Vintage Blue Beetle Advertising #5

Looking at this ad I have the uncontrollable urge to go back and re-read Jim Krueger and Alex Ross' "Project Superpowers" book...

Futures End #0

Rewind to about a month ago, Free Comic Book Day weekend. I had a few family events/obligations to attend, plus my own birthday celebration, but I still made it to my local comic shop to pick up my books and check out the FCBD offerings. Of course, by the time I got there they were out of the book I really wanted..."Futures End" #0. For those unfamiliar, this is DC's new weekly book, written by Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens and Jeff Lemire, and with art by Dan Jurgens & Mark Irwin, Aaron Lopresti & Art Thibert, Jesus Merino & Dan Green, Ethan Van Sciver, and Patrick Zircher.

I overheard some guys in the store talking about, and it sounded like Jaime Reyes, the New 52's Blue Beetle played some part...but without seeing it for myself I didn't know for sure. What was I to do? Check another nearby store. Also out. eBay? Well, yes...but I struggled with the idea of paying $5.00 for a free comic. Eventually I managed to get my hands on a copy for less, and now... I can tell you (if you didn't know already)...Jaime Reyes, was ugraded by the Cybermen! I mean, assimilated by the Borg...I mean, Brother Eye! Not only that...he was done in by what appeared to be an already infected Booster Gold! 

The rest of the story? 35 years into the future Brother Eye, a sentient computer built by Batman and Mr. Terrific, has taken over the Earth and assimilated most of the world's heroes, turning them into cybernetic monsters. Some heroes still live, and fight with an underground resistance. Batman, sends Terry McGinnis (Batman Beyond) back in time to try and stop this from happening, but misses the mark leaving Terry 5 years into our future...and what he's come to stop is already in play! Kinda like "Terminator" with superheroes!

Now that I finally got my hands on #0, I can read 1-4...and if there's anymore Blue Beetle action, you can bet you'll see it here at Kord Industries!

Text Tuesday: "Death Rides On Horseback"

My apologies Beetlemaniacs, I posted the text piece from Fox's "Blue Beetle" #2 before I posted the one that was published in the first issue.

Sometimes you have to go backward to move forward...so here's "Death Rides On Horseback" from Fox's "Blue Beetle" #1

Enjoy!

Super-Team Family Sunday #11

Welcome to another Super-Team Family Sunday!

Of this teaming of Spidey and Ted Kord, Ross said..."I teamed Spider-Man with the Dan Garrett Blue Beetle before, but this is the pairing that I would really like to see. I still miss Ted Kord in the DCU, and I don't see any reason that he and Jaime Reyes can't operate at the same time. Of course, even Peter Parker has been killed off and replaced these days (in two separate universes, no less!), so Ted Kord is in good company. The clear difference is that we all know that Parker will be back one way or another by the time his next film is out, but Kord's fate seems a lot more permanent. Hopefully, he will have a chance to return sometime down the line."

Showcase '94 #2

Back in 1993 DC launched the anthology book "Showcase '93" that ran 12 monthly issues though 1996. The book featured up and coming talent working on 3 stories per issue...and starting with "Showcase '94" #2 contained a 3 part Blue Beetle story! "Caged City, Chapter One: Bug Out" was written by Brian Augustyn, with pencils by Patrick Rolo and inks by Dick Giordano. 

"It all started with a check for $237.51", Ted tells us while perched on a rooftop. He's in Freemont, a small midwest city, and gateway to Hub City. The check was from a company called Amelia Technologies for the use of his patent #B647-342 in "Project Freemont". He can't remember what that patent is...but it's the name of the project that brought him to this city. Ted is just starting to think this is a quiet town when heavily armored cops on motorcycles scream down the street chasing a car. When the driver crashes, the cops began to drag him down the street and Ted decides it's time for the Blue Beetle to jump into action! The cops don't take kindly to the appearance of "a gen-u-ine soo-per hee-ro" and let him know, his help isn't wanted and he has no authority in Freemont.

Not one to stand by and allow senseless brutality, BB takes the fight to the cops, but when they call in reinforcements he quickly finds himself on the run! He takes to the rooftops again, thinking he could have avoided this, if he'd just made a few phone calls to figure out what the patent was...and then it hits him...or nearly hits him. The BUG!

Meanwhile, a mysterious man in a room full of monitors calls for the cops to bust Beetle since "vigilantism is illegal in Freemont". After running into a BUG, Ted decides he'll have an easier time ditching the cops on the ground...and once there he decides it's really safer if he ditches the costume! Heading back to his hotel room (where he checked in under the name "George McCartney"...get it? Beatles joke!) he soon finds out that nowhere is safe in Freemont!

