BOOSTERRIFIC! BLOG: And the Identity of the Black Beetle Is__

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

And the Identity of the Black Beetle Is...

Don't worry, there are no spoilers for Blue and Gold #8 in today's post, but I can't say the same for the following link to ComicBook.com!

Now that you've been appropriately warned, here's the link to ComicBook.com where Russ Burlingame has a recap of how it took DC thirteen years (!) to finally tell us who the Black Beetle was:

The original plan to reveal the Black Beetle's true identity, was to do it in Booster Gold #25. The mystery proved so intriguing to readers, and the story for #25 was already so full, that Jurgens and DC opted to put it off until a planned double-sized story in Booster Gold #50. Unfortunately for Booster fans, Flashpoint happened, and the series ended with Booster Gold #47 in 2011 as part of the line-wide "The New 52" reboot. This is the villain's first significant appearance since.

To add a little extra salt to that wound, I will remind you that Booster Gold #47 was actually the 49th issue for the title. In addition to the 47 conventionally sequential-numbered issues, there were also 0 and 1,000,000 issues as well. So we could have had the reveal in a double-sized 50th issue number 48 if DC had let the series go on for just one more month.

And while we're on the topic of salty wounds, can we even be sure that the Black Beetle we got in Blue and Gold was the same character who put together the villainous Time Stealers in Booster Gold Volume 2 #7? As Russ points out, DC History is not what it used to be.

Honestly, I was so angry that the New 52 reboot truncated the continuity of my favorite characters that I strongly considered swearing off DC Comics entirely. (I meant it, too. As several ex-friends can tell you, I'm the sort of guy who can hold a grudge forever. It's not healthy.)

Several reboots and rebirths later, I still don't buy as many DC comics as I used to, but I have happily bought multiple copies of each issue of Blue and Gold with no regrets, no matter who they say Black Beetle is. I feel that's been money well spent, and I'd be glad to give DC more if they decide they want to do it again.

Comments (6) | Add a Comment | Tags: black beetle comicbook.com dan jurgens russ burlingame

Boosterrific [Official Comment] posted on Apr. 20, 2022 at 2:45 PM
For quick reference, here were my guesses to the Black Beetle's identity in 2014:
Part 1: The Black Beetle Is the Blue Beetle
Part 2: The Black Beetle Is Not the Blue Beetle
Part 3: The Black Beetle Is the Time Master

Ariel Justel posted on Apr. 20, 2022 at 7:18 PM
I know how you felt about the New52. I was a DC fan from a little before Crisis on Infinite Earths. I had been following the characters for many, many years and I was more than happy that my favourite character Booster was enjoying his second series.

As everybody knows, Flashpoint was going to be an arc in The Flash series. Then, it was decided to make it a line wide crossover. Booster Gold was going to have a very big role in this crossover; we even had hints of it in Rip's chalkboard: "Armageddon 2011".

Then, somebody decided to use Flashpoint to reset the DCU. Booster's big role in the series, his "big moment", was completely put aside. Then, even worse, DC decided to cancel all the series without proper planning nor time to gave them the endings they deserved. It was obvious back then in 2011 that DC was making things without much thinking.

Ariel Justel posted on Apr. 20, 2022 at 7:18 PM
Dan Jurgens was going to resolve the open threads of Booster Gold Vol 2 in an oversized #50 issues and we, the fans that had followed the series for years were finally going to receive our reward (the answers). DC didn't bother and screw with us without shame.

At the moment, it felt like a slap in the face. As a fan and specially as a customer I felt completely betrayed. It was like a betrayal from a friend, relative or a loved one. Something was broken and it will never be the same. From that moment on, I can't feel the same way for DC and this feeling lasts until these days. Yes, I have bought a few comics and series from time to time (mostly Booster appeareances) but this betrayal was my jumping off point for me.

DC could have thought on give us a special oversized issue with the ending of BG Vol 2 to show some respect to their fans and customers. They didn't bother.

Sometimes I think that the pre-Crisis fans may had feel the same way but I believe that Crisis on Infinite Earths payed way more respect to the characters and to the fans that Flashpoint and the New52 ever did.

Sorry for the long post!

Boosterrific [Official Comment] posted on Apr. 20, 2022 at 9:09 PM
CRISIS was no picnic for late Bronze Age readers (and I remember a whole lot complaining), but at least in the wake of CRISIS DC gave the peace offering of HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE and WHO'S WHO to help explain changes. They couldn't even be bothered with that for the New 52.

Bob posted on May. 2, 2022 at 4:37 PM
Hi everyone I just finished Booster Gold #8 and I have a question. Without spoiling the ending for anyone else. Does the identity of the Black Beetle mean that there is an Evil Rip Hunter out there also? Any thoughts

Boosterrific [Official Comment] posted on May. 2, 2022 at 5:24 PM
The premise of Earth-3 is that every familiar DC hero is a villain there and all familiar villains are heroes, so yes. (Add to that the DC Muliverse is now functionally infinite, meaning there must be an infinite number of incarnations of every character in all possible moral permutations. So double yes.)

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And the Identity of the Black Beetle Is...

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