Oh, my stars and garters! 
- —Beast
History
Early Years
Henry "Hank" Phillip McCoy's father, Norton McCoy, worked at a nuclear power plant where he was exposed to massive amounts of radiation during an accident. Norton was completely unharmed, but the radiation affected his genes and, as a result, his son was born a mutant. Unlike most mutants, Henry showed signs of mutation from birth:[3] unusually large hands and feet. A prodigy, Hank was also endowed with an innate superhuman intellect and during adolescence he gained the power of simian-like augmented agility, reflexes, and strength.
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Football star
Thanks to his powers, Henry became a star football player as a teenager and earned the nickname Magilla Gorilla. Hank hid his mutation and thirst for knowledge in plain sight - until the school asked him to leave after he was exposed as a mutant. Hank's remarkable athletic abilities and brilliance attracted the notice of Professor Charles Xavier, who was forming the original X-Men. Xavier offered Hank, who excelled in the classroom, the chance for unlimited academic opportunities at his prestigious School for Gifted Youngsters. The costumed criminal, named El Conquistador, however, also took note of his abilities and captured McCoy's parents in order to force McCoy to aid him in his criminal schemes. With the help of Prof. Xavier and the X-Men, Henry defeated the Conquistador and then joined the X-Men as their fourth member, taking the code-name "Beast".
X-Men vs Magneto
X-Men
Under Prof. Xavier's tutelage, Hank's days were rich with differential equations, Proust, and workouts in the Danger Room. With the X-Men, Hank battled Magneto,[4] the Vanisher,[5] the Blob,[6] the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants,[7][8] Namor,[9] Unus,[10] Lucifer, and many others. At one point Hank became discouraged with humanity and quit the team to start a brief a career as wrestler.[10]
Beast 2nd costume
Hank immediately became friends with Bobby Drake. Hank dated a librarian, Vera Cantor, but he kept his identity as the Beast a secret from her. Hank and Bobby briefly battled Maha Yogi while on a double date.[11]
Hank was sought out by Kraven the Hunter, who wanted to hone his skills in battle against the Beast. Kraven drugged Beast to dull his reflexes, but it caused Hank to regress to a more feral nature and he went into a berserker rage. Hank would have killed Kraven if his teammates hadn't separated them.[12]
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Gray Beast
Bouncing, Blue Beast
A brilliant student, McCoy completed his doctoral studies and finally left the X-Men and Professor Xavier's school to take a position as a genetic researcher with the Brand Corporation, a division of Roxxon Oil. There he began working with Dr. Carl Maddicks and started a romance with his assistant, Linda Donaldson.
He then isolated the hormonal extract that created mutation. The resulting serum acted as a catalyst for activating latent mutations for short periods of time (this serum would become the basis of the Mutant Growth Hormone). Dr. Maddicks grew increasingly envious of Hank and witnessed his new discovery.
Eager to inform his superiors of his discovery, Hank overheard Dr. Maddicks plotting to steal his research. Unaware of the consequences, Hank drank the serum, trying to disguise his appearance, and underwent radical, physical changes. Hank grew gray fur over his entire body, his muscles expanded, ears became larger and pointed, claws sprouted, and his canine teeth became larger, resembling fangs. The serum further increased his superhuman agility, endurance, speed, and strength, as well as enhanced his senses, and granted him an extraordinary healing factor.
After stopping the security guard from stealing his work for Dr. Maddicks Hank realized that he had failed to observe the time. Because Hank hadn't taken the antidote within an hour, he permanent remained in his altered state. Dr. McCoy was now a beast, in fact as well as in in name. Angry, Hank attempted to exact revenge on Dr. Maddicks but stopped short of strangling him. Dr. Maddicks was shot by Linda Donaldson, who had actually been a spy for the Secret Empire all along.[13]
In an attempt to continue a normal life, McCoy began wearing a synthetic mask and gloves and harness to correct his posture. No one at the Brand Corporation was able to connect that the Beast and Hank were the same person, despite the many attempts by the head of security, Robert "Buzz" Baxter.
Hank worked tirelessly to correct his condition, but shunned the help of Professor X and Marvel Girl. After Tony Stark showed interest in Hank's work, Mastermind of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants planted the illusion of having killed Iron Man in Hank’s minds.[14] Unable to remember meeting Blob, Unus, and Mastermind before, Mastermind convinced Hank to join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, until he remembered the truth and single-handedly defeated them.[15]
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Beast
An encounter with Quasimodo, who was attempting to steal Beast's metabolic abilities so that he could get a step closer to becoming more human, caused a majority of Dr. McCoy's life force to be expelled, which resulted in his gray fur becoming blue and the loss of his new found healing factor.[16] While healing from his battle with Quasimodo, Hank found himself at the home of Buzz and his wife Patsy Walker, who discovered his dual identity to Patsy. Patsy had long idolized "super heroes", and she elicited the promise from him that in exchange for keeping his secret, he would help her become a "super heroine"[17].
