In the Silver Age, Barry Allen replaced Jay Garrick, Johnny Storm replaced Jim Hammond, and Lancelot Strong supplanted Joe Higgins. We also met Dan Garret’s replacement, a man named… Dan Garrett. Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of Blue Beetle #1 awaits!

BLUE BEETLE #1

Writer:  Joe Gill
Penciler: Bill Fraccio
Inker: Tony Tallarico
Colorist: Uncredited
Letterer: Typeset
Editor: Pat Masulli
Publisher: Charlton Comics
Cover Price: 12 Cents
Current Near-Mint Pricing: $600.00
Release Date: May 31, 1964

Previously in Blue Beetle: The story of the Blue Beetle is a long and winding road, beginning with radio star, The Green Hornet. Indeed, his first comic book appearance put Dan Garret in a suit/trenchcoat/fedora costume that was clearly based on the Hornet, with his cowled blue onesie showing up in issue #2. That was 1939, in the pages of Fox Feature Comics, but Fox declared bankruptcy in 1950. Blue Beetle appeared in the pages of Charlton Comics in 1955, though it’s not entirely clear if they purchased the rights or just had possession of the original art, as about half of that four-issue BB series was reprinted material. Almost ten years later, readers were introduced to Professor Dan Garrett, a noted archaeologist and Egyptologist, as he is consulted on the matter of lost treasures in the city of El-Alil. He’s not interested, though, thanks in part to a local warlord. Then, a young woman arrives at his apartment, clad in the garb of a 14th-century dancer.

She is one Professor Hoshid, and her attentions convince Garrett to travel with her to Egypt, and… I’m gonna be honest, that whole sequence is what Kids Today call “sus.” Professors Garrett and Hoshid immediately begin their excavations, seeking the tomb of Kha-Ef-Re, whose sarcophagus reveals a protector: A small representation of a scarab beetle, carved from blue stone. Touching it gives Dan his first vision of the supernatural!

Dan realizes that the prophecies of “white hot light” are about a hydrogen bomb, one that’s about to be dropped right on their heads!

With the incantation “Kaji Dha,” a familiar phrase for modern Blue Beetle fans, Dan manages to get them into a lead-lined chamber, saving their lives. But the prophecy of Kha-Ef-Re’s mummy rising comes true, because reasons. I’ll be honest, the plotting on this one is kind of a mishmash, so it’s not entirely clear whether is magic, atomic energy, or one from “Column  C” that does it, but Garrett immediately leaps into action as Blue Beetle. In addition to supersonic flight, he has X-ray vision, and shugs of an attack from a powerful fighter plane, destroying it with a burst of lightning(?) from his hands.

Despite his immense power, Blue Beetle is knocked unconscious by a The Giant Mummy That Was Not Dead punch, awakening in the clutches of Warlord Amenhotep. Having fulfilled his obligation to the plot, Blue Beetle flies up, kayoes the giant with a single blow, returning him to the tomb and flooding the entire valley to make certain he can’t be awakened again.

Not gonna lie, that… that seems like a real jerk move?

As an afterthought, he takes out Amenhotep’s weaponry, then returns home to fight crime as a Superman-level hero. To be fair, Golden Age Dan Garret had the ability to fly and see through walls at points during his costumed career, but continuity wasn’t exactly a concern in that era. The Silver Age debut of Dan Garrett in Blue Beetle #1 is actually quite short-lived, released four more issues over the next year, then taking over the numbering of Unusual Tales for another four issues, and the uneven nature of this issue’s art and story make it clear way, earning 2.5 out of 5 stars overall. Almost exactly three years after this debut, Charlton rebooted, debuting the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle, which got a bit more traction, eventually being acquired and relaunched at DC Comics in 1987

Just remember: Dan’s magic words are “Kaji Dha,” while Jaime’s alien scarab is named “Khaji Da.” If that doesn’t drive you mad, I don’t know what will.

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BLUE BEETLE #1

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The Ol' Silver Age Revamping Routine

Dan Garrett's first appearance makes for an interesting read, especially from a historical perspective, but it's pretty "Meh" as a comic book.

• Writing

  4
• Art

  6
• Coloring

  5
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
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