25 Years Ago, Marvel's Definitive Worst X-Men Ever Changed Mutant-Kind Forever

Published Oct 31, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT

Mark has been a comic book journalist for over 15 years and has interviewed comic book creators like Gail Simone and Caspar Wijngaard. And when he's not writing, he's working on beating his record of 1,200 comics read in a year.

Some comic book characters come along once in a generation and revolutionize what it means to be an elite hero or villain. For example, Superman, the Joker, and Storm. Then there are those who remain underrated, like Jubilee, Magik, and Vandal Savage. There are also the others who will go down as the worst of the worst. That’s where Barnell Bohusk, aka Beak, comes in.

Beak made his comic book debut in one of the greatest Marvel Comics runs ever, New X-Men, written by Grant Morrison. This series had a lot of amazing action and groundbreaking story arcs and character development.

It also brought readers Kid Omega, who continues to be fantastic in Jed MacKay's X-Men. Yet, throughout all of that, Beak somehow managed to be the center of a few storylines. Which is weird because he’s easily the worst X-Man to ever have an “X” on their jacket.

Who Is Beak, And What Makes Him Awful?

Beak’s introduction came during a training exercise where Hank McCoy (Beast) was attempting to teach Barnell how to fly. Despite it going poorly, Beast still proudly introduced him to Xavier’s school as the Beak. Sadly, this doesn’t end with Barnell’s classmates cheering for him. Instead, they laugh. As if Beak’s day couldn’t get any worse, he’s mind-controlled by Cassandra Nova and forced to beat Hank into a coma.

Things get worse for Beak as he develops feelings for a mutant named Angel who kisses him on a bet. Eventually, the two have sex, which leads to them having children. Eventually, Angel started to appreciate and even love him because he was a caring father and partner. Sadly, just when things start to look up for the Beak, the universe ruins his life.

Beak Earns His Wings

During the Exiles story arc “Earn Your Wings,” the Timebroker (later revealed to be the Timebreakers) reveals that Beak has been unhinged from time. That meant he was no longer connected to his timeline, and he couldn’t even say goodbye to his family. Angel was distraught because she thought the man that she loved abandoned her and their kids. This became another tragic event in a long line of them for her.

Like his time as an X-Man, Barnell wasn’t someone that anyone feared. It didn’t help that he was on a team with mutants like Mimic and Namora who could hold their own against the Hulk. Nevertheless, every so often Beak would say something that would turn the tide. The funny part about it was that it was never on purpose. He would just be speaking from the heart. Unfortunately, one time it almost cost people their lives.

During Exiles: Timebreakers, Beak thought he did the right thing by bringing in two Hyperions from separate realities to fight King Hyperion. This almost destroyed the Crystal Palace, which is used to observe multiple realities. Barnell had good intentions, but it became clear that he was not someone who should ever make life-changing decisions.

Beak Lives Happily Ever After

Readers can clearly see that Beak isn’t a mutant that people would consider a top-tier X-Man. He’s a bird who can’t fly and is weak and easily scared. However, when it comes to the game of life, Barnell Bohusk has won.

Barnell is no longer going on missions with the X-Men or purposely putting his life in danger. He lives with his partner and kids who love him dearly, and that makes him feel like the luckiest man in the world. Considering he’s a mutant who can’t pass as human, he’s right. Not even the “good-looking” mutants get to have families and leave the life of a superhero.

At the end of the day, Beak will go down as the worst member of the X-Men and Exiles. He’ll also be looked at as one of the luckiest and happiest mutants to ever wear an “X” on their jacket.

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