Blue Beetle Graduation Day #4 featured Columns 

Don’t Miss This: “Blue Beetle: Graduation Day” by Josh Trujillo and Adrián Gutiérrez

By | March 2nd, 2023
Posted in Columns | % Comments

There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re suiting up with “Blue Beetle: Graduation Day” to catch up with Jaime Reyes and Ted Kord.

Who’s this by?

“Blue Beetle: Graduation Day” is written by Josh Trujillo, also known for his work on comic book adaptations of “Adventure Time” and “Rick and Morty,” as well as his self-published anthology “Love Machines.” He’s written for no small number of superheroes, including runs on “The Flash” and “Wonder Woman,” as well as contributing to comic book video games like the Telltale Series for “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Batman: The Enemy Within.” On top of that, one of his biggest comic claims to fame is co-creating Aaron Fischer, the “Captain America of the Railways.”

It’s illustrated by newcomer Adrián Gutiérrez. So new, in fact, that the only other comic he worked on that I can see is a contribution to “Cinderella Annual: Bloody X-Mas” in 2020. Fortunately, he makes a good impression here, with solid designs, scenery, and framing. Admittedly, he does have a habit of making facial expressions lean more towards a “goofy anime style,” but that’s also balanced out by some excellent beetle suit designs, like a massive, almost eldritch green beetle in issue 3.

It’s colored by Wil Quintana, who’s provided colors for everything from “Exiles” to “Action Comics” to “X-O Manowar.” Wil’s colors cause every image to pop, bringing a brightness and energy to the page that makes the comic stand out visually.

What’s it all about?

Jaime Reyes, the third Blue Beetle, has finally graduated high school. However, he can’t exactly make a full-time job out of being a superhero, and his friends are all off to college. So Jaime has to figure out what’s next for him and what he wants to do with his life, while at the same time, he’s losing his connection with his scarab, Khaji Da, and it looks like the Reach are preparing for another invasion.

On top of that, he’s constantly under attack by a mysterious scarab-wearing woman called Dynastes, who claims that Blue Beetle needs to be stopped.

Suffice to say, he’s got a lot on his plate, and it’s not made any better with the entire superhero community keeping him grounded and making sure his scarab doesn’t go rogue.

What makes it so great?

Honestly, it’s just great to have Blue Beetle back in full form. Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle is one of my personal favorite DC characters, and he hasn’t exactly had the best few years recently. Going back to 2011, the “New 52” Blue Beetle was a huge step back for the character, and although 2016’s “Rebirth” series was a return to form, it was also mostly forgettable. Aside from that, he’s mostly been stuck in cameo roles. But now he gets a comic all to himself, the Reach are a threat again, and we actually get to see him move forward in his life, with all the struggles that a young adult faces in today’s world.

So we get a nice balance of his personal struggles and his superhero tribulations, as the questions mount and enemies rise. The lore around the Reach and their scarabs continues to be expanded upon with the introduction of a new enemy to the Reach – but certainly no friends to the Blue Beetle either.

Plus, it’s always nice when Ted Kord gets the chance to be a mentor to Jaime. And writer Josh Trujillo really leans into Jaime’s latino heritage (to the point where I occasionally need to run the dialogue through Google Translate), so it nails the representation.

In other words, it’s a great “Blue Beetle” story that develops Jaime as a character and the lore around his powers, while helping him find a place in the DC universe’s current status quo, and that’s just what we want.

Visually, the comic has a lot going for it as well. Artist Adrián Gutiérrez does a great job with the suit designs, the action pieces, and the scenery, which makes the entire comic feel full and action-packed with no wasted space. (As mentioned, my only complaint is that the faces can get a little too goofy with anime-esque expressions sometimes, and I say that as someone who loves anime.) He’s got a dynamic style where everything really feels like it’s in motion, and is absolutely brimming with personality.

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Add Wil Quintana’s colors onto that and you’ve got pages overflowing with dynamic designs and radiating colors. Subtle glows of red and blue hues illuminate the pages, while matching and reflecting the characters each panel is focusing on.

This is the kind of “Blue Beetle” comic I’ve been waiting for.

Where can I read it?

You can read “Blue Beetle: Graduation Day” online on DC Universe Infinite or Comixology. Issues 1-3 are already out, with issue #4 hitting shelves this week. And of course, you can find all the issues at your local comic shop, so be sure to support the stores near you.


//TAGS | Don't Miss This

Robbie Pleasant

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