The Blue Beetles
- Adaptational Badass: His original Fox Comics version had mild super strength, agility and durability thanks to "Vitamin 2-X", whereas all Charlton and DC versions instead gets his power from the Scarab, which enable him to fly among other things.
- Captain Ersatz: A surprisingly storied history of being made a victim to this trope:
- I.W. Publishing outright reprinted some Blue Beetle stories in the 1950s but for some reason changed the character's name to "the Human Fly" on the covers.
- Hollis Mason, AKA Nite Owl, from Watchmen is based on the Golden Age Blue Beetle while his successor Dan Dreiberg has more in common with Ted Kord.
- Due to copyright difficulties (Dan Garret is public domain but the name "Blue Beetle" is trademarked by DC), he appears in all but name in the Project Superpowers series under the identity of "Big Blue".
- Civvie Spandex: His very first appearance in 1939 was as a completely non-powered hero in a white domino mask, a hat and a blue suit, looking strikingly similar to the pulp hero Green Hornet.
- Character Death: Was killed in action by Jarvis Kord's robots and has surprisingly enough stayed dead ever since. Also counts as a Death by Origin Story for Ted Kord.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: The original Fox Comics version of Dan Garret wore a blue suit with bright yellow gloves. All versions after Charlton revived the character instead feature red gloves, and with some red accents across his costume.
- Henshin Hero: His Fox Comics version actually wasn't, being a cop who gained superpowers from trying his scientist friend's vitamin 2-x and just wearing a normal costume, but when Charlton decided to revamp the character, they decided to turn him into one, giving him a Transformation Trinket in the form of the Scarab (which was initially just a motif for him), activated by the phrase 'Khaji Da'.
- Later-Installment Weirdness: The Charlton and DC versions of Dan Garrett have very little to do with the original Fox Comics incarnation, aside from having the same names and a similar costume concept.
- The later issues of the original Fox Comics run took on a drastically different tone. As most superheroes not named Superman or Batman saw their sales tank in the late 1940s, the Blue Beetle instead capitalized on the popularity of crime comics, going from lighthearted superhero tales to dark, gritty crime dramas. His powers were also toned down and ultimately removed.
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Sequel Displacement: Even within the DCU, his two successors to the Blue Beetle mantle are miles more popular and well-remembered. It doesn't help that he has little to no exposure in other media outside of an obscure radio drama from the '40s. - Spell My Name With An S: The Golden Age version created by Fox Comics was named Dan Garret while his distinct Silver Age version reimagined by Charlton Comics was named Dan Garrett. This is largely kept consistent but there are occasional blips.
- Superpower Lottery: In his Silver Age incarnation, this guy had every power under the sun. Super-Strength, Super-Speed, Breathing Underwater, Size-Shifting, Telepathy, etc..
- Super Serum: His Golden Age origin story has him being granted superhuman strength, durability and agility thanks to a kindly scientist's 'Vitamin 2-X' chemical compound.
- Took a Level in Badass: His original Fox Comics incarnation only had mild superhuman attributes and an armoured super-suit. The revamped Charlton version was given a considerable power upgrade to help him stand out.
- Aborted Arc: The second volume of Booster Gold implies Ted either came back from the dead or somehow managed to avoid actually dying in the first place. The mystery was never resolved before the universe was rebooted and Ted came back via different means.
- Alternate Company Equivalent: A bit more subtle than most, but to Peter Parker. They both are intelligent bug-themed Science Heroes who are also massive dorks and now have gone to mentor new proteges, both of whom are young Latinos who are intelligent in their own right.
- Badass Normal: One of the best in the DC Universe. He's basically a Batman that has fun.
- Character Death: Was killed by Maxwell Lord in the events building up tine Infinite Crisis. He got better, eventually.
- Defiant to the End: His last words before death are "Rot in Hell, Max" with a smile.
- Foil:
- To the third Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes. He's an older, experienced billionaire hero who lacked the powers of the scarab and had to compensate with his wits, skills, and resources to get ahead. Jaime is a younger, inexperienced teenager from a middle class background who ended up with the scarab's power by accident, and uses that to be a superhero.
- To Batman. Both are billionaire Badass Normals who fight crime as Justice League members, but the former is a dark and brooding stoic compared to him being a bright and upbeat jokester.
- Gadgeteer Genius: Since he lacked the powers of the other Blue Beetles, Ted had to rely on his brains, his fighting skills and his gadgets in every fight.
- Guile Hero: Ted couldn't rely on the scarab's world-shattering power like the other two Blue Beetles, so he had to fight smart. Jaime eventually emulates this by beating the Reach with the help of strategy books Ted once owned (a gift from Guy Gardner).