After hearing that an old colleague, Professor Hans Jorgenson, had been kidnapped, Professor X summoned the X-Men to track down Spider-Man, but Hank refused. Attempting to check-in on Hank, after hearing of all of the Beast disturbances, Angel arrived and aided Beast in battling Griffin and creating a story to explain Hank's recent disappearances. Depressed about his appearance, Hank returned home for a time, thanks to Cyclops, but he returned, after reassurance of his importance from his old girlfriend, Jennifer Nyles.[18] Hank finally reunited with Vera and learned that she was seeking his help, but they were interrupted by the Juggernaut. Hank battled the Juggernaut alone and was losing, until taking-off his synthetic mask scared the Juggernaut and rapidly aged him, due to the mystics that bond him to Earth. Hank and Vera traveled to Canada where Vera's dilemma revealed itself. Mimic's mutant powers were out-of-control and sapping the energies of people to the point that it was killing them. Hank attempted to cure Mimic, but was interrupted by the Hulk who was finding the source of what was draining his strength. The Hulk left after Mimic drained his gamma radiation, seemingly committing suicide.
Avengers
Eventually, Dr. McCoy left Brand and applied to the Avengers. During his interview, the Avengers were attacked by Toad, impersonating the Stranger, and Hank aided the team. Beast and Moondragon were then accepted on a probationary status.
Patsy returned to make right on Hank's promise to make her a super-hero[19]. Beast and Walker accompanied the Avengers to Brand where they were defeated by the Squadron Supreme and imprisoned by Walker's ex-husband Buzz Baxter[20]. After escaping their bonds at the Brand Corporation, Patsy found a costume formerly used by the Cat and became the heroine Hellcat - fulfilling the promise Hank had made her. The Avengers were then sent to the Squadron Supreme's reality[17], where they discovered that this reality's US President was under the control of the Serpent Crown[21]. After finding a device to return them to their own reality, Hank impersonated that President and convinced the Squadron Supreme to allow them to escape[22].
After several adventures with the Avengers, Hank was finally accepted as a member. He publicly revealed his secret identity. Hellcat departed with Moondragon her to receive additional training[23]. After becoming an Avenger, Hank soon realized that his popularity with the women had immediately grown.
Hank received a distress call from Polaris stating that she and Havok had been kidnapped by The Living Pharaoh. After finding the X-Men's mansion deserted, Hank tracked down the X-Men and found them working in a circus, enthralled by Mesmero. Hank managed to snap the X-Men out of Mesmero's illusion just before Magneto arrived and transported them to his Antarctica base. After battling Magneto and his robot, Nanny, the Beast and the Phoenix ended up separated from the other X-Men, each group mistakenly believing the other to have died.
After returning to the Avengers, Hank spent a lot of time in nightclubs with Wonder Man. He was approached and manipulated by Manipulator to steal a box that, when opened, placed Hank under the Manipulator's mental control. Hank was simply released from his control to prove it could be done.
The Avengers were shocked to hear from Henry Gyrich that the team was only allowed seven members: Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, and Hank. Later, Hank and Wonder Man were among the Avengers invited to Thing's first Super-Hero Poker Game that was interrupted by an attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier by General Pollock. Later, while attending the Empire State University Technology 1980 science exhibit, Hank aided Spider-Man in battling Killer Strike and Modular Man.
Detecting activity at the X-Mansion, Beast returned to his old home to find that the X-Men he thought were dead were alive and well. Hank informed Scott Summers that Jean was still alive and staying on Muir Island. While checking a hidden complex beneath Avenger's Mansion, Hank and Hawkeye were captured by Arsenal and rescued by the Avengers. After a Senate hearing, the Avengers were absolved of Gyrich's restrictions and Beast suggested reinstating Wonder Man's membership.
Hank raced to aid his old teammates after he intercepted a distress call that the X-Men were in trouble at the Hellfire Club. Hank arrived after Phoenix underwent another transformation into the Dark Phoenix and soared through the universe, where she devoured an entire star and the five billion inhabitants of one of its planets. When she returned to Earth, Phoenix threatened to kill everyone. Hank designed neural inhibitors, but Phoenix simply shorted them out. Professor Xavier was able to keep Phoenix under control and helped her will herself back to normal. The X-Men and Beast were teleported away by the Shi'ar. The Shi'ar Empire had witnessed Dark Phoenix consuming the star and Beast and the X-Men were forced to battle with the Imperial Guard over Phoenix's fate. The battle triggered her transformation into Dark Phoenix once more. Phoenix understood that she would never be able to fully control the dark hunger inside and sacrificed herself on the moon.
