I never realized there were actually no Charlton Blue Beetle comics published in the 70's! I saw the cool Bullseye ad as a kid in 1975 and assumed that there were books related to the character that somehow I could never find.
I like the Ted Kord Blue Beetle a lot more than the Jaime Reyes version. Also, DC has been through at least three continuity reboots since Ted Kord was killed off and he's been restored to life; at the time that I'm writing this, he's starring in a miniseries called Blue and Gold with his best friend Booster Gold.
I hate Jaime but Ted's death was a great story that was perfectly executed in my opinion. Retroactively made him a more interesting character, in a way that made him less redundant in a modern DC universe. And I don't think every hero needs a built-up to, 12 issue epic to be killed off. I know most Kord fans disagree though.
Great video ! I love Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle and I think he goes unfairly unrecognised by a lot of fans, although the fans that do love him love him very much. I find it so interesting how Ditko drew Ted, he looks strikingly similar to an adult Peter Parker. I wonder if that was intentional or just a similar visual archetype for heroes that Ditko drew.
Dick Giordano 's story is amazing. So is BBs journey. Ted will always be my favorite Beetle. Giordano lived long enough to see so much of his legacy. His Dracula adaptation is beautiful. It's also great that so many legends grew under his care.
I still have a few issues of the various variations of the Blue Beetle. I bought them whenever I saw a new one. I'm 70 now and still can remember my excitement when I'd find one.
There was a radio serial in the 1930's of the Blue Beetle. In the animated series, Batman: Brave and the Bold, the Blue Beetle featured prominently. There was an episode where he battled the Madmen.
I saw my first Blue Beetle comic in the early or mid 1970's. I went with my grandpa to get our hair cut. While I was waiting for my turn, I looked through a pile of old comics the barber had. One was a coverless BB comic from the 1960's . I really liked the Blue Beetle, drawn by "The old Spider-Man artist". I was not as impressed by the backup feature The Question. I found his "costume" underwhelming. Many have forgotten this, but in the 1970's, PBS had a show called The Electric Company. A comedic version of the Blue Beetle was a reoccurring character. The Electric Company had also signed a deal with Marvel to have Spider-Man appear on the show. One episode featured Spider-Man meeting the Blue Beetle. I believe this predated the Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man comic, so Spidey meeting BB was the first inter-company crossover.
Thanks for that comment! I hesitated remarking on Beetles inclusion in Electric Company because I couldn’t be sure if I dreamt it or not. I knew Spidey made appearances and Morgan Freeman played Dracula but the Blue Beetle can’t be real!
Funny you mention the Electric Company...some of my friends who are not into comics have sent me links to it. I've had at least four people send me the same link. LOL!
I love the Blue Beetle! I got in with the Jaime Reyes version, but I really enjoy Ted Kord too (bit a Blue and Gold fan). The Jaime version was really paying homage to both Ted and Dan Garret, hope the movie does too
I got in to Blue Beetle in the 80s when Len Wein and Paris Cullins were doing the monthly title. It was so up beat and fun; with the rolling plot lines constantly keeping up the momentum. Unfortunately, if I remember correctly, the end got messed up by the interference of one of DC's interminable cross-over events; maybe "Invasion". The Blue and Gold stuff in Justice League International was also a delight. I enjoy the Jaime Reyes version too; especially in the early episodes, where his battlesuit was pretty mysterious.
I’m a fan of Ted from the JLI days, but it lead me to looking up the Charlton and AC stuff. I remember getting the AC Comics issue with the return of Dan Garrett after I took my SATs in 2000. The comic shop I went to had that issue on a shelf for months. I finally had the money to buy it and I loved it! Great episode!
The team of Ted Kord's Blue Beetle and Booster Gold during that period, not just in the Justice League but the entire DCU, was hilarious without being stupid. I didn't like them killing Ted off but I did like the scene where Max Lord was giving him credit for being a great detective, on par with Batman. That was an unfortunate casualty of his teaming with Booster Gold; they stopped taking him seriously. I don't hate the newer scarab-driven version of the character but I'd love to see Ted somehow come back and become a mentor of some kind. We did get to see a pretty good version of him in the "Batman: The Brave & The Bold" animated series, even if it was just to advance the storyline for the newer character.
I loved those two AC books as well. Frankly preferred what they did over what DC did with the characters but I am biased. I always liked the Dan Garret Blue Beetle best! Sometimes I think his alter ego inspired the Indiana Jones character with the Archaeologist angle!
As a small child, I remember my dad having bought me that issue of Captain Atom in which Blue Beetle made his (new) debut! Oddly, today, I remember some of the Blue Beetle panels better than I remember what the Captain Atom story was about.
Blue Beetle #5, "Destroyer of Heroes." My mom sometimes bought stacks of old comics at a wholesaler, and that dog-eared issue was NOTHING like the Marvels surrounding it. It haunted me until I tracked down another copy years later and made certain that I hadn't dreamed it.
Reminded me of a trip to Ohio my parents took me on. At one point we were in thrift shop that had oodles of comics for sale. I saw (and bought) that same Blue Beetle#5 which confused me because I had only seen the Dan Garret version before. Also got introduced to Judomaster (also master of Karate and Jiu Jitsu!) in thay pile and finally a Mandrake The Magician from King comic book run. Always liked to get my hands on the non-Marvel and non-DC books when I was a kid. It was hard to find them on Long Island where I grew up!
"One punch! One punch!" is all I really knew of Blue Beetle, and that the Charleston Comics characters were what The Watchmen were based on. Thanks for this. Really well put together and entertaining.
I'm surprised there aren't more Dan Garrett BB fans on this thread. I hope he and Ted get some more props when Jaime's Blue Beetle comes to the screen in live action. If they could incorporate all three versions into the storyline it would be awesome.
I was a huge fan of the Dan Garret versions, both the Golden Age and the Charlton one with the scarab. One of the Jamie Reyes ones had him in flashback but confused both Dan's as being one person, perhaps because of that story from AC Comics?
I was instantly fascinated (and still am) by all the Charlton characters when they showed up in DC's Crisis On Infinite Earths. I'm glad they've all found a home in the DCU, with many becoming mainstays. Who knew Peacemaker would become the next big thing, too! Always enjoy your content!
@@FizzFop1 and I remember those discount bags of comics, too! Even better was the stack of 20 that didn't have covers and they were just a mystery grab bag! My mom (I have a mom story, too!) Used to buy those for me for summertime car trips, I still have many of them.
I first learned about the original Blue Beetle (and other Golden Age heroes that didn't come from the Big 2) from Ron Goulart's "Great History of Comic Books". I was quite surprised to learn just how popular he was in the 40s. To have his own radio show, in the days before TV series? That was a big deal!
Both it and the comic strip came to premature ends. I actually have a few of the Radio shows on tape cassettes. I wish Old Time Radio Spirits would put out one of their CD compilations on the show. They could tie it in with the upcoming movie release!
I remember seeing the Charlton house ads for Blue Beetle #6 back in 1968, and then haunting the stands searching in vain for it. It was such a huge thrill when The Charlton Portfolio finally published the story in 1974!
After Ted Kord passed away but in the Booster Gold series they used time travel to go back and rescue Ted and Booster and the current and future Beetles were trying stop a time anomaly from happening.Ted realizes that his changed timeline helped set the anomaly in motion so he sacrifices himself and officially passes the torch to Jaime Reyes and says good bye to Booster then goes back to die.
