[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Scott Kolins
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
It’s chaos at Kord Industries as Jaime helps Ted install a new A.I. system, only to have it come online and seize control of the facility. Trapped inside the building, Blue Beetle is put to the ultimate test, battling a hostile entity that turns every tool in Ted Kord’s inventory into a deadly weapon. With his last school year approaching, Jaime could be taking his final exam.
Positives
The foremost positive is that Ted is back in the title and he plays a major part in this issue. Too bad that since this is the final issue, we don’t get much of a chance to enjoy his return.
Jaime is back from his vacation with his friends Brenda and Paco and his girlfriend Naomi. So, once again he is faced with the decisions about his future that he had putting off. He is nearing the end of high school and he needs to decide if he is going to take the job offered to him by Ted.
Jaime decided to take the job, despite holding resentment towards Ted, because of Ted’s constantly testing him. However, when Ted attempts to replace the Kord Industries building’s A.I. BERT (Building Equilibrium Regulation Trainer), BERT locks down the building and attempts to kill Ted, Jaime, and himself.
Although Ted’s technological know-how helps, Jaime manages to defuse the situation by finding a solution that doesn’t involve anyone dying and gives BERT a new activity to replace BERT’s previous building maintenance functions.
Also, Ted apologized for the tests he has put Jaime through, but tells him that he has passed the tests and then some, making the promise, “no more tests.” It seems that Ted and Jaime’s partnership has a solid foundation with Ted recognizing Jaime as an equal rather than a protégé.
Also, Jaime patches things up with Naomi. Jaime apologizes for not telling Naomi about his other life as Blue Beetle, and promises to be completely open with her from now on.
Thus, we leave Jaime with his future looking bright, surrounded with family and friends, a girlfriend, and a partnership with Ted that allows him to make being Blue Beetle a full-time job.
Negatives
Okay, the obvious negative is that the title is ending. Unlike some of the other recently announced, there is no indication that either Ted or Jaime will continue their adventures in the near future, which is disappointing.
One hope I had is that Ted would return to action as Blue Beetle at some point during the series, and that didn’t happen. However, we did get a number of issues, such as this one where Ted engaged in superheroics, even if not in costume. And Ted’s old costume did see some action, even if it was Jaime wearing it.
Verdict
Even if the title was cut short, it was a fun run. It’s somewhat disappointing that it never quite realized the claim from the early issues that “Together they are the Blue Beetle.” Hopefully, neither Ted nor Jaime will linger long in comic book limbo before they are brought back in another title.
