Project Description

INKTOBER 2023 Day #27: BEAST.

“Dr. Henry McCoy, aka ‘The Beast’, was one of the five original members of the X-Men, debuting in issue number one in 1963. He was more or less normal looking in appearance in the beginning, with his mutant powers making him essentially a human gorilla but with genius-level intelligence. At some point his mutations progressed (he got redesigned), giving him a more animalistic look, most notably simian facial features and blue fur…uh, like a gorilla…They also gave him Wolverine’s hairstyle for some reason.
The X-Men have always been my favorite superhero team. I really enjoyed the variety of characters from diverse backgrounds, the different character designs and back stories, as well as the theme of them being perpetual outcasts, shunned and feared by society despite their constant efforts to save it. Even when I was younger, I understood it to be an allegory for the discrimination marginalized groups face in the real world. Other than being a geeky, nerdy kid, I was never part of such a minority, but due to the bullying I faced all through elementary and junior high schools, that over-arching theme in ‘The X-Men’ resonated with me and I could identify with it. It has been a very long time since I’ve collected or read any of the X-Men comics and their spinoffs (because of time, money, and shifting focus to other comic genres), but they will always be one of my favorites.”

Are you enjoying these monkey-filled pen and ink illustrations? Would you like to see even more of them, and be able to hold them in your very own hands? Then grab yourself a copy of my Inktober art book INKLINGS: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733734716?ref_=ast_author_dp