He's a sexy beast. A raging biker. A self-centered superhero. He's one of those actors who never plays himself, or the same person twice. Even when Ron Perlman isn't quite playing a person.

His starmaking turn as the latter character of Beauty and the Beast is being showcased anew in a complete-series DVD giftset of CBS' cult classic, just as Perlman revs up cable as the scary cycle gang leader in FX' Sons of Anarchy.

And the superhero? On Fox' short-lived 2001 live action version of The Tick, Perlman guested as arrogant Fiery Blaze, memorably hogging all heroic credit away from resentful sidekick Friendly Fire. Even in a comic-book comedy, Perlman conveys surprising emotional meat beneath the surface.

Tags: beauty and the beast, ron perlman, sons of anarchy, the tick