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Best friends with Booster Gold.
- Mentor Archetype: After coming back to life, Ted becomes Jaime's mentor and guide.
- Signature Laugh: "Bwa-ha-ha!"
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: To Marvel's Spider-Man, being a wisecracking, bug-themed hero in a distinctly patterned suit with goggles, a scientific genius, as well as a world-class acrobat. All of this makes perfect sense when one realizes Kord was created by Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko, literally the same year he split from Marvel.
- Those Two Guys: Commonly appears with Booster Gold, leading to lots of Ho Yay.
- Younger and Hipper: His New 52 self looks more like a college student than a man in his mid to late twenties/early thirties. By the time of Rebirth he's gone back to the later.
- Adaptive Ability: He can adapt to who he's facing in battle accordingly.
- Affirmative-Action Legacy: He's Latino, compared to the first two being white. Actually requested because Keith Giffen had ideas for a Hispanic teen superhero from El Paso, Texas and wanted a way to implement them.
- All-Loving Hero: The kid doesn't have a mean bone in his body. It takes some serious Nice Guy chops to forgive the guy who got your father crippled for a fix (and stand up to The Spectre for him) and to redeem a planet-cracking superweapon.
- Alternate Company Equivalent: A mix of Spider-Man and Venom after Venom's Heel–Face Turn. On one hand if Ted is Peter's counterpart, than Jaime is Miles' counterpart. They both are Latino teenagers thrust into the superhero life with plenty of power, but also inexperienced. They are also guided by their predecessors, both of whom are accomplished scientists and heroic dorks. On the other hand like Eddie Brock, Jaime is a Christian (or at least has a Christian background) who found and bonded to a shapeshifting supernatural "alien" who was one of the few good members of it's race. Despite both being created for conquest, both the Venom symbiote and scarab would go on to help their host beat back their creators. (Knull and the Symbiote Imperium for Venom and formerly The Reach for Blue Beetle) Both Jaime and Eddie would also struggle with the scarab/symbiote trying to get them to use lethal force on their enemies.
- Bad Powers, Good People: His scarab is a machine meant to destroy and conquer planets. Jaime uses it to be a superhero.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Jaime's one of the nicest people in the entire DCU. He also controls an alien superweapon. Getting Jaime to actually want you beaten is a big mistake, as Typhoon, Dr. Polaris, and the Reach Negotiator quickly learn.
- Clingy MacGuffin: If the scarab were to be removed, he'd die.
- Hormone-Addled Teenager: In a particularly awkward one-off moment
in his superhero career, he found himself with a Raging Stiffie when pinned down by Bleez of the Red Lantern Corps. He tries to pass it off as the armor morphing, but his hand position makes it clear what happened. - Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Jaime's ultimate power fantasy, as drawn out of him by Eclipso, is to become... a dentist. Hey, it's a steady job with enough money for him to look after his family.
- Kid Hero: In the short time he's existed, Jaime has become the DCU's premier teenage hero. He's probably only above Shazam! as the youngest person to join the Justice League.
- Ordinary High-School Student: His occupation before the scarab glued itself to his spine.
- Painful Transformation: The armor taking itself off does not look fun.
- Secret-Keeper: It's easy to forget he has a Secret Identity considering the long list of people in the know that include his family, his friends Paco and Brenda, Ted Kord, the Justice League, and probably more.
- Strong as They Need to Be: Jaime can be portrayed as someone who can fight with and against the heavy hitters of the DCU, but also lose against low-level metas. This is justified by Jaime's inexperience and constant inner struggle with the scarab. If Jaime really wants something powerful gone, the scarab has dozens of ways to get it done; if he wants to not turn a normal human into fine red paste, he's a kid in armor with a few extra tricks.
- Superpower Lottery: It's not as blatant as Dan Garrett, but it's there. The scarab is a Do-Anything Robot that gives him vast destructive power and a wide variety of abilities whenever he needs it. For example, he has Super-Strength, Flight, Voluntary Shapeshifting, Arm Cannons, Adaptive Ability to his opponents, Nigh-Invulnerability, and much, much more. However, he's not portrayed as an Ace or an Invincible Hero because of it, because Jaime is at constant odds with the scarab, and is inexperienced overall due to his youth. Also, he often uses a very limited portion of its power, which has the potential to destroy planets (at least, one weapon the Scarab pulled out for him (and Jaime refused to use) was described as having "theistic implications").
- Unskilled, but Strong: Jaime is a normal high school student with no self-defense training, and he just recently got the Scarab, but the Scarab is powerful enough to compensate for his even when Jaime isn't allowing it to use most of its arsenal.
- Upbringing Makes the Hero: Given the scarab's sheer power, it's lucky for everyone that he has such a supportive family.