Gosh, what a great video, this was like an unexpected Christmas present for me. Coincidentally enough I had read the new DC versions of their old origins written by Len Wein and drawn by Gil Kane just a few days ago from Secret Origins # 2. I originally got into the character from the very story that they killed em off in, that was back when I read mainstream comics, I didn't know much about the guy at the time so I looked for old DC appearances (As they were the only things I felt I could find) and even got this really cool Blue Beetle companion book that basically told me the whole history of the character up to the point of Jamie Reyes first showing up. I learned a lot of history from that book, it indirectly made me a Wonder Man fan, along with the other Fox and Charlton characters alike. Wish I didn't lose that book, it was a great read. I definitely like the Blue Beetle, the Ted Kord version is my favorite. He was indirectly, along with Spider-Man, one of the inspirations of a character I made myself. You're so lucky having issues number 1 and three of the original series, that's a great find!!!
Hi Andrew, glad you enjoyed my video. My collection is an unorganized mess, but I believe I have all of the 1960s issues. Most of them, I picked up for next to nothing...but it's extremely hard finding higher grade issues.
Charlton Comics will always be part of some of the good memories of my childhood. D.C. bought the lineup for 30,000 ! Jesus, did they wear a mask and have a gun on 'em ? Unreal just a giveaway, even for that time.
That was the best deal since the Manhattan was bought for a box full of trinkets. Collectively, I imagine those characters are worth about a billion dollars today.
@@FizzFop1 Yeah, it's always a shame when something so beloved is all but discarded and thought so little of, be it a copyright or property . It's difficult to compete with a behemoth of a corporation like Marvel or D.C. , but the scrappy fighters like Charlton will always be cherished in our memories.
I love this version of the Blue Beetle. First came across him when he was in Justice League International. In the UK it was a back up strip in the Superman comic. Followed him and the later Jaime Reyes version. I’m really happy he’s back now and I’m enjoying the latest series with Booster Gold. Great video btw.
Yeah...back around 1973 - '74 -'75...my older brother and I had nice collections. Marvel, DC, Charlton, Atlas...all kinds. Lots of Issue #1's... Blue Beetle, Hercules, OMAC, PRES...Eternals..it was great time for me as comics go. Now I just watch the movies...(and streaming shows when visiting friends).
My induction into the Cult O' Ted Kord was in the...late 70's?...when I came across reprints of issues #1 and 3 (yep, the same two you bought in that garage all those years ago) in the F.W. Woolworth's in Woodhaven, Queens. I will admit, though, to grooving more on The Question than Blue Beetle....
When I was a kid, the first time that I was introduced to the Blue Beetle character was by having watched the Electric Company back in the mid seventies.
Please always ramble about your personal experiences with a comic book character. Your vids are so much better than everyone elses as they are different, not click batey and you show a genuine interest and passion in them and so sharing your history of picking up Blue Beetle comics at a garage sale gives an insight to a real comic book follower. Its good to hear these tales.
I really enjoyed the fact that the Blue Beetle developed a hidden lock on the chin part of his cowl so no one could ever remove it while he was unconscious. Genius!
Think your theory about Fox's debt to Charlton is probably on the mark. Very common for publishers to accept/demand publishing rights from companies that owed them for past printing jobs back then. Ted Kord's "my" Beetle. Loved Ditko's work on him as a kid, although I never really registered on him being a Batman knockoff back then. He felt like more of a techie to me than Bruce ever did, and the Bug was the coolest thing in the strip to young me. And of course his JLI days are pure gold. Booster Gold, even. :) Fond memories of the Charlton Bullseye too. Nice bit of nostalgia. Same goes for those old 3-for-$1 comic baggies, although I was in college before I found out I'd been buying unsold leftovers back then. Trying to figure out what the middle book in each bag was the real challenge. Another terrific video, glad you're back up and running.
To hear you reminisce about buying that comic pack at that garage sale is one of the most pure and innocent reflections of a better time long since passed. Have a great new year and continued success to you and your channel. Cheers.
@@FizzFop1 yes. Watching yours and the other comic channels that look at the golden age stuff you see a lot of heroes or themes that have been recycled
I remember somehow a collection of Charlton and DC Comics being left at our house in the 60's. The Charlton storyline and feel were different than DC or Marvel. I gravitated toward them more. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to buy my own comics Charlton was impossible to find.
Picked up my first issue of the Charlton beetle run in 73' then grabbed the Steve ditko issue with the beetle and question on the cover. Back in 73 I ' had been loosely following the characto evolution. Ever since Glad DC incorporated the character into the line. Great review 👍🌲
Great video bro .I'm a huge fan of the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle .Ten comics for a dollar that's an awesome deal .Well Merry Christmas to you and yours bro.
Always been a fan of Ted Kord, from his series and Justice League appearances. Like other heroes of the JL International, I never saw the comedy as some restriction that he couldn't go serious in other tales. So I was no fan of him being killed off as a prop for other characters' benefit, and it among other factors meant the end of my (contemporary) comic collecting days.
I was a Question fan back in the 80s, the Denny O'Neil one, and the comic store had a beautiful painting celebrating the DC buyout of Charlton . Question, BB, Peacemaker, Capt Atom, Nightshade, Sarge Steel and Judomaster. I was intrigued by these characters, and bribed the owner out of the poster. I started collecting these characters, and was introduced to many others in the Charlton pantheon, some better than others, all entertaining. I lost the poster somewhere back in the 90s, but through the magic of ebay, I found another one, and had it framed. Beautiful even today. To this day, I am simply known to local shops as " The Charlton guy". :)
Blue Beetle was never one of my favorites but I'm a huge DC fan and a huge legacy character fan and BB falls into these two categories so he snuck his way into my party so to speak!!😏😉
It's worth noting that the Jaime Reyes incarnation of Blue Beetle is getting his own solo movie that is set for release on August 18, 2023. Jaime was often featured in the Young Justice animated series. Ted Kord's Beetle appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It was odd to see the third Blue Beetle featured in an episode of Smallville. But it was really nice to see Blue Beetle 2 get his own DC Showcase animated short. Go, Ted, go!
When I got into collecting comics in the late 70s, I discovered the Charlton Action Heroes and started to collect them. Got the AC Comics stuff when they came out and DC's series when that appeared. I was able to get all the Ditko BB and some of the earlier stuff. I also worked on the wikipedia article on Blue Beetle, and related pages, but that was years ago when I was more into that.
@@FizzFop1 No prob! I got into Blue Beetle in the early days of DC's Justice League, and JLI. I bought the DC Comics Showcase with his 1986 series. I loved it! My only gripe is they didn't resolve any of the plot threads from the ending of that series in other books! As usual, great video. I learned a lot!
Thanks for the great retrospective! I became a BB fan when I happened upon the Charlton Bullseyse #1 with BB and the Question Team up. Then I saw them in the 2 issues of Americomics! ( If only the one shot of Sentinels of Justice was an on going series!) After that, I collected all the Steve Ditko BB at Comic Con's. I truly think BB has more untapped potential! Thanks for posting!
I love the Americomics BB book. I didn't mention it in this video...but that was originally intended for an issue of Charlton Bullseye--but they stopped printing. In that book, there's a Jack Kirby style story in it. It's great!
