Black Beetle (DC Comics)
| Black Beetle | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Booster Gold (vol. 2) #5 (December 2007) |
| Created by | Geoff Johns (writer) Jeff Katz (writer) Dan Jurgens (artist) Norm Rapmund (artist) Matthew Sturges (writer) Carlo Barberi (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | Time Stealers KDRA |
| Notable aliases | Joshua, Djo Zha, Dawur,[1] Blue Beetle, Red Beetle, Scarlet Scarab |
| Abilities | Alien suit of powered armor that grants him flight, energy blasts, time travel, protection from the effects of time portals, and other abilities |
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Black Beetle is a supervillain published by DC Comics. He is an enemy of Booster Gold, and the archenemy of Jaime Reyes, the third Blue Beetle.
Publication history[edit]
Black Beetle first appeared in Booster Gold vol. 2 #5 (December 2007) and was created by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Matthew Sturges and Carlo Barberi. He was featured in the Blue Beetle backup stories in Booster Gold and in the Booster Gold stories themselves. Regarding the development and utilization of the character, creator Matthew Sturges commented:
| “ | He's very much about the future, and what's GOING to happen. That's something I really like about him. So much of the Blue Beetle ethos is anchored in the past, it's nice to see a new piece of it evolving from the other direction.[2] | ” |
Fictional character biography[edit]
Originally posing as a Blue Beetle from the future, the Black Beetle appears to Booster Gold in a time sphere. He offers a chance to go back in time and save the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, from death at Maxwell Lord's hands, despite Rip Hunter's claims that Ted's death was a point of unalterable "solidified" time. Booster agrees to go with Black Beetle who has also recruited the first Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett, and the current Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, for the mission. The group is successful in saving Ted. Upon their return to the present, however, they learn that the timeline has been altered, and that Max's OMACs are policing the whole world.[3] When Booster and Ted, gathering some of their old Justice League International teammates, attempt to fix the timeline, they are attacked by Black Beetle who reveals his affiliation with the Time Stealers, a group consisting of Despero, Per Degaton, the Ultra-Humanite, and Jonar Carter (the latter under the control of Mr. Mind). As the battle with Black Beetle rages, Ted realizes that the only way to fix things is to return to the past and allow himself to be murdered. Black Beetle attempts to stop Ted, revealing that he is "Jaime Reyes' greatest enemy", and that Jaime took away someone very close to him. He also reveals that he followed the Time Stealers' plan to prevent Ted's death so that Jaime would never have been the Blue Beetle and "she" would never have died. Both he and Ted enter the Time Stealers' time sphere, which then activates.[4] In the next issue, Ted is revealed to have restored the timeline. The where (and when)-abouts of Black Beetle, however, are unknown.[5]
The "Origins and Omens" backup story in Booster Gold #17 hinted that Black Beetle would return and that his true identity would be revealed.
Hector[edit]
In the final issue of Blue Beetle (vol. 2), Nadia, one of Jaime's tech supports, is killed by the Khaji Da Revolutionary Army, a subversive group of Reach Infiltrators inspired by Jaime's Scarab. Hector, Nadia's brother, angrily blames Jaime and leaves the country. It is revealed that Hector has bonded with Reach technology taken from the invaders, potentially granting him the same powers as Jaime, and that he has taken the alias "Joshua" based on "Djo Zha" (the previous owner of his scarab), and a member of the KDRA. Joshua is the name used by the Black Beetle in his earliest appearances.[6] The use of Hector is intended to cause speculation regarding the Black Beetle character, as future storylines evolve regarding the character.[2] When Black Beetle finally confronts Jamie, he claims that he is indeed Hector, blaming Jamie for Nadia's death, but instantly retracts this statement, instead stating that he in fact killed Hector and stole his technology.[7] In the following issue, he claims to be Jaime's future self, driven mad after being attacked by a brain-damaged Milagro.[8]
Current status[edit]
