Extreme Justice #0

Ah the 90's...when everything was extreme! Sports were extreme, snack foods were extreme, even our heroes were extreme. Spinning out of the Justice League crossover event "Judgement Day", which saw Booster Gold critically injured and placed inside an exo-suit and Ice killed by the villain Overmaster, Captain Atom pulled together a team of heroes intent on being proactive rather than reactive! Written by Dan Vado, penciled by Marc Campos and inked by Ken Branch, things started in Extreme Justice #0 "With A Bang"

Blue Beetle: 1st Thursday with Kevin Maguire

It's time for another thrilling Blue Beetle: 1st Thursday this month with Kevin Maguire! This one came from ComicArtFans, and seemed fitting...after all it's February, the month we celebrate Bromance! And what better way to do that than with a pic of Blue & Gold by the one and only Kevin Maguire? 

Bwahahahaha!

Enjoy!

Blue Beetle: 1st Thursday with StockmanArt

While surfing deviantArt recently I stumbled on this awesome piece by Nate Stockman! Now I'm usually a Blue and Gold fan of the Ted and Booster variety...but Ted, Jaime and Booster? Well you can't go wrong with an extra helping of Blue Beetle, can you?

Be sure to check out Nate's deviantART page, StockmanArt for some more great pics!

Justice League 3000 #12

"Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are back!" screams the cover of "Justice League 3000" #12, "But for how long?!" Let's take a peek at what the old JLI team of Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, with Howard Porter on art, have in store for our heroes...

Issue #11, ended with the discovery of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold's cryogenic frozen bodies being found by a construction crew. This issue opens with Ted waking up from a dream where he and Booster were in suspended animation for 1,000 years. He stumbles from bed, only to discover...it wasn't a dream! A little while later the Blue & Gold duo meet with Sheriff Tariq, of the prison planet they've now found themselves on. They have no memory of how they got frozen and buried, let alone how they ended up on a prison planet. As Ted says, "They really screwed the pooch." The last thing either one recalls is a surprise birthday for Ralph (Dibny, the Elongated Man), and Max (Lord) yelling at them. The Sheriff hopes they can help fill in some blanks in history, the 31st centuries records are a bit spotty...all they know of Beetle and Booster is that they had connections to a vigilante group known as "Super Buddies". The Sheriff leaves them to get settled but asks that they stay close...and in classic Blue & Gold fashion they immediately decided to run off and explore. What could go wrong?

At Cadmusworld, Terry (who looks like Jack Frost from "Rise of the Guardians") and Convert (a pink skinned alien) debate the pros and cons of letting "Beagle and Buster" roam free. 

Convert argues that their knowledge of the 21st Century could be beneficial. Terry's not convinced though, not until Convert adds that they were once members of Justice League International!

Meanwhile, as Booster and Ted explore their surroundings, realizing this prison city is actually a future version of New York. Ted figures that if he can find the remains of Kord Industries' New York office, they may be able to escape. 

Convert (?) reappears, this time as a blue skinned alien woman, to stir up some trouble. Seems there's already a "Blue Beetle" running around this prison world! The son of one of the workers who built this prison found some "ruins"...so the son decided to don the costume and run around the prison world capturing criminals. Convert says it's amused them up to this point, but he needs to leave Beetle and Booster alone. Problem is, he doesn't like someone else running around in "his" costume.

Wonder Woman blows off some steam slaughtering demons. While Batman, Superman, Flash and Green Lantern discuss what to do with their new castle, a gift from King Arthur. Wait, what?! I definitely need to catch up on this book!

Back on prison world, Beetle and Booster find Kord Industries...and Ted's stash! While they joke about Ted getting all his money from his dad, and Booster getting his by marrying older women, the super duo miss the fact that they're being watched. Booster does suddenly realize that he's missing his Legion flight ring, though. He also notices a booby trap! Someone else has been here before them! Ted's a little less concerned...especially when he spots his beloved BUG! And someone has done some upgrades on it, and cleaned it...and claimed it as their own! "There's only room for one Blue Beetle in this city" he declares, descending on our heroes in some kind of Doc Ock looking harness. 

Beetle and Booster get in a few punches before Booster calls for a retreat. They're out gunned! This impostor has a technological advantage. Ted doesn't want to leave though..."But it's MY STUFF!" Before he can convince Booster that they should stay and fight, the fight comes to them! The impostor gives chase in the upgraded BUG.