My first exposure was a free giveaway of several Charleton books from a mall children's shoe store in the very late 60s or early 70s. Characters included not only the second BB, but the question, and captain atom as well as a doctor specktor, if im not mistaken. O was a confirmed DC guy, did not like the moral ambiguity and "heroes with real world problems" that Marvel was famous for. I did like the Charleton stuff, but even at the time they seemed dated and a bit nostalgic. I remember a few years later discovering E-Man, and loving that short run book. I hope you cover that odd-ball character some time. Maybe along with the Creeper, and Ambush Bug. Great job. I always enjoy your trips into the fringes and dark corners of comics history. Keep it up!
Good video. Buying the Blue and Gold series from DC, currently. It is okay. I like Jurgen's writing but prefer if he was drawing it as well. Cully Hamner's art on issue 3 was great. I had forgot the Reyes version even existed.
Awsome video! When I read the character he was comic relief with Booster Gold in JLI. Good stories for their time. I did get to see him in more serious adventures and thought that story killing Ted Kord was horrible! Anyways love your vid, and enjoyed hearing about Dan Garret and the Blue Beetle’s history overall. Thank you!
Not just another great video, but I think this has been the best one yet! Every scan was perfect, and really helped tell the story. For me the first time I came across the blue beetle was in the first justice league comic I bought, it was one where the JLA is getting their ass kicked by despairo. I remember buying DC comics trading cards and I always thought the blue beetle card was the best, and most dynamic drawing of the set. I always liked how the Ted blue beetle was kinda like Spidey and batman put together.
DC actually once put out a card of the Golden Age Blue Beetle because Roy Thomas was going to use him in All Star Squadron until Crisis On Infinite Earths ruined everything! I still have the card! Roy was going to also use the WW2 set Judomaster as well till Crisis On Infinite Earths ruined everything! Originally there was supposed to like four earths left instead of trying to jam everything into one! It would have been awesome! But instead....!
Great video, brother. I love these comics. I was born in the mid 80s so I didn't grow up with these and didn't know about them until I was an adult but when I read them I loved them. I then collected the Len Wein run and those are also some of my favorite comics. At least until Chronos appears. After that I think it lost a step. I never liked the comedy version of Ted Kord. I like this version. I think it's a shame we didn't get more of those stories at Charlton or DC. I would love to see it return sometime, tho I know it's very unlikely. Most people my age haven't even heard of Charlton Comics and there are not a ton of videos about it so it's nice to see that you're making them
Great video! I am a huge fan of the Silver Age Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) as well. I love pretty much anything Steve Ditko created (or co-created), but even so, Blue Beetle holds a special place in my heart. I was also a fan of the 80's DC series by Len Wein and Paris Cullins. It was very old school compared to what DC was moving toward to at the time. BB's run as a member of the Justice League International was pure fun and joy. I never forgave DC fo killing Ted Kord and didn't care for any versions of BB that came out of DC after that.
Your story at the end about your vivid memory reminded me a LOT of my memories of being a Space Ghost and the Phantom fan in middle school. Reading reprints and begging for change from comic stores. Weird characters for me to have gotten into at that age, especially considering this was 2011-2013
What's wrong with us Joshua? I love the weird characters more than the mainstream ones! It's great to find other kindred souls out there. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I took time this pandemic to really dig into my collection and inventory with help from CLZ app. In the process, I discovered Captain Atom #83. I had no idea it was the first Ted Kord and I had owned the book for 10+ years at that point. It was included in a pile of books I obtained on a road trip to silver city NM along with a bunch of charlton and dc books from the era. As we all know, Charlton printed cheap ink on poor paper making high quality survivors rare and this one is no exception. I will get it graded although I can’t expect much better than 5.0.
Awesome littlekissrecords! Finding higher grades for those books is damn near impossible. All my copies have been read heavily before I got them...the lack of high grades is proof that these books were read and read over again by those who had them.
I throughly enjoy your vids it takes me back to my childhood. Many on the titles you cover had at one time in my youth been in my collection. (Original not reprint) There is one more iteration of the blue beetle from the 70s that I'm surprised you didn't mention that kick started the modern DC rebrand. That is his appearance in the PBS children's program, The Electric company.
Memory lane is great. I grew up in a small town in New Zealand. No shops, just a service (gas) station. They didn't sell mainstream like batman or Spiderman, they did stock BB though. I learnt to read reading BB comics, along with what ever King Kirbys I could find. I know it cheesy to say but Ted Kord was such a huge part of my childhood. He is my favorite, still is today. I stop reading comics when DC killed him off.
Hey Omega NZ! Thanks for watching! I felt the same way about Ted Kord. Are there any NZ superheroes to speak of? That's something I've never come across.
Really loved this video! I always dug the Blue Beetle, I've never been a fan though of comics changing the origin and identity of the character I'd have to say. As a kid growing up I was insulted the Electric Company made the Blue Beetle a portly buffoon, the previews for the new movie coming out look pretty cool and interesting. I've a bunch of the DC run from the 80's, but it would be so great to own some of the Charlton Comic ones.
I bought all the Ditko Blue Beetle comics and most of Ditko's Captain Atom stories off the spinner racks at their time of publication. I had followed Ditko there from Marvel and as a kid I preferred Ditko's Blue Beetle over John Romita's Spider-Man also over the later Doctor Strange artists. Ditko also worked on some of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents books for Tower Comics and later went to DC where he created the Creeper, Shade the Changing Man, and Hawk & Dove. Most of the best Ditko art was published in the 1960s in my opinion but I'll admit to being more than a little bit nostalgic since I was still just a young little extra-terrestrial then.
Nothing wrong feeling a bit nostalgic. Ditko was one of the all time greats! I'm currently looking at his panels and page layouts. I might try doing a Ditko video like I did for the Wally Wood panels.
Enjoyable, thanks ! I also can remember details about the Blue Beetle ... and where I was when I ran across an issue from Charleston during the '60s ... with Steve Ditko art. DC shudda left well enough alone and not killed-off the Charleston version of BB. I look forward to the day when they decide to bring this version back, there's a base and I'm one of them loyal to this incarnation. DC didn't just shoot BB, they just shot themselves in the foot ... even Marvel brought back Bucky, come on DC get with it ... !
Been reading up on Justice League International and that's where I first met the Ted Kord iteration of the Beetle, and it's interesting how DC essentially bought a line up with a guy that was just a bug-themed Batman: Crimefighter with no superpowers, gadgetry, a self-themed vehicle, rich industrialist with a secret identity, pretty much just an underage sidekick short of being another Green Arrow, but instead of just keeping him as is, throughout his JLI run and especially during the millennium event, he essentially became Batman: the failure edition. He's a lot better around people in-costume but bungles his every human relationship as Kord, runs his company into the ground, and when he becomes disillusioned with his team's and his own strength, he crashes at Booster's and eats nothing but microwave dinners. And if that sounds like I'm talking smack about Ted, that's what I like about him. That they kinda turned him imperfect as to not have _another_ Batman ripoff rotting on the shelves.
Earlier this summer I scored a copy of Fantastic Four #52; first appearance of Black Panther, for 50 cents! I sold it for $260. It's not quite the childhood dream of finding Action Comics #1 at a flea market, but close enough!
