was approached by Professor Charles Xavier, who knew of his mutant powers. He was given the option of joining the "Westchester School for Gifted Youngsters," which was actually a front for the benevolent instruction of mutants like himself. As a prestigious, private institution it offered limitless academic opportunities and personalized study amid a small, select student body, appealing greatly to Hank who excelled in the classroom. With his insatiable thirst for knowledge and need for sanctuary, he joined the school and the X-Men, where under Xavier's tutelage, his days were rich with differential equations, Proust and workouts in the Danger Room. He was given the code-name: The Beast.
Some years later, in Amazing Adventures (volume 2) #11, McCoy left the X-Men after completing a doctorate in biophysics at the Xavier Institute and became a research scientist at Brand Corporation, a genetics research facility. He isolated a chemical catalyst in hope of reducing the freakish aspects of his appearance, but it instead mutated him further, as he grew gray fur all over his body, which later turned blue and acquired sharp ears, elongated canine teeth, claws, enhanced senses and an accelerated healing factor. Despite this, McCoy came to accept his fate and is one of the most upbeat and cheerful of superheroes, although at times acting the role of the "class clown." Further contrary to the suggestions of his primitive and feral appearance, he is an intellectual whose speech and mannerisms are quite eloquent and formal in nature and along with Reed Richards, Iron Man and Henry Pym, has become one of the most respected scientific minds in the Marvel Universe.
Not long after this, he was recruited to join the Avengers, where he remained a member for many years, becoming a close friend of Wonder Man.
He later joined the Defenders and was one of the final surviving members of the team at the time it disbanded. He and fellow surviving Defenders Angel and Iceman were shortly after contacted by Cyclops and Jean Grey to form X-Factor. He served this team for years, while being a college lecturer and later returned to the X-Men where he remains.
Over time, Beast's form has become more feline than simian due to his secondary mutation. This has made him very self-conscious, as he fears he may be devolving. Additionally, the alteration caused his long-time girlfriend, Trish Tilby, to break up with him for fears of being accused of bestiality — he knows what it's like to be jilted by the Beauty. When news of a 'cure' that would reverse mutations came out, he seriously considered taking it but decided against it after vigorous "urging" by fellow team member Wolverine, because it would send out a bad message to other mutants.
vs. Dark Beast
Hank McCoy also has an evil doppelganger known as the Dark Beast, who escaped from the Age of Apocalypse shortly before it ceased to exist, though it has recently been revealed that the AoA timeline somehow managed to survive. The Dark Beast has all of the powers and intelligence of Hank McCoy, but none of his ethics and learned biochemistry and genetic engineering from his timeline's Mister Sinister.
Beast also has a counterpart in Brute who instead has goat-legs and an amphibious-like appearance.
A man of paradoxes, Beast will wear a Hawaiian shirt, casual shorts, and a baseball cap backwards one moment, and in the next wear a tuxedo or a lab coat and spectacles. He often wears high-tech equipment and goggles when making modifications to the X-Men's Blackbird Jet.
Powers and abilities
It is possible that Beast's mutation is a result of genetic atavism (or genetic traits that resurface in a species after many years of dormancy). He also possesses neotenous (or traits in a descendant that resemble those of an ancestor organism, like a chimpanzee trait in a human) characteristics, which would explain why he has a big modern brain with an ape-like physique.
Hank McCoy has superhuman strength and endurance, as well as superhuman speed, agility, and coordination; he can perform many tasks with his feet as easily as a human would do with his hands. Due to his gifts and training in the Danger Room, the bouncing Beast can outperform any Olympic-level athlete, displaying contortionist and aerial feats with astounding grace. The physical manifestations of his mutation are his elongated limbs and oversized extremeties, which were evident since birth. Experimenting with his mutation, Hank inadvertently gave himself blue (originally grey) fur and a more simian posture. Following a critical injury, he mutated even further, changing to a more feline appearance. His level of superhuman strength and speed, along with his senses, have been augmented moderately over the years by these various physiological changes, but it should be noted that they remain purely a product of his enhanced physiology, rather than of any higher power source. Since mutating into his more feline form, he has gained accelerated healing powers that allow him to repair mild to moderate injuries within the span of a few hours, whereas ordinary humans might require many days.
