The future is looking very bright for DC's Blue Beetle. Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #1 provides Jaime Reyes with the perfect opportunity to celebrate a major milestone. This limited series may prove to be game-changing for the character.
While Jaime Reyes has been the Blue Beetle since his debut in 2006, he has predominantly been depicted as a teen hero attending El Paso High. He fights to protect the planet, but his home base has always been El Paso, Texas. Now, he's not only being sent away, he's being grounded – literally – by the Justice League. This series could make or break Jaime's chance to be an adult hero within DC's current universe.
Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #1 has the creative team of Josh Trujillo, Adrián Gutiérrez, Wil Quintana, Lucas Gattoni, Andrew Marino, and Katie Kubert. The series was initially one of the titles included in DC's Round Robin Tournament. While it did not win, it has now been released alongside a Spanish language edition of the issue, and it poses many questions about where Jaime Reyes is headed next. The debut issue may not show a clear-cut direction for Blue Beetle, but it does provide a promising challenge the hero hasn't yet had to face: growing up.
Blue Beetle: Graduation Day is a Fresh Story About Growing Pains
Currently, the DC Universe is at an important place for its next generation of heroes. Numerous teen sidekicks have gone on to take up their mentors' mantles or become independent heroes in their own right. Wally West is The Flash once again, while Jackson Hyde has proven himself to be an Aquaman in his own right, while Dick Grayson's Nightwing has never been more popular. However, Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle has predominantly been portrayed as a teenager. Now, Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #1 poses a chance for the young hero to step away from his heroic duties - or prove that he is a fully capable hero regardless of his potential personal involvement in the coming conflict. This first issue successfully presents a clear picture of what challenges Jaime has faced thus far, while also introducing all new ones for him to tackle. It poses him as a typical teen hero and simultaneously grants him the chance to move beyond this stage of his life. The question will not only be if he can, but also if DC will allow this to be an official and entirely different kind of graduation.
Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #1 is a very effective paradigm shift, representing Jaime's home life and hometown very well, while simultaneously beginning to tear him away from it all. It shows a struggle that other popular teen heroes like Spider-Man haven't had to face. It also opens the door for him to decide his own future, while expanding on the lore of the mystical scarab that gave him his powers. This issue feels like a love letter to teens who don't have a clear path into the future, who are still figuring things out. Jaime is a very different hero from his predecessors, Ted Kord and Dan Garrett, and this could mark an exciting twist for the young El Pasoan. This opening issue also does a great job of representing Jaime's heritage by effectively blending English and Spanish in conversation within family exchanges. Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #1 is a promising start to what could be the perfect opportunity for another hero to step into DC's higher ranks.
Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #1 is available now from DC Comics.