This was a fun, fast paced story! And that cliffhanger ending? Well...check back next month for part 2!

DC Scribblenauts Unmasked Series 2

Today is shaping up to be a pretty "blue" day...and I mean that in a good way!

Not only did I see the return of Ted Kord in "Forever Evil" #7...but I opened up my blind packaged "DC Scribblenauts Unmasked" Series 2 box...and pulled out this little guy! 

Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes!

Ted Kord Is Back! Forever Evil #7

Forgive the hasty scanning*...I know it's not the best quality. Hopefully I can update** with a better quality soon. In the meantime, here's what we've been waiting for Beetlemaniacs...the return of Ted Kord to the DCU!

Way back in October, in "Forever Evil" #1 we saw a business deal between Lex Luthor and Ted's dad, Thomas Kord, fall apart...resulting in Mr. Kord's death! Then in January Geoff Johns dropped the news that Ted would in fact return in "Forever Evil" #7

Today, after months of waiting we finally get our introduction to the new Ted!

Enjoy!

*Knowing this was going to hit the stands today I stopped by a store on my way to work to snag this issue and snapped the pics with my iPad

**Updated!

Teaser Tuesday #34

Blue Beetle #1 (Charlton)

I already talked about Charlton's "Blue Beetle" #52 a few months ago. I did that one first, because it was the first Charlton "Blue Beetle" I ever bought! So, now that I got that out of the way, lets go back to the thrilling first issue. From 1964, written by Joe Gill, and pencilled by Bill Fraccio and inked by Tony Tallarico (thanks comicbookdb)...here's "The Giant Mummy Who Was Not Dead!"

Directors of an unnamed museum in New York want Dan Garrett "leading archaeologist and authority on ancient Egypt" to lead an expedition to El Alil in search of pre-dynastic treasures. Dan is reluctant to do it though as there has been news that a General Amenhotep has been detonating nuclear devices in the area. Dan figures the relics have been hidden for over 6000 years, so a few more won't matter. Wait, what? This doesn't seem like the bad-ass Dan Garrett we saw in DC's "Secret Origins"! Dan heads home to relax and review notes on the kings of Egypt, but a visitor changes those plans...Professor Luri Hoshid. She's come to talk to Dan about the expedition...and to get his attention, she dresses the part!

It works! Well, that gets her in the door, but Dan seems more impressed that the museum is willing to bring on an Egyptian contemporary to assist with the expedition. Hmmm, definitely not the ladies man Dan from "Secret Origins"! In no time at all the duo is in Egypt, in search of the tomb of the evil Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re! Just a page turn later and they've found it. The find is just what Dan needs apparently, as he asks Luri to dinner, and tells her how lovely she looks. As they hop aboard a small plane to fly from the dig to Cairo they spot General Amenhotep's camp and narrowly avoid getting hit by a barrage of missiles! At dinner, they just happen to bump into the General as he berates and threatens a waiter. Dan's had it now! He approaches the General and lands punch right to the dictator's gut, before Luri encourages a hasty retreat.

The next morning Dan and Luri get back to work at the dig site of Kha-Ef-Re's tomb, uncovering evil looking paintings, evil looking statues...even evil smells. When they reach the sarcophagus Luri deciphers a curse and Dan finds a blue scarab. The curse states that "Kha-Ef-Re will live when the white hot light touches him again". The scarab? Once Dan touches it he feels power and hears whispers. 

He sees a vision of an Egyptian on a throne who tells Dan that he must battle Kha-Ef-Re and a conspirator from his own time (General Amenhotep) and become the "champion of all mankind!" Dan quickly finds that he now has x-ray vision (he spots a jet bomber in the air above the tomb, through the stone walls) and super strength (he charges through the same stone walls), and a fancy blue and red costume...all by holding the scarab and speaking the words "Kaji Dha!" And just in time too! General Amenhotep has sent one of his planes to drop an atomic bomb near the dig site...supplying the "white hot light" that brings Kha-Ef-Re's mummy back to life. Not only that, but just like on "Power Rangers" the monstrous mummy grows into a giant!

When Blue Beetle flies (yup, not just super strength and x-ray vision) after the giant, one of Amenhotep's fighter planes swoops in, guns firing...and BB unleashes another new power, energy blasts from his hands that blow the plane to pieces! Dan seems to take to his new powers and abilities like a fish to water, until he comes face to face with the giant mummy of Kha-Ef-Re. The mummy blasts Blue Beetle with eye beams that drain his power.

