Ahh…a 25th issue. A special time in a comic book’s life. You are a quarter of the way to 100, halfway to 50, and been in publication for at least two years now. Usually, you like to either end a decent story arc, or begin one with a 25th issue and DC was true to form with this by ending the “Reach” story arc. First off, let us analyze this character because this was a great move on DC when they decided to make a new Blue Beetle after killing off Ted Kord in the Infinite Crisis. They created a young, inexperienced, minority super-hero with everyday problems just like the rest of us and some that we probably do not have, tackling tough street issues and home life, and oh yeah, a piece of alien technology strapped to his back with the power of a nuclear bomb. I usually complain in these pieces, but I was really impressed by this move by DC and the character is extremely likable right off the bat, so you know I am a huge supporter of the new Blue Beetle, especially as he stumbles his way around the DCU, becoming an honorary member of the Teen Titans, fighting Guy Gardner on the moon, and annoying Batman due to his ignorance as a superhero. Heck, the kid’s main allies are his two best friends, a crazy war veteran named Peacemaker, and a couple of obsessed super-fans from the Blue Beetle fan-club. What’s not to love?
Since the beginning of this new Blue Beetle, young Jamie Reyes has been looking for all the answers as to where the Scarab came from and what are its powers. He finds along the way that the Scarab is a piece of alien technology from an advanced alien race called The Reach. He also finds out that they are mortal enemies of the Guardians, so we’ve already had a couple of Green Lantern crossovers in this, and that they come to Earth proclaiming peace, but Jamie knows the truth due to the scarab. Now the basic purpose of the Reach is the same as most intelligent alien races, enslaving mankind. Jamie infiltrates their mothership and gets himself captured. The scarab plays possum as it is ripped out of Jamie’s spine (ouch) and the de-powered Jamie finds a way to escape and make his way through the Reach mothership to the control room. There, he confronts the Reach monarch and the two have a long conversation, which of course, is to buy the scarab time as it plants a virus in the Reach computers as they are analyzing it. Jamie wakes the scarab up, it reattaches itself to his spine (ouch again) and they destroy the Reach mothership with the help of many of Earth’s superheroes. This issue was great because you see the character grow in ways that you usually have to wait 10 times as long for (that’s 250 issues for you math whizzes out there). They also reveal that the scarab has actually developed a mind and personality of its own, due in large part to Jamie, and the two have actually become friends. I am sure this will be crucial for future story arcs and help with the character development.
This was a great story arc and by far Blue Beetle has become one of my favorite superheroes in the DCU now. From the honesty of a young kid trying to do the right thing, to the amazing powers the Scarab affords him, to the enemies he fights and the friends that he makes along the way, this comic book has it all. If you have not been reading Blue Beetle, start picking it up NOW. If you want to see what this guy is all about, then definitely see if you can find back issues of this. Kudos to DC once again.
-Ray Carsillo
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