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!