365 Days with Hank McCoy, Day 365

Two-page spread from Avengers v.3 #14 (March 1999), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils by George Pérez, inks by Al Vey, colors by Tom Smith, letters by Wes Abbott

(Click picture to in-your-face-size)


So, how did you like 2010? We've had a lot of fun, and we've looked at a lot of Beast. And on this New Year's Eve, I think it's important to remember the general philosophy of Dr. Hank McCoy: be smart, be furry, be blue, and and be loved. Gosh, you wanna just hug the big blue galoot, doncha?


Panels from X-Men #70 (March 1998), script by Joe Kelly and Joe Casey, pencils by Jeff Johnson, inks by Dan Panosian, colors by Steve Oliff, letters by Richard Starkings and Emerson Miranda

The Beast was actually my "entry character" into the Marvel Universe: I first read and loved the origin of the X-Men in the Son of Origins of Marvel Comics trade paperback I found in the library. Barely a couple weeks later, I picked up my first Marvel superhero comic: Avengers #197, which featured a bouncing furry blue superhero named...Hank McCoy. It was both my introduction to the evolution of the Beast himself as well as to the grand history and comprehensive changes in the Marvel Universe. And I've been hooked on Marvel...and Dr. McCoy...ever since. For a furry little beast like me, you couldn't ask for a better role model.



At the end of that Avengers #14 story from which the big double-page spread above comes from, there's a nice little bit with scripter Kurt Busiek and artist George Pérez about the possible return of Hank McCoy (or, as George calls him, "that funny little monkey-man." Busiek's got the right idea: Hank will always be back. And I'll always be happy to see him.



So, in conclusion, ladeez and germs, let's give a big hand to The Beast. If he's enjoyed the past 365 days half as much as me...well, you do the math. (It's difficult with hooves.) Thank you, Hank!


Final panel from X-Men '95 (October 1995), script by J.M. DeMatteis and Ralph Macchio, pencils by Terry Dodson and John Paul Leon, inks by Jon Holdredge and Shawn Martinbrough, colors by Mike Thomas, letters by Richard Starkings