JLA - Blue Beetle

One of the greatest aspects of the DC Universe is that their characters are allowed a legacy. That a "superhero" isn't always that one person, but instead a mantle that a character can assume. The Blue Beetle is one of those legacy characters. Originally the Blue Beetle had mystically based powers derived from a Scarab, or Beetle artifact. This version of Blue Beetle, and among comic readers the most popular, took on that role but with a spin. Ted Kord actually was never able to make the Scarab's powers work for him. He chose to put his intellect and fighting ability to the test without any additional powers.

I first started reading DC comics in the 90's during the Death of Superman, and again that was my introduction to this Blue Beetle. That scene where Doomsday thrashes him, tosses his body and in air and he crashes down really made an impression on me. I can very clearly remember the page layout, the panel compositions, the way Dan Jurgens (the artist) made the figure feel like it had weight but lifeless. Man, that wordless sequence actually put the initial seed of how you can tell stories with art in my mind. Since then, I've really enjoyed reading stories of Ted Kord and of course his fallible friend Booster Gold. Now the legacy has passed on and we have a new Blue Beetle with whom the Scarab does in fact work. Honestly, I haven't read much with the new character, besides when he's been in the recent Teen Titans group. I like the character and I think he has a lot of potential. I just need to read more.

So here you go, paying respect to Ted, next up Booster makes an appearance!

Blue Beetle - 190

Original Art for Sale - SOLD

9x12 Ink on Bristol Board.

To Purchase, email subject "Blue Beetle" to

Robert@RobertAtkinsArt.com