DC Comics is full of legacy heroes, but few are as old or unique as the Blue Beetle. When one of Earth's defenders falls in battle, it's not uncommon for someone new to carry the mantle in their honor. But what makes Beetle stand out from other legacy characters such as the Flash is that every hero to put on the mask has been drastically different from the others; not just in their age and occupation, but also in their unique abilities (or lack thereof).
There have been three major characters in DC's long history to take on the role of Blue Beetle, and aside from their color scheme, it can be hard to imagine that they are technically embodying the same role. Though he may have started out as a generic masked adventurer of the Golden Age, the Blue Beetle has evolved to become one of DC's most recognizable heroes outside of the main Justice League roster. Depending on the person inside the suit, Beetle has gone from being a moderately-enhanced superhuman to a low-budget Batman to one of the planet's most powerful teenagers. To fully understand the legacy, one must first examine each man to wear the blue.
Dan Garrett
Dan Garrett (or Garret as it was originally spelled) was the first hero to take up the mantle of Blue Beetle. Though he technically first appeared in 1939 as a chemically-enhanced super cop in Fox Comics, through a confusing series of events he was later reimagined by Charlton Comics...and then sold to DC Comics. Garrett's first canonical appearance was in Blue Beetle #1 in June 1964, where he was depicted as an archeologist who uncovered a glowing blue Scarab in the tomb of the Pharoah Kha-ef-re. Upon reciting the the phrase "Kaji Dha," Garrett would gain powerful metahuman abilities including super-strength, flight, and energy projection. His body would also become encased in blue chain-mail armor that could withstand small caliber fire. For years, Garrett protected the citizens of Hub City as its stoic hero in blue, eventually meeting a young science wiz named Ted Kord...an encounter that ultimately led to this death.
As it turned out, Ted Kord's uncle Jarvis was a mad scientist with delusions of world domination. Though Beetle was able to assist Ted in stopping his uncle, Garrett was mortally wounded and left to die under a pile of rubble on an island fortress. But before succumbing to his injuries, Garrett made Ted promise to carry on the mantle of Blue Beetle. Years later, Garrett was resurrected by the power of the Scarab, but as a zombie under the thrall of the mysterious ancient alien technology hidden within. This undead Beetle returned from the ashes of Pago Island in the hopes of hunting down and killing his successor. However, there was still enough of Garrett's memories within his corrupted mind, and the Silver Age hero sacrificed himself to end the Scarab's reign of terror.
Ted Kord
Unlike his predecessor, Ted Kord lacked the power of the blue Scarab. As a result, the hero was forced to compensate by using technology. Using the considerable wealth he inherited from his father, Blue Beetle II created a whole persona around the hero Garrett once represented. Though he tried to replicate the powers of the first Blue Beetle with such weapons as his B.B. gun as well as his giant, beetle-shaped airship; ultimately Ted Kord never came close to measuring up to the legend of his mentor due in part to a heart condition. Despite having his own fair share of costumed escapades, Kord was viewed by the vast majority of the hero community as nothing more than a D-lister.
Some of Ted's most notorious stories were from when he served on the Justice League: International roster alongside his best friend, the time-traveling ex-quarterback Booster Gold. Their misadventures together were more comical than dramatic, often being indirectly caused by their own immaturity. Sadly, Ted Kord's time as the Blue Beetle would also end in tragedy. During the events of Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Kord proved to be a better hero than anyone had previously given him credit for; uncovering a global conspiracy led by his former friend Max Lord. Drunk with newfound power, Lord went from being an egotistical entrepreneur to a full-blown supervillain. When given the choice to either join his former ally or face certain death, Ted Kord simply told the megalomaniac to rot in hell, and was subsequently shot in the head. His character was the primary inspiration for Nite Owl in Alan Moore's Watchmen.