Around this time, Hank took the opportunity to introduce himself to Dazzler. Hank reunited with Vera and a Skrull posing as Edwin Jarvis poisoned her to blackmail the Avengers into retrieving a powerful gem called Resurrection Stone for him. Using Mr. Fantastic's time machine, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Wonder Man accompanied Hank into the past to retrieve the stone. After returning, Hank decided that it was too powerful and destroyed it, leaving Vera in the care of Mr. Fantastic.[24]
Hank was reunited with Iceman and Angel, after they and a group of heroes were manipulated to join the Avengers. After it was revealed that Moondragon was manipulating all of them to strengthen the Avengers, Hank left the Avengers.[citation needed]
Defenders
Seeking a cure for Vera's condition, Hank went to Dr. Strange and aided the Defenders in battling the mad sorcerer, Ian Fate. Dr. Strange enlisted the aid of Reed Richards and together they deduced that the Resurrection Stone had to be reassembled. After being transported into the stone, the three heroes were turned into crystalline statues by the Giver of Life until they were freed from the stone by Daimon Hellstrom. Hellstrom offered his assistance and, seeing no further course of action, Beast agreed, reviving Vera.[25]
After years of service with the Avengers, Beast took it upon himself to reorganize the Defenders into a more formal combat organization. Beast's X-Men cohorts, Angel and Iceman, served in the Defenders along with him and Warren Worthington III funded the team and provided his Colorado penthouse, as a headquarters. They obtained governmental clearance, thanks to the help of Nick Fury.
While meeting Wonder Man in Hollywood at a cast party on a studio back lot, Hank met Dazzler. Beast attempted to defend Alison Blaire's honor when a fellow band member, Max Rocker, disrespected her, but Alison harshly yelled at him. After hearing that she went missing, Beast beat her location out of Rocker and found her in the Heartbreak Hotel being cared for by seven mutant children. After Hank shared a kiss with Alison her employer, Alexander Flynn, arrived to retrieve her. Beast battled Flynn's "actors", but Dazzler stopped him left with Flynn. Convinced that Flynn had some control over Alison, Hank attended one of her "Underground Theatre" shows and witnessed her battling, gladiator-style, in an arena. When it seemed she was in danger, Hank jumped-in to assist her. Attempting to appease the crowd, Flynn ordered the other Gladiators into the pit and one of them was killed. After the battle Beast demanded that she leave, but Alison's powers began to flare-out again and she decided to stay. After Hank's feelings for Alison became serious, he returned to the Gladiator show and asked her to leave again. After Dazzler refused, Hank discovered Flynn was using a drug that caused Alison to lose control of her powers. After being drugged to fight each other, Hank and Alison brought an end to the gladiator ring together.
Moondragon, who was possessed by Dragon of the Moon, seemingly killed most of the members of the Defenders in a climactic battle and the Defenders disbanded.
X-Factor
Hank was looked-over in a position at Boston’s Harvard Medical School. When he learned that Jean Grey was still alive, Hank joined his former teammates and founding members of the X-Men in the formation of X-Factor, an organization that intended to seek out and aid mutants under the pretense of hunting down mutants as menaces to society. The public assumed they were humans hunting mutants when in fact they were training young mutants in the use of their powers at the X-Factor Complex.[26] They also worked as mutants in a team the media referred to as X-Terminators.
After Dazzler was captured, to awaken a latent drug in humans which would give them meta-human abilities, Hank teamed-up with bounty hunter O.Z. Chase to rescue her and her mother, Barbara London. After killing one of her attackers, Hank asked Alison to join X-Factor, but she declined.[27] Hank looked-up his old girlfriend Vera, who had drastically changed her appearance and become a political activist for the pro-mutant cause.
No More Fur
Carl Maddicks returned a tried to use Beast in an attempt to develop a cure for mutancy, which had rendered his son Artie Maddicks mute. He developed a serum and tested it on the Beast, which caused the Beast to revert to his original, more human appearance.
Hank met television news reporter Trish Tilby,[28] who used a tip from Mystique to to reveal that Warren, a mutant, was financially backing X-Factor.
In a battle with the Horsemen of Apocalypse, Beast was infected by Pestilence. Every time Hank used his superhuman strength, his intelligence decreased. Hank grew increasingly child-like, but his strength continued to grow with every exertion.
X-Factor's 2nd uniforms
After their defeat of Apocalypse, his sentient Ship crash landed on their Complex and X-Factor began living on it. X-Factor was approached by the media and finally revealed the truth of X-Factor's mutant origins. After saving the city from a series of fires from their battle with Apocalypse, X-Factor was given a ticker-tape parade.
Return to Fur
Hank witnessed Infectia transform a police officer with her powers. Hank attempted to warn Bobby, who was being seduced by her, but due to his lack of intelligence Bobby couldn't understand him. After saving Bobby from her kiss, Infectia's powers reverted both Dr. Maddicks' and Pestilence's changes, returning him to his intelligent, blue, furry, more animalistic look, but much stronger.[29]
Although Trish found it difficult to accept Hank's furry appearance at first she came around and they started a relationship. Hank and Trish bickered over her reporting of X-Factor and his need for disclosure, a problem they had for the entirety of their relationship.[30] After defeating the Shadow King, the Beast and his fellow X-Factor founders returned to the X-Men.