- Willfully Weak: Jaime only uses the Scarab's non-lethal powers. Unfortunately, since the Scarab is an alien/magic WMD, it doesn't have much in the way of non-lethal powers.
The piece of alien technology that found its way to Earth. It grants Dan Garret and Jaime Reyes their powers- Ted Kord had it, but couldn't get it to do anything and as such went the Badass Normal route. Jaime's tenure revealed it to be sapient and more than a little homicidal.
- Clingy MacGuffin: It's stuck to Jaime's spine, and removing it would probably kill him.
- Deadpan Snarker: Develops these tendencies as Jaime rubs off on it.
- Do-Anything Robot: Creates Instant Armor, flies, transmutes spare matter into clothes, shifts into the Bleed, has weapons for murdering pretty much anything on Earth and then some...
- Grew Beyond Their Programming: Some convenient damage and Jaime's Contagious Heroism helped it grow beyond its Reach programming, adopt its designation Khaji Da as a personal name, and fight the Reach with Jaime. It returned to its Reach-programmed self after a reboot, but thankfully Jaime and Peacemaker fixed (or re-broke) it.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: Its idea of problem solving starts at plasma cannons and escalates from there.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: It responded to the Green Lanterns helping in the fight against Brother Eye by dimension-shifting to hide Jaime from them. Said Green Lanterns were on Jaime's side and would have returned him home. Because of the Year Inside, Hour Outside properties of the Bleed, this made everyone think Jaime was dead for a year before he managed to return to Earth.
- Phlebotinum Rebel: It comes to like Jaime much more than it likes the Reach.
- Planet Killer: The Reach built it for this purpose.
- Sociopathic Hero: And this is downright pacifist by Scarab standards. At least it listens when Jaime tells it no killing...
- Transformation Trinket: It allows its wielder to transform into the Blue Beetle. For Dan Garrett this was all it did, but when Jaime got his hands on it (or it got its hands on him), it was revealed that it was in fact an AI with a distinct and very violent personality.
Dan Garrett Villains
- Atrocious Alias: Someone didn't think their nickname all the way through...
- Would Hurt a Child: He was selling faulty equipment for children's playgrounds for a faster profit without a care in the world.
The distant descendant of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Amenhotep was a warlord in modern-day Egypt who seized part of the country for himself. Amenhotep used an atomic bomb to awaken the mummy of Kha-Ef-Re to help him conquer the world, but was defeated by Dan Garrett in his first adventure as the Blue Beetle.
- Historical Character's Fictional Relative: General Amenhotep is the descendant of the pharaoh Amenhotepnote .
- Insane Admiral: A general who seized control of part of Egypt and then used an atomic bomb to awaken a giant mummy in an attempt to Take Over the World.
- Take Over the World: Amenhotep used an atomic bomb to awaken Kha-Ef-Re, the Giant Mummy Who Was Not Dead, to help him conquer the world.
A wicked pharaoh from ancient Egypt, Kha-Ef-Re was buried with the sacred Blue Beetle scarab, which Dan Garrett found when he unsealed the pharaoh's tomb. At that moment, General Amenhotep bombarded the mummy with atomic energy, bringing him back to life and causing him to grow to gigantic size. Garrett put an end to Kha-Ef-Re's rampage as the Blue Beetle.
He has recently returned in the comics as the Blood Scarab, a red beetle who can possess people.
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: A giant mummy!
- Mummy: Specifically 'the Giant Mummy Who Was Not Dead'.
- Nefarious Pharoah: A giant mummy who was evil in life and undeath. The world's pretty lucky he never got the scarab to work for him.
- Retcon: Turns out the Mummy had his own red scarab, and that the Blue Scarab was meant to keep him contained in his tomb.
- Starter Villain: For the Charlton version of Dan Garrett (the Fox Comics version first fought the White Face Gang).
- Amazing Technicolor Population: Mister Crabb possesses skin that is deep red for reasons that are never explained.
- Cool Boat: The Scorpion, a submersible tank bristling with high-tech weaponry.
- Cool Tank: The Scorpion, a submersible tank bristling with high-tech weaponry.
- Power Nullifier: The Scorpion fires beams capable of rendering Blue Beetle powerless.
- Power Pincers: The Scorpion has claws that can almost cut the invulnerable Blue Beetle in half.
Hunter Mann was an entomologist who was accidentally exposed to high amounts of chlorophyll compounds in a Freak Lab Accident. As a result of this exposure, his skin turned green; he developed an invulnerable exoskeleton; and gained the ability to fly, a paralyzing stare, and the ability to command enlarged insects. Donning a praying mantis costume, he became a criminal under the unimaginative alias of the Praying Mantis Man.
