Blue Beetle #1 Review
Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Scott Kolins
Colours by
Letters by Josh Reed
Reviewed by Lorna Maltman (maltmanlorna@gmail.com)
Balance is key. I found this out at a young age when losing my balance on a bike meant I flipped over the handle bars and the bike literally ran over me to add insult to injury. Giffen, however in this issue hasn’t quite mastered the balance of humour and serious tones.
At the start of the issue, Jaime is recounting a recurring dream about his possible death to a friend; you would think that, whilst there might be some jokes, it would be fairly serious. Nope, every other sentence is a quip, which took the weight out of the situation. There are some great interactions between Jaime and Ted that really shine through the book, but overall the dialogue didn’t blow me away.
I found myself going over the rebirth issue to check what I was supposed to know; if you are a completely new reader to blue beetle, this series has not got off to a great start, as Giffen presumes you can follow along. The story seems to be repeating the rebirth issue, some of the plot lines from the rebirth issue are not even mentioned in this issue, but there is potential for a brilliant book here.
Scott Kolins art is a perfect fit for the book, capturing the dynamic and fun side that is needed. Fajado Jr’s colours elevate Kolins art making the art in this issue great.
Verdict:
Wait and See. My favourite character of all comic books is Booster Gold, which means I naturally have an affection for Ted Kord. I wanted to love this book instantly, but it looks like this book will take a while to get into its stride. Let’s hope it happens soon.
