BEAST
Real Name: Henry "Hank" McCoy
Height: 5'11
Weight: 350 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blue-Black (originally brown)
Group Affiliation: X-Men
Powers: Agility, Strength, Genius Intellect
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #1, September 1963

History: Henry McCoy was one of the founding X-Men along with Cyclops, Marvel Girl (Phoenix), Angel, and Iceman. His mutant powers manifested at puberty, giving him great strength and agility, but made him resemble something of an ape in appearance. Thus it was that Professor Xavier gave him the codename Beast. He was also blessed with a genius intellect which he used to become an accomplished scientist. His early days with the X-Men were adventure filled, though not very remarkable, until the fateful day that he had a mishap while working in his lab. The experiment changed him into a blue furred, fanged creature, though his musculature and intellect remained unchanged. Though it was a large change, he and his teammates coped with it fairly well, and it wasn't long until it seemed he had always been this way.

He remained with the X-Men up until the battle with Krakoa, whereupon the new team of X-Men was formed. Feeling he might have a chance to live something of a normal life, he left the team along with Marvel Girl, Iceman and Angel. During his hiatus from the X-Men, he spent time on the Avengers team, and on a short-lived team called the Defenders which he formed along with Iceman and Angel. His roots always called to him though, and while he was on the Avengers team, he returned to help the X-Men escape the clutches of the villain Mesmero. If not for his interference, the X-Men might have been no more. Still, it wasn't until after the resurrection of Marvel Girl (Phoenix), and his reversion to human form (Note: I can't find the comics currently that detail how this happened, I need to get up in my attic and dig around) that he rejoined his original teammates, forming the group called X-Factor.

For a time, it was just like the old days, finding new mutants and bringing them home to teach them how to better use their powers. Then the group went up against a new villain mutant, called Infectia. Her power was the ability to infect anyone she touched with some sort of virus. When she touched Beast during the battle, she infected him with a strange disease that made him begin to grow incredibly strong. But for every bit of strength that he gained, he lost an equal amount of intelligence. After a very short time, he was on the verge of not being able to communicate verbally anymore. He dropped into a coma, and not too long afterward, reawoke in his blue furred form. It seemed that his mutant genes had shifted in order to save him from certain death. Feeling somehow whole again, he continued to fight alongside his X-Factor teammates, even finding love in his furred form with a reporter named Trish Tilby. Their relationship was anything but solid at the outset, but eventually she accepted his mutant form and came to care for him for who he was.

When the original X-Factor members decided to rejoin the X-Men, Hank agreed and has remained with the team ever since. Currently he is working on a cure for the Legacy Virus, a virus unleashed by Stryfe which kills mutants, and perhaps even humans as Moira MacTaggert is now infected as well. His goal is to find a cure before the end of the year, using his genius intellect and scientific knowledge. It is presumed that he has taken a break from the team in order to better devote himself to finding this cure.

Strength level: Superhuman Class 10

Fighting skills: Excellent hand-to-hand combatant, employing a unique style of acrobatic combat

Special skills and abilities: High expertise in genetics and biochemistry, extensive knowledge in a variety of other fields

Known superhuman powers: Superhuman agility, endurance, speed, and strength


Updated October 18, 1998


Beast has had guests since March 19, 1998





This history written by Onyx, please do not use without permission. Stats copied from Marvel Comics.