I get all moist when I see true love in full bloom, don’t you?
Countdown to Infinite Crisis may be many things — and I’m sure opinions about what thet may be will vary — but I think it’s one of the most touching coming-out stories I’ve ever read. Oh, sure they don’t really say anything, but I’ve run across a lot of these, and I can see all the signs.
Ted Kord is rich computer genius type who’s a little dorky (hot), but despite all he’s got going for him he (1) feels really insecure around the popular guys. He also (2) leads a secret life, running around at night (3) wearing outlandish outfits and having adventures. He seems to have (4) token crushes on Batgirl and Wonder Women, but they (5) just think he’s sweet but harmless. It’s painfully obvious, though, that he (6) is in love with his best friend, the (7) handsome blond spokemodel who (8) mooches off him. After Booster is attacked and hospitalized, poor Ted dashes off to find the culprit, leaving a (9) melodramatic farewell with the nurse. As you can imagine, there are a number of plot twists meant to entice readers into buying more comics during the next year or so. And the biggest very-special-episode cliché of all…? (Warning: spoilers ahead.)
At the very end, (10) the Blue Beetle dies, for no very good reason other than an attempt to pull a few heartstrings without doing anything to a major character.
It’s a shame — I always liked the Beetle. He was one of those plucky regular guys with a gimmick and a few gadgets, a guy with no powers but none of Batman’s asshat tendencies. Oh well.
I hate that I really got to like Blue Beetle thru the pages of Birds of Prey and Formerly Known As.
Care to wager how long it will take for somebody new to find the beetle scarab and become Blue Beetle III? 6 months? 12? There’s no doubt a new Blue Beetle series in the works.
Maybe the Beetle will become the new Spectre (unless Sue Dibny gets there first), and then a teenage girl will find the Beetle scarab, and Jason Todd will be not only alive but also an agent of Lex Luthor’s secret cabal, and the new Supergirl will turn out to be really evel, and…and…and…well, alomst any stupid idea is possible at this point.
Beetle was geekily-cute, funny, light-hearted, hairy-chested, acrobatic, and a genius-level scientist and detective — everything I wanted to be as a super-hero. So this hit me particularly hard.
Beetle could be the new OMAC, too. And Max Lord could again be possessed by The Construct, and made everyone act more asshattily dismissive than usual towards Blue Beetle.
I understand the need to reinvent and invigorate the DC universe with the fall of Communism and the rise of terrorism as a threat, but everything I’ve read about this new, far-reaching effect it will have on the DC Universe seems really dark and down the wrong track.
Let’s go back to Crisis of the Infinite Earths, when all these different versions of superheroes were killed. Interesting and clever way of rapping up all the loose ends and cleaning house to start new. Then they killed Superman and brought him back as a publicity stunt which decended into, what, 5 different kinds of Superman which most people lost interest in – What happened to those? And then I read about the rape, killing and subsequent setting on fire of the wife of a superhero… by a woman? Is that right? And now this… the death of Blue Beetle? And Superboy is the son of Lex Luthor AND Superman and will be turned evil by something the original Robin does? All this killing of 3rd tier superheroes? Max Lord has been evil this entire time? Lex Luthor is back to being a cackling, twirl the mustache kind of baddy? This all seems weird to the point of cliché and with absolutely no point at all. It makes me want to bust in on one of their meetings to discuss the future of their stories and take a big dump on their conference table.
I think DC is about to get a rude awakening when everyone stops buying their books.
At this point I’m used to characters or books taking off in ridiculous directions now and then, but you’re right — it’s a bit ridiculous when it starts happening all over all at once. Now, I don’t mind all the plot twists that are being introduced, especially since a few of them will probably be handled by writers and artists who can still get some good stories out of them. What’s really disappointing, though, is that DC seems to think it has to get its whole universe to take on the same dark, cynical tone. I’ve always loved that the DC Universe had room for disparate things like the funny Justice League and the melodramatic Teen Titans and the surreal Doom Patrol all at once. I loved, for instance, that at once point there was room in regular continuity for Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew. It feels like DC is trying to present a unified front instead of a true, exhilirating mix of ideas.
They killed Beetle! You bastards!
Does this mean we’re going to have to sit through a vengeful Booster Gold mini-series now?
“Booster Gold: The Dark Auric Avenger!”
Next, we’ll find out that Jason Todd is the long-lost son of The Joker.
Ugh. Poor Ted. I’d rather Max put a bullet in Michael’s head instead.
It’s disappointing, I agree, the direction they’re taking – but, they are keeping things relatively interesting. I am disappointed that this BB is gone, he was a great character – with depth and a back story that held him up as unique – but, he did have a heart condition – they’ve been slowly killing him for some time, so I kind of expected it….Booster knew it was coming (have to say, I don’t like that ever since JL they’ve made him out to be dumb)…I liked the part in the story when BB reminded us of the possibility that Michael knows more than he lets on…it’s that knowledge that they always hinted about in the old series that kind of set him apart, that and he’s always been one of the first to rush into a fight…
Ted Kordo’s daughter will be next Blue Beetle cuz i read countdown so careful.. peace out.