From Fan Favorite to Most Despised: The Curious Case of Dr. Hank McCoy

[DetectiveStrange]

New article on Hank, what he used to mean, and where he's at now: http://sequart.org/magazine/70613/fr...ed-hank-mccoy/

[Alex.]

I like the way Hank's story progressed in the past decade or two. It was something that was built over time and came rather naturally to me, as a reader. It's like he's walking the path to becoming gray beast.

I understand where the frustration from his fans, specially from the 90's, comes from. It's not the development they were looking for, but kind of the opposite. But in the end I think this is making the x-men books richer overall.

Great article.

[Journey]

The fact that Bobby is the most well off from a mental perspective of the 05 will never ot be surprising to me he played his cards very well the other 4 are a mess.

[Drexelhand]

Hank: "I'm going to participate in this protest where I'll probably be caught. Oh no, I got caught! Oh no, I got saved by Cyclops... but why didn't you risk the survival of our near endangered species and not do it sooner you stupid son of a bitch?"

Hank: "Bishop wiped out an entire timeline but Cyclops made a hit squad to capture him and take down other threats! I hate him! Although if Wolverine were to do the same thing, I'd look the other way since it wasn't him who rescued me on Wednesday when I would have preferred Monday."

Hank: "Scott and Emma are keeping secrets in their relationship and I want to know all of them! Also, Warren went through something deeply traumatic and didn't tell meeeeee!"

Hank: "No Rachel, Scott killed the Professor and not the Phoenix Force. I know this because I'm a scientist and thus obviously would know more about the Phoenix Force than you."

Hank: "The Inhumans may be wrong in every way, but Scott is on the other side so **** those mutants!"

[Omega Alpha]

Good article, although it doesn't mention the main thing that made people angry at him- the hypocrisy. Cyclops is evil for running X-force while mutantkind is facing extinction, but Logan is fine doing the same even when the situation is better. Cyclops is "risking a genocide" with his actions, but affecting the space time continuum while you're also part of a secret cabal that has the fate of the world-and the multiverse- in your hands is OK, etc.

The worst part is that Marvel continues to double down on this characterization, meaning they are completely alienated from the readers' perspective or just don't care at all.

[Uncanny X-Man]

I like the way Hank's story progressed in the past decade or two. It was something that was built over time and came rather naturally to me, as a reader. It's like he's walking the path to becoming gray beast.

I understand where the frustration from his fans, specially from the 90's, comes from. It's not the development they were looking for, but kind of the opposite. But in the end I think this is making the x-men books richer overall.

Great article.

You summed up how I feel perfectly here. This wasn't necessarily the development I wanted for Hank but I can't deny it's still compelling, in character and done coherently over time. It's quite rare a character can fundamentally change in comics but I feel this has been done successfully with Beast. I don't know if he'll fully turn into the Dark Beast one day, because the moment he does there will surely be one writer or editor ready to revert him back, but if he keeps threading the fine line of being a "morally gray" character I think there's a number of interesting stories that could be written with him.

[Glio]

I actually like to hate Beast. Every month I wonder which new section of the Geneva Convention he has ignored.

[badcaffeine]

10/10 breakdown. you summarized him perfectly. He was insufferable during Second Coming...and all other storylines tbh

[jwatson]

Hasn't this always kind of been Hank. I mean he's a guy who did genetic experiments on himself. If you will do that kind of stuff to yourself i can't be too surprised you may do questionable things to others. That nice guy you have to watch your back around is part of his charm.

[MitchFox]

Dark Beast may be an evil mad scientist who commits horrible deeds but for a villain, at least he's more entertaining than current Hank McCoy the so-called "hero".

[DetectiveStrange]

I like the way Hank's story progressed in the past decade or two. It was something that was built over time and came rather naturally to me, as a reader. It's like he's walking the path to becoming gray beast.

Yeah, I can't say I like it, but I can see the storytelling logic, and it can make for interesting stories.