Ted's Blue Beetle was hugely popular in the 80s to now there's a new Blue Beetle which has a spiritual connection to the first one in the Ancient Beetle artifact it could be the same one or definitely has a similar sense of being the same as the first? The second BB was like Spiderman but in fact I think he deserves his place in the hall of heroic crime fighter's one question though was there only two Blue Beetles I seem to remember that Ted had a sidekick for a few years he call was call Cricket or Beetle Kid he were a blue jump suit with yellow markings and wore goggles he eventually was killed or disappeared in a massive earthquake it was believed he lived on in another universe by the name Golden Beetle or something else?
The Golden Age Blue Beetle had a kid sidekick when Holyoke briefly published it between the two runs by Fox . He wore a legless version of the Blue Beetle costume. Originally called Sparky he was later Spunky. Ted never had a kid sidekick I ever heard of.
Wonderful video. I do wish you had mentioned Dan's resurrection in the Americomics issue (and the "evil" BB had a pretty nice revision of the costume, too). Also, you might want to check into BB (and many of the other Charlton action heroes) having slipped into the public domain due to Charlton not doing proper copyright notices (or something like that). That MAY be the reason DC killed Ted and Vic Sage and handed over their costumed identities to others.
Thanks Jim! I had heard that was the reason they killed off Ted Kord and Vic Sage. I didn't know enough about the legalities of it to put it in the video. I didn't want to give people information I wasn't totally on top of.
we were aware of him as kids. they never had Charlton heroes on the newsstand as a kid but i knew who Beetle and Captain Atom were before Crisis. Crisis #1 and #4 are a great showcase of the Earth 4 characters, including Peter Cannon Thunderbolt!
Imagine leaving a gig with Marvel drawing Spider-Man to take a job with Charlton drawing Blue Beetle. That's like going from head chef at a four star restaurant to line cook at the local greasy spoon. Maybe only a presence like Stan Lee's could motivate that sort of cliff diving career move. 😆
This video gets a subscribe. I started reading comics regularly in the mid-80's (though I read them on and off from the late 70's) and loved the Ted Kord's Blue Beetle. I read his DC comic and his adventures in Justice League.
"My name is Ted Kord. I am the second man to call himself the Blue Beetle. I tell myself there will be a third. And I hope whoever he or she may be, they do better at it than I have."
Have to admit, the idea of Blue Beetle being the name of a diverse heroic legacy rather than any one individual or power set makes all of them stand out. It's one of the reason I kind of enjoy the modern take on the name (although Ted's more my kind of bug) and it leaves the idea of getting equally distinct ideas for Blue Beetle 4, 5, etc. in the future wide open.
Loved your info about E-Man. One of the first comics I ever collected as a child. Loved that hero so much. Comments were turned off on the vid, but really wanted you to know how much I appreciated seeing more info about a character so few seem to remember.
I love hero's that I know very little of and I didn't know Blue Beetle was actually based of the Green Hornet and no one really knows who created The Beetle lol ok thats awesome. Everyone has a beginning 👍
Thanks for the great video. Nice anecdotes too! We have the three BB in our board game (Sparky included) and we make them like a sort of generational frienship:D.
For what it’s worth, issues #1-5 of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle are in the public domain, along with his first couple of appearances in Captain Atom #83-86.
Yeah, Charlton didn't understand how to copyright their issues properly. All of those books are in public domain. However, I think what DC actually owns is the trademark on the characters...so, they're not totally free and clear to use.
That is correct. Though there are ways to get around the trademark, such as keeping the character's name exclusively within the comic and not placing it on the cover. The real concern is accidentally utilizing elements from subsequent issues still under copyright; it’s advised that only components created within that precise number of PD issues be used.
Love the Charlton heroes! I think BB is so popular as he has elements of both Spider-man and Batman to him. Cool Ditko designed costume, as well as a cool vehicle. He's a science e nerd that swings around the city, but also owns his own company. Think my first encounter with the Ted Lord BB was find an issue of the Charlton comic (the one with the squid gang) at the barber shop my grandfather went to. They had a big pile of comics to read and if you were good, you could have one. I later found the AC issues. That team of the Charlton heroes blew my mind. Shame DC has treated the Charlton heroes so haphazardly.
hey fiiz pop You do a GREAT job. don't think I have ever commented here before, but Ted has a new series with his buddy Booster Gold, It's called Blue and Gold
This was a great video. Thank you. I never read the beetle but always thought he looked cool. I really don't like the new DC remake. It's way too close to the Japanese comic/anime Guyver Bio Buster Armor and I love Guyver. So I hate to see DC ripoff the idea. Anyways thanks for all the pulp comic goodness that you do.
Well, I never had comic books with lingering tobacco aromas, but I DID have a collection of baseball cards from the early 1960s -- Topps was the brand. They came 4 cards to a pack (5 if you were lucky), accompanied by a stick of over-sugared chewing gum, and cost just five cents. I say "just" in today's terms, but back then, a nickel for this lad was hard to come by. My allowance was 10 cents every two weeks. Anyway, far into the late Eighties, I still had many of those cards, and kept them secured in an elastic band in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Every so often I'd take them out to look at them and always, always, without exception, I was struck by the still-redolent scent of the gum (I should note that in those days, the gum was what Topps was selling -- the cards were just a deal sweetener). That was my "Ratatouille Moment". One day I came home from work and decided on a whim to have a reminiscent sniff before dinner. But -- ZUT ALORS! -- the wife had chucked out my collection! The marriage broke down soon after that -- not because of the cards, per se, but that heinous act of hers was just another in a long line of symptoms indicating I'd made a very bad choice of life partner. So, guys, if you have a collection of comic books, or trading cards, or other small things from your childhood, make it absolutely crystal clear to your better half that this stuff is your private property and is not to be touched under pain of, um, whatever justice suits the crime.
Reminds me of the horror story Bob Kane told of his ex-wife throwing out his bound set of Batman comics. I'm surprised he didn't kill her and claim temporary insanity! If I were a juror I would never have convicted him for that. Now how he treated Bill Finger is a different story!
One of the things that stuck to me about Ted Kord/Blue Beetle was the strap to his cowl could only be released by the electronic "key" in the index finger of his glove. That prevented crooks from removing his cowl to find out who he was if they ever knocked him out. No other hero I know about had something like that. Batman sure didn't!
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“He’s hip, he’s lame!” Perfect description, dude’s my favorite superhero
i first met Blue Beetle and Captain Atom in the 70s at the grocery store where my mom shopped. Loved them ever since.
I never realized there were actually no Charlton Blue Beetle comics published in the 70's! I saw the cool Bullseye ad as a kid in 1975 and assumed that there were books related to the character that somehow I could never find.
I like the Ted Kord Blue Beetle a lot more than the Jaime Reyes version. Also, DC has been through at least three continuity reboots since Ted Kord was killed off and he's been restored to life; at the time that I'm writing this, he's starring in a miniseries called Blue and Gold with his best friend Booster Gold.
They're so different that I like both . Jaime has alien tech and Ted doesn't. Both can be active at the same time imo
I hate Jaime but Ted's death was a great story that was perfectly executed in my opinion. Retroactively made him a more interesting character, in a way that made him less redundant in a modern DC universe. And I don't think every hero needs a built-up to, 12 issue epic to be killed off. I know most Kord fans disagree though.
Blue & Gold is top tier😃
I hate Ted because without booster is weak and depressing
@@salvador9288 Weak and depressing? In what way?
Great video ! I love Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle and I think he goes unfairly unrecognised by a lot of fans, although the fans that do love him love him very much. I find it so interesting how Ditko drew Ted, he looks strikingly similar to an adult Peter Parker. I wonder if that was intentional or just a similar visual archetype for heroes that Ditko drew.
