Blue Beetle #29

Well now, this was fun. We have Blue Beetle wandering around and just happening to come across a grudge match between two idiots who both want to lay claim to a supervillain name. And we have Peacemaker hanging out with some Border Patrol bunch. Naturally, he comes across something more than simple illegal aliens.

I have to admit that some of the wackiness had gone out of this book, but it's back, Baby! Two guys are fighting over the right to the name of Hellhound, who unfortunately for him, perished during Salvation Run apparently. One guy was his cousin, so he thinks that HE's the best successor, and the other guy looks like a coyote and pontificates a lot. Jaime, trying to use logic points out that they could just simply chose a new name and be done with it. Coyote Boy points out that that is rich coming from someone calling himself Blue Beetle...and you have to admit that he does have a point.

But like the good boy that he is, Jaime keeps trying...

"Ok, check it out. YOU could do an ancient Egyptian theme and call yourself Anubis. He's the God of Death. That's pretty menacing. And you could call yourself, I don't know...Devil Dog"

Too bad that the one guy had already gotten the Hellhound tatoo! Keep in mind that these two morons are trying to lay claim to a SUPERVILLAIN's name! That probably means that they want to become supervillains too! And Jaime is just so helpful and reasonable about it all...until he finally loses patience and boots them out of HIS city.

Meanwhile Peacemaker's found a cache of weapons and stuff. The Border Patrol tosses four guys and a girl into the truck, where the guys promptly inject themselves with...something, and promptly freak out!

Also, the sexual tension between Brenda and Paco is still simmering.

Jaime shows up as Peacemaker is in a standoff with the recently injected bad guys, when they decide to take the girl who is still sitting in the truck hostage. Peacemaker thinks they are bluffing, but Jaime, ever the gentleman decides that it isn't worth the risk and saves the girl while the guys escape. Jaime also thought that he could simply track them, but the Scarab can't find them due to a magnetic interferance. So they are stuck with the young lady, and do the chivalrous thing, by taking her to Paco's mother's house. Jaime then makes a fool of himself while being interviewed by television reporters...much to Milagro's amusement.

Oh and that girl who was taken hostage? Turns out that she's not quite so innocent as she seems. There are plots being laid, and twists and turns ahead. It was very nice to have Rafael Albuquerque back on the art, it just doesn't look right without him. Although the cover says John Rogers, this is actually by Matthew Sturges, and he does a pretty darned good job of it. While I like Traci Thirteen, it was nice to get back and see the core members of Jaime's support group again.

Unlike the All-New Atom and Checkmate, I am sticking with Blue Beetle. 'Cuz it's still good.