DCU Comic Book Reviews

BLUE BEETLE #13

Defective

May 2007

Written by John Rogers

Pencils by Rafeal Albuquerque

Inks by Rafeal Albuquerque

Cover by Rafeal Albuquerque

Synopsis

Jaime Reyes (aka Blue Beetle) and the Peacemaker have just encountered the Reach, aliens who built the scarab as a way to observe the evolution of a planet’s population.  The scarab is supposed to be the guardian of the planet until the Reach can arrive to help.  Meanwhile, Jaime and Paco use their college tuition (and a little help from Wayne Enterprises) to buy back the Garage owned by Jaime’s dad.  Elsewhere, the Reach decide to test the abilities of the Blue Beetle by starting riot and infecting people with the same scarab technology as Jaime.  He senses that the rioters are being told by the scarab to kill.  Jaime forces the scarab to override the command and the rioters stop.  Jaime realizes that now the Reach are the bad guys.  Unfortunately, the Reach have made contact with the President and the Justice League.  And the Peacemaker has been infected with the scarab. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“Any alien encounter you don’t wind up dead or probed, take the win.  Especially probed.”

If you’ve been reading any of my reviews for this book, then you know how much I really like what Rogers and Albuquerque have been doing.  This issue is no exception.  Things are moving forward as we are learning more and more about the scarab, its true purpose, and what it means for Jaime.  Plus, we learn more about the Reach’s relationship with the Green Lanterns:  not good. 

I can’t say I was entirely surprised that the Reach turned out to be bad guys.  Rogers has been dropping hints here and there that the scarab is deadlier than it seems to be and now we fully understand why.  However, there is a part of me that dislikes the direction the story is going.  The idea that presumably friendly aliens are really malevolent forces of destruction is typical sci-fi fare and I am worried that Rogers will not be able to nail in such a way to make it unique or interesting, not because I doubt Rogers’ talent but because the plot has been so used that it may be difficult to find a different way inside. 

One other thing about the over plot that bothers me.  I liked the story when it was confined to San Antonio.  The book felt like it belonged to its own small world.  But with the Reach , well, reaching out to the Justice League, and having problems with Green Lantern, Blue Beetle is part of the DCU and future issues will just confirm this.  To me it robs a little bit of the uniqueness of the book.  One of its strength is the way Jaime is coping with the being a hero and how the city reacts to him (seen in this issue with the new reporter and the way the saved rioters cheer).  But part of the DCU, Jaime is just another hero. 

I like the final page for two reasons.  First, I like that the Peacemaker apologizes to Jaime for thinking that Jaime was not a good person.  We know now that the scarab is meant for more sinister reasons and that only Jaime’s will has given him the chance to do good with it.  We know now why the Peacemaker was antagonistic and ready to kill Jaime.  But his apology was nice to see and shows growth with their relationship. Second, the scarab inside the Peacemaker has the potential from some good stories.  Remember, he has the instruction manual in his head.  Combined with the scarab it is very possible that the Peacemaker could turn into a pawn for the Reach and in the process ruin the relationship he and Jaime have built.  I like the way Rogers set up the bonding between the two only to potentially break it down again. 

 

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