The Legado armor was first introduced at the tail end of Blue Beetle: Graduation Day as a mark of Jaime’s growth. It could easily have been a mere passing reference to legacy to serve to satisfy a theme. Instead, the concept of legacy is embroiled throughout Blue Beetle #3. Josh Trujillo, Adrián Gutiérrez, Will Quintana, and Lucas Gattoni put a great deal of focus into ensuring that every page of this book somehow ties into Jaime’s past.
Without delving into spoilers, the book manages to honor Dan Garrett, Ted Kord, and Jaime’s own unique backstory. It goes back to the very beginning of the Scarab’s journey and the long path it took to find Jaime. There are even seeds that show that Khaji Da’s own emotional state — something that rarely gets any true air time — could be fully explored.
There are some pre-existing and undying issues, however. The book struggles to properly balance its massive cast, and it works incredibly hard to convince audiences to care for the newly introduced cast members. Try as I might, trying to care is challenging. Blue Beetle‘s central character is already compelling in his own regard. The new aliens and multicolored Beetles feel too one-note to really invest in, and there is never enough space to truly make them emotionally compelling.
Another problem is just how many plots Blue Beetle #3 is juggling. Brenda’s subplot, Jaime’s personal growth, Ted’s injuries, Starfire’s mentoring, aliens seeking refuge on Earth, new Blue Beetles, the Blood Scarab, and the Scarab’s history are all fighting for attention, and it leaves all of them with little space and less attention.
DC Comics
Of course, those issues pale in comparison to the success of Jaime’s development. My previous reviews have criticized just how much this book tends to ignore Jaime, but this issue resolves that problem with ease. Jaime faces an emotional challenge that could very well leave him questioning his devotion to keeping even his villains safe. It’s a compelling angle that ties back to that concept of legacy.
Blood Scarab is the non-typical character that really steals the stage. His design is stunning, and his motivations are as mysterious as they are fascinating. There is a dark edge to the character that feels unique in Jaime’s story, and it really helps to contrast with the otherwise light and somewhat exaggerated tone.
The art of this issue was also incredible. There are a few panels wherein the characters are bathed in darkness with the slightest bit of light illuminating their silhouettes. It also has a brilliant panel-to-panel flow. Characters are fluid, and mirroring panels help to portray the ebb-and-tide of a fight’s progression. The backgrounds, especially, feel like they jump off the page. At times, the art can get somewhat overstated and — again — exaggerated, but the backgrounds are always extraordinary.
DC Comics
One page features tarot cards falling across the entire page with inset panels showcasing the slow progression of the Blue Beetle legacy. That page alone is worth buying all of Blue Beetle #3 for. It’s that amazing. Every tarot card has a hidden meaning and ties directly back to the tarot. In an age when comics can take between five to 10 minutes to read, that page alone can take five minutes to fully digest. Absolutely worth a look.
The book also reintroduces classic members of Jaime’s cast, which really helps to ground the book in his history. It is great to see Traci 13 talking with Jaime again — and clarifying the status of their relationship. While it would be nice to see Jaime’s personal life explored more, she still offers some insight into the behind-the-scenes reality of being the man who carries the scarab.
The problems with Blue Beetle remain, but this issue offers a clear direction for the book going forward. The Blue Beetle really shines, the Blood Scarab continues to intrigue, and Jaime’s historical supporting cast gets to shine. Even Brenda is starting to get a subplot of her own. If the book continues in this direction for the rest of the run, it will be a standout among the Dawn of DC line.
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