The Black Beetle returns in the present day, attacking Booster Gold and the new Batman in the Batcave. After a brief altercation, Black Beetle escapes into the past, changing events in a way that causes Dick Grayson to die as Robin.[9] Booster follows Black Beetle into the past, finding that he has allied himself with Grant Wilson, attempting to change the outcome of his disastrous battle with the Teen Titans.[10] He is also shown working with an unknown person who desires the destruction of the Justice League. He briefly appears in the present, revealing himself to "Jaime Reyes" and absconding with the body of a gynoid the hero had just defeated.[11] Black Beetle is then shown in a new future he created by killing the Teen Titans where Raven's father Trigon is able to take over the world in the absence of both the Titans and Batman.[11] It is then shown that his true purpose for creating this future is to use the distraction of Booster, Rip Hunter, and the resistance attacking to steal an altered Scarab from Trigon's trophy room. He claims the Scarab is more powerful than his own and bonds it to himself as the Red Beetle (or Scarlet Scarab) in addition to his current tech.[7] Rip manages to track Black Beetle to his base, using one of his devices to overload the armor with chronal energy, seemingly destroying Black Beetle.[8] He is also shown in the present in El Paso, attempting to take Jamie's Blue Beetle scarab.[7] Jaime manages to stop him by blasting him with tachyon particles, paralyzing him. But due to wounds Milagro Reyes suffered at Black Beetle's hands, Jaime is forced to let the villain escape.[8]
In the Time Masters: Vanishing Point limited series, the Time Stealers learn that the Vanishing Point fortress was destroyed.[12] Black Beetle takes his allies to the destroyed Vanishing Point and sees that Rip has locked the Linear Men in a cell because they never agreed about how to handle time. The four villains find the cell and tear it open, finding Matthew Ryder and Liri Lee.[13] Black Beetle asks the Linear Men to help bring Waverider back to life. But Supernova prevents Black Beetle from creating dystopia and he sends the Time Stealers back to the present, although Black Beetle escapes and the Linear Men choose to go with him since he freed them from imprisonment.[14] After they find Waverider's corpse in the desolate wasteland of Earth's future, Black Beetle double-crosses the Linear Men and tries to use Waverider's power to become invulnerable.[15] Black Beetle attempts to fuse Waverider's corpse power but is thwarted by Supernova, which allows Liri to fuse with Waverider's corpse to become Linear Woman. Black Beetle attacks Supernova but when Superman and the rest of the Time Masters arrive, he escapes, telling them they will see him again another time.[16]
Powers and abilities[edit]
The Black Beetle wears what appears to be a black version of the Blue Beetle scarab suit. Black Beetle has so far only been seen utilizing energy blasts and flight abilities. It also allows him to travel through time, and protects him from the effects of the time portals. The extra powers as the Red Beetle/Scarlet Scarab are currently unknown.
In other media[edit]
Television[edit]
- A variation of Scarlet Scarab appears in the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Deep Cover for Batman!", voiced by actor Will Friedle.[17] This version is an alternate universe version of Jamie Reyes/Blue Beetle, and is a member of the Injustice Syndicate led by Owlman.
- A character named Black Beetle appears in the animated series Young Justice: Invasion, voiced by Kevin Grevioux.[18] This version is not like his comics depiction and is a member of the Reach similar to Dawur.[19]
Film[edit]
- A variation of Scarlet Scarab briefly appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. This version is an alternate universe version of Ted Kord/Blue Beetle, and is shown as a member of the Crime Syndicate of America.
Video games[edit]
- Black Beetle appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super Villains, as part of the Young Justice DLC pack.
References[edit]
- ↑ Blue Beetle (vol. 2) #20 (December 2007)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Newsarama Blog: Who is the Black Beetle? Archived July 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Newsarama, July 18, 2009
- ↑ Booster Gold (vol. 2) #6 (March 2008)
- ↑ Booster Gold (vol. 2) #10 (July 2008)
- ↑ Booster Gold (vol. 2) #1,000,000 (September 2008)
- ↑ Blue Beetle (vol. 2) #36 (April 2009)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Booster Gold (vol. 2) #24 (September 2009)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Booster Gold (vol. 2) #25 (October 2009)
- ↑ Booster Gold (vol. 2) #21 (August 2009)
- ↑ Booster Gold (vol. 2) #22 (July 2009)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Booster Gold (vol. 2) #23 (August 2009)
- ↑ Time Masters: Vanishing Point #2 (August 2010)
- ↑ Time Masters: Vanishing Point #3 (September 2010)
- ↑ Time Masters: Vanishing Point #4 (October 2010)
- ↑ Time Masters: Vanishing Point #5 (December 2010)
- ↑ Time Masters: Vanishing Point #6 (February 2011)
- ↑ "Batman: The Brave and the Bold Episode Guide". World's Finest Online. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
- ↑ "Superhero Shows: First Look at Static, Deathstroke, and Arsenal from Young Justice". Superheroshows.blogspot.com. 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ↑ "Young Justice Answers". Youngjusticeaskgreganswers.tumblr.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2016-09-24. Unknown parameter
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