Both, it was both.
I guess Ditko wanted Peter Parker to grow up in the comics and Stan Lee didn't. So maybe it was his way to do it after all.
I didn't Know The Blue Beetle had Such a Cult Following Thank You Die hard Fan's For Keeping Him In Your Hearts 🤘🏽⭐🤘🏽
@@CobCrawler Stan did but Steve and him from what I understand they had different approaches.
@@henrygambles3652 well, I guess Steve had quite a unique approach anyway.
Dick Giordano 's story is amazing. So is BBs journey. Ted will always be my favorite Beetle. Giordano lived long enough to see so much of his legacy. His Dracula adaptation is beautiful. It's also great that so many legends grew under his care.
I still have a few issues of the various variations of the Blue Beetle. I bought them whenever I saw a new one. I'm 70 now and still can remember my excitement when I'd find one.
There was a radio serial in the 1930's of the Blue Beetle. In the animated series, Batman: Brave and the Bold, the Blue Beetle featured prominently. There was an episode where he battled the Madmen.
I saw my first Blue Beetle comic in the early or mid 1970's. I went with my grandpa to get our hair cut. While I was waiting for my turn, I looked through a pile of old comics the barber had. One was a coverless BB comic from the 1960's . I really liked the Blue Beetle, drawn by "The old Spider-Man artist". I was not as impressed by the backup feature The Question. I found his "costume" underwhelming.
Many have forgotten this, but in the 1970's, PBS had a show called The Electric Company. A comedic version of the Blue Beetle was a reoccurring character. The Electric Company had also signed a deal with Marvel to have Spider-Man appear on the show. One episode featured Spider-Man meeting the Blue Beetle. I believe this predated the Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man comic, so Spidey meeting BB was the first inter-company crossover.
Wow that stuff at the end is a gem of geek lore that I've never heard. Thanks old timer.
Thanks for that comment! I hesitated remarking on Beetles inclusion in Electric Company because I couldn’t be sure if I dreamt it or not. I knew Spidey made appearances and Morgan Freeman played Dracula but the Blue Beetle can’t be real!
@@littlekissrecords The clip is on TH-cam.
th-cam.com/video/OR7ZsoFwofQ/w-d-xo.html
Funny you mention the Electric Company...some of my friends who are not into comics have sent me links to it. I've had at least four people send me the same link. LOL!
@@calvinkatt662 That's great. Thanks for sharing the link. This version of Blue Beetle could easily stand in for the Tick.
I love the Blue Beetle! I got in with the Jaime Reyes version, but I really enjoy Ted Kord too (bit a Blue and Gold fan). The Jaime version was really paying homage to both Ted and Dan Garret, hope the movie does too
I got in to Blue Beetle in the 80s when Len Wein and Paris Cullins were doing the monthly title. It was so up beat and fun; with the rolling plot lines constantly keeping up the momentum. Unfortunately, if I remember correctly, the end got messed up by the interference of one of DC's interminable cross-over events; maybe "Invasion". The Blue and Gold stuff in Justice League International was also a delight. I enjoy the Jaime Reyes version too; especially in the early episodes, where his battlesuit was pretty mysterious.
I’m a fan of Ted from the JLI days, but it lead me to looking up the Charlton and AC stuff. I remember getting the AC Comics issue with the return of Dan Garrett after I took my SATs in 2000. The comic shop I went to had that issue on a shelf for months. I finally had the money to buy it and I loved it!
Great episode!
That AC book has a great Kirby-ish style story in it.
The team of Ted Kord's Blue Beetle and Booster Gold during that period, not just in the Justice League but the entire DCU, was hilarious without being stupid. I didn't like them killing Ted off but I did like the scene where Max Lord was giving him credit for being a great detective, on par with Batman. That was an unfortunate casualty of his teaming with Booster Gold; they stopped taking him seriously. I don't hate the newer scarab-driven version of the character but I'd love to see Ted somehow come back and become a mentor of some kind. We did get to see a pretty good version of him in the "Batman: The Brave & The Bold" animated series, even if it was just to advance the storyline for the newer character.
I loved those two AC books as well. Frankly preferred what they did over what DC did with the characters but I am biased. I always liked the Dan Garret Blue Beetle best! Sometimes I think his alter ego inspired the Indiana Jones character with the Archaeologist angle!
As a small child, I remember my dad having bought me that issue of Captain Atom in which Blue Beetle made his (new) debut! Oddly, today, I remember some of the Blue Beetle panels better than I remember what the Captain Atom story was about.
Blue Beetle #5, "Destroyer of Heroes." My mom sometimes bought stacks of old comics at a wholesaler, and that dog-eared issue was NOTHING like the Marvels surrounding it. It haunted me until I tracked down another copy years later and made certain that I hadn't dreamed it.
Reminded me of a trip to Ohio my parents took me on. At one point we were in thrift shop that had oodles of comics for sale. I saw (and bought) that same Blue Beetle#5 which confused me because I had only seen the Dan Garret version before. Also got introduced to Judomaster (also master of Karate and Jiu Jitsu!) in thay pile and finally a Mandrake The Magician from King comic book run. Always liked to get my hands on the non-Marvel and non-DC books when I was a kid. It was hard to find them on Long Island where I grew up!
"One punch! One punch!" is all I really knew of Blue Beetle, and that the Charleston Comics characters were what The Watchmen were based on. Thanks for this. Really well put together and entertaining.
I'm surprised there aren't more Dan Garrett BB fans on this thread. I hope he and Ted get some more props when Jaime's Blue Beetle comes to the screen in live action. If they could incorporate all three versions into the storyline it would be awesome.
I was a huge fan of the Dan Garret versions, both the Golden Age and the Charlton one with the scarab. One of the Jamie Reyes ones had him in flashback but confused both Dan's as being one person, perhaps because of that story from AC Comics?
The 70s and 80’s had their own aroma .
I was instantly fascinated (and still am) by all the Charlton characters when they showed up in DC's Crisis On Infinite Earths. I'm glad they've all found a home in the DCU, with many becoming mainstays. Who knew Peacemaker would become the next big thing, too!
Always enjoy your content!
Thanks dfcsons! I love those Charlton characters too.
@@FizzFop1 and I remember those discount bags of comics, too! Even better was the stack of 20 that didn't have covers and they were just a mystery grab bag! My mom (I have a mom story, too!) Used to buy those for me for summertime car trips, I still have many of them.
I first learned about the original Blue Beetle (and other Golden Age heroes that didn't come from the Big 2) from Ron Goulart's "Great History of Comic Books". I was quite surprised to learn just how popular he was in the 40s. To have his own radio show, in the days before TV series? That was a big deal!
Both it and the comic strip came to premature ends. I actually have a few of the Radio shows on tape cassettes. I wish Old Time Radio Spirits would put out one of their CD compilations on the show. They could tie it in with the upcoming movie release!
I remember seeing the Charlton house ads for Blue Beetle #6 back in 1968, and then haunting the stands searching in vain for it. It was such a huge thrill when The Charlton Portfolio finally published the story in 1974!
Hey Michael!!! Have you seen or got a copy of that portfolio?
@@FizzFop1 Yes, I've got one ...bought it when it came out. It's a wonderful tribute to the Charlton heroes, and a prized part of my collection!
@@michaeltuz608 I have it too as well as the Charlton Bullseyes!
