| Ted Kord Blue Beetle | |
|---|---|
 Ted Kord as depicted inThe L.A.W. vol. 1 (September 1999). Art byDick Giordano. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Charlton Comics DC Comics |
| First appearance | Captain Atom #83 (November 1966) |
| Created by | Steve Ditko |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Theodore Stephen "Ted" Kord |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Justice League International L.A.W. Kord Enterprises Justice League Extreme Justice Black Lantern Corps |
| Partnerships | Booster Gold Green Lantern The Question Jaime Reyes |
| Abilities |
|
Theodore Stephen "Ted"Kord[a][1] is the second fictional character to use the identity ofBlue Beetle, asuperhero who was originally published byCharlton Comics and later acquired byDC Comics. He was created bySteve Ditko[citation needed] and first appeared as a back-up feature inCaptain Atom #83 (November 1966), withGary Friedrich scripting from Ditko's conception and plot.
Since his debut in the comics, Kord has made appearances in numerous media. He is voiced byWil Wheaton inBatman: The Brave and the Bold andMatt Lanter in theTomorrowverse.
Ted Kord was a genius-level inventor and a gifted athlete, sharing much more in common withDan Garret, theFox Feature Syndicate original, than did Charlton's reimagining of the Garrett (a second "t" was added) / Blue Beetle character. Kord's signature equipment was his bug-shaped personal aircraft, which he entered and exited typically with a cable suspended from the cockpit. He also generally eschewed personal weaponry, except for a pistol that made a blinding flash of light and, additionally, a strong airblast to gain the advantage when he closed in for hand-to-hand combat.
The character ran as a backup feature inCaptain Atom #83–86 (November 1966 – June 1967) before getting his ownBlue Beetle title,[2] which ran for 5 issues between June 1967 and November 1968. A sixth issue was produced, but published in theCharlton Portfolio byCPL Gang. TheQuestion ran as a backup series, with the fifth issue featuring a quasi-team-up in which the Blue Beetle story continues in part in theQuestion tale.
An origin was given inSecret Origins vol. 2, #2, linking him to the original Blue Beetle. Ted was a former student ofDan Garrett, and they were investigating his uncleJarvis Kord, learning Jarvis was working to create an army of androids to take over Earth; Garrett fought Jarvis, but both were killed in the battle.[3] Garrett died and passed on the responsibility of the alter-ego to Ted, but was not able to pass on the mystical Blue Beetle scarab (a convenient means for Ditko to explain his preference for a power-free character). There was a hint that one android was still left in stasis, but this would remain unresolved until the DC series of the late 1980s.
In the early 1980s, the first issue of Charlton's anthology comicCharlton Bullseye featured a team-up of the Blue Beetle and the Question. Later,AC Comics would publish a story intended forCharlton Bullseye inAmericomics #3, and a one-shot of a team-up of all the Charlton "Action Heroes" called theSentinels of Justice, as the company called its lineup. Upon losing Blue Beetle, AC Comics created a similar character calledScarlet Scorpion.
DC Comics acquired the Charlton heroes in the mid-1980s and used theCrisis on Infinite Earthscrossover event to integrate them all into the DC Universe. During this period, Ted Kord had his ownBlue Beetle series, written byLen Wein,[4] which ran for 24 issues from June 1986 to May 1988. Also published during this time wasSecret Origins #2 (cover illustrated byGil Kane), which explained the origins and careers of the Ted Kord and Dan Garrett Blue Beetles in post-Crisiscontinuity. They would also follow up on the hinted android in stasis from the Charlton series, which would eventually become "Carapax, the Indestructible Man".
In his monthly, solo series, Kord was shown as an industrialist, the owner of KORD Industries, which he took over from his father Thomas Kord and transformed it from a smallR&D company to a scientific industry rivalingS.T.A.R. Labs. Upon joining the newly formed Justice League (following the events in theLegends) Ted was more often portrayed as a second string joke. He was short on money, leading to his entering "get-rich-quick" schemes withBooster Gold. A brief appearance inJLA: Year One showed the young Ted working in Kord Industries R&D, where he designed the JLA HQ security system. Upon meeting the heroes, he thought, "Screw the family business. I want to be one of those guys", possibly explaining the company's fluctuating status since he took over.
