Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
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Blue Beetle is Theodore (or Edward) "Ted" Kord, a fictional superhero in the DC Universe. This version of the character was created by Steve Ditko, and first appeared as a back-up feature in Captain Atom #83 (Nov. 1966), with Gary Friedrich scripting from Ditko's conception and plot. He is the second Blue Beetle, who was originally published by Charlton Comics and later picked up by DC Comics.
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[edit] Fictional character history
[edit] Charlton Comics
Ted Kord was a genius-level inventor and a gifted athlete, sharing much more in common with the Fox original than did Charlton's earlier reimagining of the character.
Kord's signature equipment was his bug-shaped personal aircraft, which he entered and exited typically with a cable suspended from the cockpit. He also generally eschewed personal weaponry except for a pistol that made a blinding flash of light and, additionally, a strong airblast to gain the advantage when he closed in for hand-to-hand combat.
Ditko is best known as the co-creator (with Stan Lee) and original artist of Spider-Man at Marvel Comics. While Blue Beetle and Spider-Man have some similar characteristics, such as being wise-cracking, acrobatic, arthropod-themed urban heroes, they evolved into very different characters. Both characters are accomplished inventors (Ted Kord considered one of the premier minds of the DC Universe), great athletes, and skilled acrobats. Both characters also have strong, if sometimes ill-timed, senses of humor that they use to mask their insecurities — more so in the case of the Beetle, who has no powers of his own (and in later years has to deal with occasional weight gain). On the other hand, the Beetle has none of the angst associated with brooding vigilantes like Batman. Unlike Spider-Man, Blue Beetle usually operates in a group rather than alone, but like Spidey, he is a loyal friend. In fact, Beetle has been the best friend of the slightly selfish superhero Booster Gold when the two were paired in the Justice League, and they would continue to feature as a double act until the end of said superhero team.
The Ted Kord Blue Beetle ran as a backup feature in Captain Atom #83-86 (Nov. 1966 - June 1967) before getting his own title, which ran from #1-5 (June 1967 - Nov. 1968). A sixth issue was produced, but published in the Charlton Portfolio by CPL/Gang. The Question ran as a backup series, with the fifth issue featuring a quasi-team-up in which the Blue Beetle story continues in part in the Question tale.
An origin was given in #2, linking Ted Kord to the previous Blue Beetle. Ted was revealed as a former student of Dan Garrett, and when they were investigating Ted's Uncle Jarvis, they learned Jarvis was working to create an army of androids to take over Earth. Garrett changed into Blue Beetle, but was killed in the battle. As he died, he passed on the responsibility of being Blue Beetle to Ted, but wasn't able to pass on the mystical scarab, a convenient means for Ditko to explain his preferred power-free character. There was a hint that one android was still left in stasis, but this would remain unresolved until the DC series of the late 1980s.
In the early 1980s, the first issue of Charlton's anthology comic Charlton Bullseye, featured a team-up of the Blue Beetle and the Question. Later, AC Comics would publish a story intended for Charlton Bullseye in Americomics #3, and a one-shot of a team-up of all the Charlton "Action Heroes", as the company called its lineup.
[edit] DC Comics
[edit] Crisis on Infinite Earths
DC acquired the Charlton heroes in the mid-1980s, and used the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event to integrate them all into the DC Universe. During this period Blue Beetle had his own series, written by Len Wein. Also published during this time was Secret Origins #2 (cover illustrated by Gil Kane), which explained the origins and careers of the Ted Kord and Dan Garrett Blue Beetles in the post-Crisis continuity. They would also follow up on the hinted android in stasis from the Charlton series, which would eventually become 'Carapax, the Indestructible Man'.
Ted Kord was sometimes shown as an industrialist, the owner of Kord Industries; more often he was short on money, leading to his entering "get-rich-quick" schemes with Booster Gold.
A brief appearance in JLA: Year One showed the young Ted working in Kord Industries R&D, where he designed the JLA HQ security system. Upon meeting the heroes he thought, "Screw the family business. I want to be one of those guys", possibly explaining the company's fluctuating status since he took over. In recent comics, it has been implied that Kord Industries has become a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises, headed by Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman.
[edit] The Justice League
BB is probably best known as the wisecracking member of Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis's lighthearted, five-year run on various Justice League of America titles (notably Justice League International), where he was memorably partnered with fellow third-string hero Booster Gold, and the two quickly became best friends. Among fans, they were known collectively as the "Blue and Gold" team. For a while, Beetle grappeled with a weight problem, but with sheer determination and coaching from the hero General Glory, he defeated it. After Giffen and DeMatteis left, Justice League America continued to run until #113. Dan Jurgens tied the "Death of Superman" storyline into JLA, in which Doomsday left Blue Beetle in a coma during his murderous rampage. Beetle and Booster both subsequently joined the short-lived Justice League offshoot known as Extreme Justice.