Quick note/confession...I haven't been reading "Justice League 3000". I did pick up the trade (containing issues 1-7) but haven't finished reading it yet, and issues #11&12. I'm familiar enough with the concept (imperfect genetic duplicates of the JLA set in the 31st century) but maybe not the intricacies. So if you are...and I stumbled or misread/misinterpreted something, please help me out by leaving a comment to fill me in. With that said, having read this issue it's probably not that big of a deal, as this focuses mainly on Beetle and Booster. I do plan to read the trade and catch up though, because what I saw here was very cool!

Halloween Treat #16: The Return of Super-Team Family Sunday!

How's this for a Halloween treat? A new Super-Team Family mash-up from Ross Pearsall with Blue and Gold versus Sentinels!

Futures End: Booster Gold...spoilers ahead!

Spoilers ahead...you have been warned!

Today, DC released Dan Jurgens' "Futures End: Booster Gold" one-shot. "What does that have to do with the Blue Beetle?" you ask. Well, the entire issue is basically Booster Gold being bounced around from time to time, and Earth to Earth. And two of those times he stops at involve two of our favorite Blue Beetles!

Early on, Booster finds himself witnessing the events of the final issue of the New52's Justice League International. Where we get a quick glimpse of Jaime Reyes, drawn by Will Conrad.

And later, on what appears to be Earth-4, the Charlton Comics based Earth in DC's Multiverse, we get this appearance of good ol' Ted, with art on this segment by Stephen Thompson and Mark Irwin.

I know...it's way too brief an appearance, but it's Ted Kord! The Legion also made a return in the issue (shameless plug for the other blog I work on here!) What does it all mean? That remains to be seen but in my opinion it's good to see Booster, Beetle and the Legion back in action!

Adventures In The DC Universe #8

I love DC's various animated series..."Batman", "Superman", "Justice League Unlimited"...they were brilliant! Solid writing, simple yet iconic character designs...and more heroes, villains and supporting characters than you could shake a stick at! If I had one complaint though...it was that Blue Beetle never appeared. Luckily, Steve Vance (script), John Delaney (pencils) and Ron Boyd (inks) gave us a little taste of what could have been with "Adventures In The DC Universe" #8!

The BUG has crashed, and Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are left, upside down, arguing about who's fault it was. 

Queue flashback! Beetle says it all started when his butler interrupted breakfast to bring Booster in. Booster had gotten himself in trouble and needed Ted's help. Booster says that's not it all, and relates how he came to Ted's apartment with a plan to make the team of Blue & Gold a little extra money! A zillionaire's research sub sank, and he needs someone (who's not afraid of the toxic nightmare that is the river it sank in) to bring it up. Booster's pretty confident that between his force field and the BUG, they'll be ok...probably. Booster also told their client that if needed they'd call Superman, a "junior associate" of Blue & Gold. 

Ted starts to second guess things until Booster shows him how much they could earn! Before reaching their destination though, they spot a damsel in distress. "Blue Beetle to the rescue!" Ted shouts, leaving Booster behind and swinging into action. 

The poor girl is being chased, for no apparent reason, by some armored thugs and is grateful for the help of "the Turquoise Tarantula". Ted, a little miffed, corrects her and whisks her up to the safety of the BUG. The thugs bring the fight to the air, so Beetle (not wanting to let Booster get all the glory) puts the ship on autopilot and swings outside on his sky-wire to join the battle...which is just what the "damsel" wanted apparently. 

She reveals a cybernetic hand that interfaces with the BUG's computer and in no time at all...crashes the BUG! She makes reference to a previous, failed, encounter with the League and says she figured she'd smart smaller this time. She sends her thugs in for the kill, but Blue Beetle manages to get back in control of the BUG just in time to send it crashing down on top of the villains. With the femme fatale having gotten away, the boys decide to get back on track for the salvage job...except it's already done...all that's left is the clean-up!

This was a fun, fast paced adventure that makes me even more disappointed we never got to see good ol' Ted on the animated "Justice League Unlimited. 

See you next week!

Blue & Gold 3000

Just saw this over at CBR and again on Newsarama and had to share!

We've heard this was coming (here), but the new CBR article teases just a little more detail, and has this quote...

"The last time we saw Beetle and Booster, we ended with, 'and they lived Bwa-ha-happily ever after.' This is basically -- look, if you want to call it a certain universe, then think of it this way: If we did another Justice League series like 'I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League' or 'Formerly Known as the Justice League,' this is the third one. No tricks here. This is J.M. DeMatteis' and my version of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold."