- Amazing Technicolor Population: His skin turned green when he gained his powers.
- Animal-Themed Superbeing: The Freak Lab Accident gave his abilities similar to those of a praying mantis.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: Can control insects which have been enlarged to giant size.
- Freak Lab Accident: How he gained his powers.
- The Paralyzer: Can paralyze people with his stare.
- Super-Toughness: Has an indestructible exoskeleton.
Ted Kord Villains
Ted Kord's uncle, a scientist and engineer with a talent for robotics. Jarvis hired Ted as a lab assistant, and Ted was horrified when he learned that his uncle had used him to build super-robots to take over the world. Ted and his friend Dan Garrett, secretly the original Blue Beetle, confronted Jarvis in his base on Pago Island, resulting in both Garrett and Jarvis's deaths and the beginning of Ted's career as the Blue Beetle.
- Evil Uncle: Jarvis Kord was Ted Kord's uncle and a brilliant (but mad) scientist. Ted helped him unknowingly build indestructible super robots in an attempt to use them to take over the world.
- Mad Scientist: A brilliant scientist who intended to build an army of indestructible super robots with which to Take Over the World.
- Robot Master: Constructed an army of indestructible super robots and intended to use them to take over the world.
- Starter Villain: For Ted Kord, as the one who killed Dan Garrett and inspired Ted to take up the mantle.
- Take Over the World: Jarvis' goal.
Formerly known as the Fleeter Gang, the Madmen are bank robbers led by gangster Farley Fleeter who dressed up in colorful costumes to avoid recognition and act like chaotic lunatics. The Madmen are a persistent thorn in Ted Kord's side who often work as hired goons for other villains.
A sad, depressed man named Hugo who became convinced by modern art that life was meaningless and heroes aren't real. Hugo dressed up as the ugly, heartless statue named "Our Man" and went around the city destroying monuments to heroes until Blue Beetle stopped him.
- Strawman Political: Our Man is a very heavy-handed portrayal of what Steve Ditko thought modern artists and progressives believed.
Lyle Byrnes was a pyrotechnician who was hideously burned in a fire he accidentally started. The firefighters didn't know he was there trapped under rubble and didn't rescue him, so Byrnes swore to kill all firefighters as revenge, creating an asbestos-lined armor suit and gloves that shoot Greek fire, a chemical that can't be extinguished until it burns itself out.
- Cop Hater: In a variation, Byrnes hates firefighters with a blazing passion: blaming them for leaving him to die in a fire.
- Fire-Breathing Weapon: Created a fireproof uniform that projects Greek fire: a substance that is inextinguishable using water and will burn until it consumes all of its fuel.
- Meaningful Name: His last name is Byrnes. He starts fires. Get it?
- Pyromaniac
Better known as an enemy of The Flash, Doctor Alchemy raided K.O.R.D. Inc. for a rare metal Ted had in his possession, which he used to internalize the power of the Philosopher's Stone, granting him the power to transmute the molecular structure of any matter. See the Flash Rogues character page for more.
Conrad Carapax was an archaeologist and a long time rival of Dan Garrett, the original Blue Beetle. After Garrett died fighting Jarvis Kord on Pago Island, Carapax, reasoned that whatever had led Garrett to die on a lost island in the middle of the Atlantic must be important. Carapax travelled there and spent several days searching the island before he stumbled across Jarvis Kord's secret lab. Donning an experimental cybernetic helmet he found there, he electrocuted himself. However, as he died, his brain was uploaded into the “Indestructible Robot” – Jarvis Kord’s most powerful creation and projected vanguard of his army. Thus was born Carapax, the Indestructible Man.
- The Adjectival Man: After his brain was uploaded into an indestructible robot body, Conrad Carapax frequently referred to himself as 'Carapax, The Indestructible Man'.
- Alliterative Name: Conrad Carapax.
- Brain Uploading: After dying his brain was transferred into the body of the robot.
- Meaningful Name: Carapax is very close in sound to 'carapace'.
- Nigh-Invulnerable: Carapax's robot body is made of a virtually indestructible experimental ceramic polymer.
- Rival Turned Evil: Although Carapax was a rival of Dan Garrett, not Ted Kord.
- Super-Strength: Carapax’s robot body is strong enough to lift a 6-man commercial fishing vessel, or rip open a vanadium-steel hatchlock.
A gun-toting, theater-themed "guardian angel" for all the city's street gangs who tried to bring them all together to overthrow the mafia. In reality the Muse was Richie Perignon, son of mob boss Vincent Perignon, who was actually just trying to put his father out of business so he could pursue his dream of being an actor instead of taking over the family business of crime.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Died in his father's arms quoting Shakespeare.