Blue Beetle then entered a period of relative obscurity. The miniseries The LAW (Living Assault Weapons) reunited Blue Beetle and the other heroes acquired from Charlton, but the series met with critical disfavor.
[edit] Superbuddies
In July 2003, Giffen, DeMatteis, and original JLI artist Kevin Maguire reunited for the six-issue miniseries Formerly Known As The Justice League, where many of the original JLI characters re-teamed with a storefront office. Beetle, who had grown in maturity, was an important member of this new team, the "Super Buddies". A sequel story arc, I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League, was initially slated as a second miniseries but instead ran, delayed, in JLA: Classified #4-9.
Ted made several appearances in Birds of Prey, at first as Oracle's internet friend and later in person. It was hinted in several issues that Ted had a crush on Oracle.
Ted had gone back to his company, but still had many, many problems with it, problems Oracle tried to help resolve. During this time, it was revealed he had a heart condition, but this did not stop him from assisting when it was needed.
After his death (see below) the Birds Of Prey visited a statue in Valhalla Cemetery (built in his honour, Birds of Prey #96). Black Canary revealed that being in the JLA was only fun when Blue Beetle was there. Oracle revealed that she had had a cyber crush on him, which had Canary and Huntress wondering if Ted and Oracle "cyber-did it". She confesses that they did.
[edit] Infinite Crisis
[edit] Death
In the 80-page special Countdown to Infinite Crisis, published on March 30, 2005, Blue Beetle discovered a renewed Checkmate organization led by Maxwell Lord, former bankroller of the JLA, headquartered in a Belgium castle fortress, where Beetle was captured. Lord revealed to Blue Beetle that his intent was to use the organization to ensure that metahumans, including superheroes, would be kept under surveilance and control by humans. Kord then gave Beetle an ultimatum to join his organization. When Kord refused, Lord murdered him with a bullet to the head.
That same story had earlier reiterated that Ted Kord had thought the scarab destroyed back in Blue Beetle vol.1 #18 (1987); however, it had been rediscovered, untouched, in a temple in Egypt, and handed over to Kord. The wizard Shazam took the scarab upon encountering Kord, fueling speculation about the possibility of the character's return during DC's Infinite Crisis series. This possibility was dashed when it was asked in the Wizard World convention if Kord would ever return. While not exactly answering the question, writer Greg Rucka stated, "There was a breeze blowing through his brain, and he was incinerated. How much clearer can it be?"[1]
[edit] Fallout
- See also: Infinite Crisis and Character changes during Infinite Crisis
The death of Ted Kord precipitated the events of Infinite Crisis.
- The reorganization of Brother Eye and the OMAC project.
- Max Lord is revealed as a villain, who took telepathic control of Superman, which led to Wonder Woman being forced to kill him.
- Shazam warns Ted about Lex Luthor, who supposedly stradled the worlds of magic and science.
- Booster Gold returns to the 25th century. He later returns to the present with Skeets to help find Brother Eye. The success of the mission puts Booster back into the spotlight and sets in motion the events of 52.
[edit] One Year Later
- See also: One Year Later
The young teenager Jaime Reyes would later discover the scarab and become the new Blue Beetle. J'onn J'onzz has a statue of him in his memorial to fallen Justice League members. When recruiting members for the new Justice League, Superman suggest Booster Gold, and Batman responds "There are better ways to honor Ted."
An individual that looks like Ted as Blue Beetle has shown up in Manhunter vol. 3 #27 (January 2007), before Wonder Woman's trial for the death of Max Lord. Claiming to be amnesiac, and have forgotten all about his trip in Switzerland, he manages to gain Manhunter's trust. Fooling Wonder Woman's lasso with evasive remarks as answers, he's finally discovered by Batman's DNA test as Everyman, the cannibalistic shapeshifter of Infinity, Inc. and subdued by Manhunter herself.
[edit] Powers, abilities, and equipment
Ted had no superpowers, however he did possess a genius-level intellect and he was trained as an acrobat and in multiple forms of martial arts. Ted created numerous gadgets which included suction pads, sight-enhancing lenses and a protective costume. He has even created a functional artifical arm, as part of a suit of battle-armor that also acted as life support for his friend Booster Gold. His BB gun was a handheld weapon that could blind villains with a flash of light, knock them out with a sonic boom, and also featured a grappel device. Blue Beetle's ship, the Bug, was filled with weaponry and could fly at 600 mph.
[edit] Theodore or Edward?
In many stories and character entries, it is noted that "Ted" is an abbreviated form of "Theodore". However, in Chuck Dixon's Birds of Prey, Barbara Gordon stated that "Ted" is actually short for Edward. A similar truncation exists for Senator Edward Kennedy, known as Ted Kennedy. However, in Countdown to Infinite Crisis, the wizard Shazam repeatedly addresses Ted as "Theodore Kord" and Checkmate's profile of Blue Beetle also lists him as such.