So this is JLI Blue & Gold...a follow-up of sorts to the more recent (more recent than the original run that is) JLI stories like "I Still Can't Believe..." and "Formerly Known as..."?! Color me blue with excitement! 

Blue Beetle 3000?

So, just saw this over on Bleeding Cool and figured I'd better share it here!

According to a Keith Giffen interview at Newsarama, "Justice League 3000"'s status quo is due for a shake up soon...and Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool thinks this could mean the arrival of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold! 

Keep your fingers crossed Beetlemaniacs! 

What the Kaji Dha Wednesday...Custom Action Figures!

The other day I got a message from a fan on the Kord Industries Facebook page. He's a customizer that goes by the name "unknownsoldier13", a long time DC Universe fan. He was gracious enough to let me share these pics of his awesome Blue Beetle and Booster Gold custom figures! Wanna see more of his stuff? Head over to figurerealm.com or joecustoms.com

That gag never gets old...

...and Ted's reactions are what really makes it work!

The original is from 1987's "Justice League" #5, by the awesome team of Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire!

From 1992's "Green Lantern" #25, written by Gerard Jones with art by Tim Hamilton & Gary Yap, guest starring the Justice League...

And this great bit of fan art by Eric Stettmeier...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! If you know of anymore...PLEASE...send them my way! kordindustries2013@gmail.com

Sesame Street Blue & Gold!

Way back in August of 2013 I posted a Sesame Street/Blue & Gold mash-up (click here if you don't remember it).

I love this pairing...Ernie and Bert, Beetle and Booster...best friends! It makes perfect sense!

Well...here's another one I found while surfing the web...this one was posted on deviantART by M7781

What the Kooey Kooey Kooey?

Back in 1989 we were introduced to the South Pacific island of Kooey Kooey Kooey in the pages of  Justice League International. The location appeared several times, and became the setting for Blue Beetle and Booster Gold's island casino, Club JLI.

Well, now our friends Rusty Winns (Beetle), Jay Tallsquall (Booster), and Echo RedBird (Gypsy) take us back...to Kooey Kooey Kooey!

(Photo By Stacy Hokett)

Awesome pic guys! Thanks for letting me share!

Justice League of Bloggers Fan Art Thursday

Welcome to my first official* crossover piece as part of the Justice League of Bloggers! Shag, over at FirestormFan tipped us off to a pretty cool artist, Steve Garcia

Steve has posted a ton of these cool silhouette pics on his page, and today as a special crossover event the JLB are sharing the pics that focus on their characters!

We Beetlemaniacs get TWO! First up, Jaime Reyes...

And next, the Blue & Gold team of Ted Kord and Michael Jon Carter...better known as Blue Beetle & Booster Gold! 

I love the pic, but I'm not sure the tag line "We're Not Gay" is necessary (really the "Exceed" on Jaime probably isn't needed either...I think the art really stands on its own). For the record line though is a reference to "I Can’t Believe It’s Not the Justice League!" in which the duo proclaim they're not a couple, after Sue Dibny aka Mrs. Elongated Man insinuates they might be while proclaiming she isn't pregnant...

Anyway check out these other great JLB sites for more pics!

Firestorm Fan (and Killer Frost) - Irredeemable Shag

http://firestormfan.com/2014/03/13/steve_garcia/

Aquaman - Rob Kelly

http://www.aquamanshrine.net/2014/03/aquaman-art-gallery-steve-garcia.html

Green Lantern - liquidcross

http://indigotribe.wordpress.com/2014/03/13/green-lantern-in-silhouette/

Ambush Bug, Beast Boy, Metamorpho, Power Girl. Deadman - Doug Zawisza

http://mygreatestadventure80.blogspot.com/2014/03/justice-league-of-bloggers-steve-garcia.html

Supergirl, Lois Lane, Vibe - Anj

http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2014/03/justice-league-of-bloggers-crossover.html

Black Canary, Green Arrow, Huntress - Ryan Daly

http:blackcanaryfan.blogspot.com/2014/03/black-canary-poster-by-steve-garcia.html

Riddler (Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Alfred, Batgirl, Batwoman villains) - Alex Giles

http://theriddlefactory.com/2014/03/13/steve-garcia-art-presents-riddler

Flash - Kelson Vibber

http://speedforce.org/2014/03/flash-silhouettes/

2014 Wonder Girl “We Can Be Heroes: Growth” silhouette by Steve Garcia

http://new-wonder-woman.blogspot.com/2014/03/2014-wonder-girl-we-can-be-heroes.html