Hank is doubly gifted, not only having the fantastic abilities granted by his mutation, but also possessing a brilliant intellect. He is a world-renowned biochemist, and the man who cured the Legacy virus. His extraordinary intelligence and expertise in genetics rival that of Professor X. Despite this, he has never received a Nobel Prize or been invited to the National Academy of Sciences, as his colleagues see him for his beastly appearance, rather than for the gentle scientific genius he is (his fears realized). A Renaissance Man, McCoy is well-versed in linguistics, literature, philosophy, history, art, and music, with a special affinity for science and technology and a penchant for quoting literary classics. Hank is a piano virtuoso and enjoys an occasional game of chess. He also has a strong sense of humor and a million-dollar vocabulary.
Ultimate Beast
In the Ultimate Marvel continuity, Hank McCoy had a rough childhood, despite his genius IQ, because his White Anglo-saxon Protestant racist parents and his peers despised him for his simian appearance. He was a founding member of the X-Men and the team's elite engineer. He was also the on-and-off boyfriend of Storm. Although Storm loved him very much, as she was attracted to his intelligence, Beast's inferiority complex - due to his traumatic childhood - often came in the way. During the Weapon X arc, where Beast was a prisoner of Weapon X, their scientists tampered with his genetic makeup, which enhanced his senses, but caused him to be covered with blue fur. Tormented by his appearance, Beast came to the conclusion that the attractive Storm only loved him because Charles Xavier used mind control on her. This lead to a temporary break up. His love of the Internet did not do him good either, as his indiscretions inadventently caused the Ultimate War debacle.
Beast died in Ultimate X-Men #45, crushed under the rubble of a Sentinel attack. His death devastated Storm, who from that point on became a much more brooding character.
Appearances in other media
- Beast was a regular in the original X-Men animated series and from the second season onwards, in X-Men Evolution.
- In X-Men, the character was voiced by George Buza. Buza had a small cameo as the truck driver who brought Anna Paquin's Rogue to the bar in the first X-Men film.
- In X-Men Evolution, Hank McCoy attended Bayville school in Bayville, New York, United States and was even approached by Professor Xavier when he was a teenager. At the time, though, Hank turned down Xavier's offer of help and went on to become a chemistry and gym teacher. During the years, Hank had managed to control his mutation through a serum he developed. The serum started to fail however and he eventually lost control and mutated into the "Beast." As the "Beast", he caused massive destruction and is now a wanted fugitive. After his first transformation he was able to regain control, but he has now become permanently trapped in the physical form of the "Beast." Unable to return to his life as Hank McCoy he has chosen to join Xavier's school and now helps to teach the New Mutants. He is voiced by Michael Kopsa.
- In the movie X2: X-Men United, Dr. Hank McCoy was seen in his normal human appearance on a television talk show that was playing in a bar. He was played by Steve Bacic. As for the upcoming movie X-Men 3, Kelsey Grammer has been signed to play the role [1] and it has been confirmed that the character will be "the 355-pound, blue-furred version."
- Beast has also appeared in the X-Men Legends games as a playable character, X-Men Legends and its sequel X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse as a merchant and villain and the X-Men: Mutant Academy 2. And in the game X-Men vs. Street Fighter in a certain stage you can see Beast and Blanka in the background.
References
- Beast [2]
- The Xavier Files, 1st edition paperback, 1994. Justine H. Korman, ISBN 0-679-86177-7
- The Uncanny X-Men #308
- Ultimate X-Men Vol. II
- X-Men: The Ultimate Guide, 2nd edition hardback, 2003. Peter Sanderson, ISBN 0-789-49258-X
- Science of the X-Men, 1st edition paperback, 2004. Linc Yaco, Karen Haber, ISBN 0-743-48725-7
- X-Men: Reign of Apocalypse Hero Handbook
- Allies: Beast [3]
- The Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game, 1st edition hardback, 2003. Marvel Entertainment, ISBN 0-785-11028-3
Essential Readings
- Avengers: The Morgan Conquest TPB
- Uncanny Essential X-Men Vol. I
- New X-Men: E is for Extinction TPB
- New X-Men: Imperial TPB
- X-Men: Fall of the Mutants TPB
- X-Men: Inferno TPB
- X-Men: Mutant Massacre TPB
- X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda TPB
- X-Treme X-Men Vol. I TPB
- X-Treme X-Men: Savage Land TPB
External links
- MDP: Beast - Marvel Database Project
- Beast at X-Boys8 Central
- UncannyXmen.Net's Spotlight on Beast