After Ted Kord passed away but in the Booster Gold series they used time travel to go back and rescue Ted and Booster and the current and future Beetles were trying stop a time anomaly from happening.Ted realizes that his changed timeline helped set the anomaly in motion so he sacrifices himself and officially passes the torch to Jaime Reyes and says good bye to Booster then goes back to die.
Gosh, what a great video, this was like an unexpected Christmas present for me. Coincidentally enough I had read the new DC versions of their old origins written by Len Wein and drawn by Gil Kane just a few days ago from Secret Origins # 2.
I originally got into the character from the very story that they killed em off in, that was back when I read mainstream comics, I didn't know much about the guy at the time so I looked for old DC appearances (As they were the only things I felt I could find) and even got this really cool Blue Beetle companion book that basically told me the whole history of the character up to the point of Jamie Reyes first showing up. I learned a lot of history from that book, it indirectly made me a Wonder Man fan, along with the other Fox and Charlton characters alike. Wish I didn't lose that book, it was a great read.
I definitely like the Blue Beetle, the Ted Kord version is my favorite. He was indirectly, along with Spider-Man, one of the inspirations of a character I made myself. You're so lucky having issues number 1 and three of the original series, that's a great find!!!
Hi Andrew, glad you enjoyed my video. My collection is an unorganized mess, but I believe I have all of the 1960s issues. Most of them, I picked up for next to nothing...but it's extremely hard finding higher grade issues.
Tomorrow Publications still has The Blue Beetle Companion available in their catalog! No, you can't buy my copy!
I only ever had one Blue Beetle Comic book. He was like Batman, and was really cool.
Charlton Comics will always be part of some of the good memories of my childhood.
D.C. bought the lineup for 30,000 ! Jesus, did they wear a mask and have a gun on 'em ? Unreal just a giveaway, even for that time.
That was the best deal since the Manhattan was bought for a box full of trinkets. Collectively, I imagine those characters are worth about a billion dollars today.
@@FizzFop1 Yeah, it's always a shame when something so beloved is all but discarded and thought so little of, be it a copyright or property .
It's difficult to compete with a behemoth of a corporation like Marvel or D.C. , but the scrappy fighters like Charlton will always be cherished in our memories.
I love this version of the Blue Beetle. First came across him when he was in Justice League International. In the UK it was a back up strip in the Superman comic. Followed him and the later Jaime Reyes version. I’m really happy he’s back now and I’m enjoying the latest series with Booster Gold. Great video btw.
Yeah...back around 1973 - '74 -'75...my older brother and I had nice collections. Marvel, DC, Charlton, Atlas...all kinds. Lots of Issue #1's... Blue Beetle, Hercules, OMAC, PRES...Eternals..it was great time for me as comics go.
Now I just watch the movies...(and streaming shows when visiting friends).
My induction into the Cult O' Ted Kord was in the...late 70's?...when I came across reprints of issues #1 and 3 (yep, the same two you bought in that garage all those years ago) in the F.W. Woolworth's in Woodhaven, Queens. I will admit, though, to grooving more on The Question than Blue Beetle....
Nothing wrong with that...the Question is awesome!
Great history of the BB. Liked hearing your childhood memories too. Makes things more real. 😃👍
Seeing slides from old comics is like watching a time capsule of yesteryear.
When I was a kid, the first time that I was introduced to the Blue Beetle character was by having watched the Electric Company back in the mid seventies.
great presentation. The Ditko stories in the later issues were classic with his Ayn Rand philosophy in full swing.
Please always ramble about your personal experiences with a comic book character. Your vids are so much better than everyone elses as they are different, not click batey and you show a genuine interest and passion in them and so sharing your history of picking up Blue Beetle comics at a garage sale gives an insight to a real comic book follower. Its good to hear these tales.
I really enjoyed the fact that the Blue Beetle developed a hidden lock on the chin part of his cowl so no one could ever remove it while he was unconscious. Genius!
Think your theory about Fox's debt to Charlton is probably on the mark. Very common for publishers to accept/demand publishing rights from companies that owed them for past printing jobs back then.
Ted Kord's "my" Beetle. Loved Ditko's work on him as a kid, although I never really registered on him being a Batman knockoff back then. He felt like more of a techie to me than Bruce ever did, and the Bug was the coolest thing in the strip to young me. And of course his JLI days are pure gold. Booster Gold, even. :)
Fond memories of the Charlton Bullseye too. Nice bit of nostalgia. Same goes for those old 3-for-$1 comic baggies, although I was in college before I found out I'd been buying unsold leftovers back then. Trying to figure out what the middle book in each bag was the real challenge.
Another terrific video, glad you're back up and running.
To hear you reminisce about buying that comic pack at that garage sale is one of the most pure and innocent reflections of a better time long since passed.
Have a great new year and continued success to you and your channel.
Cheers.
“... take the scarab and carry on the blue beetle ...” Same theme as how Hal Jordon became the Green Lantern
Great take...it never crossed my mind how similar those stories are.
@@FizzFop1 yes. Watching yours and the other comic channels that look at the golden age stuff you see a lot of heroes or themes that have been recycled
I remember somehow a collection of Charlton and DC Comics being left at our house in the 60's. The Charlton storyline and feel were different than DC or Marvel. I gravitated toward them more. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to buy my own comics Charlton was impossible to find.
Picked up my first issue of the Charlton beetle run in 73' then grabbed the Steve ditko issue with the beetle and question on the cover. Back in 73 I ' had been loosely following the characto evolution. Ever since Glad DC incorporated the character into the line. Great review 👍🌲
Great video bro .I'm a huge fan of the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle .Ten comics for a dollar that's an awesome deal .Well Merry Christmas to you and yours bro.
Always been a fan of Ted Kord, from his series and Justice League appearances. Like other heroes of the JL International, I never saw the comedy as some restriction that he couldn't go serious in other tales. So I was no fan of him being killed off as a prop for other characters' benefit, and it among other factors meant the end of my (contemporary) comic collecting days.
Well done. I've been wondering about the Blue Beetle for a while. I love the old pre-superhero heroes like The Shadow and the Green Hornet.
Yeah, those two were the best Radio heroes ever!
Your description of that garage sale brought back some of the best memories ever!
I was a Question fan back in the 80s, the Denny O'Neil one, and the comic store had a beautiful painting celebrating the DC buyout of Charlton . Question, BB, Peacemaker, Capt Atom, Nightshade, Sarge Steel and Judomaster. I was intrigued by these characters, and bribed the owner out of the poster. I started collecting these characters, and was introduced to many others in the Charlton pantheon, some better than others, all entertaining. I lost the poster somewhere back in the 90s, but through the magic of ebay, I found another one, and had it framed. Beautiful even today. To this day, I am simply known to local shops as " The Charlton guy". :)
I can so dig it!
Blue Beetle was never one of my favorites but I'm a huge DC fan and a huge legacy character fan and BB falls into these two categories so he snuck his way into my party so to speak!!😏😉
It's worth noting that the Jaime Reyes incarnation of Blue Beetle is getting his own solo movie that is set for release on August 18, 2023. Jaime was often featured in the Young Justice animated series. Ted Kord's Beetle appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It was odd to see the third Blue Beetle featured in an episode of Smallville. But it was really nice to see Blue Beetle 2 get his own DC Showcase animated short. Go, Ted, go!
