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Blue Beetle (2006) (collected editions) #1
Blue Beetle, Vol. 1: Shellshocked
Tearing its way through the events of DAY OF VENGEANCE and INFINITE CRISIS, the mystical Blue Beetle scarab has chosen its new guardian: teenager Jaime Reyes! But supernatural powers can be a blessing or a curse, and when it comes to the powers of the Scarab, you don't get one without the other.
Collects Blue Beetle #1-6.
Collects Blue Beetle #1-6.
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2006
16 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
Keith Giffen
1,931 books216 followersKeith Ian Giffen was an American comic book illustrator and writer. He is possibly best-known for his long runs illustrating, and later writing the Legion of Super-Heroes title in the 1980s and 1990s. He also created the alien mercenary character Lobo (with Roger Slifer), and the irreverent "want-to-be" hero, Ambush Bug. Giffen is known for having an unorthodox writing style, often using characters in ways not seen before. His dialogue is usually characterized by a biting wit that is seen as much less zany than dialogue provided by longtime collaborators DeMatteis and Robert Loren Fleming. That approach has brought him both criticism and admiration, as perhaps best illustrated by the mixed (although commercially successful) response to his work in DC Comics' Justice League International (1987-1992). He also plotted and was breakdown artist for an Aquaman limited series and one-shot special in 1989 with writer Robert Loren Fleming and artist Curt Swan for DC Comics.
Giffen's first published work was "The Sword and The Star", a black-and-white series featured in Marvel Preview, with writer Bill Mantlo. He has worked on titles (owned by several different companies) including Woodgod, All Star Comics, Doctor Fate, Drax the Destroyer, Heckler, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos, Reign of the Zodiac, Suicide Squad, Trencher (to be re-released in a collected edition by Boom! Studios)., T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Vext. He was also responsible for the English adaptation of the Battle Royale and Ikki Tousen manga, as well as creating "I Luv Halloween" for Tokyopop. He also worked for Dark Horse from 1994-95 on their Comics Greatest World/Dark Horse Heroes line, as the writer of two short lived series, Division 13 and co-author, with Lovern Kindzierski, of Agents of Law. For Valiant Comics, Giffen wrote XO-Manowar, Magnus, Robot Fighter, Punx and the final issue of Solar, Man of the Atom.
He took a break from the comic industry for several years, working on storyboards for television and film, including shows such as The Real Ghostbusters and Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy.
He is also the lead writer for Marvel Comics's Annihilation event, having written the one-shot prologue, the lead-in stories in Thanos and Drax, the Silver Surfer as well as the main six issues mini-series. He also wrote the Star-Lord mini-series for the follow-up story Annihilation: Conquest. He currently writes Doom Patrol for DC, and is also completing an abandoned Grant Morrison plot in The Authority: the Lost Year for Wildstorm.
Giffen's first published work was "The Sword and The Star", a black-and-white series featured in Marvel Preview, with writer Bill Mantlo. He has worked on titles (owned by several different companies) including Woodgod, All Star Comics, Doctor Fate, Drax the Destroyer, Heckler, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos, Reign of the Zodiac, Suicide Squad, Trencher (to be re-released in a collected edition by Boom! Studios)., T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Vext. He was also responsible for the English adaptation of the Battle Royale and Ikki Tousen manga, as well as creating "I Luv Halloween" for Tokyopop. He also worked for Dark Horse from 1994-95 on their Comics Greatest World/Dark Horse Heroes line, as the writer of two short lived series, Division 13 and co-author, with Lovern Kindzierski, of Agents of Law. For Valiant Comics, Giffen wrote XO-Manowar, Magnus, Robot Fighter, Punx and the final issue of Solar, Man of the Atom.
He took a break from the comic industry for several years, working on storyboards for television and film, including shows such as The Real Ghostbusters and Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy.
He is also the lead writer for Marvel Comics's Annihilation event, having written the one-shot prologue, the lead-in stories in Thanos and Drax, the Silver Surfer as well as the main six issues mini-series. He also wrote the Star-Lord mini-series for the follow-up story Annihilation: Conquest. He currently writes Doom Patrol for DC, and is also completing an abandoned Grant Morrison plot in The Authority: the Lost Year for Wildstorm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 1, 2011
3.5 stars
It has potential.
The origin story of the new Blue Beetle is a tad shaky, and could have used a more in-depth approach. Especially when it came to his missing year...but maybe that will be addressed in later volumes?
Also, the bad guys aren't very scary, and there's some pretty stereotypical characters thrown in as Jamie's friends and family.
And yet...
I really liked it. Something about the interactions between Jamie, his family, and his friends really warmed me up to this book.
I don't know if I'm explaining it right, but the conversations between the characters seemed more realistic than the characters themselves.
I'm heading into Blue Beetle Vol. 2: Road Trip soon, so I've got my fingers crossed that some of the kinks will get worked out in that one.
It has potential.
The origin story of the new Blue Beetle is a tad shaky, and could have used a more in-depth approach. Especially when it came to his missing year...but maybe that will be addressed in later volumes?
Also, the bad guys aren't very scary, and there's some pretty stereotypical characters thrown in as Jamie's friends and family.
And yet...
I really liked it. Something about the interactions between Jamie, his family, and his friends really warmed me up to this book.
I don't know if I'm explaining it right, but the conversations between the characters seemed more realistic than the characters themselves.
I'm heading into Blue Beetle Vol. 2: Road Trip soon, so I've got my fingers crossed that some of the kinks will get worked out in that one.
