Issue 98 - Hank McCoy

Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling

It's our hairiest episode yet - HANK MCCOY! What does Doc have to say about the brilliant Beast? Listen now to find out!

SHOW NOTES:

• Intro
  • Time’s almost up for nominees
  • Some exciting news coming soon about promotion :)
• Background (3:10)
  • Hank McCoy (Beast) created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #1 (Sept 1963)
  • A member of the original X-Men, he appears human, but has proportions and agility similar to a monkey, including prehensile feet
  • Enjoys the resources for learning provided by Xavier, but soon joins the Brand Corporation as a scientist - there, he inadvertently transforms himself into a more animalistic form
  • Joins the Avengers, where he remains a full-time and reserve member for many years
  • Later joins the Defenders, and then X-Factor, reuniting him with the original X-Men team
  • Rejoins the X-Men in 1991
  • Discovers a cure for the Legacy Virus, but Colossus chooses to sacrifice himself to release it, causing Hank much regret
  • Has a secondary mutation, causing him to take on a more feline appearance
  • Became disillusioned with Scott’s leadership, so he left the X-Men again and joined the Secret Avengers for a time
  • In Avengers vs. X-Men, Hank sides with the Avengers against the Phoenix Five
  • After Scott’s escape from prison and subsequent militant viewpoint, Hank travels back in time to bring the original, young X-Men to the present to talk Scott down
  • Inhumans vs. X-Men - tries to get mutants to leave Earth before dying of Terrigen infection, but they imprison him - later reconciles with the team, when they realize he was right
  • House/Powers of X - Serving on Krakoa, overseeing the data analysis systems
• Issues (06:42)
  • Intellectualism to a fault - doesn’t believe there’s a problem he can’t solve by experimenting
  • Struggles with the dichotomy between his physical form and mental capacity (16:30)
  • Is Beast manic? (22:39)
• Break (31:57)
  • Plugs for Bedknobs & Broomflicks, Varmints, and Chris Claremont
• Treatment (33:30)
  • In-universe - Use Cerebro to create dull environments and figure out Hank at his core
  • Out of universe - (38:10)
• Skit (48:49)
• Ending (54:28)
  • Recommended reading: Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon
  • Next episodes: Ego, 100th episode special
  • Review read: Jo Anna, 07/13/2020, Capes to you! Great show. I love the banter and comic news
  • Plugs for social

References:

• Colossus episode - Anthony (04:25)
• Captain Phillips - “Look at me, I’m the captain now” - Doc (36:20)
• Duck Amuck - Anthony (36:48)
• Quipping episode - Doc (43:15)

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