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There’s no shortage of blue characters in the world of the X-Men. From Archangel to Mystique and her son Nightcrawler, several of Marvel’s most famous mutants are blue, but the most famous of them might be Beast.
While Hank McCoy has one of the most well-cultured minds of all the X-Men, he has an almost monstrous blue and furry exterior, and it always seems to be in some state of evolution or devolution. But no matter how sharp his fangs get or how feral he may seem, this veteran X-Man and Avenger is one of Marvel’s most well-read, civilized heroes. Now, we’re taking a closer look at this classic X-Man and just what makes his physiology so unique.
1) When Did Beast Transform?
In any of his modern forms, Hank McCoy’s blue hair and skin is his most distinguishing feature. While he had a broad-shouldered, muscular physique and prehensile toes when he debuted in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s X-Men #1, McCoy activated his more radical transformation through his own experimentation.
His first transformation into the ‘Beast’ we know would happen in 1972’s Amazing Adventures #11, by Gerry Conway and Tom Sutton, where McCoy’s ‘Extract of Mutant’ formula turned him into a gray humanoid resembling a gorilla. A sizeable increase to his features would also ensue, leaving him permanently within the frame that he kept for several decades. Shortly afterwards, he would encounter the villain Quasimodo, who attempted to drain his life force. The process resulted in Hank McCoy turning into the familiar shade of navy we see him in today.
With his experimentation, Beast theoretically activated his secondary mutation, and he continued to evolve into different forms. In 2001’s New X-Men #114, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, McCoy took on a more cat-like appearance that has continued to evolve in the years since. When his younger, more human self time-traveled to the present day, the two McCoys worked together to stabilize his condition.
2) How Strong Is Beast?
Another thing that makes Beast stand out from his fellow X-Men is his daunting figure. At 355 lbs and standing a hair under 6 feet, Hank is solid muscle and nearly as wide as he is tall. Beast is also incredibly agile for someone carrying that kind of body mass.
He possesses superhuman speed which clocks in at 40 miles per hour over short distances. He’s also capable of lifting 2,000 lbs- while not an astonishing number in comparison to some of his teammates, combining that kind of strength with his super agility makes him the equivalent of a blue cannonball on the battlefield.
His standing jump measures 14 feet, making leaps up several stories completely possible. Horizontally, he possesses a jump at over 20 feet, which used in tandem with his durability make him a difficult target to pin down for anyone looking to track down.
3) What Senses Does Beast Have?
As his animal-like appearance may suggest, he also possesses enhanced sight, and smell which let him track people or objectives uniquely over open terrain. His large and furry feet are even sensitive enough to detect electronic signals such as those from bombs, microphones through solid objects.
He also possesses an incredible sense of balance and equilibrium that helps him able to swing off of tree branches and walk across tight-rope-size spaces with ease. If his balance fails him, he’s also quite durable and is able to take a three-story drop without issue. He’s trained with some of Marvel’s elite fighters — including Wolverine and Captain America — which combined with his enhanced senses has turned him into a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, one who brings an acrobatic slant to the usual superhero scuffle
4) Does Beast Have a Healing Factor?
While he’s not quite on Wolverine’s level, Hank has a healing factor that helps him recover from what would usually be lethal damage to most ordinary people. Over the years, it has come and gone to varying degrees — notably depending on the current mutation — and originally kicked in after his ‘Gray’ period, granting him nearly instantaneous regeneration.
As the character aged, several changes to his abilities and healing factor swung wildly from era to era. His healing factor vanished once he obtained his blue form for the first time, which left him vulnerable and healing at the same rate as a human. He would regain the accelerated healing factor after mutating into his more feline appearance, with a little help from the mutant Sage, who helped him stabilize his genetic code.
5) How Smart Is Beast?
Even more than his appearance, Beast is defined by a genius-level intellect that makes him one of the smartest heroes in the Marvel Universe. His research on genetics provided insight into his own mutations, and he’s also a renowned expert on the X-gene across the planet, where he’s used his natural charm as a diplomat and representative for mutant rights. This wasn’t always the case though.
After an encounter with Apocalypse and his Horsemen in Louise and Walter Simonson’s X-Factor #19, McCoy’s intelligence diminished every time he used his super-strength. On occasion, he has also struggled to contain his more feral instincts throughout his life, which could lead to a berserker like rage should he ever lose control. While McCoy usually has both of these issues in hand, these moments prove why Beast’s brain is truly his defining feature.
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