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This book is still a blast. Co-writer Keith Giffen departs halfway through the volume, but John Rogers is so good on his own you wouldn't even notice. The book opens up with a semi-flashback issue that clarifies exactly what happened to Jaime leading up to the One Year Later gap for those who didn't read Infinite Crisis (or those of us whose memories are vague). As always, some of the best bits are the jokes, such as Batman telling Jaime that he should say Superman helped him out so he doesn't ruin his dour mystique, or Green Arrow and Black Canary bickering about GA's limitations as a superhero while kind-of helping Jaime.

That's not the only trip into the past here, as soon Jaime and Brenda are on the road with mysterious-gruff-and-lovable mercenary the Peacemaker to find out about the history of the Blue Beetle from Danielle Garrett, granddaughter of the original Blue Beetle. The book is good about dolling out both solutions and mysteries-- everything Jaime learns about the mysterious scarab fused to his spine only leaves him with more to learn.

But soon Jaime's going to outer space and tangling with the New Gods-- more hilarity ensues. Has Metron ever been this funny? You might fret it's disrespectful to Jack Kirby, but it's too good for me to complain.

Jaime may have not chosen to be the Blue Beetle, but by this point in the series, he has chosen to be a hero. I love that his parents have rules for when he can go out and fight crime, and I love that Paco has organized tech support for him, and I love that he loves being a hero. This is a book with a lot of heart, and so far it's moved from success to success and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Blue Beetle: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence »

The second in the Jamie Reyes Blue Beetle TPBs. There's a lot going on in this one. He tells his side of the story for what happened during the Brother Eye stuff, and what he remembers about the afterward stuff.

Then he and Brenda, one of his Best Friends (the other's Paco) go and visit the first Blue Beetle's granddaughter and she is snarky, but not too helpful, most of those who are 'helping' him aren't actually much help.

He gets a Virtual Online hideout. And Brenda gets transported to an alien planet where some stuff with the New Gods happens then he finally meets a representative of the aliens whose technology the scarab is.

I think my favorite part of the issues and the title is the family feeling I get about the Main Characters, even with Blue Beetle's 'arch-nemesis' as Paco names her, there's an underlying connection there. I also love the banter between the teens. Very Whedon-esque. ( )

The extra half star is for Batman's cameo. Priceless! ( )