Warning! Spoilers ahead for Blue and Gold #7
It seems as though there’s some confusion about Blue Beetle in the DC Comics Universe. In the latest issue of Blue and Gold, Booster Gold and Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle cross paths with the other Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes. While the trio teaming up is exciting and a lot of fun, it seems as though some of Booster’s subscribers share the same sentiments about Blue Beetle that many readers do in the real world. It’s also a big reason why the trio won’t be continuing in future issues of the new DC series.
In previous issues of Blue and Gold, Booster and Kord have decided to start ‘Blue & Gold Restorations’ a new business venture where they do some good and stream it for subscribers who have the option to donate. Essentially, it’s the modernized next level of Marvel’s Heroes for Hire. While the duo’s been looking to help with somewhat strange problems or ones the Justice League is too busy to handle, they’ve also had their fair share of supervillain encounters as well.
Now, Blue and Gold #7 from Dan Jurgens, Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Paul Pelletier, and Norm Rapmund features the series debut of Jaime Reyes, the younger Blue Beetle. While a new foe has manipulated Jaime into saving Kord and Gold in secret, it’s still a dynamic team-up with the three heroes working together to stop the villain known as Nullifex. However, many of Gold’s subscribers are confused in the comments section about why there are two Blue Beetles. While it’s all thanks to the New 52 reboot erasing past characters (Kord), bringing in new ones (Jaime), and more recent events bringing past characters back (Kord again), it’s odd that the DC Universe has a hang-up with there being more than one Beetle (especially considering certain Bat-Family heroes).
Despite sharing the same name, Ted Kord and Jaime Reyes are very different heroes with their own personalities and looks. For example, Kord uses a lot of gadgets while Reyes’ Blue Beetle wears a suit of powerful battle armor. Regardless, fans of the DC Universe and those living in the DC Universe itself seem to share the same confusion. Furthermore, Jaime turns down Ted and Booster’s offer to join them on a permanent basis, concerned that he’d always been seen as “Blue Beetle Jr.” While that reasoning makes a certain amount of sense, it’s clearly not a problem for Batman’s sidekicks seeing as how the Dark Knight’s third and fourth Robins are currently sharing the name with little issue.
While Jaime’s Blue Beetle decided to take off by the issue’s end, it’s likely that he’ll soon make a return with the reveal that the villain who manipulated him from the shadows is none other than Black Beetle. As such, Booster Gold is starting to become the odd man out in his own series (which is actually quite hilarious). At any rate, it seems as though fans of Blue and Gold are going to have to get over multiple Blue Beetles operating at the same time before they brawl with yet another Beetle in the DC Universe.
