Blue Beetle #1 (2016)

Following on the heels of "DC Universe: Rebirth", and "Blue Beetle: Rebirth" comes "Blue Beetle" #1! That's right Beetlemaniacs, Jaime and Ted are back! In fact, as the first page banner declares "Jaime Reyes: Reluctant Wielder of the Power of the Blue Beetle Scarab. Ted Kord: Billionaire Industrialist and Sidelined Superhero. Together They Are The Blue Beetle...Whether They Like It Or Not." Keith Giffen and Scott Kolins are back with a story called "Deja Vu Blue"

Jaime Reyes is troubled by a recurring dream. Dr. Fate is trying to kill Blue Beetle, well a Blue Beetle...well, a giant blue beetle. 

At school he tells Brenda he's been having this dream for about a week now. She asks if he even knows Dr. Fate, but he says he doesn't remember ever meeting the mystic. They run into Paco and head off to a career day assembly. And guess who happens to be the guest speaker? None other than Ted Kord! 

After school Jaime, Brenda and Paco spot Kord talking to a member of the Posse, a metahuman street gang. Paco seems surprised Kord is on good terms with a gang member, Brenda mentions her aunt hates the gang, and Jaime wants to leave before he's seen by Ted...he's not in the mood. Unfortunately, Ted's assistant Ms. Magnus spots them and calls Jaime over. 

The duo makes their way to a warehouse, then into the BUG as Kord  fills Jaime in. Working from a tip from the Posse, he wants Jaime, as Blue Beetle, to investigate. It seems 3 teens (Carlos Sandoval, Roger Sheldon, and Odalys Decicco) and their families have recently skipped town without a trace. Jaime knows Carlos from school, and knows of Roger too...a member of the Posse. First stop is Roger's home. 

The front door is busted down from the inside...and the home itself looks like a warzone! Before Jaime can investigate much more, a hulking hooded figure attacks! It thinks Blue Beetle has taken someone and demands he bring them back. It swings and punches at Jaime while asking him where they are. Ted, watching from the BUG, lets Jaime know a second too late, that the creature can access shadows and darkness and move through them. 

Information Ted learned from Nightshade...a superheroine from from his time as Blue Beetle?! Ted also decides to tell Jaime that Dr. Fate stopped by and they need to talk, but his timing is off as the creature lunges, plunging Jaime into darkness.

In the darkness we learn a few things. The creature calls himself Blot, and he's trying to get back his mother, and sister, and he wants Jaime to pass along a message..."Tell him Blot is coming for him! Make him pay!" With that Blot begins to crush Blue Beetle in his fist, but Jaime powers up and frees himself. 

The surge seems to force Blot to power down as well, revealing him to be Roger Sheldon. And at that very moment, the Posse arrives on the scene!

So, in "DC Universe Rebirth" we got the tease of Blue Beetle's return. In "Blue Beetle Rebirth" we got a little more of the story, but both left lots of unanswered questions. This issue does more of the same...and I have to say...I LOVE IT! Every little tease, every revelation, every new question leaves me wanting more. The return of the Posse, or at least a version of them. The animosity between Brenda's aunt and metahumans. Most intriguingly though, the banner at the top of page 1 declaring Ted as a "sidelined superhero". and then we get mention of Nightshade, another Charlton hero, and the tease that Ted knew her when HE was Blue Beetle! Kolins art is fun and expressive, and the story these guys are telling is entertaining as heck! I can't wait till the next issue, and the one after that, and the one after that...to see how all of this plays out and comes together!