February 5, 2019
Product of its time maybe? This didn't work for me on a few levels.
So Jamie is now the weilder of the mighty blue beetle. Upgraded look, this is a sleek, Iron-man/alien hybrid type suit with some serious Guyver (Anime/manga) Vibes. With Jamie taking this suit and becoming a hero, how will he be able to juggle all that with his family and friends and all the drama in his life already? Not to mention returning one year later and nobody has seen him since!
Good: I like the suit a lot. A badass looking alien suit that's hard to control or take reign of is cool. I also thought some of the more home-good feeling moments were nice, the family moments clicked well enough, and I'm kind of excited to see where it goes.
Bad: The art is pretty bad. Like really empty and boring and the fight scenes need serious work. The tone is a little off, going from kind of cartoony and fun to having people get shot up and crushed to death. I thought the dialogue hit some cringe level moments and misplaced slang didn't help matters. The story structure can be a tad confusing at first and make it hard to really get sucked into the story. The villains were too goofy for me to care.
Overall, kind of disappointed in this one. It's not horrible but not very good. Either. I'll give it another volume to see if it changes my mind but this is barely a 2.5. So I can't push it to a 3.
So Jamie is now the weilder of the mighty blue beetle. Upgraded look, this is a sleek, Iron-man/alien hybrid type suit with some serious Guyver (Anime/manga) Vibes. With Jamie taking this suit and becoming a hero, how will he be able to juggle all that with his family and friends and all the drama in his life already? Not to mention returning one year later and nobody has seen him since!
Good: I like the suit a lot. A badass looking alien suit that's hard to control or take reign of is cool. I also thought some of the more home-good feeling moments were nice, the family moments clicked well enough, and I'm kind of excited to see where it goes.
Bad: The art is pretty bad. Like really empty and boring and the fight scenes need serious work. The tone is a little off, going from kind of cartoony and fun to having people get shot up and crushed to death. I thought the dialogue hit some cringe level moments and misplaced slang didn't help matters. The story structure can be a tad confusing at first and make it hard to really get sucked into the story. The villains were too goofy for me to care.
Overall, kind of disappointed in this one. It's not horrible but not very good. Either. I'll give it another volume to see if it changes my mind but this is barely a 2.5. So I can't push it to a 3.
August 17, 2023
Straight up? I read it simply to brush up on knowledge before the film came out, but it didn't click with me at all. From the choppy story to the dislikable characters, it is one of the most poorly executed origin stories that I've read. At its best, it's hard to follow, at its worst, it is a complete and utter mess.
April 19, 2008
The introduction is jarring - apparently the new Blue Beetle, Jaime, was introduced in other comics before this one. He found a magic scarab that granted him magic armor and he went into space and fought a magic battle. The first chapter tries to catch you up to speed, and you aren't missing much outside of whether or not you can recognize who "Guy Gardener" or "Brother Eye" are. But you know who the superheroes and superbaddies are off the bat, and you know that he'll essentially be at odds with all of them for the time being.
That's great for the meat of this book, which seems to be a simple boy in a little cartoonish town, surrounded by a couple of quirky friends and a typical cartoony family, trying to deal with these powers and the bizarre forces they attract. The charm is all in the execution. The dialogue is familiar for this kind of book, but is warm and flows well. Sometimes it's genuinely funny or heartening. Rogers and Hamner's art provide some very expressive faces and the sense of color in settings is fantastic for a superhero book (though when the artists change at the end of the volume things start to fall apart, visually). The characters tend to have one noteable trait (overachiever girl, big dumb friend, father who wants his son to remain a boy), but those characters are manipulated around Jaime's strife in entertaining ways, unlike the norm of just having them exist as one-dimensional characters for the sake of filler. Unfortunately, the plots they're actually cast in are pretty weak, and this volume's story has a very flimsy conclusion. I guess they were hoping to hook you into the next one, but the resolution of the magic prison plot is distinctly non-conclusive.
When's Jaime's powers display their magnificence, it causes more problems. He accidentally overpowers a psychic - and rather than coming off as really powerful, he now has to worry about her posse coming from retribution.
It may come off as naive or idealistic, but this book embraces the quintessential superhero value: willingness to help others. Ironically, that largely comes in the form of people other than Jaime. He's in strife, overwhelmed, outgunned. It's his father who won't fire an alcoholic employee, or a prodigy giving advice on absurd hypothetical questions, or a Good Will clerk who will give him clothes without asking questions. It's that heart of the book (and watching Jaime develop around those people) that would keep me reading beyond any plot they put together.
That's great for the meat of this book, which seems to be a simple boy in a little cartoonish town, surrounded by a couple of quirky friends and a typical cartoony family, trying to deal with these powers and the bizarre forces they attract. The charm is all in the execution. The dialogue is familiar for this kind of book, but is warm and flows well. Sometimes it's genuinely funny or heartening. Rogers and Hamner's art provide some very expressive faces and the sense of color in settings is fantastic for a superhero book (though when the artists change at the end of the volume things start to fall apart, visually). The characters tend to have one noteable trait (overachiever girl, big dumb friend, father who wants his son to remain a boy), but those characters are manipulated around Jaime's strife in entertaining ways, unlike the norm of just having them exist as one-dimensional characters for the sake of filler. Unfortunately, the plots they're actually cast in are pretty weak, and this volume's story has a very flimsy conclusion. I guess they were hoping to hook you into the next one, but the resolution of the magic prison plot is distinctly non-conclusive.