2013 Zatanna “We Can Be Heroes: Magic” silhouette by Steve Garcia

http://justiceleaguedetroit.blogspot.com/2014/03/2013-zatanna-we-can-be-heroes-magic.html

2013 Black Lantern Martian Manhunter “We Can Be Heroes: Rise” silhouette by Steve Garcia

http://idol-head.blogspot.com/2014/03/2013-black-lantern-martian-manhunter-we.html

2013 The Atom “We Can Be Heroes: Modesty” silhouette by Steve Garcia

http://themightymite.blogspot.com/2014/03/2013-atom-we-can-be-heroes-modesty.html

2013 Steel “We Can Be Heroes: Sturdy” silhouette by Steve Garcia

http://dcbloodlines.blogspot.com/2014/03/2013-steel-we-can-be-heroes-sturdy.html

“Strange Tales” by Steve Garcia

http://nurgh.blogspot.com/2014/03/strange-tales-by-steve-garcia.html

Cyborg - Doug Zawisza

http://starlabsdetroit.blogspot.com/2014/03/justice-league-of-bloggers-steve-garcia.html

Red Tornado - Doug Z

http://ulthoon.blogspot.com/2014/03/justice-league-of-bloggers-steve-garcia.html

Swamp Thing - Arthur Canning

http://theblogfromthebog-swampthing.blogspot.com/

Daredevil, Hulk, & Captain America - J David Weter

http://www.daredevilpodcast.com/

Captain Atom - Jay Jones

http://splittingatomsblog.wordpress.com/

Plastic Man - Max Romero

http://eeyowitsplasticman.tumblr.com/

Thor - Gene Hendricks

http://www.thehammerstrikes.com/2014/03/the-artwork-of-steve-garcia.html

Booster Gold - Walter

http://www.boosterrific.com/news.php?date=2013-10-01&Im-Gonna-Live-Forever

Martian Manhunter “We Can Be Heroes: Empathy” silhouette by Steve Garcia - Diabolu Frank

http://idol-head.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-martian-manhunter-we-can-be-heroes.html

Wonder Woman “We Can Be Heroes: Truth” silhouette by Steve Garcia - Diabolu Frank

http://new-wonder-woman.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-wonder-woman-we-can-be-heroes.html

Hawkgirl “We Can Be Heroes: Spirit” silhouette by Steve Garcia - Diabolu Frank

http://themightymite.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-hawkgirl-we-can-be-heroes-spirit.html

Captain Marvel “We Can Be Heroes: Might” silhouette by Steve Garcia - Diabolu Frank

http://dcbloodlines.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-captain-marvel-we-can-be-heroes.html

And for even more of Steve Garcia's work, check him out at...

http://stevegarciaart.deviantart.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SteveGarciaArt

http://steve-garcia-art.tumblr.com/

http://instagram.com/s_garcia92

*I say first "official" because I did belatedly (3yrs later) participate in the Mayfairstivus celebration of the Mayfair Games DCU RPG

DC/Skybox Master Series: Blue & Gold

While going through some old boxes, I came across this...a Blue Beetle & Booster Gold card from 1994's DC/Skybox Master Series trading card set, painted by Cathleen Thole.

I wasn't very familiar with Ms. Thole, so I did some searching online...she's actually a very accomplished illustrator, with many magazine and book covers to her credit.

Super-Team Family Sunday #8

Welcome to another Super-Team Family Sunday!

 

This month we get Blue and Gold with Marvel's Defenders! Ross had this to say..."I can't imagine a team featuring this group would last that long, but is sure would be fun to watch. I was always surprised that with all of the spin-offs to Giffen/DeMatteis and Maguire's 80's Justice League, that DC never put out a Blue and Gold series. They were one of the best buddy teams in comics and I'm sure it could have been a fun romp. Alas, Ted Kord was killed off, so chances are slim we will ever see such a series. Nobody ever stays dead forever in comics though, so there's always hope."

 

Blue and Gold Sesame Street Style!

I just stumbled on this today on CBR and had to share! 

Ernie and Bert as Blue Beetle and Booster Gold! I LOVE it!

The artist is Bill Walko, check out his web page here!

Menace Of The Madniks!

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A while back I blogged about 2 episodes of "Batman The Brave And The Bold"..."Rise Of The Blue Beetle", and "Fall Of The Blue Beetle". Both featured Ted to varying degrees, but were definitely Jaime-centric. This time we get "Menace Of The Madniks!"...with Booster Gold...and a lot more Ted!

