Blue Beetle #9

1. Cover by Paris Cullins and Bruce Patterson.
2. Written by Len Wein, penciled by Paris Cullins, inked Dell Barras, colored by Gene D'Angelo and lettered by John Costanza.

Note: Legends Chapter 11.

Blue Beetle deals with the anti-superhero sentiment created by the events of Legends, and picks up the trail of Chronos.

Full Plot

Beetle stops an old lady from being mugged by the gang known as the Cyberpunks. Showing off, he literally beats them with both hands behind his back. Afterwards, when Beetle helps the woman to her feet, she hits him with her purse, yelling “Down, with Superheros!! Power to the people!!” Shocked, Beetle becomes even more disturbed when several policemen try to arrest him for violating the Presidential order banning superhero activity. Beetle escapes in his Bug and tries to make sense of the situation.

At the home of Angela Revere, her visiting uncle reveals that he is in fact Chronos the time thief. She tries to stop him but he freezes her in time, leaving her in a suspended animation.

Beetle goes back to the Beetle Nest upset about todays events. He changes clothes, charges up the Bug and wonders if there is any place for the Blue Beetle in a world that hates heroes.

In the Mojave Desert an amateur geologist named Cassandra Sharp is caught in a sandstorm that buries her almost completely. Two anonymous men come later and collect her lifeless body.

In the office of Melody Case at KORD industries Melody listens to the President give a speech about why he has made a Presidential order outlawing superheros. She has this on when Ted Kord, recently changed out of his Blue Beetle uniform, walks in. After the presidential speech Gwyneth Tate interviews G. Gordon Godfrey about the so called superhero menace. Ted gets so upset he shuts off the TV. This upsets Melody and they argue about heroes place in society.

At the new hideout of Chronos, two henchmen try to blackmail Chronos, seeking payment to keep their mouths shut. Chronos simply kills them, shutting their mouths permanently.

In the Metallurgy lab of of KORD industries. Ted Kord, Murray Takamoto, and Curt Calhoun (a.k.a. Prometheus) work in the lab to finish a project before Garrison Slate gets to Chicago in two days.

Detective Maxwell Fisher and Detective Frank Holt argue about the President's ban on superheroes at Chicago Police Precinct 21 Headquarters.

Back at KORD Industries Melody asks if Ted has seen Angela Revere; She is worried about her and Ted offers to check on her. She wants him to get someone else to do it but Ted doesn't pay her any mind.

Meanwhile, on Pago Island, Conrad Carapax finds a door at the end of a tunnel he has been digging. He tries to get the doors open with no luck. He knows that there is something on the island that was worth Dan Garrett's life and he plans on finding out what is.

Ted gets to Angela Revere's home and finds her frozen in time. He manages to free her and considers calling the police but decides Chronos is out of their league and resolves to stop him as the Blue Beetle, despite the Presidential order.