Dan is left at the mercy of the General...who promptly disappears leaving the mummy to watch over the fallen hero. Luri rushes to Dan's side, waking him, and urging him to say the words and recharge his powers, "Kaji Dha!" As he does the mummy pounds him with a fist, before Dan takes to the air to return the blow with a punch of his own! 

A second punch knocks the mummy off its feet and gives dan the chance he needs. As the body of Kha-Ef-Re falls to the ground it shrinks back to normal size. Blue Beetle reburies it, and uses his heat vision (the powers just keep coming!) to seal the tomb. After disposing of the mummy, BB heads off to the General's base and destroys his weapons and supplies before returning to break Luri's heart. 

All in all though, it turns out DC's version of Dan Garrett's origin was pretty accurate! Dan gets the scarab, becomes a hero and breaks a lady's heart. Come to think of it, the Americomics issue played him as a bit of a ladies man too...I wonder if this ladies man thing is going to be recurring theme? What happened to General Amenhotep? Did he escape? What about Luri? Will they return? This issues leaves some loose ends, but I guess time will tell.

I'll be honest, Dan Garrett is the Blue Beetle I was least familiar with when I started this blog, and I'm having a lot of fun getting to see his adventures for the first time! Hope you are too!

Teaser Tuesday #33

"Henchman"

Len Wein, Paris Cullins and Dell Barras return with issue #8 of "Blue Beetle" from October 1986 (cover dated January 1987), the issue promises..."You've seen him all your life...but you've never really known him...until now!"

Interesting bit of trivia...this is not exactly the same Blue Beetle we saw in issue #7. This is the first post-Crisis issue of the series, and Ted himself already had a post-Crisis appearance in "Legends" #2 prior to this...so nothing's really changed... 

The issue opens with a man waking up to his alarm clock. His wife points out that it's his birthday..."the first day of a brand new life!" The man, Ed Buckley, has mixed feelings but heads to the shower to start his day. After getting himself dressed he's surprised by birthday wishes from his wife and daughter, and a gift. A new tie. Ed is off to a job interview and the tie is perfect! Things seem off to a great start for this "average Joe" until he bumps into an old friend on the street. Rudy lets Ed know if he's looking for work "the man in charge is still lookin' ta fill his dance card!" and slips him the info. Ed says he's through with that kind of work, and we start to connect the dots...Ed is a former criminal who's trying to go straight. He reaches his destination...an interview at Kord Omniversal! 

Sadly, Curt Calhoun and Ted Kord don't have good news for him. While Ed seems qualified, they don't have any openings right now (why they're interviewing without any openings is a mystery!). So Ed does what any normal rehabilitated criminal in fiction would do...he goes to check out the "job" Rudy mentioned. So, who does Ed end up going to work for? "One of the biggest names in the biz...", the Calculator!

The guys hit a potential snag early though, when the Calculator announces that he only needs 6 guys for the job, so he's going to have to send some guys on their way. First guy to go? Nope...not Ed! Some guy who announces he used to work for the Atomic Skull (Calculator thinks Skull "is such a loser!") When even henchmen can't get work you know it must be tough times in the post-Crisis DC Universe! After selecting his crew (which includes Ed...because about halfway through the issue it's pretty clear he's the main character of this story), the Calculator reveals his plan, and discusses the benefits package.** Ed gives his wife a call to let her know he's got to work late at the "new job" and heads to the join the Calculator's crew at their destination, the Consumer Electronics Show!

No sooner do they arrive than Ed runs into Ted...and a job offer! Ted has reconsidered his position from earlier and tells Ed to check in with Calhoun first thing in the morning. 

Ed finds himself in a pickle now. Bail on the Calculator and he puts his wife and daughter's lives in jeopardy, stay and risks blowing his shot at an honest job with Kord Omniversal. The Calculator begins his assault and Ed makes the call to put his family first and hope for the best. He catches a glance of Ted Kord making his way to an exit, but decides to let him go...he can't shoot Ted! The Calculator starts collecting up as many electronics as he can, and decides when he's done with that he'll ransom everyone back to their respective companies...until Blue Beetle appears on the scene!

BB recognizes Ed while working his way through the henchmen. It's a pretty easy fight but the Calculator uses the distraction to get the drop on Beetle, preparing to smash him in a trap created by his helmet. 

That's when Ed's conscience gets the better of him and he takes a shot at one boss to save the other one. Furious, Calculator blasts Ed, but that gives Blue Beetle an opening and he destroys Calculator's keyboard, disabling the helmet. Blue Beetle approaches the seriously wounded Ed to find out what happened. The last page reads like the ending to a great classic gangster movie, something with Bogart or Cagney. I'll let it speak for itself...