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Return to the X-Men
Return to the X-Men
Beast served as the resident technological and medical genius at Professor Xavier's, working on everything from advanced alien technology to the mutant-killing Legacy Virus while also serving as an active member of the X-Men's Blue Team. He even became field leader at one time. At this time, Hank began calling Scott "Fearless Leader".
After Prof. Xavier was shot by Stryfe, Beast and Dr. Moira MacTaggert worked diligently to cure him of the Techno-Organic Virus ravaging his body, until Apocalypse stepped-in and provided the cure.[31][32][33][34]</ref> Hank found the challenge of his career once Stryfe tricked Mr. Sinister into releasing the deadly Legacy Virus.[35] During a televised debate Hank smeared political candidate and mutant hater, Graydon Creed.
Beast works to cure the Legacy Virus
In San Francisco Hank and Bobby visited Infectia who was dying from the Legacy Virus. There, they met a young mutant, Threnody, who could sense the Legacy Virus's effects. Hank decided to leave her in Sinister's care, hoping that because of his lack of morals, Sinister could find a cure to the Legacy Virus with her help. Hank held the dying Infectia in his arms as she watched her final sunrise.[36] After months with no progress on the Legacy Virus, Hank used information provided by Sabretooth[37] to lead a small team of X-Men to Scott's old orphanage, The State Home for Foundlings in Omaha, Nebraska. The team found Threnody in a workshop, working to cure the Legacy Virus for Sinister. This time, Hank had a change of heart and refused to let her stay in Sinister's care. Threnody promised the X-Men that she would work for them while gaining Sinister's trust, warning they should leave before Sinister became aware of their presence. Hank disagreed, but was forced to accept her decision.[38]
Trish broke the news that the Legacy Virus, initially a mutant virus, was now affecting humans, putting more strain on her relationship with Hank.[39] Hank participated in a press conference with Professor Xavier to calm the populace over the threat of the Legacy Virus in San Francisco[40]
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Dark Beast reveals himself to Hank
Hank's counterpart from an alternate reality, the Dark Beast, was startled to see his counterpart working with the X-Men. After Dark Beast researched Hank, from visiting (and killing) his elementary school principal, his old girlfriend Mindy, his priest, his parents (who he couldn't bring himself to kill, but killed an innocent bystander instead), and apparently members of his high school, Hank was kidnapped by his alternate self in an attempt to hide from this reality's Sinister. Hank was kept alive at the abandoned Brand Corporation building, just in case the Dark Beast would need more information while impersonating him.[1] Hank was trapped while Dark Beast took over his life as an X-Man and his research, including the work on the Legacy Virus. Hank escaped[41] at the same time that Dark Beast was discovered by Onslaught.[42] Upon returning to the team, Hank met Trish and the two reconciled their relationship.
Dr. MacTaggert, the only human to contract the virus, discovered a cure to a certain strain after Mystique's irresponsible manipulation to the virus. She died delivering the data to Professor Xavier's, leaving her work incomplete. Based on Moira's notes and his work combined, Beast finished the anti-virus, but discovered that in order for it to work he needed a sample of an infected mutant. Acting before anyone could stop him, Colossus decided to sacrifice his life.[43]
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Death of Psylocke
X-Treme X-Men
Hank spent a short time with Storm's X-Treme team, in search of Destiny's diaries. Hank underwent a Secondary Mutation, that caused him to mutate further into a more feline creature,[44] after having his "latent genetic potential" jump-started by Sage.[45] After Vargas killed Psylocke, Beast returned to the Institute.
Cat Beast and New X-Men
New X-Men
The combination of the loss of a friend and his further mutation caused Beast to become very insecure, feeling that he was devolving into an animal. Hank withdrew deep into his work, helping Prof. Xavier build a stronger Cerebro, named Cerebra.[46] Prof. Xavier opened the school to a larger student base and publicly announced that he was a mutant. Hank finally ended his relationship with Trish, as she was afraid what would happen to her image if she was seen with him in public.
