Bi-Beast

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caption=The Bi-Beast's first appearance in "The Incredible Hulk" #169 (Nov. 1973). Art by Herb Trimpe.
character_name= Bi-Beast
alter_ego=
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Incredible Hulk" #169 (Nov. 1973)
creators= Steve Englehart
alliances=
partners=Red Raven Avians Man-Beast
aliases= Skull-Brother
powers= Superhuman strength, endurance, durability and intelligence|

The Bi-Beast is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Bi-Beast first appeared in the "Hulk" #169 (Nov. 1973) and was created by Marv Wolfman and Len Wein.

Fictional character biography

The Bi-Beast is an android with two heads (one atop the other - the top skull is given knowledge of warfare while the bottom skull was given a knowledge of culture) created many years ago by an Avian race that were in turn a sub-species of the Inhumans. For reasons unknown, the Avian race dies out, and the Bi-Beast is left to its own devices in the Avian city. Years later, the creature sees the Harpy with Bruce Banner, and is reminded of its former Avian masters. The Bi-Beast captures them both and instructs Banner to fix the now-decaying machines in the city. Banner instead chooses to cure the Harpy, who reverts back to her original form of Betty Ross soon after. The Bi-Beast becomes aware of Banner's deception and fights Banner's alter-ego the Hulk, but is distracted when an AIM strike force led by MODOK storms the city. Rather than allow its home to be captured, the Bi-Beast activates a self-destruct mechanism and perishes in the explosion. ["Hulk" #169 (Nov. 1973)]

Unknown to all, a cylinder containing a second Bi-Beast is ejected from the city at the moment of the explosion. It comes to rest on the ocean floor, and is later retrieved and taken to the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. The second Bi-Beast awakens soon after, and imbued with the memories of the first, decides to take control of the helicarrier and launch its missiles at major metropolitan cities, believing the human race to be responsible for the extinction of the Avian people. General Thunderbolt Ross becomes aware of the danger and forcibly inserts Bruce Banner into the helicarrier, where he changes into the Hulk and battles the Bi-Beast once more. The two fall mid-battle through an opening activated by S.H.I.E.L.D., and plunge many miles to the ocean. The Bi-Beast disappears and is assumed to have drowned. ["Hulk" #214 -216 (Aug - Oct. 1977)]

Several years later the Bi-Beast reappears. The android captures and enslaves the crews of naval ships and slowly recreates the Avian sky-island city and builds an army for another revenge attack on the human race. Donald Blake, however, is traveling on the latest vessel to be attacked (planted there by Tony Stark - the alter ego of Iron Man - who was aware of Blake's true identity and wanted some added "insurance") and becomes Thor, who quickly defeats the Bi-Beast and frees the captives. An apprehended Bi-Beast is then freed by his secret ally, the Man Beast, and together the two battle Thor and Iron Man. ["Thor" #315 - 316 (Jan. - Feb. 1983)]

Defeated once again, the Bi-Beast is eventually captured by the Stranger for study and taken to the Stranger's laboratory world. With the other captives, the Bi-Beast escapes and attacks the Stranger, but is defeated by the heroine Power Princess. ["Quasar" #14 - 16 (Sep. - Nov. 1990)]

He later returns to Earth, and battles the Hulk and She-Hulk. Bi-Beast's effectiveness is compromised when one of his heads develops an attraction to She-Hulk. In this battle, the Bi-Beast is once again manipulated by the Stranger. Bi-Beast's current treasure, called the 'Family Jewels' turns out to be a bomb that threatens many innocent lives. The two Hulks safely smother the blast. [Peter David. "Hulk" #412 (Dec. 1993)]

The Bi-Beast was battled the Thing and Squirrel Girl, and later appeared as a corpse in the series "Beyond!". ["Beyond!" # 1 - 6 (2006)]

Powers and abilities

The Bi-Beast is a highly advanced android whose superhuman strength rivals the Hulk's strength while calm, is tireless and feels no pain. The first Bi-Beast also possesses an extensive knowledge of Avian warfare (in the upper skull) and culture (in the lower skull), but no knowledge of science. ["Hulk" #169 (Nov. 1973)] The Bi-Beast was originally some 20 feet in height, but sacrifices this in a pact with the Man Beast. Courtesy of one of the Man Beast's machines, the Bi-Beast was instilled with pure hate while the Man Beast was granted even greater will power. A side effect was the Bi-Beast's reduction in both height and weight (but not strength). [ Seen in flashback in "Thor" #316 (Jan. - Feb. 1983)]

Other media

Video game

Bi-Beast appears in the SEGA game "The Incredible Hulk" with Bi-Beast's top head voiced by Keith Ferguson and Bi-Beast's bottom head voiced by Chris Edgerly.

References

External links

* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/bibeasthulk.htm Bi-Beast] at Marvel Appendix