Kord is probably best known as the wisecracking Blue Beetle ofKeith Giffen andJ. M. DeMatteis' lighthearted, five-year run on variousJustice League of America titles (notablyJustice League International), where he was memorably partnered with Booster Gold, and the two become best friends. Among fans, they are known collectively as the "Blue and Gold" team. After Giffen and DeMatteis left, the series continued to run untilJustice League America #113.Dan Jurgens tied "The Death of Superman" storyline intoJLA, in whichDoomsday left Kord in a coma during his murderous rampage, as well as a six-inch scar on the back of his skull. Kord and Booster Gold both subsequently joined the short-lived Justice League offshoot known asExtreme Justice.[5]
Kord then entered a period of relative obscurity. TheminiseriesLAW (Living Assault Weapons) reunited him and the other heroes acquired from Charlton, but the series met with critical disfavor.[citation needed]
In July 2003, Giffen, DeMatteis, and originalJLI artistKevin Maguire reunited for the six-issue miniseriesFormerly Known as the Justice League, where many of the original JLI characters re-teamed with a storefront office. Ted (who had grown in maturity) was an important member of this new team known as the "Super Buddies". The sequelstory arcI Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League was initially slated as a second miniseries, but instead ran delayed inJLA: Classified #4–9 (2005).
Ted made several appearances inBirds of Prey, at first as Oracle's internet friend and later in person. It was hinted in several issues that Ted had a crush on Oracle. Ted had gone back to his company, but still had many, many problems with it; problems Oracle tried to help resolve. During this time, it was revealed he had a heart condition (where he had actually experienced multiple heart attacks while in action without noticing),[6] but this did not stop him from assisting when it was needed. After his death, the Birds of Prey visited a statue inValhalla Cemetery built in his honor;Black Canary revealed that being in the JLA was only fun when Ted was there, and Oracle revealed having had a cyber crush on him.[7]
InCountdown to Infinite Crisis, Kord discovers a revivedCheckmate organization headquartered in aBelgian castle fortress where Kord is captured.Maxwell Lord, former bankroller of the JLA, reveals to Blue Beetle a plan to use Checkmate to ensure thatmetahumans, including superheroes, will be kept under human's surveillance and control. Blue Beetle is then given an ultimatum to join Lord's organization, but refuses with the reply "Rot in hell, Max" to which Lord murders him with a bullet to the head.[3][8]
That same story had earlier reiterated that Kord had thought the scarab was destroyed back inBlue Beetle vol. 6. #18 (1987); however, it had been rediscovered, untouched, in a temple in Egypt and handed over to Kord. It is unclear as to whether or not this is the same scarab created from a piece of future technology magically infused byNabu in theTime Masters miniseries.Shazam took the scarab upon encountering Kord, fueling speculation about the possibility of the character's return inInfinite Crisis. At theWizard World convention, writerGreg Rucka stated that Kord would not be resurrected.[9]
DuringInfinite Crisis,Jaime Reyes obtains Kord's scarab and becomes the new Blue Beetle. A statue of Kord is displayed in a memorial to fallen Justice League members. When recruiting members for the newJustice League, Superman suggests Booster Gold to whichBatman responds: "There are better ways to honor Ted".
InGeoff Johns' 2007/2008 ongoingBooster Gold series, Booster Gold agrees to helpRip Hunter set right the timeline, but at a cost: Rip must help Booster travel back in time and save Ted Kord.[10] Hunter tries to shock Booster into acknowledging the inability to change the past.[11] As Booster prepares to accept this fate, a futuristic Blue Beetle appears with Dan Garrett and Jaime Reyes in tow to show how to turn the time around Kord's death into "malleable time". Booster betrays Hunter and rescues Kord from death.[12] The story arc "Blue and Gold" reveals that this act has altered the present, creating a timeline where Maxwell Lord rules over Earth as apolice state. The future Blue Beetle is revealed to be the supervillainBlack Beetle. Facing the defeat of his formerJLI teammates (the only free heroes in the new timeline), Kord returns to the past and allows himself to die to restore the timeline.[13]
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During the "Blackest Night" event, Kord is revived as aBlack Lantern and lures Booster Gold into the open by targetingDaniel Carter (Supernova) and Rose Levin, Booster's 21st-century ancestor. He is able to successfully pierce the Supernova costume shields with his gun, and holds Supernova in place while beating Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) and staving off Skeets' attack until Booster arrives. He then moves in for the kill, hoping to rip out Booster's heart.[1]