After he discovered the mad Cassandra Nova was inhabiting Prof. Xavier's body, Nova manipulated his student Beak into beating Beast into a deep coma. Nova left him with the thought that his secondary mutation was actually de-evolution and that he would soon have the intelligence of a house cat.[47] Hank eventually woke up just in time for Jean and Emma to perform a psychic surgery and keep Prof. Xavier alive.[48]
Over time, Beast struck up a strong friendship with Emma, even collecting her shattered diamond form and arranging thousands of pieces into place, after she was attacked by Esme Cuckoo.[49] Hank began falsely claiming he was gay to the public, in the hope of inspiring wider support for tolerance.[50]
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Astonishing X-Men
Hank finally found his place as a guidance counselor.[18] Hank began to question his intentions as far as mutant rights went, firstly during Dr. Kavita Rao's so-called cure for mutation, then after the events of House of M. Emma found that he was considering taking the serum, but after a fight with Wolverine in front of the students, and Cyclops asking him to wait on it, Hank decided otherwise.[51] Beast began dating S.W.O.R.D. agent, Abigail Brand.[52]
During the Civil War, Beast, was among the original X-Men that helped Bishop rescue the trapped 198[53] and also provided Spider-Man with a holographic disguise, then enlisted in the Initiative program.[citation needed]
Hank endeavored to find a way to reverse the de-powering effects of M-Day, and thus prevent the extinction of the mutant race, as not only had most of the current mutants lost their powers, but no new mutants were developing powers. To this end, Beast enlisted numerous villains, after having exhausted the help of the likes of Reed Richards and Tony Stark, to help him understand the situation. The scientists he contact were Doctor Doom, Mr. Sinister, the High Evolutionary, Dr. Kavita Rao, Mojo, Sugar Man, Arnim Zola, M.O.D.O.K., Spiral and Pandemic. He gives them a detailed history of M-Day and the events that followed, including the work he and various other brilliant scientists have tried in finding a cure. The Beast then asks them for their help, offering in return the myriad of discoveries that he has made. Hank traveled to Transia in search of the High Evolutionary, whose earlier cryptic comments aroused Hank's curiosity. Scaling Mount Wundagore, Hank and his group of travelers were confronted by the Knights of Wundagore. Hank began working with Dark Beast, until at the Guthrie home, the Dark Beast injected one of the non-mutant children with a serum as a test subject.[54] Hank eventually decided to track down the Scarlet Witch, whom he found amnesic of her past life and abandoned his quest. When the first mutant child was born at last, Beast helped with locating the child at the mansion.[citation needed]
After the team set-up in San Francisco, the Skrulls invaded. Hank adapted the Legacy Virus to infect the Super-Skrulls[55] and, without testing of an antidote, Cyclops decided to use it on them.[56]
X-Club
In order to save mutantkind from the effects of M-Day, Beast and Angel decided to gather a team of specialists, the X-Club. They gathered Madison Jeffries, Dr. Yuriko Takiguchi, Dr. Nemesis,[57] and Dr. Kavita Rao.[58] Beast and the X-Club traveled back to 1906, in order to find Dr. Nemesis's parents and discover the origins of modern mutation. During the mission, they also fought an early version of a Sentinel, created by the Hellfire Club, and inadvertently caused the San Francisco earthquake. However, when they returned to the present, they found that their DNA evidence had been buried beneath where the Dreaming Celestial was standing in the park. Dr. Yuriko Takiguchi died of natural causes, shortly after, and Beast spoke at his funeral.[59]
Cyclops then asked him to locate Cable and Hope in the timestream, as well as provide time machines to send a group of X-Men to aid them.[60] Although Beast was unaware of the formation of X-Force, he warned Cyclops that he did not agree with the plan if they were to assassinate Bishop in the future and further protested when Cyclops pulled X-Force from a mission to save the lives of Boom-Boom, Hellion, and Surge.[61]
Dark Reign/Utopia
After being arrested by H.A.M.M.E.R for protesting in San Francisco, Beast became a test subject for the Omega Machine (designed by Dark Beast to eradicate mutant powers and place them in Weapon Omega), while being held prisoner along with Professor X on Alcatraz Island by Norman Osborn.[62] Hank was tortured daily, until Cyclops sent Magik and X-Force to rescue the captive mutants. After they settled-in on Utopia, Beast informed Cyclops that he was quitting the X-Men. Cyclops begged him to stay, saying he needed Hank to tell him when he would go too far, to which Beast replied, "Scott, you've gone too far".[63]
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Secret Avengers
Fall of the Hulks/World War Hulks
Reed Richards took the liberty of assembling five of the eight smartest people on the planet, including Hank McCoy, Hank Pym, T'Challa, Amadeus Cho, and himself, to help analyze Bruce Banner's condition after becoming unable to change into the Hulk. McCoy ran DNA tests and reported no mutant or mutate cells in Banner's bloodstream.[64]
The super-villain scientist cabal known as the Intelligencia plotted to kidnap the world's eight smartest people to remove their opposition. To this end, Red Ghost and his Super Apes captured Hank and T'Challa, while Reed, Doctor Doom, Pym, and Banner were captured by other means, Cho evaded capture, and Tony Stark was already brain-dead.[65] Hank was one of the heroes gamma irradiated, but Banner released Beast, Mister Fantastic, Black Panther and Wasp to help him re-tool the Cathexis Ray Generator so that he could draw the gamma energy out of the heroes, and once restored as the Hulk, destroyed the Intelligencia Hellicarrier.[66]
S.W.O.R.D./Second Coming
Beast joined his girlfriend Abigail Brand as a member of S.W.O.R.D.. Not long after, he was made a fugitive by Henry Gyrich and returned to the X-Men to attend Nightcrawler's funeral and stayed on as a doctor, during Bastion's attack on Hope.[67] Hank and Prodigy briefed the team about the timesphere Bastion was using to send the horde of over 170,000 Nimrods to Utopia and was instrumental in finding Bastion's timeline and attuning Cable's time-travel device.[68] Hank tended to the wounded, when they returned, then, once again, left the team, despite Namor's insulting him as a deserter.[69]
Beast returned to the Avengers, helping Steve Rogers with his team of Secret Avengers.[70] The team first battled a resurrected Fu Manchu and the Shadow Council.
