After proving that he is more than capable of leading an entertaining movie of his own, Jaime Reyes has returned to lead a solo once again. With aliens around every corner, the Blue Beetle will have to find a way to balance life as a high school graduate with his responsibilities as a superhero.
Having worked together for the Blue Beetle: Graduation Day mini, Josh Trujillo, Adrian Gutierrez, Wil Quintana, and Lucas Gattoni are returning to the franchise to continue Jaime’s story. Where Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #6 left Jaime Reyes in an interesting position, Blue Beetle #1 is ready to change everything.
There were new Beetles on Earth and alien refugees in Palmera City. Jaime is officially in charge of integrating the various migrants into human society. Thankfully, he has the support of the Justice League, his friends, and even his mentor, Ted Kord. Don’t expect that status quo to last very long.
DC Comics
The title of this arc is “Scarab War,” and the seeds for that coming crisis are already being sown in this issue. Two of the new Beetles, Dynastes, and Nitida, finally get some development here as the two finally get their moment in the light. The last mini suffered from failing to develop them as individual characters, so their quick flash of attention can hopefully serve as a sign for the future.
Getting to see Jaime work one-on-one with his new allies is an effective way to show how much he has grown as a character. After just becoming Starfire’s student in his previous run, the third Blue Beetle is finally able to become a mentor himself. It shows DC’s dedication to developing its legacy characters, as it has with Nightwing, Wally West, and countless other heroes.
The development of Jaime is not the biggest highlight of the issue, however. Instead, the art is more than enough to draw the eye. While the faces were somewhat disconcerting in Blue Beetle‘s previous run, there does appear to be some clear improvement here. Quintana’s colors are also bright and sharp, which is perfect in a franchise featuring so many color-coded characters. Gutierrez excels at drawing the Beetle suits with Jaime, Dynastes, and the surprise villain absolutely standing out from the crowd.
DC Comics
There are some things about the book that are confusing, however. The very existence of the Legado armor is still fundamentally unnecessary. The Scarab is strong enough without introducing a more powerful suit of armor with fewer weaknesses and a less visually engaging design. At best, it feels like a Power Rangers upgrade in a franchise that is already uncomfortably similar. At worst, it leaves readers wondering why Jaime ever bothers to let go of that style of armor.
This issue also fails to restore Jaime’s sense of humor. His original runs established Jaime as a character with a quick wit, and it helped to make him instantly entertaining. This issue, and the previous mini, never properly delved into that aspect of his character. As a result, he remains relatively bland. A cookie-cutter superhero with a few lines about family: unfortunately, in a series revolving around one character, that character needs to be done well. Blue Beetle just doesn’t do it.
It would be impossible, however, to properly review Blue Beetle #1 without discussing its end. Without going too deeply into the twist, Jaime is going to need to make some changes in his life. That twist is a brilliant narrative move that takes away some of Jaime’s security and sets up the rest of this series nicely.
DC Comics
The Dawn of DC has been entirely about revitalizing heroes and giving them the opportunity to resume their classic roles. With the ending of this issue, Jaime finally has the opportunity to move on from his current stagnation as a character. After all, Jaime has always worked best when he is left with only his friends, his family, and his Scarab to keep him company. By bringing in Paco and Brenda, the series is already showing its willingness to tie back to his original runs. The twist only continues that mission.
If there is no additional twist coming sometime in Blue Beetle #2, then Blue Beetle will be returning Jaime to his role as a community hero. It will likely be a move that will seriously disappoint some fans, but it is the right play to keep Jaime compelling. It also creates a truly threatening enemy for Jaime, who desperately needs to grow his rogues gallery.
It may not be the best of the Dawn of DC line, but Blue Beetle is still fun. New characters, classic supporting cast members, and a fascinating antagonist offer a new path for the hero. If Blue Beetle: Graduation Day ended somewhat disappointingly, the first issue of Blue Beetle restores everything interesting that the mini was exploring. Legacy, community, and prejudice are at the heart of this story. It’s exactly what Jaime needs. It will be interesting to see what Josh Trujillo will do with the Blue Beetle going forward — especially after that shocking ending.
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