A rather shy librarian, Vera Cantor dated the Beast, during the early days of the X-Men. At one time Vera was the roommate of Zelda, one of Iceman's former girlfriends, and the couples would double date. During one of those double dates, Beast and Iceman battled Maha Yogi.

Vera and Hank McCoy went their separate ways, around the time that he graduated from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Later, Vera had come into contact with Calvin Rankin (Mimic) and began searching for Hank again, as Mimic's mutant power had evolved out-of-control and was killing super-powered humans around him. Vera tracked Hank to the Brand Corporation, where he had mutated himself into a fury blue haired beast, and asked his assistance, as Hank had become a doctor and pioneer in the field of biophysics. After a number of failed attempts at meeting with Dr. McCoy, Vera reunited with him and the two were interrupted, by Juggernaut. After defeating the Juggernaut, the couple traveled to Canada, where 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, and Vera and Beast parted ways.

Resurrection Stone

Vera reunited with Dr. McCoy, after he had joined the Avengers, 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, Scarlett 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. 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 Dr. 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.

Vera had changed her style radically, when McCoy met her again during his days with X-Factor, becoming a political activist, amongst others for the pro-mutant cause.