Avengers vs. X-Men
Beast sided with the Avengers in the battle against the X-Men and joined a group of Avengers on a mission to space to confront the Phoenix Force.[71] Their mission failed however and the Phoenix arrived on the Moon to claim its host. An attack from Iron Man however broke the Phoenix into five pieces which claim Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, Namor and Colossus as their hosts.[72]
The Phoenix Five went about making the Earth a better place to live by outlawing and stopping all wars, destroying weapons, providing free food, water and energy for everyone. The Avengers still plotted to stop them (sure that they would eventually lose control). Hank was initially opposed to this,[73] but then witnessed Namor invade and nearly destroy Wakanda (this also brought Professor X to the Avengers' side). Hank then aided the Avengers in rescuing their captive members from Limbo, where Spider-Man tricked Colossus and Magik into defeating each other. This left only Cyclops and Emma remaining.[74]
After witnessing several atrocious acts by the remnants of the Phoenix Five, the remaining X-Men defected to the Avengers. In the final battle, Hank witnessed his longtime friend Cyclops murder Charles Xavier, and become a new Dark Phoenix. After Cyclops was defeated, Hope Summers took control of the Phoenix Force. She then used it to repopulate the mutant race, and dispersed the Force completely.[75]
New Mutation
Beast suffered a new mutation which seriously and slowly hurt him. He decided that if he were to die, he would try to show Cyclops how far he has fallen. Hank traveled to the past and gathered the five original X-Men and brought them to the present. Upon arrival, they rebelliously went on their own to meet the future Cyclops to see what he had become.[76] Later with the help of himself from the past, Hank managed to overcome his mutation and survive, turning into a more ape-like form.[77]
Personality
Henry McCoy wondered why he wasn't one of the "lucky ones". If he had to remain a mutant, why did he have a power that made him look and sometimes feel like a beast? He continued to struggle for the acceptance of others. As a man of arts and letters and the sciences, Beast was very much the Renaissance man, and while his peers in the intellectual community knew this, he never received a Nobel Prize or got invited to the National Academy of Sciences as they still considered him very much a mutant. He even knew what it was like to be jilted by the proverbial Beauty — his recent fear of human emotion had caused him to turn away from long time lover Trish Tilby, who had finally seemed to find the error in her ways as far as attitude towards his secondary mutation.
Despite his ongoing battle with the demons of loneliness and rejection, he was an inveterate prankster and wit, and besides his brutish exterior, Beast was the most literate and eloquent of the X-Men, possessing a million-dollar vocabulary. Henry was every bit a human being plagued by duality: man/beast; genius/sports star; gentle giant/feral aggressor.
Equal parts biochemist and activist, Beast focused on the X-Men's goals of building better relationships between man and mutant. In immersing himself in this campaign, Beast held hope that in the world he and the other X-Men dream of, he'll finally be known more for the genius within than for the creature outside.Attributes
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Powers
Beast displaying his simian attributes.
Beast is a mutant.
Genetic Atavism: 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) characteristics, which would explain why he has a big modern brain with an ape-like physique.
Due to Secondary Mutation,[44] Beast transformed from his original ape-like physique to a more cat-like physique.[46]
A next mutation affected him, and he required the help of his past self, who was able to stabilize him in a new appearance.[77] His powers have varied at times due to ongoing and subsequent mutations.
- Superhuman Strength: The Beast has always possessed some degree of super human strength, as during his teens, he was able to lift approximately 1 ton. After mutating into his simian form, and after this mutation eventually stabilized, his strength was increased to the point where he can now lift about 10 tons, which was sufficient to smash through a brick wall with a single punch and to tie an iron barbell into a knot. This strength also extends to the muscles in his legs, allowing him to leap 15 feet in a standing high jump and 25 feet in a standing board jump.
- Superhuman Speed: The Beast can run and move at speeds that are slightly beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete. He can run at speeds up to 40 miles an hour over short distances, particularly if he runs on all fours. It also allows Beast to attack opponents before they can react and pull their trigger fingers.
- Superhuman Stamina: The Beast's highly advanced musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physical activity than that of an ordinary human. He can exert himself at peak capacity for several hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him. He also commented that after his mutation into a cat-like form that he no longer needs a full night of sleep, although it is unknown if he still retains this side effect of his stamina after becoming a new ape-like form once again.
- Superhuman Durability: The Beast's bodily tissues are harder and more resistant to certain types of injuries than the bodies of normal humans. His physiology can withstand great impact forces, though he can be injured by many types of conventional weapons such as standard firearms and bladed weapons. However, he can withstand physical impacts, such as falling from several stories or being physically struck by many super-humanly strong beings that would either severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no discomfort.
