Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling: Issue 98

Issue 98 - Hank McCoy

Oct 7, 2020

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