TOO MUCH RED
Ok, so, you know last issue I said the cover looked surprisingly better than in the solicit? This cover is the exact opposite and more. The original solicit had an entire background with Brenda, a gazebo, and rain. This has..... a solid block of red... Not only is it lazy and kind of ruins the powerful emotional effect tying it into a more real situation, the red clashes so horrendously with the blue in a bad way. What was going to be the hands down best cover is now the hands down worst. Guh.
Whew, it's ok, it's ok. I opened up the issue and I'm reminded why I'm hooked. Ig Guara. This guy draws comic books like... well like I don't know, he has such a great style. It's cartoony enough to work well, and achieves a unique sense of 'round depth' via proper glare. It's just a great style for a superhero comic, and even better when there's the kind of sci-fi there is in Blue Beetle.
As for the story, we're seeing our still uncertain hero Jaime dealing with a severe emotional crisis after the shocking end of the last issue. Although he obviously is able to get past it, it doesn't feel like a cheap stunt, this was a very important moment of character development for Jaime and the Scarab.
I'm actually really liking this balance of dialogue between the two. Jaime is constantly trying to keep the Scarab in line, and we actually see both sides of the struggle. The Scarab is 95% cold and robotic with a 5% snark that makes the perfect 'trapped villain forced grudgingly help the hero.' The two of them are constantly testing each other's moralities and patience, but its creating a more unified synch between them. They're still nowhere near friends, but they are moving towards a more capable fighter.
This series continues to perfectly balance the superheroics of Blue Beetle with the daily teen struggles of Jaime Reyes, each one effecting the other in surprising ways, especially to those unfamiliar with the character. And although old fans will see some of the stuff coming, there are some definite other twists and turns that are all new. This first arc isn't so much an arc as it is about four arcs smashed into one in a patchwork quilt. This works much better than it sounds. Instead of moving from one threat to the next, we're hit on all sides from different antagonists, and we're never certain who's going to make what move next. It keeps you more on the edge of your seat, and makes things feel a little more real; the real world doesn't move in concise arcs.
The only real problem with this issue is ironically very similar to the last issue. After the fantastic establishing scene from #3, Silverback has made a very poor performance. Last issue it was more of that, this time his scene is just poorly handled. Jaime flies off with him in a rage with the intent to interrogate, but barely asks him two questions with only one answer before flying off the the hospital. Sure being more concerned about Paco makes sense, but the pacing of the scene was just a little too awkward.
In Conclusion: 4.5/5
It's not a perfect issue, but it's a little better than the last issue. There's not much to say in the wrap up that wouldn't be repetition of the others. Blue Beetle has perfect art for the content, and that art is just awesome. And the writing has a distinct Milestone pinch to it. Of all the series in my top tier, this one is the most standard, but its the best of the best of the basic. Its contemporaries are just more wild and weird.
