About Heroes

Writer: John Rogers
Artists: Rafeal Albuquerque & David Baldeon

This issue was so much fun. If you aren't getting Blue Beetle, go get this issue, you can practically jump right in. Again, it's a great book. At first, I was skeptical that the writing of this book might fall off when Keith Giffen left the book, but with this issue, John Rogers has proved me wrong. The creators of the scarab, the Reach, have arrived on Earth to "help" us. Right. Jaime and Peacemaker (who now has the scarab's knowledge inside him) talk to the Reach's emmisary, explaining everything that's been up with Blue Beetle for the last 12 issues. After they depart, people in Mexico are infected with scarabs, and go into riot mode. Jaime must stop them, and resist the scarab's programming to kill them. This has been a test made by the Reach, and they are astonished that Jaime can resist the beetle so forcefully. Jaime realizes that the Reach aren't here to help after all, but as he does, he sees a Reach alien at the White House acting all friendly. As Jaime would say, "It's on ese." Rogers really handles these characters with ease, which should come after co-writing the book since issue one. He's on a good path, if he keeps writing Blue Beetle to be and exciting title. If this book can keep up the pace for the next year or so, it will be one of those "hidden gems" and if you go and get the trade and back issues, you'll be in on the secret with me too.

The art is split up between regular artist Albuquerque and David Baldeon. Albuquerque handles all of the super-hero scenes, while Baldeon handles Jaime and his family. Since this is spread out through the book, and only scene specific, it's not jarring as you read it. Baldeon is adhereing closer to the Cully Hammner style than the regular artist. Albuquerque is stretching his wings here, breaking away from Cully Hammner's shadow and making the book his own. It's a little more rough edged than Hammner's art ever was. Good for him. If he plans on staying as long as I plan on reading (see "forever") then I'll be a happy camper. If you're not getting this book, you're missing out on one of DC's better series, trully. A