BEAST-MAN
BEAST-MAN
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human werewolf;
circa 1953
Occupation: Predator
Group Membership: Werewolves of Earth
Affiliations: None revealed
Enemies: Humans, Deszo Kruzak and his vampire coven, vampires in general
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Outside a "lonely village" in Hungary
First Appearance: Marvel Tales I#113 (April, 1953)
Powers/Abilities: The Beast-Man shifted --
apparently at will -- between an unassuming, portly, bald human form
and that savage werewolf Beast-Man form. The Beast-Man possessed
super-human strength (far greater than the vampires of Krozak's coven),
speed, durability, agility, reflexes, stamina, and senses; the limits
of these abilities are unrevealed. He was presumably vulnerable to
silver and magical assaults, and possibly to wolfsbane, etc. 
It is unrevealed what, if any, effect the presence of daylight, moonlight, and/or the full moon have on his abilities, intelligence, etc.
Height: (Human form) unrevealed; approximately 5'9"; (Beast-Man form) unrevealed; approximately 6'3"
Weight: (Human form) unrevealed; approximately 210 lbs; (Beast-Man form) unrevealed; approximately 245 lbs
Eyes: (Human form) brown; (Beast-Man form) Red sclera; irises dark brown or black
Hair: (Human form) bald; black or dark brown eyebrows; (Beast-Man form) Brown with black highlights
History:
(Marvel
Tales I#113/2 (fb) - BTS) - The Beast-Man earned a reputation amongst
the local vampires of Hungary (or at least the 
coven to which Deszo
Kruzak belonged) as being savage and powerful. He allegedly boasted of
capturing better victims than the vampires, and he was known for
enjoying his victims' pleas for mercy.
(Marvel Tales I#113/2) - While walking outside a "lonely village" in Hungary in his unassuming human form, the Beast-Man was spotted and targeted by the bat-like vampire Deszo Kruzak, who considered him a well-fed victim. Kruzak swooped down and knocked over his would-be victim, who grunted and then shouted in surprise, "A vampire!" Kruzak prepared to quench his thirst, but then instead decided -- that since it had been a long time since any of his people had caught such a juicy victim -- to take his victim back to his vampire coven to show him off. As the Beast-Man was carried aloft by Kruzak, who held him around the neck or shoulders with his talons, Kruzak stated, "Never again will the Beast-Man be able to boast that he captures better victims than we vampires!"
As Kruzak approached, the other vampires were pleased to see a new victim, still alive, and they cheered Kruzak. Upon landing, Kruzak asked his brethren if the Beast-Man had ever made a capture such as this; they assured Kruzak that the Beast-Man had not, and that his victim was the prize-winner. When one of the other vampires proposed they draw lots for who would have the victim first, Kruzak refused, insisting the victim was his captive and belonged to him. This other vampire (or another) exclaimed that Kruzak was getting as brutal and dangerous as the Beast-Man, but another vampire argued that no could be as horrible as the Beast-Man.
One of the vampires requested that before he died, that he wanted to hear the victim speak. Kruzak agreed, noting they would enjoy his cries as he pleaded for mercy, and another vampire added, "just as the Beast-Man used to do." The vampires crowded around; one asked where he lived and what was his name; a second noted that he could not speak, as his tongue was frozen with fear; and Kruzak said, "No...look...his mouth is opening...he's moving..."
Effecting his transformation and revealing his true nature, the Beast-Man tore through the vampires and
attacked Kruzak, replying, "You wanted to know my name...I
AM THE BEAST-MAN!"
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Russ Heath.
The Beast-Man may be a human turned into a werewolf after being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or he could have come from a hereditary line, or he could have been mutated by exposure to magic...or maybe he's something more unique...like a direct descendent of Vârcolac, the Wolf-Demon...possibly a survivor or descedent from the Wolf-Men of Valusia...or...
It is unrevealed whether the Beast-Men lived amongst a human village (perhaps the lonely one he was seen outside), or whether he was more nomadic, or just lived by himself or with other werewolves in the wilderness somewhere.
Did the Beast-Man plan to be taken back to the vampire coven to destroy them, or was it just strange coincidence...the world may never know.
It is also uncertain whether the Beast-Man could change any time he wanted, or if he had to wait for a certain time to make his transformation. It was already night when Kruzak grabbed him.
The Beast-Man wasn't the only Atlas Age werewolf to hunt vampires: Mystic#20/4 (May, 1953) has 2 werewolves (a male & a female) armed with wooden stakes who mistook a woman for a vampire (she was revealed on the last panel to be a werewolf too).
--Gammatotem
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Beast-Man should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Marvel Tales I#113/2, pg. 1, panel 1 (human form full body, from behind/distant);
panel 3 (human face, assaulted by Kruszak);
pg. 2, panel 4 (human form, mostly full body, face in shadows; in proportion to vampires);
pg. 3 , panel 3-6 (face transforming);
panel 7 (overpowering vampires);
panel 8 (confronting Kruszak)
Appearances:
Marvel Tales I#113 (April, 1953), second story: "Bat's Tale" - Stan Lee (writer), Russ Heath (penciler), others unidentified
First Posted: 03/24/2018
Last updated: 05/16/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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