- Expressive Mask: His mask somehow switches between smiling "comedy" and frowning "tragedy" between panels.
- Killed Off for Real: He was killed in a confrontation between his loosely organized gangs and his father's mob.
- Large Ham: Part of his over-the-top stage actor persona.
- More Teeth than the Osmond Family
- Wicked Cultured: Quotes Shakespeare while raining down bloody murder with a machine gun.
Better known as a foe of The Atom, David Clinton held his niece Angie—Ted Kord's receptionist—hostage and forced her to steal technology for him so he could continue his crime spree in a new city using his time-manipulating gadgets. See the Atom's character page for more.
A team of metahumans given powers by Steve Dayton, a.k.a. Mento of the Doom Patrol, who had gone mad with power and wanted to destroy his step-son Beast Boy and his friends, the Teen Titans. All of the Hybrid's members' powers were due to exposure to the experimental metal promethium. Consisting of:
- Gorgon, a man with snakes for hair that could shoot lasers from their eyes
- Harpi, a flying woman with razor-sharp claws who could shoot energy blasts
- Pterodon, a man with wings and a metal tail
- Behemoth, a huge super-strong brute
- Scirocco, a woman who could summon sandstorms
- Touch-N-Go, a teenage girl who could steal energy from other people
- Prometheus, formerly Ted's factory foreman Curt Calhoun, whose skin was solid promethium metal.
Blue Beetle teamed up with the Teen Titans to defeat them.
- The Bus Came Back: Behemoth reappeared in the Post-Flashpoint continuity as part of the Suicide Squad, while Pterodon was briefly seen during Doomsday Clock as part of Israel's meta-human team Hayoth.
- The Brute: Behemoth.
- Captain Ersatz: They were a blatant stand-in for Marvel's X-Men and some of their villains. Mento was Professor X, Gorgon was Cyclops, Harpi was Banshee, Pterodon was Sauron, Behemoth was Juggernaut, Scirocco was Storm, Touch-N-Go was Rogue, and Prometheus was Colossus.
- Chrome Champion: Prometheus' skin is sold promethium steel.
- C-List Fodder: With the exception of Mento and Pteradon, the entirety of the team was apparently killed at Roulette's Meta-Human Brawl fights.
- Eye Beams: Gorgon can fire beams from his eyes that turn people to stone.
- Equal-Opportunity Evil: While Scirocco and Prometheus are American, Gorgon and Harpi are Greek, Behemoth is Japanese, Touch-N-Go is latina, and Pterodon is Israeli.
- Playing with Fire: Prometheus can generate heat within his body and release it through his hands.
- Taken for Granite: Gorgon's Eye Beams turn people into stone.
- Wolverine Claws: Harpi's talons are capable of slashing though steel.
Arnold Beck was a low-level employee of Kord Omniversal Research and Development, working on the loading dock. After losing his job he grew embittered and embraced the philosophy of radical anarchism: developing a hatred of what he called the American Military/Industrial conspiracy. He was recruited by the Manhunters, who provided him with the Overthrow battlesuit.
- Bomb Throwing Anarchist: Quite literally. His battlesuit generates explosive plasma balls that he lobs using the suit's cesta.
- Bullet Catch: The cesta on the suit are capable of catching most ranged attacks. This even worked against a large number of bullets, or a blast of compressed air. It can them hurl them back or dump them elsewhere.
- Evil Redhead: His red hair is prominently exposed. It's actually a wig attached to his mask.
- I Know Madden Kombat: Uses a cesta to hurl explosive plasma balls in the manner of a jai alai player.
- Jet Pack: The battlesuit is equipped with jet boots.
- Killed Off for Real: He was killed by an OMAC during Infinite Crisis.
- Secondary Color Nemesis: His armor is green and wears a purple mask.
Catalyst is a covert agent for Cornelius/Krieg, the world's largest multi-national pharmaceutical corporation. He was created through illicit genetic and chemical experimentation in a secret laboratory in Nice, France. Nothing is known about his background before being granted his powers, although some evidence indicates he may be a Francophone Swiss.
- The Faceless: His face without the mask is never seen.
- French Jerk: Catalyst is a native French speaker (although whether he is French or Swiss is unclear), and is quite unpleasant. He’s lecherous and has multiple addictions, which he feeds via his powers. He has a sadistic streak, and likes choosing cruel and unusual modes of attack to finish off an opponent.
- Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Catalyst is a chain smoker.
- Hero Killer: His most notorious villainous act is killing the second Mr. America.
- Poisonous Person: Catalyst is a living drug arsenal, capable of inducing the effects of any drug he wishes in the body of anyone he touches.