Jaime Reyes
Jaime Reyes is the current Blue Beetle, and the one most modern fans are familiar with. First appearing in Infinite Crisis #3 in 2006, Jaime accidentally came across the Scarab during the chaos caused by several Earth-shattering events—including an invasion of O.M.A.C. nano-drones powered by Batman's rogue satellite, Brother Eye, and the destruction of the Rock of Eternity. Upon bringing the shiny trinket home, the Scarab quietly crawled onto Jaime while he slept and attached itself to the teenager's spine. Completely unaware of what happened, it was Ted Kord's old pal Booster Gold who informed the boy that his life had just changed forever.
Using his limited understanding of the future, Booster foresaw Batman's failed plan to bring down Brother Eye and (without the Dark Knight's consent) recruited Jaime to help take down the massive satellite and its army of O.M.A.C. drones. Wielding his newfound alien-enhanced powers (that far exceeded those of Dan Garrett), Jaime negated Brother Eye's cloaking frequency, which allowed Batman and his team of heroes to take down the malicious A.I. This would be Jaime's first adventure as the third Blue Beetle, but it would hardly be his last. After the destruction of Brother Eye hurtled Jaime a year into the future, the teen Beetle would go on to learn the sinister origins of the Scarab.
As it turned out, the ancient Scarab talisman once believed to be magical in origin was actually ultra-advanced technology from a race of world-conquering aliens known as the Reach. Rather than waste troops on Independence Day-style confrontations, the Reach would send Scarabs out to planets they hoped to colonize like high tech parasites. After attaching itself to a host, the Scarab would eventually rewrite its victim's DNA, effectively erasing their mind. Although its host would be granted tremendous power, they would ultimately be nothing more than tools used to subjugate their own planets. However, the many centuries the Scarab spent on Earth had left it flawed, and rather than influence Jaime, the boy influenced the Scarab. Through Jaime Reyes, the Scarab became infected with humanity, and instead of conquering Earth, it now works to help protect it.
Blue Beetle: Rebirth
When DC relaunched its continuity courtesy of its DC Rebirth initiative, most of the characters were rolled back to their pre-Flashpoint origins. However, Blue Beetle was left in a rather unique situation. Rather than die at the hands of Max Lord, Ted Kord instead left the world of super-heroics when a heart attack nearly claimed his life while out in the field. But even retired, Kord refused to give up on making the world a better place, and instead refocused his resources on creating technology for the betterment of humankind. And upon learning that a teenager from El Paso not only took on his former role as the Blue Beetle, but also managed to unlock the Scarab's full world-devastating potential, Kord took it upon himself to be Jaime's mentor—despite the boy's many protestations.
Though their relationship can be antagonistic at times, together Jaime and Ted Kord were able to uncover yet another dark secret of the Scarab. As it turned out, it was none other than the Lord of Order, Doctor Fate, who had damaged the Scarab thousands of years ago in a battle with an Atlantean sorcerer who had become corrupted by its influence. The ancient conjurer known as Arion would eventually return to once again reclaim the Scarab and use its awesome power to destroy Earth. But the magician hadn't counted on the Scarab's loyalty to Jaime. Seeing Reyes as a genuine friend, the alien super weapon abandoned Arion to once again merge with the teen boy, saving the planet from Armageddon.
While every incarnation of the Blue Beetle is relevant to the legacy, it is Jaime Reyes who truly owns the title. Being one of the few Mexican-American superheroes to headline his own series in DC Comics, the character regularly tackles issues many Latinos face in real life. His pre-New 52 era comics not only had Jaime facing off against such foes as anti-Hispanic protestors and sleazy politicians hoping to deputize him as a border patrol agent, the fact that his armor hides his ethnic background also meant he regularly faced harsh criticism from other Latinos who incorrectly viewed him as a White man inflicting his sense of justice on immigrant communities. Though he is one of DC's most powerful superheroes, it is Jaime Reyes' very human vulnerabilities that make him such a beloved character, and worthy of owning the Blue Beetle legacy.