Ever since being acquired from Charlton Comics, one of the DC Universe's most beloved, underdog superheroes has been Blue Beetle. A title held notably by several different individuals across comic book history, the final months of the DC Universe before its relaunch in 2011 as part of the New 52 would see the debut of a new hero inspired by the former Charlton character: Red Beetle.
Now, CBR is taking a look back at the is a quick history of Blue Beetle in the DC Universe, the introduction of Red Beetle, and how her mysterious Red Scarab almost turned the villainous Black Beetle into another Red Beetle.
The first known Blue Beetle on Earth was the Golden Age hero and archaeologist Dan Garrett. While exploring an ancient Egyptian tomb, Garrett encountered a mythical blue scarab that gave him a variety of superpowers including superhuman strength and speed, flight, and the ability to fire energy blasts. Garrett's student and protege Ted Kord accompanied the veteran hero on a mission to stop Kord's evil uncle Jarvis from unleashing an army of killer androids that ultimately resulted in Garrett's heroic death.
Inspired by his mentor, Kord would take on the mantle of Blue Beetle but was unable to bond with the scarab, forcing him to rely on his advanced technology and own natural skills and abilities as a member of the Justice League International. After discovering a massive plot by former friend and financier Maxwell Lord, Kord is murdered by Lord while the scarab bonds with teenager Jamie Reyes.
As the new Blue Beetle, Reyes learned that the scarab was actually extraterrestrial in origin from a race known as the Reach as part of their overall plans to conquer the universe by bonding to a host body and eradicating all life on targeted worlds. Since the scarab had been damaged upon arrival on Earth, Reyes' scarab instead forms a symbiotic bond with him that he controls for good.
Created by Marc Guggenheim and Scott Kolins in 2011's Justice Society of America #48, Sara Butters creates the superhero mantle of Red Beetle. Inspired by Ted Kord's heroics as the Blue Beetle, Butters models a red costume after the late superhero and sets out to fight crime and save day under her new persona.
While sporting no discernible superpowers of her own, Red Beetle would prove pivotal in the Justice Society of America's battle against Doctor Chaos at Monument Point. After helping the seasoned superhero team, Butters would officially join their ranks but often relegated to monitor duty which she personally detested.
The villainous Black Beetle would join forces with longtime Shazam antagonist Mister Mind in the alien's plot to travel back in time to alter various superhero origins for his own sinister agenda. Among the heroes targeted by the fiendish alliance was that of original Blue Beetle Dan Garrett. Instead of discovering the Blue Reach Scarab in the ancient Egyptian ruins, Garrett discovered a red one planted by the time traveling nemesis.
With the timeline altered, Black Beetle continued to wreck further chaos across the DC Universe, this time in service of the demon Trigon. As Rip Hunter leads several time traveling heroes, including Green Arrow and Green Lantern, to break into Trigon's armory, they are intercepted by Black Beetle.
The Reach-empowered villain reveals his alliance with Trigon was to obtain Trigon's red scarab stored in the armory and bonds with it to become even more powerful Red Beetle. Rip, fortunately, is able to track Black Beetle's energy signature to his hideout and overload the Reach armor from the scarab causing it explode and defeat the red scarab-enhanced villain.
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