When's Jaime's powers display their magnificence, it causes more problems. He accidentally overpowers a psychic - and rather than coming off as really powerful, he now has to worry about her posse coming from retribution.
It may come off as naive or idealistic, but this book embraces the quintessential superhero value: willingness to help others. Ironically, that largely comes in the form of people other than Jaime. He's in strife, overwhelmed, outgunned. It's his father who won't fire an alcoholic employee, or a prodigy giving advice on absurd hypothetical questions, or a Good Will clerk who will give him clothes without asking questions. It's that heart of the book (and watching Jaime develop around those people) that would keep me reading beyond any plot they put together.
Want to read
September 29, 2023Can someone please tell me where I can read these comics online💃💙 thank youuu
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February 5, 2013
Hmm. Bit of a rough start. Apparently Jaime was introduced as the new Blue Beetle in a previous storyline in another series, then featured in the big Infinite Crisis cross-over event; this means that anyone picking this volume up expecting a real introduction to the character will be a bit bewildered. Also, for someone who apparently helped Superman & gang save the universe, he seems to spend an inordinate amount of time confused by his own powers.
The first little storyline was good (if a bit confusing for the above reasons) establishing Jaime as the new Blue Beetle, as well as his fractious relationship with the newly-reactivated Scarab, in addition to his relationships with friends and family. They also did a good job of contextualizing him, showing him researching his two predecessors, and I like that he made the unusual-for-a-comic-book decision to reveal his identity to his family and friends.
Once it became about meta-human street gangs and La Dama however it just seemed too...generic. Nothing new to see here, and no real characterization. At that point it seemed more like a bad X-Men comic and the pacing was off. The relationships that had made the first storyline engaging were largely absent and the new ones that were introduced just felt forced.
It ended with an interesting revelation, so I'll give the next volume a try; but if the quality doesn't pick up, I won't be continuing with the series and I think I can see why the series was canceled.
The first little storyline was good (if a bit confusing for the above reasons) establishing Jaime as the new Blue Beetle, as well as his fractious relationship with the newly-reactivated Scarab, in addition to his relationships with friends and family. They also did a good job of contextualizing him, showing him researching his two predecessors, and I like that he made the unusual-for-a-comic-book decision to reveal his identity to his family and friends.
Once it became about meta-human street gangs and La Dama however it just seemed too...generic. Nothing new to see here, and no real characterization. At that point it seemed more like a bad X-Men comic and the pacing was off. The relationships that had made the first storyline engaging were largely absent and the new ones that were introduced just felt forced.
It ended with an interesting revelation, so I'll give the next volume a try; but if the quality doesn't pick up, I won't be continuing with the series and I think I can see why the series was canceled.
November 12, 2014
This was a fun story, with a lot of human interest as the main character tries to make their way through the superhero world previously unknown to them. The setting in the Latino community was refreshing for a comic book story, although I didn't think they took enough advantage of presenting the culture there. Overall, definitely recommended, and there are 5 more volumes after this one!
I came to this series after first reading Blue Beetle, Vol. 1: Metamorphosis and I have to say there are some things I liked about the New 52 reboot better: a lot more explanations of the alien technology, more fun with the conflict with the suit, and the deeper immersion in the Latino culture, for some examples. Also, the "year gap" in Blue Beetle, Volume 1: Shellshocked made many of the important relationships feel distant, which is not what you want for an emotional payoff. It's hard not to recommend reading both series, though, since this one lasted so much longer than the New 52, which has already been cancelled after 2 volumes.
I came to this series after first reading Blue Beetle, Vol. 1: Metamorphosis and I have to say there are some things I liked about the New 52 reboot better: a lot more explanations of the alien technology, more fun with the conflict with the suit, and the deeper immersion in the Latino culture, for some examples. Also, the "year gap" in Blue Beetle, Volume 1: Shellshocked made many of the important relationships feel distant, which is not what you want for an emotional payoff. It's hard not to recommend reading both series, though, since this one lasted so much longer than the New 52, which has already been cancelled after 2 volumes.
November 18, 2014
First exposure to this hero,but it's good. Not great. The whole gang thing seemed unnecessary,and made the story kinda lame.
January 23, 2012
The reboot of the "Blue Beetle" books is disappointing to say the least.
August 26, 2023
It’s so rare for me to be negative but I straight up couldn’t finish this, and I really wanted to like it. The characters are so unlikable, the humor is mean and painfully unfunny, and the art is rough. Would not recommend.
December 3, 2007
One of the few comics about a young superhero that has really gripped me. A minority cast. Hilarious pseudo mentorship. Wonderful BFF. A superhero that actually has supportive family members, and who also is honest to them and actively tries to work with them, even while they have difficulty digesting just what is happening.
A superhero that isn't smug, who tries to work with people, who reacts to things like a regular person and isn't some sort of overpowered, jaded emo boy? (I'm looking at you, Batfamily.) Love, so much love for this series so far.
Best of all, this comic is fun -- something I felt has been missing from comics for quite some time.
A superhero that isn't smug, who tries to work with people, who reacts to things like a regular person and isn't some sort of overpowered, jaded emo boy? (I'm looking at you, Batfamily.) Love, so much love for this series so far.
Best of all, this comic is fun -- something I felt has been missing from comics for quite some time.
