That's Frank Quitely's rendition of Hank McCoy--aka "The Beast"--shedding a tear for the less-than-impressive publicity photo released this past weekend from the League Of Evil Mutants at Fox, hoping to drum up some enthusiasm for the make-it-or-break-it "X3", due next summer. Now, when Kelsey "Fraser" Grammer signed for the role, I had just assumed that he was hired on the basis of his rich baritone, which is just about perfect to give voice to McCoy's cerebral, refined, and somewhat guarded, musings on art, science, and the plight of the blue-furred in today's intolerant society. Remember how perfectly suited his co-star, David Hyde-Pierce, was for "Abe Sapien" in "Hellboy"?
Instead, as evidenced in the photo above, Grammer's actually playing the character in the flesh (no CGI Hulk-outs, it would appear), in what amounts to little more than blue greasepaint, plastic fangs, and some mutton chops--basically, an outfit any of us could have slapped together this past Halloween for about a buck-oh-five. The cinematic incarnation of McCoy's got nothin' to worry about--his genetic condition is nothing that a shave and a healthy coat of CoverGirl "Buff Beige" foundation couldn't fix...
"The Beast" is one of my favorite X-Men regulars so this ranks as a Sentinel-sized disappointment...let's hope Ratner and co. come to their senses and use their pixels around into something the character, and the ever loyal fan base, deserve...no offense to Mr. Grammer...
