REVIEW: ‘Blue Beetle,’ Issue #4

Blue Beetle #4 is published by DC Comics, written by Josh Trujillo, art by Adrián Gutiérrez, colors by Wil Quintana and Nick Filardi, and letters by Lucas Gattoni. Blue Beetle processes the attack by the Blood Scarab and wrestles with what he has to do.

After so many frantic issues, this chapter takes a breath and focuses on exposition. It’s centred on the characters and letting them come to grips with what happened, with a much slower pace inside Blue Beetle #4. Everyone is licking their wounds, both the good and the evil scarabs. The characters are separated, figuring out things for themselves, but numerous external voices are influencing Jaime. The tensions are building, and the pressure is rising, all formed around the most iconic moral question within a superhero costume. Jaime is driven to do what needs to be done to protect those he loves, especially after not finishing the job in the previous issue. It becomes evident that everyone around Jaime wants him to kill the Blood Scarab, and the whole issue is focused on that conflict. It is the power of that demand that fills the heart of the comic.

The dialogue is tremendous, approaching this argument thoughtfully and in-depth. The statements from all angles make sense, coming from those who have experience. Those who suffered from the Black Scarab’s wrath are vengeful, calling Jaime weak for not having what it takes to end it. But others like Starfire, who makes a second appearance in the series, recognize the toll that it takes on a young hero to take a life. But overall, it is Jaime where that burden and responsibility lands. Trujillo’s writing of Blue Beetle is sensational, capturing the weight on the young man’s shoulders and the agony he is in. It is a glorious and painful investigation of the thought processes that go into such a monumentous life decision. The other characters are all given huge scenes. Blue Beetle #4 is dialogue-heavy, with almost everyone involved delivering a speech, but every single word is perfect.

The art is stunning. This isn’t as action-packed as the previous issues, but it still has energy and beauty. The characters look amazing, and the emotions are perfectly displayed. They can be either devastated or shocked, and the latter can be hysterical. There is a lot of humor in this book, largely in the characters’ reactions. This is the first issue of the series that really displays how gorgeous Palmera City is. It is rife with details that are immediately obvious, but it can be easy to just gaze at the pages. There is a peacefulness to many of the scenes, a serenity that is so nice after the chaos with the Blood Scarab.

The colors are what make the city look so breathtaking. This becomes most apparent when Blue Beetle spends an evening with Oo’Li, a member of the Horizon. It is there where we get a display of the skyline, with neon lights spread through the skyscrapers. It’s jaw-dropping, and that is only the first example. The backgrounds of the panels frequently have unique and interesting lighting, particularly at nighttime. When Starfire appears, her hair is more radiant than anyone else’s. The radiance of that orange is striking and creates an aura around the person that Blue Beetle goes to for experience, kindness, and advice. The lettering features some pretty word balloons, but the font and colors within them don’t always make the text easy to read.

Blue Beetle #4 is achingly beautiful. In regards to both its script and art, the book is sensational. There is much less action, but that is only so more time can be spent with the characters and giving them all the development they need. The dialogue is poignant and thoughtful, with an incredibly important decision hanging in the air for such a young and hopeful hero. This is a community that is being torn apart, and so it is desperate for something to be done. It might take their best representative to do the unspeakable to end their struggle.

Blue Beetle #4 is available where comics are sold.