- Rogues' Gallery Transplant: While introduced as an enemy of Blue Beetle, he also antagonized the JSA and even Deathstroke.
Jaime Reyes Villains
The Black Beetle is a villain from the future using Reach technology. The Black Beetle wears what appears to be a black version of Jaime Reyes' scarab suit. The scarab allows him to fly and to fire energy blasts. It also allows him to travel through time and protects him from time portal effects. Black Beetle has a variety of energy-based attack weapons, and melee weapons at his disposal, thanks to the shape-shifting nature of the armor that the black scarab provides.
- Clothes Make the Superman: Gains all of his powers from his black scarab.
- Dark Is Evil: To contrast with Jaime's blue Scarab, he has a black Scarab.
- Flight: The scarab suit allows him to fly.
- Multiple-Choice Past: Gives several contradictory stories about his identity.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Has glowing red eyes, and is a dangerous enemy of Blue Beetle.
- Riddle for the Ages: His true identity. He tells a lot of stories about it, but he's a known liar and likes claiming to be whoever will upset his opponent most.
- Super-Strength: The suit allows him to take on Wonder Girl and Superboy simultaneously, and to go toe-to-toe with Mongul, who is easily Superman's equal in physical strength.
- Swiss-Army Weapon: The shape-shifting nature of the armor that the black scarab provides allows Black Beetle to create a wide variety of energy and melee weapons.
- Troll: Very much enjoys provoking his enemies.
- Darker and Edgier: He represents the darker tone of the New 52 Blue Beetle series.
- Expy: As Blue Beetle could be seen as an equivalent of Spider-Man, Blood Beetle could also be seen as one to Venom pre-character development, as a vengeful, monster version of the hero who is more powerful.
The Coyote is a humanoid coyote. He was one of a group of villains sent by La Dama to retrieve the scarab from the Brotherhood of Evil. La Dama later killed him for the group's failure to retrieve the scarab.
- Mysterious Past: Nothing is known about him, like his real name or why he's a humanoid coyote, and he's killed before anything else is explored.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: He's a were-coyote.
- Starter Villain: Alongside Brutale and Bone-Crusher, they serve as this for Jaime Reyes in the New 52.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Only appeared in three issues before being killed.
- You Have Failed Me: Killed for his failure to retrieve the scarab.
John Nichol
After the original Dr. Polaris died during Infinite Crisis, his gear and title were claimed by John Nichol, a businessman who attended Dr. Neal Emerson's magnetism lectures and who rather liked the idea of supervillainy. He clashed with Blue Beetle III over deal with Intergang over a dangerous drug that granted magnetism powers, ending up arrested. His criminal career was later cut short when the zombified original Dr. Polaris killed him during the Blackest Night.
- Beard of Evil: He has a full beard and is a corrupt and sociopathic businessman.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: He killed his board of directors when they tried to put on the brakes, and the reason he works out of Mexico (and was thus close enough to fight the El Paso-based Blue Beetle) was to take advantage of lax labor laws.
- Dropped a Bridge on Him: He ends his fight with Blue Beetle arrested for corruption and is never seen again; Luthor later mentions that his predecessor tore his heart out after coming back as a zombie.
- Evil Counterpart: To Jaime Reyes, as both are legacies of characters who died in Infinite Crisis. But while Jaime admires and tries to live up to the hero Ted Kord, John steals Neal Emerson's work for his own villainous purposes.
- Legacy Character: Admired the work of the original Dr. Polaris and stole his stuff after he died.
- Mask of Sanity: He knows that the only way he can get far in society is by pretending to follow the rules. When he thinks he doesn't have to, things go downhill really quickly.
- Near-Villain Victory: He would have killed Jaime if the Scarab hadn't fake-killed and then resuscitated its host, which gave it time to come up with a counter to his monopole powers.
- The Sociopath: A classic case. He takes care to present the image of a law-abiding businessman, but it's a thin facade and he sees other people being less than pawns; to him, they're the game board.
- The Unfettered: He thinks that rules are for weak people.
The aunt of Jaime's friend Brenda, Amparo Cardenas is the biggest crime lord in El Paso. She claims to be an entity older than time itself. She has used by many different aliases through her extremely long life, including "The Dame", "Lady Styx" and "the Lord/Queen of All Beings and Things".
- Affably Evil: She might be one of the most powerful and dangerous crime lords in the whole DCU and the closest contender for Jaime's Arch-Enemy, but she's one of the most human antagonists Jaime faces as well: she utterly adores and loves her niece Brenda and is viciously protective of her, more often than not is a genuine Benevolent Boss towards those under her command or "protection", legitimately has a great respect for the Reyes Family and despite being the biggest contender for Jaime's Arch-Enemy fully understands that Jaime would without hesitation die ten times over before harming a single hair on Brenda's head. The fact that she has a lot of Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters moments (Or at least before the New 52) only adds to her Affably Evil attributes.
