The Blue Beetle is one of DC's most underrated superheroes despite being a mainstay in the universe for decades. However, that might change now that the Jaime Reyes iteration of the character is getting his own movie starring Cobra Kai actor Xolo Maridueña as the titular hero.
As a result of the iminent movie, there will be many newcomers to the character who may want to read the comics on which he is based. The question is, where does someone start with Blue Beetle? The current version of the character as well as his predecessors have comics that date all the way back to the 1940s.
Blue Beetle (1964)
The original Blue Beetle was Dan Garrett, an archaeologist who uses magic to transform into the titular superhero. This comic series harks back to the classic swashbuckling adventure films about exploring Egypt, even featuring Blue Beetle fighting mummies akin to the Universal/Hammer horror monster.
It may be a far cry from what many fans know Blue Beetle to be today but it remains an integral part of the history of this character. The stories are still fun to read as they mix globetrotting adventure with superhero action.
Captain Atom #83 (1966)
In this issue featuring the powerful Captain Atom, readers are given the first introduction to the second Blue Beetle. Ted Kord is introduced in the second story of the issue and he's quite different from Dan Garret.
Instead of transforming into a superpowered hero with the use of a single word, Ted is more of an equivalent to Batman. He's a man in a costume with lots of beetle-themed gadgets and vehicles protecting the city streets from local crime.
Blue Beetle (1986)
Ted Kord took over as the main Blue Beetle to follow in this series but Dan Garrett was not forgotten. There is a crossover between the two Beetles in which readers see the death of Dan Garrett and the ing of the torch onto Ted Kord.
Ted Kord would go on to become the definitive version of Blue Beetle for years until Jaime Reyes' introduction. This series would help Ted Kord become a mainstay for the DC universe, even to the point of becoming a member of the Justice League International.
Justice League International Omnibus Vol. 1 (2017)
The Justice League has had several variant teams over the years including Justice League Dark, Justice League Odyssey, and Justice League International. The JLI was comprised of less typical including Mister Miracle, Booster Gold, and, of course, Blue Beetle.
Many are most fond of the typical Justice League but JLI proved to be a unique team that deserved more recognition than they got. When it came back years later, Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle ed it, harking back to Ted Kord.
Booster Gold: Blue And Gold (2009)
There are plenty of memorable friendships in the DC universe from Superman and Batman to Nightwing and Kid Flash. However, one of the more famous ones is the partnership of Ted Kord and Michael Jon Carter AKA Booster Gold.
This friendship became so famous that the two got their own spin-off with Booster Gold: Blue And Gold. It's the two heroes going off on wild and fun adventures that bring as many thrills as they do laughs. It's like Booster and Beetle were made to be partners because the two work together so well.
Countdown To Infinite Crisis (2005)
This event didn't really focus on Blue Beetle but it is significant to Blue Beetle's history. Justice League International's own founder Maxwell Lord turns out to be a villain and in his madness, murders Ted Kord.
This death was brutal for fans to witness which led to a bit of controversy at first. However, over the years, fans have come to appreciate the demise of Ted Kord for how it was essential in setting up the introduction of the third Blue Beetle named Jaime Reyes.
Blue And Gold (2021)
The classic friendship made its biggest return in 2021 with Blue And Gold as its own series. Fans got to see Ted Kord and Booster Gold work together again but also got Jaime Reyes making an appearance.
Essentially, it is more of what fans loved about the previous Blue And Gold stories but bigger and better than ever. From being trapped on alien planets to portals that lead to other dimensions to even meeting Rip Hunter, this series has a lot to enjoy without needing a ton of homework reading.
Blue Beetle: Rebirth (2016)
Blue Beetle was given his own series yet again when the DC universe rebooted with the Rebirth event. In this one, Jaime Reyes is forced to learn even more about the scarab fused to his spine from both Kent Nelson AKA Doctor Fate and Ted Kord.
It keeps the fun coming-of-age superhero material that the Blue Beetle comics had become famous for while adding more to the mythos. Though it was not as strong as previous runs, Rebirth provided a good starting point for new and old readers alike.
Blue Beetle (2011)
With the New 52 reboot of DC, Blue Beetle's origins were explored even further, showing who created the scarab and all the previous hosts before Dan Garrett. It also introduced other Blue Beetles from other planets as well as villainous variants such as Blood Beetle.
Jaime continued to be a strong leading character, continuing his complicated relationship with the scarab. This series proves that not only was Blue Beetle a powerful hero but was worthy of the respect of heroes like the Justice League.
Blue Beetle (2006)
Despite its cancellation due to lack of sales, the 2006 Blue Beetle series remains a cult classic for many DC fans. It not only introduced Jaime Reyes who would become the definitive carrier of the moniker but also overhauled the entire Blue Beetle mythos to fit in both Ted Kord and Dan Garrett as Jaime's predecessors.
This series also didn't rely on being this epic story that would redefine the DC world. Instead, Blue Beetle was simply about a young superhero having a blast on different adventures while still dealing with growing up, family issues, and high school. On top of that, the Reach proved to be such an interesting villainous alien race that they became a large focus of Young Justice season two.
