Amazing Adventures (1970 series) #12

Hank “Beast” McCoy is now a literal monster and hiding in panic when he feels a mental probe in his head. It’s Marvel Girl back at the Xavier school calling him to talk but she received some feedback. So she asks Professor X if he can contact Hank via Cerebro but when they do, Hank tells them to leave him alone, dismaying them; Jean wants to go to him, but Professor X reminds her they must stay in hiding after their adventure in Las Vegas went wrong….

Hank breaks into the public library and steals some books on make-up then to a theatrical costumers for materials. Back in his lab he spends all night sculpting a latex mask that looks like his normal face. He also creates human hand gloves and lastly, he forces himself into an elaborate harness to bend himself into a normal human posture. After a few hours’ sleep…

…the disguised Hank makes it to the lab where he chases some students out because of the strain. Then he receives a call from Mr. Grant that some visitors are on their way down. The arrivals turn out to be Tony Stark and Marianne Rodgers; Stark explains that he is looking to expand his business beyond munitions and is touring science labs looking for ideas. Linda Donaldson stops by hoping to go to lunch with Hank; we are reminded she is an agent of the Secret Empire, starting a romance with Hank as a means of filching secrets so she starts plotting to get a hold over Tony Stark. Linda leaves and the psychic Marianne warns Tony there was something wrong about her. Hank is upset and he dashes out after Linda; he suggests they sit outside but then realizes he can’t kiss her lest she detect the latex mask and so they move on to lunch….

That night, Hank lets himself out of his constricting disguise so he can run free as the Beast but he encounters Iron Man, investigating Marianne’s intuitions. Beast tells Iron Man he has no business there and orders him to leave. The two spar, Shellhead trying not to harm Beast seriously but Hank finds he is unable to control himself and reacting more violently than he intended. The fight turns real then and Iron Man subdues the Beast with some effort. Soldiers arrive but Linda is with them and she stops them from shooting the armored hero. He explains how he encountered the Beast but by now Hank has recovered and he attacks Iron Man, hammering at him mercilessly. The soldiers fire at Hank but the wounds heal instantly. Eventually Iron Man falls and Hank listens to his chest but detects no heartbeat. He panics at the thought that he has murdered Iron Man and flees through a window and into the woods. Iron Man, unharmed, is surprised, not knowing what to make of his foe’s action. But Shellhead says he saw the torment in the Beast’s face and will not add to it, allowing him to deal with his own destiny….

Meanwhile outside are Mastermind, Unus, and Blob. Mastermind had caused a delusion in Beast’s brain that he had killed Iron Man, all to make it easier to recruit him for the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants….