Blue Beetle

This page is for the current Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes

For the original Blue Beetle see Dan Garret

For the second Blue Beetle, see Ted Kord

Origins

Some time before Ted Kord's death he left Dan Garrett's scarab in the Rock of Eternity with the wizard Shazam. After the destruction of the rock by the Spectre, the Scarab landed in a vacant lot in El Paso, Texas. There it was found by a high school student, Jaime Reyes. The scarab bonded itself to Jaime's body, and entered into a far more interactive relationship with the boy than it had with Dan Garrett. The scarab now allows Jaime to cover himself in a kind of bio-mechanical armor, which can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as to create weapons, wings and shields. Batman and his group tracked down Jaime because the Scarab was the only thing that could find Brother Eye and stop it. After Brother Eye's destruction Jaime was trapped between dimensions for a whole year and was forced to reveal his secret to his family and friends.

Creation

Jaime Reyes was created by Keith Giffen, John Rogers, and Cully Hamner.

Character Evolution

Post- Infinite Crisis

Blue Beetle III

Even while being trapped for a year after becoming the Blue Beetle, Jaime has met many other superheros and villains in a really short time including Livewire, Eclipso, Superman, Phantom Stranger, and Oracle. Oracle worried for his safety as a new hero so much that she dispatched Peacemaker to keep an eye on him. Unfortunately for Jaime the Sinestro Corps and the Reach teamed up to attack Jaime, and made Peacemaker a secret agent. Peacemaker then removed the scarab that was implanted in him by cutting it out, and though he had to be hospitalized, Jaime still survived.

Inside the mother ship where his scarab was forcefully removed, "killing" the scarab, Jaime was left powerless and naked. Accessing the knowledge that the scarab had previously input into his brain in case he had to fight without the armor, he made his way back into the Reach's hands. With his death imminent and a gun in his face he is given the chance to give his last words. At this point he says Khaji Da. Hearing this the scarab, supposedly dead, flew from the receptacle that the Reach had put it in and latched itself onto Jaime's spine once again. Then it started explaining things in English text, no longer the cryptic text as was in the past. The scarab revealed its name, Khaji Da, to Jaime (Khaji meaning its Infiltrator Function, Da being it's serial number) although it is the first scarab to take that as its name. Receiving help from many different organizations, the Posse, La Dama, and a portion of the Justice League, Jaime is set on destroying the mother ship, even at the cost of self-sacrifice. Booster Gold, however, saves him at the literal "last moment" prior to activating the destruct sequence.

Post-Flashpoint

Blue Beetle

After the events of Flashpoint, the DC Universe was rewritten and Blue Beetle's origin was changed. Jaime was an ordinary high school student living in El Paso. When he sneaks out to go to Brenda's quinceañera with Paco, they drive into the middle of a super-villain showdown. They are fighting over an artifact called the scarab which has been put into a backpack During the fight, the backpack ends up next to Jaime and to draw the villains away from Paco he puts it on and runs down an alleyway. The scarab then burns through the backpack and bonds with Jaime, transforming him into the Blue Beetle.

The scarab, Khaji-Da, was sent to cocoon planets for the Reach with the help of an organic host. However it is damaged from a Green Lantern blast and is unable to take complete control over Jaime and is forced to allow him little control. The Reach have found that their scarab Khaji-Da has activated after years assuming it to have been destroyed. Reach agents, Lu-Kreeza and Khaji-Kai set the cruiser for Earth to investigate.

Major Story Arcs

Post- Infinite Crisis:

Jamie's personal life and superhero life

Jamie's sister Milagro

A notable element of the Jaime's Blue Beetle series has been its focus on Jaime Reyes’ family. This has given Jaime’s story a strong emotional foundation and is considered to be a fan-favorite feature of the comic book. Jaime Reyes and his family are Mexican-American Catholics living in El Paso, Texas. Whether their religious affiliation is devout or nominal is not clear, but the Catholic crucifix hangs in the family room of the Reyes home. Jaime’s father Alberto runs a garage. Jaime has offered to work for his father, but Alberto has rejected his offer, regarding Jaime's education as paramount. Alberto is an old-fashioned man with fierce protective feelings about his family. He is clearly very proud of Jaime and on one occasion describes him as “a perfect son”. In the past, Alberto was crippled during a shooting incident and is forced to walk with a cane. At one point Jaime also confronted Luis, the man that crippled his father, although Jaime was forced to forgive Luis and had to keep the Spectre from killing a group of prison inmates at the same time.

Jaime’s mother Bianca is a paramedic. She has appeared in uniform in a number of issues. She struggles with Jaime’s Blue Beetle alter ego and has freaked out at the appearance of the Blue Beetle in her home. Nevertheless, she loves her son and is slowly coming to terms with his alternative super life. Jaime also has a cute little sister called Milagro. Although they argue like any brother and sister, the brother-sister bond is nevertheless strong. The love and affection between them has been demonstrated on a number of occasions. Milagro thinks that having the Blue Beetle for a big brother is cool.

Jaime x Traci 13

Traci 13 is the daughter of Dr. Thirteen, her mother died during magical experiments. But, this tragedy did not stop Traci from following her mother’s footsteps in becoming a sorceress. Following the death of her mother and at a time when she was not on good terms with her father, Traci was taken in, raised, and trained by Ralph and Sue Dibney. She has recently started a relationship with Jaime Reyes. Together they prevented Eclipso from kidnapping a baby with great magical potential and using it as a host for her own nefarious purposes.

Jamie Friends

Brenda & Paco

Paco and Brenda are Jaime’s best friends. All three teenagers attend the same high school in El Paso. Paco and Brenda were with Jaime on the fateful day when he first discovered the mystical scarab in a disused lot on the way home from school. During the year of Jaime’s disappearance after becoming the Blue Beetle, Paco hooked up with a meta-human Hispanic gang known as the Posse. Meanwhile Brenda was taken in by her aunt - later revealed to be a local crime lord, La Dama - following the death of her abusive father. On Jaime’s return, Paco and Brenda quickly discovered that their friend had become the meta-human and crime fighter known as Blue Beetle. They quickly adjusted to Jaime’s superhero status and have risen to the challenge of being his crime fighting accomplices, as well as his friends. They even helped Jaime thwart the alien civilization known as the Reach from fulfilling their ambitions to take over the Earth.

Family Reunion

Jamie's personal life and superhero life came smashing in on itself when Jaime and Traci arrived at a family reunion and he introduces her to his extended family members. There Jaime finds that his grandmother knows about him being the Blue Beetle and his mother told her. Although Jaime is not quite happy, his grandmother excepts him as a hero and even defends Blue Beetle from another family member who disrespected his alter ego (not knowing his secret). He has to leave the reunion after Khaji Da picks up the energies of the Posse. He finds that they have been attacked by Parasite who drained their combined powers. He, at first, seems like too much for the Blue Beetle, but Jaime reveals he can allow Khaji Da to take over and this increases their power enough to easily defeat Parasite. He returns to the reunion and even gives his grandmother a ride flying.

Jamie joins The Teen Titans

Teen Titans

Jaime first teamed up with the Teen Titans in a fight against Lobo. After Jaime helped the Teen Titans against Lobo he was given the chance for a trip to the tower. He finally took the chance but sadly this came upon when the Titans from the future choose to travel to the past and make sure their future happens. However these Titans are from a far more violent future and make sure things will happen their way by force. To make matters worse Starro has begun to use his powers on super villains due to the Sinestro War. Jaime fights along side the Titans and helps fight against not only the Starro controlled foe but the army of future Titans. However it should be noted that throughout the battle Kid Devils' future self Red Devil said Jaime could not be trusted. His experience with with the Teen Titans leads him to reluctantly train at the Teen Tower.

