Warning: Spoilers for Blue Beetle #10!

The return of the Bug marks the start of a new era in Blue Beetle lore. Jaime Reyes is most recognizable to modern readers and viewers as the Blue Beetle, but he’s merely the third man to pick up the mantle. Before him was Ted Kord, who, in his heyday in the blue suit, would battle crime with his trusty Bug taking him from mission to mission.

When Jaime needs help stopping a monster that Victoria Kord created in Blue Beetle #10 by Josh Trujilo and Adrián Gutiérrez, the DCU movie villain (turned reluctant hero) teams up with her brother, Ted. Before going into the battlefield, though, the Kord Industries CEO unveils to Ted something that she had been working out some modifications and upgrades for: his beloved ship, the Bug.

The Bug’s design and configuration update not only brings a classic piece of lore back into current DC storylines, but the Bug’s upgrade also truly symbolizes a new era for the Blue Beetle mantle.

Blue Beetle’s Ship, the Bug, Returns to DC Lore

Ted Kord Emphasizes Its Upgrades

The Bug (or the Beetle Ship) first debuted in 1967’s Captain Atom #86 (by David Kaler, Steve Ditko, and Rocco Mastroserio) as the second Blue Beetle’s trusty flying ship. At the time when he was still running Kord Industries himself, Ted built the Bug using old car parts. As one of the DC Universe’s most skilled inventors, Ted gradually introduced his own new modifications to the Bug over time. The Bug would eventually be phased out of DC stories after being destroyed by Doomsday during a Death of Superman tie-in story.

Now, asserting her self-proclaimed position as the most powerful woman on Earth, Ted’s sister brings the Bug back. The Bug was already impressive, as it was shown to shoot out bursts of energy and deflector shields in the past. In this issue, the Bug proves instrumental in destroying Victoria’s project gone wrong, Pinnacle, by playing a part in eliminating its healing ability long enough to allow Jaime Reyes to deliver one final blow. The sheer velocity and speed at which the Bug reaches Pinnacle before the machine even realizes it is significant as well.

The Bug Symbolizes a New BLUE BEETLE Era

What’s Next for Blue Beetle?

Reintroducing the Bug back into DC lore offers the perfect marriage of past and present, paving the way for a new future for the Blue Beetle as a legacy mantle. Following the success of the character’s big screen debut, DC has been pushing Jaime Reyes into the spotlight in its comics — but there’s been an equal amount of spotlight on Ted Kord as his mentor. Blue Beetle lore continues to be modernized for its newest era, and the Bug receives a fitting update of its own to reflect the changes and growth the Blue Beetle is currently experiencing.

Blue Beetle #10 is available now from DC Comics.