So, while there wasn't much Ted, or Beetle for that matter, this turned out to be a great issue! Len Wein delivered a solid story, especially considering how little we saw of our hero, and Paris Cullins was great as always, and really nailed it on that last page!


*Interesting bit of trivia #2...the issue opens with Ed Buckley waking up on his birthday...I wrote this entry shortly after waking up on my own birthday!

Fan Casting Friday #2: Super Buddies!

Ever since the first time I was inspired by the fan casting done by Ryan Daly at Flowers & Fishnets and Count Drunkula's Thought Place and Diabolu Frank at Idol Head of Diabolu, I've wanted to do another...and this time I wanted to do something a little different...comedy!

So, taking my inspiration from Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire's "Formerly Known as the Justice League" and " I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League", I present to you..."Super Buddies: The Motion Picture!"

Ted Kord/Blue Beetle - Justin Long

I know last time I said James Roday would make the perfect Blue Beetle...and he would, for the story I had in mind then. For the "Super Buddies" though...I'm going with Justin Long! Why? Well to me, he looks more "animated"...I also think he'd be better suited for the humor of this kind of story while still maintaining a level of sincerity...I'm thinking one of his earlier roles in the movie "Accepted"

Michael Carter/Booster Gold – Alan Ritchson 

Sure he was Aquaman on "Smallville", but he also played college football player "Thad Castle" on the hilarious series “Blue Mountain State”. As Thad he was sometimes goofy, and always cocky, as the linebacker and team captain. Booster? Future college football star for the Gotham University and "Bwahahahaha" JLI buddy to Blue Beetle...coincidence? I think not!

Captain Atom - Alexander Skarsgard

Captain Atom should be a leader, a tough guy (c'mon...in DC continuity he's ex-military), and in the JLI/Super Buddies he'd be a straight man to the antics of Blue and Gold. Plus he has the experience he'd need for the role. On "True Blood" Skarsgard plays a leader, a sheriff, among the vampires, and in HBO's mini-series "Generation Kill" he played a Marine Sergeant.

Fire - Vanessa Hudgens

Beatriz da Costa aka Fire, is former model and former member of the Global Guardians. Vanessa Hudgens is a former child star...and looks really cute in that green dress! Seriously though, I've seen several of her films and have to say (as I'm sure some reader are thinking "The girl from 'High School Musical'?! Seriously?!") she's not a bad actress! Plus, she's already played a superhero...sort of...in "Sucker Punch".

Mary Marvel - Olivia Cooke

Who do you cast as Mary Marvel? An all-American, wholesome looking girl-next-door type...Olivia Cooke looks the part...but is actually British. And her other acting credits? the horror movie "The Quiet Ones" and the TV series "Bates Motel" (based on the film "Psycho"). Still I think she'd be the perfect Mary Marvel!

Elongated Man - Steve Zahn

A lot like Blue Beetle/Justin Long, I needed someone that could play funny and sincere, only a little bit older...enter Steve Zahn. I've been a big fan since seeing him in "That Thing You Do!" and think he'd be perfect for the role of Ralph Dinby, the Elongated Man!

Sue Dinby - Carla Gugino

I think Carla Gugino is beautiful! If you look at her credits on IMDB she's played in everything from kids movies like "Spy Kids" to more dramatic/action fair like the series "Justified". It's the variety of her roles and a certain, hard to identify, down to earth quality that make me think she'd be a good Yin to EM/Zahn's Yang. 

Max Lord - Timothy Olyphant

Speaking of "Justified"...Timothy Olyphant is amazing on that show. Cool, confident, calculating...who else is like that? Max Lord! "But, can he be funny?" you ask? Check him out in "The Girl Next Door" 

L-Ron - Craig Ferguson

L-Ron...funny talking robot sidekick...Craig Ferguson, is funny, and has a talking robot sidekick on his late night talk show! It's a match made in heaven!

Teaser Tuesday #32

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

April Poll is closed...here are the results!

Well, looks like we have our first tie! You Beetlemaniacs voted, and it looks like you're torn between the Wein/Cullins solo book, and the Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire team book Ted. I can't blame you, I'd have a hard time choosing between the two myself!

I think I'm going to hold off on posting a May poll, but remember to keep checking back for more Blue Beetle goodness!

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BLUE BEETLE (TED KORD) CREATIVE TEAM?

Steve Ditko/D.C. Glanzman (Charlton)	2 (20%)
Len Wein/Paris Cullins (DC Comics)	4 (40%)
Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis/Kevin Maguire (DC Comics)	4 (40%)
other	0 (0%)

Votes so far: 10
Poll closed