Jaime befriends Kid Devil

Despite his distrust of Jaime, Kid Devil was forced to work with him when the two where attacked by Shockwave. Jaime attempted to settle their issues as Kid Devil distrusted him not only because of his future self's words but also because of his closeness to Ravager, but Blue Beetle assured him he has no feeling for her and is somewhat afraid of her. The two soon work together to beat Shockwave and the experience allowed Kid Devil to activate new powers. After that he decided to change his name to Red Devil and showed a new friendship towards Jaime.

The KDRA

The KDRA

After Jaime is attacked by foes of Ted Kord's including Masked Marauder, Squid Gang, Fire Fist, Madmen, Catalyst and Carapax (now using steam power) and beats them he goes to a valentine's day dance an hour later. Traci 13, whom he developed a relationship, is there along with Paco and Brenda. Brenda is very worried that because she is now dating Paco it may have a negative strain on hers and Jaime friendship. However the dance is broken up by the sudden arrival of the KDRA (Khaji Da Revolutionary Army). Their showing up makes it almost public that Jaime is really the Blue Beetle. The leader of the KDRA, Djo Zha, explained that the KDRA was really made by the scarab sharing its information with the Reach computers and spreading its want to be free from their oppression. They told Blue Beetle the real reason they where there was to have him become the army's leader to destroy the Reach. Meanwhile Jaime's ally Nadia has translated the scarabs language and knows that the KDRA have a secret plan and tries to warn Jaime. Back at the dance the KDRA is revealed to not be as benign as it would seem and feel that the best way to help worlds such as earth is to remove all oppression by destroying countries such as the U.S.A and China and what they call "terrorist" cells like the Justice League. Of course Jaime is against them and now the KDRA chooses to kill him.

Jaime begins to fight the KDRA (while Nadia saves his secret with a hologram). Despite Hector's arrival Nadia is killed while Jaime is fighting and, believing the hologram to be him, becomes angry (the hologram was just standing doing nothing without orders). Jaime later interprets something Nadia had told him and realizes he can use Khaji Da to control the others and the scarab decides to use a reboot (however it will last 27.4 days and the scarab isn't sure if it will survive.) After the reboot begins Jaime loses his powers and is forced to use the host of Djo Zha (the host has wings) to break a fall. However he is wounded enough to need to go to the hospital. While there he becomes aware of Nadia's fate and for days he is in the hospital. Nadia had a funeral and Hector has vanished. Finally the scarab makes a small appearance , but just long enough to heal Jaime. Meanwhile the KDRA have been arrested by the GL Corps and Peacemaker even drops by on Jaime. Later the scarab is back to full strength but Hector is still gone and he has the Djo Zha scarab. Hector is seen in L.A getting a car using the scarabs name (implying he is the villain Black Beetle).

Robot Attack!

While with Paco and Brenda at a fast food place Jaime notices that the city is under attack by a giant robot named Thinko. The fight lasted three whole hours before Jaime was able beat Thinko. After doing some investigating they found out who created Thinko back in the 1940's. The man's name was Alan Von Neuman. they go to a prison looking for him but find only his son Alan Von Neuman Jr. He tells them that he didn't reuse the robot and he didn't want them to get his daughter involved but as they left Neuman Jr. his own robots appeared calling themselves the Unimate.

The robots free the doctor and take him to his daughter Maria while Jaime still fights a few. He is able to trick them into attacking each other by making them think they are attacking him. Paco later locates Maria, but is kidnapped by her. Blue Beetle and Brenda realize he is missing and go after him only to be attacked by Maria with robotic arms.

The Blue and The Gold

The Beetle Team

Around this time Jaime was also called together by Booster Gold and various Blue Beetles to help save the life of Ted Kord. However doing so altered reality and it was revealed this was planned by the Blue Beetle who was actually Black Beetle, a future enemy of Jaime's. However Ted allowed himself to die to fix reality (although later it was implied he may have found a way to live and secure the time stream.) The Blue Beetle team up with with Booster Gold in the series to help Booster Gold defeat Ted Kord who is a Black Lantern.

