Not Another DC Rant... I Promise!

While I was in ye olde local comic shoppe this week, I was struck by whimsy. Well, more realistically I was struck by my amazingly positive feelings about the Blue Beetle in last week's Brave And The Bold. So whimsy struck, and I found myself purchasing not one, but two issues of DC's current Blue Beetle series. And you know what?

I enjoyed them.

The Blue Beetle is apparently being written to fill the 'Spider-Man' niche in the DC Universe. He's an awkward teenager, not completely at ease with his powers, in awe of the superheroic community he's been thrust into, and generally flying by the seat of his pants. And I really think DC needs that. So many of DC's more widely-known heroes are so confident and secure in their roles as heroes that they just can't seem awkward or unsure in quite that same way. I mean, even the Teen Titans have that air of infallibility around them. Well, except for the Titans that died in World War III. (Sorry... it was impossible to resist that shot.)

And that's the whole reason Spider-Man's been around as long as he has. Because since his beginning, he's had problems and issues that readers could relate to. He's just as messed up as the rest of us... and because of leading a double life, maybe a little moreso. I've only been reading comics for a few years, but even DC's C-list heroes seem to have a firm, commanding grip.

I started looking into the new Blue Beetle when the title launched after Infinite Crisis. I dropped it after about six issues. I think I'm regretting that. The title's survived over a year, and it fills a second important niche for DC. It doesn't take itself too seriously. There are a few books that stand out clearly in my head for that one fact alone. I think I'm going to add this one back to my sub form.

I'm still working on what I'm going to remove. But that can be saved for another post.