Well some sucky news...DC will cancel Blue Beetle with issue #36. I wasn't shocked when I heard it. This book has been threatened with cancellation practically since it's first year. DC did everything they could to boost sales: guest appearances by Batman and Superman, included the book in the mega popular Sinestro Corp War, giving Beetle a guest appearance in The Brave & The Bold and making him one of the Teen Titans. DC did everything they could but sales just would not jump.
As a wait-for-the-trade guy I admit my disappointment is hypocritical. If I loved the book so much why wait 6 months for the collection? Okay, I give you that. BUT, there are way more readers out there who buy the monthly comics than there are us "wait for the trade" people. I'm not blaming anyone (though it looks like I am) but if they had picked up Blue Beetle and see what a cool, fun comic it is along with their usual Batman or X-Men comics then maybe, just maybe DC would have had more faith in the title. But it's a business and at the end of the day they look at the numbers and the numbers stink.
What attracted me to this new Beetle? Well, for starters Blue Beetle is an Hispanic teen named Jaime Reyes (that's "Hey-me" Reyes and not "Jay-me" Reyes). Most superheroes can trace their ancenstry back to when the Anglos met the Saxons and they live in fictional places like Keystone City, Gotham, Metropolis and Atlantis. Jaime lives in the real city of El Paso, Texas. Plus, Jaime didn't become a superhero to avenge his parents' death or to right the wrongs of the world. In fact he wished he never picked up the damn blue scarab in the first place but now that he did he's making sure he'll put it to good use...while making some mistakes and some tough decisions on the way. Far cry from the uber-perfection of the more established superheroes who never seem to put a foot wrong. Long story short, Jaime Reyes could be one of us and the last time comic book readers could say that was when Lee and Ditko created Spider-Man over forty years ago!
Oh well, all this is academic. It was a fun ride while it lasted. I still have the trades if I ever miss reading his adventures and I recommend everyone who never picked up the book to read the trades. Four books so far, with the final fifth volume no doubt coming out next year.
Adios, Jaime. See you whenever.
And don't get me started on Manhunter...
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