- Superhuman Agility: The Beast's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete. While in his simian form, he has the agility of a great ape combined with the acrobatic prowess of an Olympic level gymnast. He can walk a tightrope or a slack rope as easily as most people can walk on a sidewalk. He can also walk on his hands for many hours, or perform a complicated sequence of gymnastic stunts such as flips, rolls, and springs. He can easily match or top any Olympic record in gymnastics.
- Superhuman Dexterity: He can perform many tasks with his feet as easily as a human could do with his hands. His manual and pedal dexterity are so great that he can write using both hands at once or tie knots in rope with his toes.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: The Beast's metabolism enables him to repair mild to moderate injuries much faster than a normal human. For instance, he can recover from minor ailments, such as a severe cold or fever within a few hours. More severe injuries, like broken bones, used to heal within a few days, whereas normal humans might take many weeks or even months. However, his healing abilities have increased to the point where he recover from mild to moderate injuries within a few hours. But still, he cannot regenerate destroyed organs or severed limbs. It is unknown whether Beast's healing abilities have increased with him becoming a new ape-like form.
- Superhuman Senses: Hank possesses enhanced, acute senses that are comparable to those of certain animals, enabling him to see and hear distant objects more clearly than a normal human, and identify and track someone purely by scent. He also possesses cat-like night-vision that also him to see even in near-total darkness and when asked by Nick Fury, he was able to identify that it was the real Colossus when he came back to life all by scent.
- Pheromones: Beast has the ability to secrete pheromones to attract members of both sexes.
- Claws and Fangs: The Beast sports retractable, razor sharp claws at the tip of each finger and toe. Their natural edge, coupled with his strength, are sufficient to rend most conventional materials including flesh, wood, stone, and even some types of metals and enable him to climb up vertical surfaces by wedging his fingers and toes into the smallest of cracks. He also possesses elongated canines that he can use, if he chooses to do so, as effective weapons in close quarter combat situations.
Abilities
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Genius-level Intellect: A world-renowned biochemist, Henry McCoy's greatest asset is his keen scientific mind. He possesses a genius-level IQ, with extraordinary expertise in genetics, biochemistry, electronics and other subjects. Beast is also an accomplished keyboard musician.
Excellent Hand to Hand Combatant: The hyperactive, bouncing Beast is an excellent hand-to-hand fighter. He gained his initial combat training from Professor Xavier, and then continued his tutelage in combat gymnastics from Captain America. He typically uses a freestyle form of combat, similar to that of Spider-Man, that allows him to make full use of his great strength and agility. During times of anger, however, the Beast is known to resort to brawling and street fighting tactics.
Multi-lingual: He is fluent in several languages including English, German, French, Latin, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and Russian as well as Latverian. The Black Swan has also been teaching him a few extinct languages.
Expert Tactician: He is a capable leader as he has lead his own team of Defenders with fellow X-Men Iceman and Angel as teammates. Even when he is not the leader of a team, he has been a key member in some of the greatest team accomplishments, such as helping to rescue Nova on Mars with the Secret Avengers. He is also a great team player.
Indomitable Will: Hank's dedication to science and co-existence between humans and mutants is unwavering. He never gave up on finding a cure for the Legacy Virus in which he eventually did find a cure. He has great compassion for both humans and mutants alike, and his unflagging courage allows him to protect both of them at any cost, including his own life.Weaknesses
Animal Instincts: For years, Hank McCoy has had to come to terms with his increasing animal instincts, which come with each new mutation. Cassandra Nova took advantage of this by making him act like an animal much to his humiliation until Beak managed to break him out of her control. Due to Beast's transformation into a cat-like being he has developed a carnivorous taste for flesh, which he is conflicted over.
Vulnerable Senses: Due to his animal-like mutation, the only other "weakness" that Beast has is the fact that his heightened senses can be taken advantage of.Paraphernalia
Equipment
Weapons
Transportation
- Secret Avengers' Quincarrier, X-Men Blackbird, formerly X-Men Stratojet, X-Copter, Professor Xavier's Rolls Royce, Sentinel Air Transport, X-Factor Plane, various aircrafts constructed by Ship, Quinjet.
Notes
- In X-Treme X-Men Volume #1, it was revealed that Hank had a crush on Betsy Braddock when she was a supermodel. They flirted with one another in the same issue.
- Hank's religious affiliation is Episcopalian.
- The Beast enjoys Twinkies. Evidence can be found in X-Men #73, where Beast's list of New Year's Resolutions revealed that one of his resolutions was to "Eat fewer Twinkies" (the other resolutions were to "read more 15th century texts" and "cure Legacy Virus", the latter the only one which it is evidenced that he did).
Trivia
- Beast was set to appear in X-Men, but was taken out due to make-up problems. His doctor persona was transferred into Jean Grey's character.
- Kelsey Grammer, who played Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand, is also known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the Frasier TV series, a character that, while having none of Beast's powers, was very refined and cultured himself.
- His original furry transformation was an idea that originated with Roy Thomas, with input from Stan Lee, an effort to make the character more visibly striking. He also became more werewolf-like to capitalize on the success of Werewolf by Night.[78][79]
- Beast was once captured by S.H.I.E.L.D and imprisoned in "The Cage". His prisoner number was: 412076.