- The Ageless: La Dama does not seem to age, and claims to be older than time itself.
- Enemy Mine: She and Jaime don't like each other, but they'll work together for Brenda.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: She genuinely loves her niece Brenda. Pre 52, she actually killed Brenda's dad, something neither Jaime or Paco could bother to feel bad about in any way.
- Evil Sorcerer: All of La Dama's known powers stem from her ability to use magic.
- I Always Wanted to Say That: "Say hello to my little friend!"
- The Queenpin: She's the immortal crime boss of El Paso, Texas.
- Rogues' Gallery Transplant: The seemingly immortal La Dama has also fought the Legion Of Superheroes in the 31st century.
- Secondary Color Nemesis: His armor is green, which contrasts with the Beetle's blue armor.
Jaime's nemesis in the 2006 run, and leader of the Reach forces on Earth.
- Arch-Enemy: To Jaime as Blue Beetle.
- Badass Boast: "Reyes. You are angry. But understand... there is nothing you can do. We have taken ten thousand worlds. Some of our games run centuries. Let's see how you play."
- Badass Longcoat
- Establishing Character Moment: When he's back in his ship after making friendly contact with Jaime, he kills a subordinate for suggesting Earth is too dangerous (given three Green Lanterns and hundreds of other superhumans call it home) and they should back off.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Only ever referred to by his Caste, "Negotiator."
- Faux Affably Evil: Puts on a polite, gentlemanly front, but can actually be quite petty and vicious.
- Out-Gambitted: Once Jaime starts picking up on Ted's Guile Hero tendencies, the Reach Negotiator is quickly outmatched.
- Villainous Breakdown: Big time. At first a methodical and cautious alien overlord, he quickly starts to become more unstable and aggressive as Jaime foils his attempts to take Earth. Finally, he spends his final seconds alive laughing hysterically at how badly Beetle has defeated him.
- Villain with Good Publicity: For a time.
- Would Hurt a Child: Sends Dawur specifically to murder Jaime's friends and family, knowing full well that includes teenagers Paco, Brenda and Traci and small child Milagro.
- You Have Failed Me: Quick to expunge minions who fail, or even simply annoy, him.
Silverback is human mind transferred into a powerful mechanical body and a high-ranking member of the Brotherhood of Evil. Who he was before assuming the identity of Silverback is unknown.
- Brain Uploading: His human mind was transferred to a robotic body for unspecified reasons.
- Gatling Good: His weapon of choice is a gatling gun.
- Killer Gorilla: He's a robotic gorilla that's member of the Brotherhood of Evil.
- Mysterious Past: Nothing is known about him, like his real name or why he transferred his mind to a robotic gorilla.
- No Sympathy: After he attacked him and his family, Jaime doesn't have much sympathy for Silverback when he mentions his mind could get trapped in the gorilla body if he doesn't transfer it soon enough.
Addison Lao is a criminal scientist who empowers others to do his bidding.
- One-Shot Character: He has only appeared in a single storyline in the New 52.
- Super-Empowering: Empowers others to do his bidding.
- Time Master: Stopwatch can create armored suits that can warp time.
- Detachment Combat: Rack and Ruin's body parts can be broken off and move without needing to be connected to their whole.
- Healing Factor: Rack and Ruin can be broken apart and reform.
- Living Apart: Rack and Ruin's body parts can be broken off and move without needing to be connected to their whole.
Sky Witness is the first human to have wielded the power of the Khaji-Da. Centuries ago, Sky Witness was member of the Mayan people who witnessed a Khaji-Da—a scarab-like living weapon created by the Reach—crash to Earth. He ventured into the crater and the scarab attached itself to him. However, the damage it had sustained during the crash allowed Sky witness to assert control over it. Using his new powers, he led his people to drive the invading Nahua from the Mayan lands. Khaji-Da's med system unnaturally extended Sky Witness' life; allowing him to rule his people for over 100 years. Eventually it could no longer sustain him and demanded a new host. Knowing that it intended to use a new host to enact its plan of conquest, he buried the Khaji-Da and himself in his pyramid. Somehow, Sky Witness ended up entombed on the Reach home world in their repository for the honored dead and was awakened when he sensed the Khaji-Da, now bonded to Jaime Reyes, nearby. Wishing to be united with 'his' scarab, he began to stalk Jaime.
- Batman Can Breathe in Space: Sky Witness is able to survive in space.
- Projectile Webbing: Sky Witness can produce a type of webbing which he can use to ensnare a victim.
