Home  /  Topics  /  Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • June 2, 2023 at 4:40 pm #300553
    Legatus_Legionis

      For those whom have not seen, this is the official trailer for Blue Beetle (coming out Aug.18, 2023.)

      There is no word as to what/who the villain is.  Can’t tell by the trailer, nor by what is listed on IMDb.

      I went and began reading the comic series this movie is based off of. (May’06-Apr’09 – 36 issues.)

      Peacemaker spends alot of time in it, helping our young hero, and the crimelord La Dama, but Conrad Carapax?

      Then too many issues of guest “superheroes” to help bump up sales.

      Then finally, we get the big story arc/bad aliens… the Reach!

      And to help defeat them, we had part of the Justice League Europe/International helping… Guy Gardner, Fire, Ice, and Booster Gold.

      But I can’t see them doing the Reach story arc before they set up the JLE, and not before Jaime Reyes has many “Greatest American Hero” moments.

      A teacher is asked to be a superhero using a special alien suit with powers he can barely understand or control.

      Well, now we have a student (not a teacher) getting a much more deadly alien tech/suit, but the same “how do I use/control it”.

      Are they gonna play it up for laughs?

      June 3, 2023 at 5:16 pm #300616
      DeGave

        My absolute favorite comic runs of all time happened in short order of each other and had similar tones. Blue Devil (around 1984), Ted Kord as Blue Beetle (1986), and Booster Gold (1986).  I still have the three full series of comics.  If you’d told 10 year old me about this movie when I bought those old issues in the early 90s, I’d have went insane.  If you’d told me about it when Booster lost his suit and Blue Beetle was put in a coma by Doomsday in the leadup to Superman dying, I’d have died. After watching that trailer, and seeing it’s the new version of the “new new Beetle,” it’s a hard pass for me.  Not interested in the original scarab beetle, and even less so in him being crossed with Ironman.

        Anyone looking for great Blue Beetle stuff, Ted Kord in the 80s was awesome.  Half funny and half serious, it was built around a great premise.  The guy promises the first Blue Beetle (his best friend) that he’ll carry on the mantle for him when he’s dying.  The first Blue Beetle is like a weaker Superman.  However, as Ted Kord’s friend dies, he ends up taking his power source with him. Now poor Ted Kord has a dying friend’s wish to fulfill, but no way to be Superman-lite. So what does he do? He becomes Diet-Batman.  Because, see, he was a billionaire genius.  It’s one of the most fun reads in comic history.  It was especially good paired with his best friend (with no less unlikely an origin) Booster Gold.  It was also cool at the beginning of Infinite Crisis (many years later) to get a whole story for his death, and to see from his internal monologue that he really did never begin thinking he was good enough.

         

        *Note: Yes, I know the first Blue Beetle was actually a Green Hornet ripoff. I mean in DC continuity.

        • This reply was modified 10 months, 3 weeks ago by DeGave. Reason: Removed tags. Tags are weird here
        June 3, 2023 at 5:27 pm #300619
        DeGave

          And with that post, I have an idea or my profile picture. :)

          June 3, 2023 at 8:56 pm #300630
          Legatus_Legionis

            Yay, Ted Kord is also my Blue Beetle also.

            I thought I would read the “other” beetle to get a better idea about this film, and how it will tie in Kord Industries.

            Other than The Reach story arc, I am just not into this character at all.

            The Reach story showed character growth and foreshadowing (that was not obvious at the time you read it).

            So unless they think they can make a trilogy of films with this version of the Blue Beetle and introduce the Reach as the last biggie, this film/character will not have the impact the studio might have been looking for.

             

            June 5, 2023 at 5:53 pm #300754
            Legatus_Legionis

              I was hoping this was just something “new”, but it is not.

              Back in Blue Beetle #34 (Feb’09) on the second last page, last panel we have Blue Beetle saying into a news camera:

              “Oh, and by the way… the guy who’s responsible for all this?

              Rich White Guy.  Just sayin’.”

              This was written by a Matthew Sturges.