- Hank describes himself as religiously agnostic.[80]
- Hank played obstacle chess with Nightcrawler frequently.[81]
See Also
- 1996 appearance(s) of Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 32 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 298 minor appearance(s) of Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 236 mention(s) of Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 23 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 2094 image(s) of Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 124 quotation(s) by or about Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 3 victim(s) killed by Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
- 10 item(s) used/owned by Henry McCoy (Earth-616)
Links and References
- Marvel: The Official Site - Marvel Universe: Beast (Henry McCoy)
- X-Men The Last Stand
- Marvel Directory
- uncannyxmen.net Spotlight On... Beast
- Wolverine's Revenge
- "The religion of Beast (Hank McCoy)"
- X-Men: Reign of Apocalypse Hero Handbook
- Marvel Encyclopedia, Vol 1, 2002. David Bogart, ISBN 0-785-10984-6
- Science of the X-Men, 1st edition paperback, 2004. Linc Yaco, Karen Haber, ISBN 0-743-48725-7
- The Xavier Files, 1st edition paperback, 1994. Justine H. Korman, ISBN 0-679-86177-7
- X-Men: The Ultimate Guide, 2nd edition hardback, 2003. Peter Sanderson, ISBN 0-789-49258-X
- The Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game, 1st edition hardback, 2003. Marvel Entertainment, ISBN 0-7851-1028-3
- TSR Marvel Superheroes Judge's Book
- The Complete Guide to Marvel Legends: Beast MOC Back
- stason.org - when did the beast turn blue?
- Henry McCoy article at Memory Beta, the licensed Star Trek Wikia.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 X-Men Unlimited #10
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #308
- ↑ Origin of Marvel Comics: X-Men #1
- ↑ X-Men #1
- ↑ X-Men #2
- ↑ X-Men #3
- ↑ X-Men #4–7
- ↑ Journey into Mystery #109
- ↑ X-Men #6
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 X-Men #8
- ↑ X-Men #47
- ↑ X-Men The Hidden Years #17
- ↑ Amazing Adventures (Vol. 2) #11
- ↑ Amazing Adventures (Vol. 2) #12
- ↑ Amazing Adventures (Vol. 2) #13
- ↑ Amazing Adventures (Vol. 2) #14
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Avengers #144
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 X-Men Unlimited (Vol. 2) #10
- ↑ Avengers #141
- ↑ Avengers#142 143
- ↑ Avengers #147
- ↑ Avengers #148
- ↑ Avengers #151
- ↑ Avengers #209
- ↑ Defenders #105
- ↑ X-Factor #1
- ↑ Dazzler #42
- ↑ X-Factor #9
- ↑ X-Factor #31
- ↑ X-Factor #26
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #294–296
- ↑ X-Factor #84–86
- ↑ X-Force #16–17
- ↑ X-Men (Vol. 2) #14–15
- ↑ X-Force #18
- ↑ X-Men (Vol. 2) #27
- ↑ X-Men (Vol. 2) #33
- ↑ X-Men (Vol. 2) #34
- ↑ X-Men Omega #1
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #326
- ↑ X-Factor #126
- ↑ Onslaught X-Men #1
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #390
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 Marvel Fact Files #13
- ↑ X-Treme X-Men #3, though he first showed up as cat-like in New X-Men #114, which supposedly happened later. It wasn't specifically called a Secondary Mutation in his case until Marvel Fact Files #13
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 New X-Men #114
- ↑ New X-Men #117
- ↑ New X-Men #121
- ↑ New X-Men #140
- ↑ New X-Men #131
- ↑ Astonishing X-Men (Vol. 3) # 3
- ↑ Astonishing X-Men (Vol. 3) #25
- ↑ Civil War: X-Men #2
- ↑ New X-Men (Vol. 2) #42
- ↑ Secret Invasion: X-Men #3
- ↑ Secret Invasion: X-Men #4
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #506
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #508
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #515
- ↑ X-Force (Vol. 3) #12
- ↑ X-Force (Vol. 3) #13
- ↑ Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men: The Heroic Age #1
- ↑ Incredible Hulk #601
- ↑ Fall of the Hulks
- ↑ World War Hulks
- ↑ Uncanny X-Men #524
- ↑ X-Force (Vol. 3) #27
- ↑ X-Men: Second Coming #2
- ↑ Secret Avengers #1
- ↑ Avengers vs. X-Men #1
- ↑ Avengers vs. X-Men #5
- ↑ Avengers vs. X-Men #6
- ↑ Avengers vs. X-Men #9
- ↑ Avengers vs. X-Men #12
- ↑ All-New X-Men #1
- ↑ 77.0 77.1 All-New X-Men #5
- ↑ Steve Englehart, Q&A with Steve Englehart
- ↑ http://comic-con.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Xean/Roy_Thomas_Interview
- ↑ Amazing X-Men #3
- ↑ Amazing X-Men #4
- ↑ X-Men: Earth's Mutant Heroes #1
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 1
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