When I got into collecting comics in the late 70s, I discovered the Charlton Action Heroes and started to collect them. Got the AC Comics stuff when they came out and DC's series when that appeared. I was able to get all the Ditko BB and some of the earlier stuff.
I also worked on the wikipedia article on Blue Beetle, and related pages, but that was years ago when I was more into that.
That's awesome Michael!
I got some Blue Beetle comics from my uncle a long time ago, I remember liking them a lot. Ted was like a more fun Batman
I love all incarnations of Blue Beetle!
Good to see you back!
Hope you're doing well, and happy!
Hi Vincent!!! I'm always glad to see your comments. I'm doing well...and I'm relatively happy. Thanks for asking.
@@FizzFop1 No prob!
I got into Blue Beetle in the early days of DC's Justice League, and JLI. I bought the DC Comics Showcase with his 1986 series. I loved it! My only gripe is they didn't resolve any of the plot threads from the ending of that series in other books!
As usual, great video. I learned a lot!
Thanks for the great retrospective! I became a BB fan when I happened upon the Charlton Bullseyse #1 with BB and the Question Team up. Then I saw them in the 2 issues of Americomics! ( If only the one shot of Sentinels of Justice was an on going series!) After that, I collected all the Steve Ditko BB at Comic Con's. I truly think BB has more untapped potential! Thanks for posting!
I love the Americomics BB book. I didn't mention it in this video...but that was originally intended for an issue of Charlton Bullseye--but they stopped printing. In that book, there's a Jack Kirby style story in it. It's great!
My first exposure was a free giveaway of several Charleton books from a mall children's shoe store in the very late 60s or early 70s. Characters included not only the second BB, but the question, and captain atom as well as a doctor specktor, if im not mistaken. O was a confirmed DC guy, did not like the moral ambiguity and "heroes with real world problems" that Marvel was famous for. I did like the Charleton stuff, but even at the time they seemed dated and a bit nostalgic. I remember a few years later discovering E-Man, and loving that short run book. I hope you cover that odd-ball character some time. Maybe along with the Creeper, and Ambush Bug. Great job. I always enjoy your trips into the fringes and dark corners of comics history. Keep it up!
Good video. Buying the Blue and Gold series from DC, currently. It is okay. I like Jurgen's writing but prefer if he was drawing it as well. Cully Hamner's art on issue 3 was great. I had forgot the Reyes version even existed.
I checked. None of my local shops were carrying that book. I guess I will have to order it on ebay or something.
Awsome video! When I read the character he was comic relief with Booster Gold in JLI. Good stories for their time. I did get to see him in more serious adventures and thought that story killing Ted Kord was horrible! Anyways love your vid, and enjoyed hearing about Dan Garret and the Blue Beetle’s history overall. Thank you!
Thanks for this!
I was always a fan of the Blue Beetle both the older and the new armor-suited one.
Not just another great video, but I think this has been the best one yet!
Every scan was perfect, and really helped tell the story.
For me the first time I came across the blue beetle was in the first justice league comic I bought, it was one where the JLA is getting their ass kicked by despairo. I remember buying DC comics trading cards and I always thought the blue beetle card was the best, and most dynamic drawing of the set. I always liked how the Ted blue beetle was kinda like Spidey and batman put together.
A lot of people make that same Spidey/Batman comparison.
@@FizzFop1 he had the batman gadgets with the science and look of spider-man, plus he was always drawn in spider-man like poses.
DC actually once put out a card of the Golden Age Blue Beetle because Roy Thomas was going to use him in All Star Squadron until Crisis On Infinite Earths ruined everything! I still have the card! Roy was going to also use the WW2 set Judomaster as well till Crisis On Infinite Earths ruined everything! Originally there was supposed to like four earths left instead of trying to jam everything into one! It would have been awesome! But instead....!
Great video, brother. I love these comics. I was born in the mid 80s so I didn't grow up with these and didn't know about them until I was an adult but when I read them I loved them. I then collected the Len Wein run and those are also some of my favorite comics. At least until Chronos appears. After that I think it lost a step. I never liked the comedy version of Ted Kord. I like this version. I think it's a shame we didn't get more of those stories at Charlton or DC. I would love to see it return sometime, tho I know it's very unlikely. Most people my age haven't even heard of Charlton Comics and there are not a ton of videos about it so it's nice to see that you're making them
OMG that pulled this story for a Blue Beetle episode in Brave and the Bold for tv!!
Great video! I am a huge fan of the Silver Age Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) as well. I love pretty much anything Steve Ditko created (or co-created), but even so, Blue Beetle holds a special place in my heart. I was also a fan of the 80's DC series by Len Wein and Paris Cullins. It was very old school compared to what DC was moving toward to at the time. BB's run as a member of the Justice League International was pure fun and joy. I never forgave DC fo killing Ted Kord and didn't care for any versions of BB that came out of DC after that.
I'm with you Ranger. Killing Ted Kord never felt right. I think it tainted any enjoyment for the new BB.
Good to see another video from you man and I always wanted to know more about the Blue beetle especially the original one awesome video.
Your story at the end about your vivid memory reminded me a LOT of my memories of being a Space Ghost and the Phantom fan in middle school. Reading reprints and begging for change from comic stores. Weird characters for me to have gotten into at that age, especially considering this was 2011-2013
What's wrong with us Joshua? I love the weird characters more than the mainstream ones! It's great to find other kindred souls out there. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I took time this pandemic to really dig into my collection and inventory with help from CLZ app. In the process, I discovered Captain Atom #83. I had no idea it was the first Ted Kord and I had owned the book for 10+ years at that point. It was included in a pile of books I obtained on a road trip to silver city NM along with a bunch of charlton and dc books from the era. As we all know, Charlton printed cheap ink on poor paper making high quality survivors rare and this one is no exception. I will get it graded although I can’t expect much better than 5.0.
Awesome littlekissrecords! Finding higher grades for those books is damn near impossible. All my copies have been read heavily before I got them...the lack of high grades is proof that these books were read and read over again by those who had them.
I throughly enjoy your vids it takes me back to my childhood. Many on the titles you cover had at one time in my youth been in my collection. (Original not reprint) There is one more iteration of the blue beetle from the 70s that I'm surprised you didn't mention that kick started the modern DC rebrand. That is his appearance in the PBS children's program, The Electric company.
Memory lane is great. I grew up in a small town in New Zealand. No shops, just a service (gas) station. They didn't sell mainstream like batman or Spiderman, they did stock BB though. I learnt to read reading BB comics, along with what ever King Kirbys I could find. I know it cheesy to say but Ted Kord was such a huge part of my childhood. He is my favorite, still is today. I stop reading comics when DC killed him off.
Hey Omega NZ! Thanks for watching! I felt the same way about Ted Kord. Are there any NZ superheroes to speak of? That's something I've never come across.
Really loved this video! I always dug the Blue Beetle, I've never been a fan though of comics changing the origin and identity of the character I'd have to say. As a kid growing up I was insulted the Electric Company made the Blue Beetle a portly buffoon, the previews for the new movie coming out look pretty cool and interesting. I've a bunch of the DC run from the 80's, but it would be so great to own some of the Charlton Comic ones.
Actually Ted did get fat during part of the Justice League run but he eventually lost the weight!
I heard about him from Watchmen, as he was the inspiration for Nite Owl.
I think a lot of people found out about him from the Watchmen.