Generation Lost

Although Jamie is a young hero he is also part of the Generation Lost Justice League with Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Ice and Rocket Red 7. All the Generation Lost members are ex-members of the Justice League International team. The Blue Beetle, Ted Kord was originally part of this group and Jamie has filled in for Ted's spot on the team. The group was never officially put together but drawn together by Max Lord's manipulation. The team is now dedicated to finding and stopping Max. When Maxwell Lord kidnapped Jaime Reyes, he tried to make him become a soldier in Max's army. However, Jamie resisted Max's mind control and was no more of use to Max. With the Justice League International hot on Jaime's trail, Max decided to make his plan fall into action by (first) killing the Blue Beetle. Sealing the ships doors shut, the Justice League International came to late to save Jaime, however witnessed his death. Ironically being shot in the head like Ted Kord, Jaime was as same and even more, a hero the very end.

Jaime is Back!

The Death of Blue Beetle?

With Beetle dead, Booster promised that he would kill Maxwell Lord when he gained the chance. Wanting to make sure that Jaime is really dead, the team takes Jaime to an abandoned island where they check to see if he is alive. Red Rocket delivers the bad news and states that he isn't alive. Another beetle has fallen at the hands of Maxwell Lord. Jamie's supposed death was only temporary however, he is shown to be alive and well. The Scarab armor was able to block Maxwell Lord's shot and put Jamie's in temporary stasis while his body healed. Back to full health and is ready with the team to help hunt down Max Lord again with the Justice League International, where they left off at. After the events and fighting Max Lord to the end to defet him and with the help of Batman returning from the dead to help the team.

Flashpoint

In Setpember of 2011 all of DC Comics went back to number one's and Blue Beetle orgins in the new series has changed in the DC Relaunch series.

Powers and Abilities

Uniform

Jamie doesn't really have a uniform like the other Blue Beetles, his is more of a sentient robotic weapon that covers his body. He seeming had no control of the way his uniform would look when it first appeared but it did have elements of Ted Kord's costume.

This is ironic because Ted was never able to get the scarab to work for him and yet Jaime's costume looks the most like his.

Scarab

Blue Beetle, Blue Print

The Blue Beetle scarab is the most powerful weapon of all the Blue Beetles. The only Blue Beetle to have not used the Scarab is Ted Kord. Jaime has had the most unique powers and has fully bonded to the Scarab. The Scarab can still use many of it's powers on it's own and can take over the armor if Jaime is being manipulated. Jaime even believes that there may be weapons powerful enough to hurt the Spectre due to the scarab giving him options after options on how to handle him.

The Scarab won't hurt nature unless reasoned with and it causes Green Lanterns to act violently towards him and defends itself in response. The nature of the scarab is still unknown. It has a strong reaction to the Green Lantern rings as Guy Gardner attacked him, and is driven to escape from them whenever possible. It has recently been revealed that the scarab is a piece of ancient alien technology created by a conquering race called the Reach.

Abilities

1. Tracking Systems, the suit can track any form of energy, biological, magic or technology.
2. Scarab Sight, the Scarab can track anyone Jaime has encountered and search for anything concealing itself even if they are in other dimensions. It can also determine a persons conditions such as pregnancy.
3. Symbiotic Telepathic Communication, Jaime and the Scarab can communicate but the Scarab talks in it's own language.
4. Wireless Network Connection.
5. Superhuman Strength. Sufficient to pick up a light truck.
6. Can be estimated to be able of lifting up to 3 tons.
7. Superhuman Agility -Armor Resilience.
8. Partial Armor Manifestation.
9. Dual-Purpose Wings, the wings could act as a shield but have changed to be more translucent.
10. Battle Analysis Adaptation.
11. Energy Blasts.
12. Vibrational Frequency Manipulation.
13. Translation.
14. Waste Disposal, he doesn't need to use the bathroom in the suit.
15. Healing factor, capable of healing himself after Maxwell Lord shot him in the head.