August 30, 2013
Leído dentro del librote español Universo DC: Blue Beetle que contiene esta saga y las tres siguientes. Espero poder leerme lo que me queda de libro porque la verdad que hasta ahora va muy bien. Buen dibujo, buena ambientación, personajes simpáticos que tienen diálogos creíbles e ingeniosos. No te digo que es Buffy pero más o menos va por ese lado: jóvenes con poderes y responsabilidades que hacen lo que pueden para combinar sus misiones salva mundo (o salva amigos del barrio) mientras tratan de llevar una vida más o menos normal.
March 3, 2008
Jaime Reyes is a great character and he has an interesting supporting cast. Aside from a few confusing parts--this linked to DC's last big crisis and the OMAC project--Shellshocked stands out as an introduction to a new hero and a book that is just genuinely fun, which many superhero books aren't these days.
March 16, 2013
I like John Roger's TV show Leverage, and this has some of the best elements of the show: a focus on friendship, hidden agendas, and redemtive quests. And it is so nice to see a minority mainstream character comics character. the stories and dialog seem a kittle abrubt, unsubtle, and arbitrary (but not any moreso than a typical DC/marvel comic).
January 31, 2015
I enjoyed it and it's perfectly understandable, but I recommend reading Infinite Crisis first to minimize confusion. This series gets better as it goes on, but even here at the beginning Jaime is a fun person to spend a book with!
June 12, 2015
There was a huge hunk of the story missing when he worked with the Justice League and that was kind of frustrating. Overall, this was hard to get into. Not sure how I feel about the Blue Beetle yet.
June 7, 2013
An interesting new superhero comic
February 13, 2015
There was a huge hunk of the story missing when he worked with the Justice League and that was kind of frustrating. Overall, this was hard to get into. Not sure how I feel about the Blue Beetle yet.
October 5, 2023
This is it! The first series of Blue Beetle III, a.k.a. Jaime Reyes. Spinning out of the event "Infinite Crisis," this begins Jaime's story in truth, introducing us to his family and friends, as well as the powers that be in his hometown of El Paso. It also puts a lot of effort to keep Jaime connected to the rest of the DC universe, since there are cameos/mentions of Green Lantern, Birds of Prey, the Phanton Stranger, Booster Gold, and of course, Blue Beetle II, the late Ted Kord.
Still sad about that.
**Caveat: This is not a great entry place for new readers of DC comics. It is doable, but you will have a hard time. I know because this was one of the first comic stories I picked up when I tried to start. It almost put me off comics. Despite being the collection of the start of a series, this was not really a start, since it is continuing Jaime's story from Infinite Crisis, which is itself MANY, many stories happening at once. Then, you have the fact that Jaime is continuing a legacy. So, if you are a new comic reader, you can start here, but just be prepared for a lot of names you don't know and references to events you haven't read.
Characters: Anyway, this collection is a great place to start if you are somewhat familiar with the universe and want to start reading Blue Beetle. Jaime and his friends seem so dynamic. You could even say that Jaime has the least personality in here... his friends and family seem much more energetic. But, at the same time, he is trying to figure out why he was gone for a year, how to work his suit, and how to get back into life while also maintaining a secret identity, at least to anyone not his friend or family member.
His friends Brenda and Paco get the most amount of spotlight besides Jaime, and their friend-banter is great, better than what most authors try to do. Both characters have a lot of depth, even in only a few issues, and the relationship among the three really rings true.
We don't see a lot of Jaime's family here, but I know they'll show up more soon.
Art: The art is nice too. I think it gives a good cartoony vibe but is still pleasant to look at. I'd give it a 8/10.
Story: As far as overall story, this is probably one of the weaker aspects, suffering from its placement right after a major event as well as trying to fit in a new character's world. It is pretty jumpy, to be honest, and even between issues sometimes huge shifts happen (especially between issues 5-6.) And while I appreciate that they are trying to fit Jaime into the larger DC context, it is confusing to see so many characters pop up, then disappear. This was one of the first comic collections I read, thinking that a #1 would be a good place to start. It was NOT. On one hand, you are learning about Jaime and his context, all of which is new. On the other hand, you are constantly being fed names (Ted Kord, Birds of Prey) and if you don't know them, you will be lost. Now, most DC readers would know those names, but if you are a new reader, unfortunately I can't say this is a good place to start.
Even without that, the story isn't very continuous. It jumps a lot from issue to issue. I just hope it finds a good pacing and lets Jaime and his world grow. We need to know more about that, and less about the Phantom Stranger's guest appearances. However, I'm a sucker for Blue Beetle, even if Ted is my #1. I've always appreciated this series since it does well, all things considered, introducing a new and unique character while still honoring the previous heroes.
Issue-by-issue overview below. Includes spoilers.
Issue #1: This story is split into two: in current day, the new Blue Beetle, teenager Jaime Reyes, has arrived back from space following the events of Infinite Crisis, only to be attacked by Green Lantern Guy Gardner (or as Jaime calls him, "the crazy one.") At the same time, we see some of Jaime's backstory and how he found the scarab which gave him his powers/supersuit. Unbeknownst to him, the scarab latches to his spine, and Jaime develops his powers. He begins to hear voices and see things that his friends Brenda and Paco do not. Meanwhile, in the present, He begins walking home, fretting about how he's going to explain this to his parents.