              Sure, you can say they were talking about Doctor Polaris (a villain), but for the general audience… and what was said in the trailer for Blue Beetle…

              It is not something “new” to the Blue Beetle character(s) of the Reyes era.

              And they changed that bias from a Blue Beetle talking about a villain to his uncle saying the “fascist” line in the trailer.

              Which is sad.

              I do hope in the theatrical release, that racist line is left on the cutting room floor.

               

              And my opinion has only been more cemented (after reading this first full series starring Jaime Reyes)… while Ted Kord did not “use” the scarab – Reyes does, I still prefer Kord (and his stories) over Reyes.

              That one story arc does not overcome the rest.

              August 26, 2023 at 2:00 pm #305474
              Legatus_Legionis

                I should have posted this sooner, but I had finished reading the “rebirth-era” Blue Beetle.

                Very similar origin story, but instead of Peacemaker as the mentor, we get Ted Kord (aka Blue Beetle) and Kord Industries…. WHY?

                This 18 issues series ended with alot of unanswered questions.

                And we still get guest appearances (Dr.Fate, OMAC, Batman, Teri Magnus-the Flash of the 31st century) to help increase sales, to no permanent effect.  (It did end after 18 issues).

                Who is Amparo Cardenas aka La Dama aka Lady Styx?

                Why did The Blue Beetle’s Scarab “Khaji Da” lose its ability to talk to Jamie in a language Jamie could understand?

                I doubt the follow up min-series “Blue Beetle: Graduation Day” 6-parter will solve it.

                I am more excited about the “Blue And Gold” 8-part mini-series with Ted Kord “Blue Beetle” and Booster Gold.

                Sadly, I am not at all excited over this film.  I might get it when it is on sales on DVD.  But watching in the theater or on a paid subscription service?  NO.

                August 26, 2023 at 3:20 pm #305476
                Salvince

                  Ted Kord was a symbol of true heroism.  Honestly the scarab concept to bring a new Blue Beetle into concept wasnt a bad idea at first, but then they did this crap, no thanks.

                  August 26, 2023 at 6:26 pm #305480
                  Legatus_Legionis

                    Alien tech used by a human that could create weapons and other constructs, that had a personality of its own.

                    At first, that sounded like a Green Lantern Ring with Guy Gardner’s ability, but was more independent personality that had a mission of its own.

                    Guy’s Vuldarian powers include limited shapeshifting abilities which allow him to create weapons out of his body like blades and energy guns, shielding, armor or equipment which he has total control over. At first, these transformations cause him pain and he is unable to shrink from his 7-foot height.

                    At first, that is what the Scarab was a combination of, IMO.  Alien tech with shapeshifting abilities with an ability to communicate with its host.

                    So I was reading these Blue Beetle Comic series blocking that concept as much as I could.

                    Thinking of these as a new character/superhero, not taking “inspiration/characteristics” from others.

                    Heck, I easily have no problem with multiple characters being called Green Lantern, or The Flash or Robin.

                    This Blue Beetle, just did not do it for me.

                    August 27, 2023 at 1:36 am #305500
                    DragonLady

                      I’m just tired of the idiot director trying to claim that this Blue Beetle is the first Latino superhero when this guy exists🙄:

                      Best Scene

                      September 5, 2023 at 11:54 am #306053
                      Legatus_Legionis

                        Just finished the Blue And Gold 8-part mini-series with Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) and Booster Gold.

                        It has the humor and such that I enjoyed those two characters get into.

                        The whole series was how the narcissist need for attention (Booster Gold) streaming all his exploits, and the little feedbacks thorough.  Like breaking the fourth wall but with social media posts and the need to crowdfund their exploits.

                        The series even had the Jaime Reyes’ Blue Beetle in one issue (hinting at a possible future team up of the three of them).

                        I miss when comics were about fun, escapist entertainment.  No wonder the comic back issue industry has been growing so much.  Reading good fun entertaining stories over what they have been producing recently.

                        Same goes for the movies.

                        It is not Super-Hero Fatigue, but crappy movie/tv show fatigue.

                      • Author
                        Posts
                      Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
                      • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                      Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!

                      SIGN UP FOR UPDATES!

                      NAVIGATION