Hasn't this always kind of been Hank. I mean he's a guy who did genetic experiments on himself. If you will do that kind of stuff to yourself i can't be too surprised you may do questionable things to others. That nice guy you have to watch your back around is part of his charm.

I don't know, I mean it's one thing to put yourself at risk, it's another thing to put others at risk. Sure, the two can be related, but they don't have to be.

I think that three main strains of the character are/were "fun guy!", "moral/philosophical guy" (though his morality is completely out the window now obviously), and "mad scientist guy" - I think different writers lean into different strains. So while putting others at risk leans into that mad scientist strain, I don't think it completely jives with some other part of his prior characterization. The whole "he does experiments, so let's make those experiments, and therefore him, dangerous!" is a trope that can get out of hand sometimes.

[jwatson]

Yeah, I can't say I like it, but I can see the storytelling logic, and it can make for interesting stories.



I don't know, I mean it's one thing to put yourself at risk, it's another thing to put others at risk. Sure, the two can be related, but they don't have to be.

I think that three main strains of the character are/were "fun guy!", "moral/philosophical guy" (though his morality is completely out the window now obviously), and "mad scientist guy" - I think different writers lean into different strains. So while putting others at risk leans into that mad scientist strain, I don't think it completely jives with some other part of his prior characterization. The whole "he does experiments, so let's make those experiments, and therefore him, dangerous!" is a trope that can get out of hand sometimes.

Beast was trying to cure his mutation. And in the era we are in now we know that is what got moira killed by destiny and mystique because of what it would lead to. So in that sense Beast could have inadvertently ended up hurting many but that was not something he thought about because Hank has always been a selfish character. i'm not saying if that is a horrible thing but that is a trait that has also been consistent with him. Once he gets a thought in his mind it is what it is.

As far as what i mean about experimenting on himself i don't think you can understand the value of anybodies person if you can't see the value in your own. Putting yourself at risk is sky diving, going out into space on a craft, not injecting yourself with unknown substances of your own creation to erase your mutation. But i can agree that concept can be highly debatable.

[davetvs]

Hasn't this always kind of been Hank. I mean he's a guy who did genetic experiments on himself. If you will do that kind of stuff to yourself i can't be too surprised you may do questionable things to others. That nice guy you have to watch your back around is part of his charm.

Exactly. I love the morally gray Beast, he's fun to hate and it does feel like a natural progression of his character. Not every character has to be smiling and likable.

[Cyke]

The worst part is that Marvel continues to double down on this characterization, meaning they are completely alienated from the readers' perspective or just don't care at all.

Not to question anyone's preferences for Beast as a character, but I'd also add too that reader perspective comes from a long line of vigilance for the character, too. Lest we forget that when Hank first turned furry, sure he was horrified at first, but the Avengers had him as being thoughtful, philosophical, and brilliant enough to put his mutation into perspective and thus become the happy, cheery, everybodys-best-friend on the team, so much so that at one point he served longer as an Avenger than he did as an X-Man.

Again, not to yuck anyone's yum, but that's a considerable and intentional foundation. Whether one likes or dislikes current Beast, it's a near 180 of that characterization, and so that's bound to bring up conflict with the readers.

[DetectiveStrange]

Not to question anyone's preferences for Beast as a character, but I'd also add too that reader perspective comes from a long line of vigilance for the character, too. Lest we forget that when Hank first turned furry, sure he was horrified at first, but the Avengers had him as being thoughtful, philosophical, and brilliant enough to put his mutation into perspective and thus become the happy, cheery, everybodys-best-friend on the team, so much so that at one point he served longer as an Avenger than he did as an X-Man.

Again, not to yuck anyone's yum, but that's a considerable and intentional foundation. Whether one likes or dislikes current Beast, it's a near 180 of that characterization, and so that's bound to bring up conflict with the readers.

Agreed - Cyclops is right.