Issue #2: In present day, Jaime continues to head home, luckily finding a truck driver who gives him clothes and a lift home. In his backstory, we see how Jaime talks again to two people he saw before, learning that they are metas and part of a group called the Posse. When being near Jaime seems to hurt Posse member Damper, the Posse swear to attack him, and they do. However, this triggers Jaime's Blue Beetle suit and he is able to overcome them. These flashes from the past seem to continue running through his mind, but in present day, he makes it home and sneaks in the window. However, his sister Milagro is in his room, and calls in his parents, who are in tears and inform him that
Issue #3: This book is all about catching you up to speed. Jaime's been gone a year, and his family's been through the trauma and grief that comes with that. Jaime's dad talks to him, but even he has changed, now using a cane. Jaime goes to look for his friends and finds that Paco is now part of the Posse, who he claims is just trying to protect people. However, Jaime is forced to get involved when agents using specialized weapons attack Paco and Posse member Damper at the Mexican border. Paco is overjoyed to see Jaime and they go to see Brenda. Brenda's abusive father has died, and she is living in the upscale residence of her aunt. Her aunt turns out to be La Dama, the one in charge of the agents at the border.
Also meanwhile, a "mysterious stranger" (The Peacemaker) begins trying to track Jaime down. Hooray for Charlton hero teamups!
Issue #4: Multiple things in this issue... Firstly, Jaime begins researching the previous Beetles, trying to understand why he is able to use the Scarab. He finds that Beetle II (Ted Kord) has died and had no powers, while Beetle I (Dan Garrett) did. Then he's contacted by Oracle of the Birds of Prey, who tries to help him. Jaime angrily turns her down, upset that the Justice League abandoned him and left him for a year (which is not quite what happened.) Jaime meets up with Brenda and Paco after school. They tell him that his dad was shot while he was gone, and Jaime begins blaming himself for everything that's happened to his friends and family since his disappearance. Meanwhile, La Dama hires magician the Diviner to test the new Blue Beetle to see if he's worthy of being recruited. The Diviner magicks some trees into attacking Jaime, who struggles with using the suit but eventually manages to work with it to take them down.
Favorite parts? Diviner using a Palm Pilot to keep track of incantations. Also, was that a "Life on Mars" TV show reference?
Issue #5: This starts with Jaime briefly meeting into the Phantom Stranger. Seems like everyone is keeping an eye on him. Then he meets up with Paco and the Posse, who are cautious about meeting him, but willing to forgive the last time in issue 2. They reveal that La Dama has been picking up metas ("extras") and so they joined up to protect each other. Diviner is still running errands for La Dama, and sends a magic monster to kidnap Posse member Bonita's baby. Jaime goes after him and saves the baby, giving it to Peacemaker who shows up out of the blue (but obviously thinks that Blue Beetle is a "monster"). Jaime is able to defeat the monster, but ends up on TV. Meanwhile, Brenda has lunch with her aunt and reveals complicated feelings towards Jaime.
Issue #6: Jaime and the Posse find the location of Warehouse 13, where La Dama is housing the "extras" she has taken and where she was going to put Bonita's baby. The Posse attack, but are doing poorly when the extras help fight back against the Posse. Jaime removes the main doctor/magic user from the Warehouse, allowing the Phantom Stranger (who was hovering invisbly outside) to magic him away. Meanwhile, Paco, who was waiting outside with the getaway car, is chased by La Dama's thugs but finally rescued by Peacemaker. Although La Dama was truly rounding up extras and giving them essentially a safe prison to live in, Phantom Stranger, the Posse, and Jaime strongarm her into letting them go with the guarantee that Jaime will serve as protection. La Dama makes a deal with Jaime to leave him alone if he does the same, or she will out his identity. Jaime agrees, saying he could out her to Brenda, especially after he realizes that La Dama must have killed Brenda's father. Peacemaker arrives, and informs Jaime that he doesn't need La Dama's magical expertise, because the scarab is alien technology, not magic.
Best part? A nod to Ted Kord. :'( As long as no one forgets him, I guess...
Still sad about that.
**Caveat: This is not a great entry place for new readers of DC comics. It is doable, but you will have a hard time. I know because this was one of the first comic stories I picked up when I tried to start. It almost put me off comics. Despite being the collection of the start of a series, this was not really a start, since it is continuing Jaime's story from Infinite Crisis, which is itself MANY, many stories happening at once. Then, you have the fact that Jaime is continuing a legacy. So, if you are a new comic reader, you can start here, but just be prepared for a lot of names you don't know and references to events you haven't read.
Characters: Anyway, this collection is a great place to start if you are somewhat familiar with the universe and want to start reading Blue Beetle. Jaime and his friends seem so dynamic. You could even say that Jaime has the least personality in here... his friends and family seem much more energetic. But, at the same time, he is trying to figure out why he was gone for a year, how to work his suit, and how to get back into life while also maintaining a secret identity, at least to anyone not his friend or family member.
His friends Brenda and Paco get the most amount of spotlight besides Jaime, and their friend-banter is great, better than what most authors try to do. Both characters have a lot of depth, even in only a few issues, and the relationship among the three really rings true.
We don't see a lot of Jaime's family here, but I know they'll show up more soon.
Art: The art is nice too. I think it gives a good cartoony vibe but is still pleasant to look at. I'd give it a 8/10.
