Origin
Dark Beast is an alternate reality version of the founding X-Men member and Avenger; Beast (Hank McCoy). Dark Beast’s home reality was Earth-295, or the Age of Apocalypse: a timeline skewed when Professor X died before ever forming the X-Men, and the Mutant tyrant Apocalypse conquered North America, threatening both humanity and much of mutant kind. Without the guidance of Charles Xavier, Hank McCoy’s intelligence and pension for experimental science were allowed to flourish unhindered by the morals and compassion that are associated with his 616 counterpart. Acting as one of Apocalypse’s chief scientists (and torturers), Beast’s experimentation on humans and mutants alike were devious and highly unethical, earning him the name of “The Beast”. He loved experimenting on anyone he could which included Scott and Jean of that reality.
Creation
Dark Beast is the Hank McCoy of the Age of Apocalypse. He was created by Scott Lobdell and first appeared in X-Men Alpha #1 (1995).
Mayor Story Arcs
After Age of Apocalypse
He was one of the four people from the age of Apocalypse to cross over to Earth-616 ( Nate Grey, Holocaust, and Sugar Man also ended up in Earth-616). Since Quicksilver messed with the trajectory, Dark Beast landed 30 years in the past. He met with a younger Emma Frost. She helped him regain his memories. He also created the Morlocks.
Pretending to be Beast
Dark Beast captured the real Beast and pretended to be the 616 Beast. He made sure nobody found out by killing childhood friends and teachers of 616 Beast. When Dark Beast tried to kill his parents, he could not. He continued to pretend to be Beast until Onslaught, where he joined Onslaught.
Gene Nation and Generation X
After a few run-ins with Gene Nation and Generation X, he became leader of the Gene Nation. He operated through a robot body named Wynter, in order to capture Generation X and experiment on them.
Finding a Cure
Dark beast has been searching for a way to reverse the effects of M-Day. He confronted the Beast of Earth-616, who is working toward the same ends, and offered his help. The two formed a strained alliance in the pursuit of a way to avoid mutant extinction. The relationship ended when Dark Beast injected one of the Guthrie Children with out consent of any kind; the child almost died.
Dark Reign
It was recently revealed that Dark Beast is working for Norman Osborn, He is building a device called the omega machine which augments a mutants power. He is also working with the Dark X-Men.
Dark Angel Saga
Fantomex used his mutant ability and released Dark Beast of his imprison, so X-Force could find a way to save Warren to become the next Apocalypse, McCoy told them that the life seed located on Earth 295 ( Age of Apocalypse) was the only way to save Worrington. McCoy manage to create the portal to reach this reality and they travel to it. He took the life seed of one former laboratory of him and betrayed them to escape. At their return to 616 he had released Archangel and now he was part of his personal Minions.
Return to the Age of Apocalypse
Following the events of the Dark Angel Saga Dark Beast has assumed command over the Clan Akkaba of Earth 616 and relocated off world alongside Ozymandias, Famine, a Pregnant Pestilance, War and a badly injured Earth 295 Blob. It also appears he has rebuilt the dimensional portal technology and returned with the Sugar Man to the Age of Apocalypse where the two are using the energies of the life seed to aid Weapon Omega to ressurect a number of fallen mutants in order to provide Weapon Omega and army of powerful mutants.
Powers
Dark beast shares many powers and abilities with the Beast of Earth-616. He possesses superhuman strength, agility, endurance, and speed. He has strong fingers and toes and can scale walls. Hank has great manual and pedial dexterity and can perform several tasks using both his hands and feet. He has enhance senses such as night-vision and a sense of smell that can track a human and also has a slight healing factor. He is highly intelligent and unlike his 616 counterpart, Dark Beast is unhindered by morals or compassion allowing him to think in ways that Beast would not and experiment in ways that Beast never would.
Due to his experimentation, Dark Beast is covered in dark blue fur, and has both claws and fangs. His hue is generally depicted as being darker than the Beast of Earth 616, and was often mistaken for the true Beast before the more feline appearance was created by his secondary mutation. Dark Beast never experienced such a secondary mutation, so his appearance is almost identical to how his 616 counterpart formerly looked, though he has slightly darker fur.
Characteristics
- Gender – Male
- Height – 5’11”
- Weight – 402 lbs
- Eyes – Blue
- Hair – Originally grey, now bluish-black in furry form
- Unusual Features – Covered in blue fur, large extremities, fangs and claws
In Other Media
Video Games
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The boss fight with Dark Beast Dark Beast appears as a boss character in X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse. Unlike in the comics, rather than coming from an alternate reality, this is merely the mainline universe’s Beast after he has been brainwashed into serving Apocalypse. He and Mister Sinister battle the X-Men in Apocalypse’s pyramid near the end of the game, with both villains ultimately being defeated. Beast later regains his senses and returns to his teammates on the X-Men. He was voiced by Richard Doyle.
- Dark Beast appears as an alternate skin for Beast in Marvel Future Fight.
Merchandise
- Dark Beast was featured in ToyBiz’s X-Men: Mutant Monsters line.
- Dark Beast appears in the Minimates line from Diamond Select as part of a box set with the Age of Apocalypse versions of Wolverine, Jean Grey and Apocalypse.
- Dark Beast appears in the HeroClix figure game.
- Dark Beast appears in the Marvel Chess Collection as a black pawn.
- Dark Beast was featured in Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line as part of the Sugar Man Build-a-Figure wave.