DCU Comic Book Reviews

MANHUNTER #28

Unleashed, Part 3:  Blue By You

April 2007

Written by Marc Andreyko

Pencils by Javier Pina and Brad Walker

Inks by Robin Riggs

Cover by Kevin Nowlan

Synopsis

In the middle of press conference, the long-to-be-believed dead Ted Kord (aka Blue Beetle) appears out of nowhere, apparently alive.  Before Diana or Kate can question him further, the Madmen attack.  In Gotham City, Chase gets ready to confront Dr. Trapp while Dylan waits outside, listening.  When Trapp knocks Chase unconscious, Dylan attempts to rescue her, but he is locked out.  After dispatching the Madmen, “Blue Beetle” takes Diana and Kate back to one his old places, where the find Batman.  The Dark Knight plans to prove the “Blue Beetle” is an elaborate; he takes a blood sample to compare DNA.  Deep in the Himalayas, the Order of St. Dumas tells Mark Shaw that he will be their new champion.  Meanwhile, Kate returns home to find a visitor, who tells Kate that doesn’t want someone found guilty based on doctored evidence, so she has left behind the unaltered tape of Wonder Woman killing Max Lord. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“So they’re covered in beetle juice.  Get it? Nothing?  Not even a ‘bwah’?”

Well, this is not at all what I expected.  I really expected that the mystery of Blue Beetle would be resolved fairly quickly, not continued for as long as it has.  Andreyko is doing whatever he can to make it seem as if this “Blue Beetle” real from the use of Diana’s lasso to his description of the Checkmate castle in the Alps to the sudden appearance of the Madmen.  Even the malfunction of the parachute would fit perfectly inline to how things would work out for Ted Kord.  Yet, I am not buying it all and I am not sure whether it’s because I feel it would take away from the original story of events that led up to Infinite Crisis or because this storyline seems like an underwhelming way to return a character from the dead.

Regardless, this was another good, solid issue from Andreyko and company.  The appearance of Batman was handled well, especially with his offhand remark of dealing with Manhunter later.  Given her penchant for killing villains, one could see why Batman would be upset with her.  Moreover, I liked the way Batman messed with Kate’s mind, making her wonder what exactly he is thinking.  

It looks more and more like Mark Shaw will become the new Azreal or the new avenging angle or whatever you wish to call him.  It doesn’t really make that much of difference to me what they do or don’t do with the character, but it will be interesting to see if DC will follow-up on this or if it will just lay fallow until a minor character is needed to die in the next big mega-crossover event. 

It is interesting to note that on the first page, “Blue Beetle” tells Diana not to call him Ted because he has a secret identity to protect, but then two panels later the press corps is asking him about Kord Industries.  I am not quite sure what this means but I thought I’d mention it. 

Comic Connection

Blue Beetle fought the Madmen and was killed in Countdown to Infinite Crisis (March 2005).  

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