Story: As far as overall story, this is probably one of the weaker aspects, suffering from its placement right after a major event as well as trying to fit in a new character's world. It is pretty jumpy, to be honest, and even between issues sometimes huge shifts happen (especially between issues 5-6.) And while I appreciate that they are trying to fit Jaime into the larger DC context, it is confusing to see so many characters pop up, then disappear. This was one of the first comic collections I read, thinking that a #1 would be a good place to start. It was NOT. On one hand, you are learning about Jaime and his context, all of which is new. On the other hand, you are constantly being fed names (Ted Kord, Birds of Prey) and if you don't know them, you will be lost. Now, most DC readers would know those names, but if you are a new reader, unfortunately I can't say this is a good place to start.
Even without that, the story isn't very continuous. It jumps a lot from issue to issue. I just hope it finds a good pacing and lets Jaime and his world grow. We need to know more about that, and less about the Phantom Stranger's guest appearances. However, I'm a sucker for Blue Beetle, even if Ted is my #1. I've always appreciated this series since it does well, all things considered, introducing a new and unique character while still honoring the previous heroes.
Issue-by-issue overview below. Includes spoilers.
Issue #1: This story is split into two: in current day, the new Blue Beetle, teenager Jaime Reyes, has arrived back from space following the events of Infinite Crisis, only to be attacked by Green Lantern Guy Gardner (or as Jaime calls him, "the crazy one.") At the same time, we see some of Jaime's backstory and how he found the scarab which gave him his powers/supersuit. Unbeknownst to him, the scarab latches to his spine, and Jaime develops his powers. He begins to hear voices and see things that his friends Brenda and Paco do not. Meanwhile, in the present, He begins walking home, fretting about how he's going to explain this to his parents.
Issue #2: In present day, Jaime continues to head home, luckily finding a truck driver who gives him clothes and a lift home. In his backstory, we see how Jaime talks again to two people he saw before, learning that they are metas and part of a group called the Posse. When being near Jaime seems to hurt Posse member Damper, the Posse swear to attack him, and they do. However, this triggers Jaime's Blue Beetle suit and he is able to overcome them. These flashes from the past seem to continue running through his mind, but in present day, he makes it home and sneaks in the window. However, his sister Milagro is in his room, and calls in his parents, who are in tears and inform him that
Issue #3: This book is all about catching you up to speed. Jaime's been gone a year, and his family's been through the trauma and grief that comes with that. Jaime's dad talks to him, but even he has changed, now using a cane. Jaime goes to look for his friends and finds that Paco is now part of the Posse, who he claims is just trying to protect people. However, Jaime is forced to get involved when agents using specialized weapons attack Paco and Posse member Damper at the Mexican border. Paco is overjoyed to see Jaime and they go to see Brenda. Brenda's abusive father has died, and she is living in the upscale residence of her aunt. Her aunt turns out to be La Dama, the one in charge of the agents at the border.
Also meanwhile, a "mysterious stranger" (The Peacemaker) begins trying to track Jaime down. Hooray for Charlton hero teamups!
Issue #4: Multiple things in this issue... Firstly, Jaime begins researching the previous Beetles, trying to understand why he is able to use the Scarab. He finds that Beetle II (Ted Kord) has died and had no powers, while Beetle I (Dan Garrett) did. Then he's contacted by Oracle of the Birds of Prey, who tries to help him. Jaime angrily turns her down, upset that the Justice League abandoned him and left him for a year (which is not quite what happened.) Jaime meets up with Brenda and Paco after school. They tell him that his dad was shot while he was gone, and Jaime begins blaming himself for everything that's happened to his friends and family since his disappearance. Meanwhile, La Dama hires magician the Diviner to test the new Blue Beetle to see if he's worthy of being recruited. The Diviner magicks some trees into attacking Jaime, who struggles with using the suit but eventually manages to work with it to take them down.
Favorite parts? Diviner using a Palm Pilot to keep track of incantations. Also, was that a "Life on Mars" TV show reference?
Issue #5: This starts with Jaime briefly meeting into the Phantom Stranger. Seems like everyone is keeping an eye on him. Then he meets up with Paco and the Posse, who are cautious about meeting him, but willing to forgive the last time in issue 2. They reveal that La Dama has been picking up metas ("extras") and so they joined up to protect each other. Diviner is still running errands for La Dama, and sends a magic monster to kidnap Posse member Bonita's baby. Jaime goes after him and saves the baby, giving it to Peacemaker who shows up out of the blue (but obviously thinks that Blue Beetle is a "monster"). Jaime is able to defeat the monster, but ends up on TV. Meanwhile, Brenda has lunch with her aunt and reveals complicated feelings towards Jaime.
Issue #6: Jaime and the Posse find the location of Warehouse 13, where La Dama is housing the "extras" she has taken and where she was going to put Bonita's baby. The Posse attack, but are doing poorly when the extras help fight back against the Posse. Jaime removes the main doctor/magic user from the Warehouse, allowing the Phantom Stranger (who was hovering invisbly outside) to magic him away. Meanwhile, Paco, who was waiting outside with the getaway car, is chased by La Dama's thugs but finally rescued by Peacemaker. Although La Dama was truly rounding up extras and giving them essentially a safe prison to live in, Phantom Stranger, the Posse, and Jaime strongarm her into letting them go with the guarantee that Jaime will serve as protection. La Dama makes a deal with Jaime to leave him alone if he does the same, or she will out his identity. Jaime agrees, saying he could out her to Brenda, especially after he realizes that La Dama must have killed Brenda's father. Peacemaker arrives, and informs Jaime that he doesn't need La Dama's magical expertise, because the scarab is alien technology, not magic.
Best part? A nod to Ted Kord. :'( As long as no one forgets him, I guess...
