"Time On His Hands!"

When last we left our hero (issue #9) the President had banned superheroes (a result of DC's mini-series "Legends") and Ted's receptionist Angela's uncle had been revealed as the villain Chronos, the Time Thief! So, let's not waste another second (get it? Chronos...time pun...) Blue Beetle #10 is brought to us by Len Wein, with guest artist Chuck Patton, and inker Dell Barras!

After finding Angela frozen by her uncle, Chronos, last issue Ted has her taken from her home to the company infirmary where he tells everyone she had an epileptic seizure. Jeremiah and Melody show up to express their concern, not just for Angela but for Ted too. He's been acting oddly lately, they say. 

Ted explains he knew what Angela was up to all along, he just didn't know why. Now that he does he intends to do something about Chronos...as Blue Beetle! He's already tangled with Chronos once since last issue, in "Legends" #4, but the villain got away. And he's already defied the presidential ban on superheroes, so figuring he's got nothing else to lose Ted hops in the BUG and heads out looking for Chronos. 

Walking down the street, Melody gets robbed by a purse snatcher. She manages to chase the kid into an alley, only to discover its a young girl. The girl slips away, and running into the street is promptly hit by a truck! Ted heads to Angela's house to look for clues, and after being reported by a nosy neighbor finds himself face to face with a couple police officers, but manages to give them the slip using a remote controlled smoke screen via the BUG.

He makes his escape with one clue, a receipt for the rental of a warehouse, a solid lead on the location of the Time Thief! Melody, feeling some sort of responsibility, followed the young thief to the hospital. 

Once there though she gets taken out by two thugs with tasers who have slipped the girl into some kind of tube in preparation to transport her to their boss. While at the warehouse Ted discovers Chronos' massive clock collection! up, this must be the right place! Smashing an hourglass, Chronos creates a mini sandstorm that engulfs the Blue Beetle.

 Ted has some tricks of his own and uses the BB gun's air blast to disperse it. Too little, too late though as Chronos has already slipped away on his "Sundial" hover platform. Pursuing in the BUG, Ted tracks the villain down in no time, leading to a short aerial battle.

The sky fight is followed by a little hand to hand combat on a bridge, before the duo tumble into a fountain, still grappling, as a crowd of onlookers gather. Then, the crowd turns. "Godfrey is right...you costumes are crazy!" they shout, pelting our hero with a soda can. 

Chronos use the distraction to make a run for it, as Ted calls to the crowd, "Don't let him escape!" But under Godfrey's manipulating influence they refuse to assist, "That's your job, not ours!" Luckily Ted grabs Chronos' stopwatch, and freezes the villain in his tracks leaving him for the police.

Wow...that was a pretty fun, fast paced issue! And while I love Paris Cullins, the art by Chuck Patton was a very cool change of pace. Hard to believe we're almost half way through this series! Check back next week when we take a look at the adventures of Jaime Reyes!

"Timepiece!"

Len Wein, Paris Cullins and Dell Barras return with issue #9 of "Blue Beetle" from November 1986 (cover dated February 1987) with a "Legends" Cross-Over! "Legends", for the uninitiated, was DC's first post-Crisis cross-over event that saw the world (under the influence of Darkseid by way of Glorious Godfrey) turn against it's heroes. It also led to Blue Beetle joining the Justice League...but lets not get too far ahead of ourselves!

Right off the bat we know this is a "Legends" story. Why, you ask? Because immediately after Blue Beetle rescues a little old lady from a gang of punk rock muggers, she beats him with her purse, and screams "Down with superheroes!" If that doesn't drive home the "Legends" tie-in, I don't know what would.

While that happens in the city, out in the suburbs we get the pay off to on of the ongoing plot threads. Angela, Ted's receptionist who has been stealing bits and pieces of tech, finally sees what her uncle has been up to. Apparently, we learn through a brief monologue, he's been recuperating after a dust up with Batman and some issues with the time stream...he is none other than, Chronos, the Time Thief! Angie finally decides its time to stop him and tries to call the cops, but he freezes her with his stopwatch, and disappears into the night. 

Ted brings the BUG back to base, and laments the goings on of G. Gordon Godfrey, wondering if things keep going this way will there be a place in the world for superheroes...or Blue Beetle? In Death Valley, geologist Cassandra Sharp "dies" in a sandstorm, but is quickly scooped up by two shadowy figures in a helicopter. Not only is Ted's professional life taking a hit, his personal life is too. In the offices of Kord Inc. Ted and his girlfriend Melody watch the President announce an executive order requiring all heroes to cease activity. 

The announcement is followed by some choice words about superheroes from Godfrey himself. Ted turns off the TV, but Melody wanted to hear what Godfrey had to say, "Maybe the man has a point", she says. The two argue briefly until Melody decides she's done discussing it and needs to get back to work. 

At a secluded warehouse, Chronos accepts a shipment of clocks and other equipment, then kills the delivery men. Meanwhile Ted, Calhoun and Takamoto try another test creating, a promethium alloy. Sadly, it fails...just as the head of S.T.A.R. Labs, Garrison Slate, shows up to check their progress. Down at the police station, Lt. Fisher debates the President's declaration with another officer. Fisher is quite happy with the decision, heroes are a menace. Frank, the other cop, isn't so sure...in fact "Since he first showed up in town the Blue Beetle has defeated Firefist, the Madmen, Doctor Alchemy, the Muse..." Fisher cuts Frank off there, and promptly kicks him out. While on Pago Island, Conrad Carapax finds a door. A door that leads to "whatever Dan Garrett was searching for", or as we know...Jarvis Kord's lab! Finally back at Kord Inc. Melody and Ted are talking again...and realizing that Angie never showed up for work. Ted swings by her house and finds her, frozen in place. After bringing her back around with a simple shake, she reveals to Ted that her uncle is Chronos. Ted is about to call the cops, but figures presidential order be damned, this is a job for Blue Beetle!

Not a whole lot of Blue Beetle action this issue, but I think it worked out anyway. After shifting over to the Showcase '94 stories the last few months I think this actually turned out to be a pretty good way to get back into the core series...plenty of reminders of the various plot threads, and at least one new one. Great art from Paris Cullins and Dell Barras, and spot on writing from Len Wein as always! See you back here next week for some more Blue Beetle adventures!