Kord battles all of the heroes, but is unsuccessful in killing anyone except a neighbor who complained about the noise from the fight. Jaime and Booster Gold remove Rose and Daniel from the scene and head to a KORD Industries warehouse where one of Kord's hidden bases is located to collect special equipment to fight the Black Lantern. Booster discovers that even though the doors were genetically coded, someone had accessed Kord's hidden base a few months before his remains were reanimated. However to Booster's knowledge, only two people, had authorization to access it: Booster Gold and Kord himself. Kord corpse battles Booster until he is attacked by a light blast from a gun designed by Kord to access the emotional spectrum. Kord is separated from the ring, leaving his body inanimate. Booster seizes his remains before the ring can reanimate them, takes them into the Time Sphere, and deposits them in a small grave at the Vanishing Point.[14]
Following DC's 2011 relaunch of its properties as part of itsThe New 52 publishing event, Ted Kord is not mentioned in comics until 2014, when he is reintroduced in the final pages ofForever Evil, DC's company-wide crossover event. At the beginning of the story,Lex Luthor threatens the owner of Kord Industries, Thomas Kord, and his entire family and company, as part of a plan to acquire the company but the helicopter loses control, and crashes into the side ofLexCorp Tower. Lex later undergoes a change of heart after finding a message appearing on his phone's screen from theCrime Syndicate: "THIS WORLD IS OURS". Lex looks up to see that Thomas Kord is still alive, but dangling precariously from the helicopter's wreckage over a sheer drop to the street. He tries to save him butUltraman accidentally causes Kord to fall to his death.[15] Lex Luthor later promises Ted Kord (depicted as a grad student) that he will not be acquiring Kord Industries despite Ted's desire to sell it to him. Lex compliments Ted on his genius with nanotechnology and offers him his assistance should he ever need it again. Ted thanks Lex and praises him for living up to his reputation for benevolence.[16]
InDC Universe: Rebirth, Ted Kord is the owner of Kord Industries, where he makes and designs technologies. After Jaime Reyes approaches Kord for help to get rid of the Scarab, Kord is trying to figure out what the Scarab can do and help as many people in the process. Kord is warned byDoctor Fate that he does not know what he is dealing with, as the Scarab is magical in nature.[17] Kord is established to have been Blue Beetle some time in the past, having worked alongside other heroes such asNightshade.[18]
During theDark Nights: Death Metal storyline, Blue Beetle is among the prisoners inApokolips afterThe Batman Who Laughs and his Dark Knights take over Earth. They are freed whenWonder Woman, Batman, and Harley Quinn freed Superman from the control of Darkfather.[19] During the heroes' fight with Robin King, Blue Beetle accompaniesRed Tornado and Blue Beetle into battle against Robin King. Robin King summons a giant beetle which kills Blue Beetle.[20] Batman later resurrects Blue Beetle using a Black Lantern ring.[21]
Nearly all of Ted Kord's Charlton Comics appearances as Blue Beetle have been collected as part of theDC Archive Editions series.
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Action Heroes Archives, Vol. 2 | Captain Atom #83–89 Blue Beetle vol. 5, #1–5 Charlton Portfolio #9–10 (written for and presented asBlue Beetle #6) | May 2007 | 978-1401213466 |
TheCharlton Portfolio material is in black and white as originally presented, while the rest is in color. The collection includes nearly all of the Charlton appearances of theQuestion, as well as a brief appearance byCaptain Atom. Volume 1 of the archive contained nearly all of Captain Atom's Charlton stories and a brief appearance by Nightshade.
Ted Kord has no superpowers; he possesses a genius-level intellect, with an IQ of 192.[8] He is proficient in numerous sciences such as physics, chemistry, computer science, genetics, mechanical engineering, and aerospace engineering. He additionally has a comprehensive understanding of extraterrestrial technology.Despero once claimed that Ted's mind was second only to that of theMartian Manhunter.[22] Former Justice League teammateGuy Gardner claims that Ted is smarter thanBatman, "although nobody ever noticed".[23] Kord is an Olympic-level acrobat and skilled hand-to-hand combatant, having studied in the martial arts ofkarate[24] andaikido.[24] Dick Grayson stated that Ted is very adept physically, to the point where he is almostambidextrous.[25]
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Ted Kord / Blue Beetle appears as a character summon inScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[49]
This version of Blue Beetle has been ranked as the 61st-greatest comic book character of all time.[53] AnIGN ranking stated that his intelligence, his "bwahahha" antics, his endearing partnership with Booster Gold, and his brave sacrifice during the build-up toInfinite Crisis all serve to cement his legacy.[54]
After Ted Kord assumed the scarab as Blue Beetle in a back-up feature ofCaptain Atom #83, writer/artist Steve Ditko and co-writer "D.C. Glanzman" (who was actually Ditko) launched the Blue Beetle into his own series.
Discovering that he wasn't just going to get magic powers from the scarab to make him an instant super-hero, meant that Ted had to spend years training and developing the equipment he would use as the second Blue Beetle.