April 9, 2023
The first big comic books event I ever got into in real time was Infinite Crisis. As part of the larger narrative of this crossover, DC introduced a new Blue Beetle, the third in that title, named Jaime Reyes, a Latino teenager from El Paso. Unfortunately, this character did not immediately takeoff, and to this day this version of Blue Beetle is often ignored amongst the fandom even as more diverse characters have become a mainstay at both Marvel and DC. Currently, he is probably best known as one of Batman's more consistent companions in the animates series "The Brave and the Bold." But that show rarely shows Jaime out of costume or in his civilian surroundings, making him basically just a naïve foil to the more experienced Bat.
Hopefully this all will change with the new Blue Beetle movie. For now, I thought I would dig into the comics to see exactly how DC has managed Blue Beetle all these years.
The first problem is with the writer. Instead of getting new blood or actual Latinx representation in the writing chair, DC chose veteran Keith Giffen to helm this title. Giffen is most known for his light-hearted 1980s Justice League run that popularized the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord. But most of Giffen's more recent work is forgettable at best, and this is no exception. We begin following two timelines, one taking place before Jaime's departure to participate in the Crisis and ensuing aftermath, and one a year later when he returns. If that is not confusing enough, the former plotline ends fairly abruptly without fanfare. If there was a clear "guess I'll go to space now" moment, I missed it. The present day plotline is nothing special and unnecessarily cagey in how it reveals its antagonist. Cameos from a few DC heroes occur, but to little consequence.
The only thing that gives any character to Reyes' world is Cully Hamner's quirky artwork, which is not even featured in every issue. Other than a few references to the border, Spanish language drops, and some vague theming around finding sanctuary, this could be any town, anywhere. Reyes is every teen, with none of the charm or spirit of a Mile Morales or a Kamala Khan.
It's so disappointing to see that even in the mid-2000s, DC could not do better at representation than this. And I honestly don't know if it is going to get much better as from what I recall Reyes' New 52 incarnation faced similar criticism. As a native Texan, I would like to see my state in the new movie, but I could also see why the filmmakers may want to steer as far away from this origin as possible.
Hopefully this all will change with the new Blue Beetle movie. For now, I thought I would dig into the comics to see exactly how DC has managed Blue Beetle all these years.
The first problem is with the writer. Instead of getting new blood or actual Latinx representation in the writing chair, DC chose veteran Keith Giffen to helm this title. Giffen is most known for his light-hearted 1980s Justice League run that popularized the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord. But most of Giffen's more recent work is forgettable at best, and this is no exception. We begin following two timelines, one taking place before Jaime's departure to participate in the Crisis and ensuing aftermath, and one a year later when he returns. If that is not confusing enough, the former plotline ends fairly abruptly without fanfare. If there was a clear "guess I'll go to space now" moment, I missed it. The present day plotline is nothing special and unnecessarily cagey in how it reveals its antagonist. Cameos from a few DC heroes occur, but to little consequence.
The only thing that gives any character to Reyes' world is Cully Hamner's quirky artwork, which is not even featured in every issue. Other than a few references to the border, Spanish language drops, and some vague theming around finding sanctuary, this could be any town, anywhere. Reyes is every teen, with none of the charm or spirit of a Mile Morales or a Kamala Khan.
It's so disappointing to see that even in the mid-2000s, DC could not do better at representation than this. And I honestly don't know if it is going to get much better as from what I recall Reyes' New 52 incarnation faced similar criticism. As a native Texan, I would like to see my state in the new movie, but I could also see why the filmmakers may want to steer as far away from this origin as possible.
March 7, 2024
I've read intergalactic space operas and teen dramas, now time for some intergalactic teen drama!
I think I liked this version of Blue Beetle better than the new52 one, with some caveats. The plot is super disjointed and you need supplemental reading to fill in the blanks (stupid DC crossovers, and that one year missing thing, what was that about?). But this series has so much more charm to it. The art is much better than the new52, in my opinion, and the characters are more likable. Loved Jaime here, he's actually heroic and sweet! The dialogue is natural and there are some clever transitioning between scenes. The quips were better here too. I liked that you couldn’t hear what the scarab was saying, and that they built suspense, instead of the armor just instantly appearing. Some individual scenes were actually pretty hard-hitting (the more human side of things), Jaime's little sister being scared of his suit, Jaime's mom building up a perfect image of her son while he was missing, thus not accepting when he came back with powers (I didn't like the year time skip, but I thought this was an interesting angle and wished it was elaborated), and Jaime showing his friends his secret identity. This book was funnier too. If the movie took the characters/dialogue/vibe from this, and the tighter plot from the new52, they could've had a hit on their hands. But nope. Sigh. Also why was the movie not set in El Paso? Loved that in these books.
