Beast Boy

Did You Know?

• A future version of Beast Boy in 'Titans Tomorrow' takes the name Animal Man and can use multiple animal abilities at once.
• In Kingdom Come, the character is known as Menagerie and can transform into mythical creatures.
• A composite character called Hawkbeast, based on Beast Boy and Hawkman, appears in Superman/Batman.

Publication history

The first DC Comics shapeshifter named Beast Boy, unrelated to Garfield Logan, appeared in Adventure Comics #324 (September 1964) as part of the Legion of Super-Outlaws. Garfield Logan debuted in Doom Patrol #99 (November 1965), created by Arnold Drake and Bob Brown.

Fictional character biography

As a child, Garfield Logan lived in Africa with his scientist parents, who were developing reverse evolution. He contracted Sakutia, a lethal disease, and his father used an untested serum to change him into a green monkey for 24 hours, saving his life but permanently turning his skin, eyes, and hair green and granting shapeshifting abilities. His parents later died in a boating accident, which Garfield believed he could have prevented. After being rescued from kidnappers, he was placed under the care of Nicholas Galtry, who plotted to kill him to conceal embezzlement.

The Doom Patrol stopped Galtry's hired villains, and Elasti-Girl and Steve Dayton adopted Garfield. He joined the Doom Patrol as Beast Boy, wearing a purple cowl. He later dated a girl named Frost, but the relationship ended after he saved her from Galtry (as Arsenal). Deeply affected by the Doom Patrol's deaths, he used his green skin and powers to act on the TV series Space Trek: 2022, which was cancelled due to lawsuits.

He joined Titans West and later the New Teen Titans assembled by Dick Grayson and Raven, taking the name Changeling after Galtry mocked the name Beast Boy. He formed a close friendship with Cyborg.

In other media

Beast Boy appears in Teen Titans (2003), voiced by Greg Cipes, as a member of the team and former Doom Patrol member who cannot speak while transformed. He makes a cameo in Batman: The Brave and the Bold as part of a carnival freak show poster. In Young Justice, voiced by Logan Grove (seasons 1-2) and Greg Cipes (seasons 3-4), he gains green skin and shapeshifting after a blood transfusion from Miss Martian. He works with the Doom Patrol, loses his mother Queen Bee, and later joins the Team as Beast Boy. In season 3, he becomes a celebrity, stars in Space Trek 3016, and sues Steve Dayton for emancipation, forming the Outsiders. In season 4, he suffers depression after Superboy's apparent death but recovers upon learning Superboy is alive and adopts a Corgi named Wingman. He also appears in DC Nation Shorts, voiced by Greg Cipes.