Review: Blue Beetle #18

Jaime Reyes is still trying to figure out how to make being The Blue Beetle work into his life as a busy high school student. Don“t get him wrong, he loves being a super hero, and hanging around with Batman must be a gas, but trying to find that ever elusive work/life balance we all strive for, has kept him from being completly honest with someone close to him. His girlfriend Naomi.

In the 18th and final issue of DC Comics Blue Beetle, Jaime is found trying to work things out with Naomi, after she found out his secret identity. Down to his final strike with her, Jaimie invites his sweetheart to a cookout, along with his friends Brenda and Paco, but he also has to work with Ted Kord on the same day, and Ted loves to come up with special challenges for the Beetle. Jaime is tasked with surviving this challenge, while not being late to the party he has planned with his friends.

Writer Christopher Sebela has done a fine job telling the Blue Beetle story over the last several months. The end of this issue was a bit of a letdown for me because it was anti climatic and really smelled of just trying to wrap things up. With the lack of a true villain in this issue, and knowing this was the end, I give credit to Sebela for leaving readers with an image of young man, who is striving to find balance in his life.

Scott Kolins has provided some really impressive art for this issue, especially of the main character. He does a tremendous job with The Blue Beetle, so if you ever get a chance to meet him at a Con, be sure to commission a drawing of this character if you can.

I can only imagine DC has something up their sleeve for this character. There is too much strength and potential in The Blue Beetle for the comic to end this way. I can only speculate, but a couple of titles I would see as a good fit would be Teen Titans, or Justice League of America. A team with Killer Frost, Blue Beetle, and The Atom would be epic. That is just one fans musing, but I hope to in the very near future find out what the plans are for this Individual. It is not lost on me that DC just canceled a book centered around a very positive young Latino man. I would hope they bring him back very soon and allow his story to build the popularity it really deserves.

I doubt we“ve seen the last of The Blue Beetle, but alas, this series has come to an end. If you“ve not given the run a chance, take a look at this issue. It“s really a fun story. It“s been a good comic for teens to pick up, and once you give this issue a read, you may find yourself looking for some of the back issues.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Christopher Sebela (A/CA) Scott Kolins

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Bryan Spaulding

In his free time, other than reading comic books, Bryan enjoys listening to his ever growing record collection and driving his 27 year old roadster named Mingo.