I think I liked this version of Blue Beetle better than the new52 one, with some caveats. The plot is super disjointed and you need supplemental reading to fill in the blanks (stupid DC crossovers, and that one year missing thing, what was that about?). But this series has so much more charm to it. The art is much better than the new52, in my opinion, and the characters are more likable. Loved Jaime here, he's actually heroic and sweet! The dialogue is natural and there are some clever transitioning between scenes. The quips were better here too. I liked that you couldn’t hear what the scarab was saying, and that they built suspense, instead of the armor just instantly appearing. Some individual scenes were actually pretty hard-hitting (the more human side of things), Jaime's little sister being scared of his suit, Jaime's mom building up a perfect image of her son while he was missing, thus not accepting when he came back with powers (I didn't like the year time skip, but I thought this was an interesting angle and wished it was elaborated), and Jaime showing his friends his secret identity. This book was funnier too. If the movie took the characters/dialogue/vibe from this, and the tighter plot from the new52, they could've had a hit on their hands. But nope. Sigh. Also why was the movie not set in El Paso? Loved that in these books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2018
After reading DC Universe Rebirth's take on Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle, I'm really enjoying reading (I believe, correct me if I'm wrong) Jaime's introduction to the DC world. I love his interactions with friends and family, as well as his rookie superhero antics. He's such a relatable and "real" character, that it's almost impossible not to like him. This graphic novel had me wanting to read the crisis event that preceded it ("Infinite Crisis," I think....) just so that I can fit all the pieces together. (And because, you know, it's an important story arc.) There's also some nice humor with this character--a sarcasm that isn't scathing, just... what you'd expect form a teenager who's been forced into being a superhero. In short, this is a series I'm excited to have stumbled across when typing "Blue Beetle" into our library database, and I'm very eager to see what else is in store for Jaime.
April 4, 2023
So I watched the new blue beetle movie trailer and I was like lemme get caught up with the comics and I started with this run.. and its horrendous. The way the character is introduced, one scene in the past and then the present and then one year later, plus terrible dialogue and uninspired art.. its just terribad on so many levels. There are some neat family tension stuff but when you get caught up with the present.. the 1 year of it all is confusing and you do miss out on a whole lot for a character and his world you're supposed to introduce to this world.. this is like writing 101. Just bad on so many levels and then the villain is suddenly La Dama and something with magic all of a sudden for what should be a simple story.. yeah its bad and all over the place. I won't recommend it.
April 6, 2023
Let's see...
1. obligatory small girl manhandles larger boy without physical threatening or provocation on his part- check
2. not considered wrong because girl on guy violence - check
3. when boy declines to retaliate saying boys shouldn't hit girls, girl says fathers do thus implying physical abuse [which is wrong] or simple spanking? [not clear but implied wrong again] - check
4. annoying kid sister gets away with being a brat - check
5. mom blames older male child even though he has been given no actual authority - check
done with this book before it really aggravates me? - check and mate
1. obligatory small girl manhandles larger boy without physical threatening or provocation on his part- check
2. not considered wrong because girl on guy violence - check
3. when boy declines to retaliate saying boys shouldn't hit girls, girl says fathers do thus implying physical abuse [which is wrong] or simple spanking? [not clear but implied wrong again] - check
4. annoying kid sister gets away with being a brat - check
5. mom blames older male child even though he has been given no actual authority - check
done with this book before it really aggravates me? - check and mate
February 5, 2022
4.5 The kind of thing that's normally not my kind of thing. Teen superhero, newly plunged into the superhero world. But here it works, though the art's not great. And as several reviews note, it draws a lot on then-current continuity, which may be confusing if you're not into it.
Jaime Reyes was an El Paso teen, good kid, who discovers a mysterious scarab. This bonds with him and transforms him into an armored cyborg with superpowers. Now he's back after a year and his hometown's gotten crazy. His armor just attracts more crazy.
This was remarkably well done.
Jaime Reyes was an El Paso teen, good kid, who discovers a mysterious scarab. This bonds with him and transforms him into an armored cyborg with superpowers. Now he's back after a year and his hometown's gotten crazy. His armor just attracts more crazy.
This was remarkably well done.
June 14, 2023
After a comic event that I haven't read granted Jaime Reyes the scarab, he became the third Blue Beetle. This series shows his life before that event and the aftermath resulting from an entire missing year. What unfolds is an engaging tale where Jaime tries to reconnect with his family, piecing his life back together while finding his path to becoming a hero for the people whose issues are overlooked by the larger than life heroes. It's a compelling start, and I hope more time is given to Jaime's family life because I'm really liking that aspect of the story.
May 29, 2021
Started this after finding out Blue Beetle was getting a movie soon. Heard this was his best solo series, and it hasn't disappointed so far. I read the start of the New 52 series, and unfortunately it was rather bad. But this seems to be roughly the same story just with better writing and without Ted Kord. I love Jaime as a character and his dynamic with the Beetle and how it affects his life is very cool. I hope the movie puts this much effort into developing Jaime's origin.
October 10, 2022
A new Blue Beetle appears in El Paso. This one is extraterrestrial with all kinds of powers. The storytelling is disjointed especially with the One Year Later event happening 2 issues in. It’s suddenly a year later, everything is different. Jamie’s been missing for a year and doesn’t remember what happened. One friend is in a gang that’s not a gang and Brenda is now living with her gang lord aunt. It’s a solid start but nothing special.
March 29, 2018
A+ characterization, fascinating plot, and cool concept. I have to say, the parallel storytelling between past and present was really slick too. I cannot wait to spend more time with these characters.
The art was the only thing didn't love about this book, though it wasn't bad so much as unremarkable. It served the story well enough.
The art was the only thing didn't love about this book, though it wasn't bad so much as unremarkable. It served the story well enough.
February 25, 2020
Love the idea of Jaime Reyes and Keith Giffen!! The new Blue Beetle is an interesting direction for the legacy character. I wished we got more teenage drama and less bizarre meta gangs. The book should be about Jaime first, the Scarab second. The art, when not Cully Hammer, was a letdown. Overall, a decent start to a promising series.
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