Real
name: Henry "Hank" P. McCoy
Occupation: (current) Adventurer,
(former) Biochemist, college lecturer
Identity: Publicly known
Legal status: Citizen of the United
States with no criminal record
Other aliases: None
Place of birth: Dunfee, Illinois
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: Norton (father),
Edna (mother), Robert (uncle)
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men,
(former) X-Factor I, Avengers, Defenders Extent of education: Ph.D. in
Biochemistry
Base of operations: (current) Xavier Institute,
Salem Center, Westchester County, New York State; (former) Brand Corporation
facilities, Long Island; Avengers Mansion, New York City; Defenders Mansion,
Colorado; X-Factor I headquarters, New York City; "Ship"
First appearance: X-MEN (first
series) #1, (in furry form) AMAZING ADVENTURES #11
History: Henry McCoy's father, Norton,
worked at a nuclear power plant where he was exposed to massive amounts
of radiation during an accident. Norton was unharmed, but the radiation
affected his genes, and as a result his son Henry was born a mutant. Unlike
most superhuman mutants, Henry showed signs of mutation from birth: unusually
large hands and feet. Thanks to his superhuman agility, strength, and speed,
Henry became a star football player as a teenager. His remarkable athletic
abilities attracted the notice of both Professor Charles Xavier, who was
forming the original X-Men, and a costumed criminal named El Conquistador
(Professor X). The Conquistador captured McCoy's parents in order to force
McCoy to aid him in his criminal schemes. However, with the help of Xavier
and the X-Men, Henry defeated the Conquistador, and he then joined the
X-Men, taking the code name "Beast."
A brilliant student, McCoy completed his
doctoral studies under Xavier's tutelage, and finally left the X-Men and
Xavier's school to take a position as a genetic researcher with the Brand
Corporation. There he developed a serum that acted as a catalyst for activating
latent mutations. On drinking the serum McCoy underwent radical physical
changes. He grew fur over his entire body, his ears became larger and pointed,
and his canine teeth became larger, resembling fangs. The serum also further
increased his superhuman agility, endurance, speed, and strength.
Eventually, McCoy left Brand, joined the
Avengers, and publicly revealed his dual identity. After years of service
with the Avengers (during which he also aided the X-Men against Dark Phoenix),
the Beast took it upon himself to reorganize another super-hero group,
the Defenders, into a more formal combat organization. His X-Men cohorts
Angel and Iceman served in the Defenders along with him, but the team collapsed
after a climactic battle in which several other members seemingly perished.
Subsequently, the Beast and his fellow
members of the original X-Men formed a new organization, the original X-Factor,
which publicly appeared to hunt down allegedly dangerous mutants but secretly
taught them how to use their superhuman abilities. Shortly after the formation
of X-Factor, the Beast was captured by the geneticist Dr. Carl Maddicks,
who performed an experiment that caused the Beast to revert to his original,
more human appearance. Some time later, however, the mutagenic powers of
the mutant Infectia triggered the Beast's return to his furry, more animalistic
appearance.
After Professor Charles Xavier returned
to Earth following an extended period in outer space with the Starjammers,
the Beast and his fellow X-Factor founders returned to the X-Men (see Starjammers).
At present the Beast remains an active member of the X-Men as well as serving
as a research scientist at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 355 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: (originally) Brown, (currently)
Blue-black Other distinguishing features: Covered with fur, unusually large
hands and feet, pointed ears, fang-like teeth
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