- Super-Strength: Sky witness is at least as strong as Blue Beetle.
- Super-Toughness: Sky Witness has a degree of invulnerability.
Dan Garrett Supporting Cast
Dan Garret's police partner in the Golden Age, who wanted to catch the Blue Beetle for being a vigilante.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: While he opposes the Blue Beetle due to his belief in the law, he also realizes that the criminals the Blue Beetle takes down are a larger problem and prioritizes catching them over the Beetle.
Golden Age Dan Garrett's somewhat short-lived teen sidekick, whose full name is Sparkington J. Northrup; apparently his parents had a grudge against him.
- All of the Other Reindeer: He's often bullied by other kids his age for his weird name and fancy dress.
- The Bus Came Back: After being forgotten for decades, he finally reappeared in the main DC comics during Stargirl: The Lost Children.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Ended up gradually falling out of the Blue Beetle's crime-fighting career and was entirely forgotten by the time Charlton got the rights to the character.
- Distressed Dude: Held in stasis by the Time Masters, he managed to get free thanks to the events of Flashpoint: Beyond... and almost immediately got captured by a supervillain.
- Preppy Name: "Sparkington J. Northrup" speaks for itself.
- Retgone: An explanation for his long, long, long absence.
- Secret-Keeper: Became the Blue Beetle's sidekick after learning his secret identity and promising to keep it a secret if the Blue Beetle let him help.
Ted Kord Supporting Cast
Time-traveling hero Michael Jon Carter, whom Ted met when they were called up for the Justice League International roster. Although Ted would sometimes be aggravated by Booster's showboating (not to mention their usual harebrained schemes for cash), they nevertheless became Heterosexual Life-Partners, often referred to as "the Blue and the Gold". See his own page for more.
Ted's lab assistant, girlfriend, and confidante in the Charlton Comics/Earth-Four continuity.
- Canon Discontinuity: Tracey doesn't exist in the post-Crisis versions of the DC Universe.
- Only One Name: Her full name was never revealed.
Ted's lab assistant, girlfriend, and confidante in the post-Crisis DC continuity.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: She completely disppeared after the Blue Beetle series ended, not even after Ted returned.
A brilliant chemist working for Ted and big brother figure to Melody.
Ted's mousy receptionist. Angela is secretly the niece of the supervillain Chrono, who forces her to steal technology for him until Ted comes to her aid and defeats him.
Ted's college roommate, now the director of STAR Labs' Chicago division.
- Secret Chaser: He wants to uncover the truth about if Ted Kord is responsible for Dan Garrett's death.
Crusading reporter Vic Sage wears a faceless mask to strike terror into the hearts of criminals as the Question. Vic and Ted met several times both in and out of costume and frequently teamed up with each other, until their tragic deaths within a year of each other. See his own page for more.
Jaime Reyes Supporting Cast
Jaime's friend, and the niece of La Dama.
- Abusive Parents: Her dad was an abusive drunk. La Dama arranged for him to get killed in a car accident.
- Fiery Redhead: Red hair and quite a temper.
- Secret-Keeper: For Jaime.
- Significant Green-Eyed Redhead: She has red hair and green eyes and she's a friend and confidant for Jaime.
Another friend of Jaime's.
- Book Dumb: Is failing Spanish class. He's hispanic.
- Emergency Transformation: In the New 52 series, Jaime transforms him into the Blood Beetle to save his life after the Scarab kills him for being curious about Jaime's secret.
A minor Charlton hero whose gimmick was using force to ensure peace. He's mellowed out since then, and at some point during his career stumbled upon the operating manual for the Scarab, causing him to seek out its host, Jaime Reyes, as a reluctant mentor. Se his page here.
- Good Parents: A loving and supportive father, even after he learns that Jaime is fused to an alien superweapon.
- Happily Married: His marriage to Bianca for all intents and purposes is a happy one.
- Nice Guy: Doesn't even hold a grudge against the employee who got him crippled.
- Almighty Mom: Manages to stop a fight between Jaime and Guy Gardner (Green Lantern Rings instinctively react badly to the Scarab) by telling Guy off.
- Determined Doctor: She's very good at handling unruly patients, like Peacemaker.Peacemaker: That's a very big needle.Bianca: Well, you're a very big jerk.
- Good Parents: By all accounts, a loving mother. She has a bit of a freakout when she sees Jaime as the Blue Beetle, but it's understandable since she'd thought him dead for a year.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: At times she does annoy her brother Jaime.
- Ambiguous Situation: It's not clear how heroic or villainous she is currently.
- Canon Foreigner: She debuted in the Blue Beetle film, then made her way into the comics.
- Lovecraftian Superpower: She can grow tentacles from her armor across her body.