 

The episode opens with Batman in high speed pursuit of Ma Murder. She leads him into an ambush but he's rescued by the ghost of Jeb Stuart...in the Haunted Tank! Oddly, even though this is General Jeb Stuart and not General Lee they still jump a bridge and yell "Yeehaw!" while honking a horn that plays "Dixie"...just like on the old "Dukes Of Hazzard" TV show.

 

(I know...this image has nothing to do with Blue Beetle, but the Haunted Tank is cool!)

 

After the opening titles we find Batman fighting with the Madmen (for some reason called Madniks on the cartoon) outside a bank. A group of reporters swarm in around Batman followed by Booster Gold. Booster plays it off like Batman's his hired help and tells the reporters to let Bats do his job in rounding up these criminals. As Bat's and Booster resume the fight the caped crusader tells Gold to back off...he's settling a score for an old friend, the Blue Beetle! "Wait...you knew Ted Kord?" BG asks. "He was a true friend, and a real hero! Something YOU wouldn't understand" is the reply. We've seen it with Jaime, and now we see it with Booster...Batman can be a real ass! Gold doesnt take it too personally though, he tells Skeets he thinks this is the closest he's seen Bats to being emotional. Apparently BG is a little emotional too and tells Skeets he thinks they should go visit Ted...not the memorial statue, but the man himself! Oh the benefits of time travel!

 

 

In just a few seconds Booster and Skeets arrive 2 years ago at Ted's headquarters. While the Blue and Gold duo catch-up, alarms sound alerting BB to a break-in at STAR Labs...and coincidentally, the culprits are...you guessed it the Madn...Madmen! Maybe not too coincidental, the episode is named for them after all. The Madmen (I just can't gt myself to call them Madniks) have broken in to steal a Quark pistol. What is it? Why do they want it? It's not clear. It does appear to have the ability to disintegrate walls though. The Madmen taunt BB. He's fought them before, but they always get away. What makes him think it'll be different now? He's got Booster Gold in his corner! And with a quick shot from his wrist blasters BG destroys the Quark gun and helps his pal Ted finally get "the one that got away".

 

Sadly, once he returns to the present Booster finds that the world is overrun by giant energy monsters! Batman shows up and after some premature denial Gold admits to have meddled in the past..."A lil bit...yeah." So Bats and Booster head back to just after Blue and Gold defeated the Madmen. When Booster asks why this point in particular Bats declares "Look! I'm not going to explain the intricacies of time travel to a man without a library card!" Another dickish move by Batman...what does he have against Booster anyway? Ted seems pretty shocked to see them together when they arrive at the Bug Cave and explains that he didn't think they'd get along. That's why he doesn't discuss them around each other. Batman is a work friend, and Booster is fun friend. Ha! That ought to put ol' pointy ears in his place!

 

 

Ted's been looking into the Madmen and the Quark pistol and thinks the explosion may have altered their DNA and suggests the trio go to Hub Island Penetentiary to investigate before it's too late. They arrive just in time to see the Madmen...transformed into the future/present energy monsters after touching an electric fence while trying to escape. The trio has some trouble working together at first, Booster and Bats both acting like Betty and Veronica trying to get Beetle/Archie's attention, but then Ted comes up with a plan. The creatures are drawn toward energy. If they follow them toward the nuclear power plant, and Ted alters the radiation signature of the BB gun they may have a shot at defeating them. Booster quickly volunteers, but Batman tries to steal his spotlight. Ted points out that they'll ALL need to be involved and the plan is set in motion.

 

 

By resetting the BB gun, and linking it into Booster's suit so it can be broadcast through its forcefield generator they can defeat the energy monsters! Bats settles down, after realizing how much his friendship with Ted really means to Booster and they finally work together. After the plan ends succesfully and the Madmen are captured, Ted comments how this has been a great night...seeing his two best friends working together. Back at the Bug Cave, Ted finds a message waiting from...Batman. Seems there's trouble on Science (Pago) Island. (kinda creepy...this is the mission that Ted gives his life on) Booster and Bats say their goodbyes and time hop to the present, just as Past-Bats shows up to leave for Science Island with a slightly bewildered Ted. Back in the present Booster says he's ok with Batman being Blue Beetle's "second best friend". And Batman, maybe realizing now that he's been an ass for most of this adventure, invites Booster to help him take down some thugs committing the 2nd bank robbery this episode.

 

This was another fun episode, even with the slightly depressing/sad "we all know Ted's about to die soon" stuff. In fact I'd love to see them bring back Booster and Beetle for a Blue and Gold cartoon! It won't happen...but sometimes it's fun to dream.

 

Until next time!