Other Versions

The Black Beetle

In order to save Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, Booster Gold gathers a group of Blue Beetles including Jaime Reyes, Dan Garrett and an unnamed Blue Beetle from the 27th century. Succeeding in their efforts, all except Ted Kord's and Booster Gold's memories were wiped of the event. It is revealed that the future Blue Beetle is in fact the "Black" Beetle, who is working with Booster's father and has helped start the Time Stealer's organization. The Black Beetle will go on be an enemy of Blue Beetle, Jamie Reyes. Of all the Blue Beetle costumes the Black Beetle closely resembles the Kingdom Come version of Ted Kord. This Blue Beetle is also an Alternate Universe Blue Beetle.

Justice Society of America #37-38

An alternate version of Jaime appears in Justice Society of America #37-38 as part of the Fatherland storyline. Set twenty years in the future, Jaime has lost his powers after Captain Nazi and his fellow white supremacist villains activate their Great Darkness Engine, a device which neutralizes most of the world's metahumans and allows a Neo-Nazi regime known as the Fourth Reich to take over America. Held prisoner alongside the world's few surviving superheroes, Jaime is ultimately killed by security guards after attacking Mr. Terrific during the execution ceremony for Batman and the Joker.

Flashpoint

Jaime appeared in Flashpoint as a member of the Battalion of Ambush Bugs. The team consists on him, Queen Bee, Firefly new characters Cockroach and Canterbury Cricket. The team's mission was to stop the amazons in England. Unfortunately all the team, with the exception of Canterbury Cricket who was able to escape, was killed by the Amazons.

Other media

Television

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Blue Beetle In Batman: the Brave And The Bold

Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) first appears in Batman: the Brave and the Bold. The episodes he appears in are ' Rise of the Blue Beetle', the opening sequence of 'Invasion of the Secret Santas', "Fall of the Blue Beetle" (along with Ted Kord and Dan Garrett in flash backs, and Jarvis Kord as the main villain of the episode), 'Game Over for Owlman', and 'Night of the Huntress'.

Jaime is a recurring character of the series. As a teenager Jaime is an inexperienced hero, he is naive and talkative, and often in awe of other heroes. His attitude sometimes annoys Batman, but he has an appropriate sense of justice. His suit has its own intelligence and advises Jaime during missions.

It's revealed that Jaime was chosen by Blue Scarab to become the new beetle, and the device allow him to use his full potential. In the series its shown how the two former Beetles died. Dan Garrett passed the mantle to Ted Kord in his final act and Ted dies in an explosion of a rocket that was sent to Hub City by his uncle Jarvis.

In the series exists a place named Science Island, home of the ultimate Blue Scarab Technologies and headquarters of Jarvis Kord. He appears in "Darkseid Descending!" as a member of the Justice League International and helps defend Earth from the Invading parademon army. He also appears in "Time Out For Vengeance!" again in the J.L.I and goes with Booster Gold to save the Batman in pirate times.

Smallville

When an alien weapon in the form of a scarab fuses itself with teenager Jaime Reyes, he is turned into Blue Beetle. Unfortunately, he is unable to control the scarab and ends up attacking Metropolis. This episode also includes Ted Kord and a mention of Dan Garrett.

Young Justice

Blue Beetle is a member of Young Justice's Gamma Team. He is played by Eric Lopez. In Young Justice his suit can help him translate the alien invaders language. It also often argues with him, making him look like he's talking to himself

Videogames

Batman: The Brave and the Bold : The Videogame

Blue Beetle appears as one of the main side heroes, in episode two is a playable character, he has four special moves: Bomb Cannon, Ground Pistons, Laser Shot and Stun Gun. During missions Jaime is repeatedly scolded by Batman because of his talkative attitude. They pass through different levels to stop Gorilla Grodd that wants to own Science Island (Ted Kord's Sanctuary), all these is because Jaime accidentally told him about the existence of the Island.