@@FizzFop1 Sadly my limited edition hardback with slipcase version went missing during a move 😭
I bought all the Ditko Blue Beetle comics and most of Ditko's Captain Atom stories off the spinner racks at their time of publication. I had followed Ditko there from Marvel and as a kid I preferred Ditko's Blue Beetle over John Romita's Spider-Man also over the later Doctor Strange artists. Ditko also worked on some of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents books for Tower Comics and later went to DC where he created the Creeper, Shade the Changing Man, and Hawk & Dove. Most of the best Ditko art was published in the 1960s in my opinion but I'll admit to being more than a little bit nostalgic since I was still just a young little extra-terrestrial then.
Nothing wrong feeling a bit nostalgic. Ditko was one of the all time greats! I'm currently looking at his panels and page layouts. I might try doing a Ditko video like I did for the Wally Wood panels.
Hey, Ditko was awesome and always will be!
Excellent work, Fizz! You've done it, again.🍷
Great work, as always. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you Oscar! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Enjoyable, thanks ! I also can remember details about the Blue Beetle ... and where I was when I ran across an issue from Charleston during the '60s ... with Steve Ditko art. DC shudda left well enough alone and not killed-off the Charleston version of BB. I look forward to the day when they decide to bring this version back, there's a base and I'm one of them loyal to this incarnation. DC didn't just shoot BB, they just shot themselves in the foot ... even Marvel brought back Bucky, come on DC get with it ... !
They did bring him back (and Dan Garret!!!) via time travel but he eventually went back to die. Has he been revived yet again?
Been reading up on Justice League International and that's where I first met the Ted Kord iteration of the Beetle, and it's interesting how DC essentially bought a line up with a guy that was just a bug-themed Batman: Crimefighter with no superpowers, gadgetry, a self-themed vehicle, rich industrialist with a secret identity, pretty much just an underage sidekick short of being another Green Arrow, but instead of just keeping him as is, throughout his JLI run and especially during the millennium event, he essentially became Batman: the failure edition.
He's a lot better around people in-costume but bungles his every human relationship as Kord, runs his company into the ground, and when he becomes disillusioned with his team's and his own strength, he crashes at Booster's and eats nothing but microwave dinners. And if that sounds like I'm talking smack about Ted, that's what I like about him. That they kinda turned him imperfect as to not have _another_ Batman ripoff rotting on the shelves.
I liked that version too.
Earlier this summer I scored a copy of Fantastic Four #52; first appearance of Black Panther, for 50 cents! I sold it for $260. It's not quite the childhood dream of finding Action Comics #1 at a flea market, but close enough!
You got bragging rights there, regardless!
Ted's Blue Beetle was hugely popular in the 80s to now there's a new Blue Beetle which has a spiritual connection to the first one in the Ancient Beetle artifact it could be the same one or definitely has a similar sense of being the same as the first? The second BB was like Spiderman but in fact I think he deserves his place in the hall of heroic crime fighter's one question though was there only two Blue Beetles I seem to remember that Ted had a sidekick for a few years he call was call Cricket or Beetle Kid he were a blue jump suit with yellow markings and wore goggles he eventually was killed or disappeared in a massive earthquake it was believed he lived on in another universe by the name Golden Beetle or something else?
The Golden Age Blue Beetle had a kid sidekick when Holyoke briefly published it between the two runs by Fox . He wore a legless version of the Blue Beetle costume. Originally called Sparky he was later Spunky. Ted never had a kid sidekick I ever heard of.
Thanks! I've always liked the Blue Beetle, glad to have found this informative video.
Thanks amidwest5847! You are the first person to tip me!
@@FizzFop1 wishing you many more!
Anything can happen in the next half hour!
This is a really great channel. I've been listening to it during my commute for a few weeks now.
Wonderful video. I do wish you had mentioned Dan's resurrection in the Americomics issue (and the "evil" BB had a pretty nice revision of the costume, too). Also, you might want to check into BB (and many of the other Charlton action heroes) having slipped into the public domain due to Charlton not doing proper copyright notices (or something like that). That MAY be the reason DC killed Ted and Vic Sage and handed over their costumed identities to others.
Thanks Jim! I had heard that was the reason they killed off Ted Kord and Vic Sage. I didn't know enough about the legalities of it to put it in the video. I didn't want to give people information I wasn't totally on top of.
we were aware of him as kids. they never had Charlton heroes on the newsstand as a kid but i knew who Beetle and Captain Atom were before Crisis. Crisis #1 and #4 are a great showcase of the Earth 4 characters, including Peter Cannon Thunderbolt!
Imagine leaving a gig with Marvel drawing Spider-Man to take a job with Charlton drawing Blue Beetle. That's like going from head chef at a four star restaurant to line cook at the local greasy spoon. Maybe only a presence like Stan Lee's could motivate that sort of cliff diving career move. 😆
the thing is, Stan Lee is not entirely to blame. Steve Ditko was a weird and incredibly difficult person to work with
Great video, thank you! The panel at 15:05 reminds me of Abin-Sur and Hal Jordan meeting the first time.
The best Christmas gift this year!
Wow! You really are easy to shop for Christina!
@@FizzFop1 I had a generous Christmas, but this video was a highlight. So thank you.
This video gets a subscribe. I started reading comics regularly in the mid-80's (though I read them on and off from the late 70's) and loved the Ted Kord's Blue Beetle. I read his DC comic and his adventures in Justice League.
great video! love the charlton characters! ted kord is one of my all time favorites.
"My name is Ted Kord. I am the second man to call himself the Blue Beetle. I tell myself there will be a third. And I hope whoever he or she may be, they do better at it than I have."
Have to admit, the idea of Blue Beetle being the name of a diverse heroic legacy rather than any one individual or power set makes all of them stand out. It's one of the reason I kind of enjoy the modern take on the name (although Ted's more my kind of bug) and it leaves the idea of getting equally distinct ideas for Blue Beetle 4, 5, etc. in the future wide open.
I absolutely 💓👍🏿⭐👍🏿💓 All 3 of the blue beetles They got the Best story Arc's
Loved your info about E-Man. One of the first comics I ever collected as a child. Loved that hero so much. Comments were turned off on the vid, but really wanted you to know how much I appreciated seeing more info about a character so few seem to remember.
Hi Greg! Thanks for watching! Comments turned off? I need to look into this.
I love hero's that I know very little of and I didn't know Blue Beetle was actually based of the Green Hornet and no one really knows who created The Beetle lol ok thats awesome. Everyone has a beginning 👍
My first Blue Beetle sighting: The Electric Company. Live action. In living color. Spider-Man, too!
Thanks for the great video. Nice anecdotes too! We have the three BB in our board game (Sparky included) and we make them like a sort of generational frienship:D.
COOL rummage sale story & thanks for the History on the Blue Beetle!
Can't find books like that these days!
As always, another fascinating lessson in comics hsitory. Thanks!
You totally missed out on CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. THATS WHERE MOST DC FANS WERE INTRODUCED TO BLUE BEETLE.
Oh wow! You're right! that was the introduction of BB and the other Charlton characters in the DC Universe.
For what it’s worth, issues #1-5 of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle are in the public domain, along with his first couple of appearances in Captain Atom #83-86.
Yeah, Charlton didn't understand how to copyright their issues properly. All of those books are in public domain. However, I think what DC actually owns is the trademark on the characters...so, they're not totally free and clear to use.
That is correct. Though there are ways to get around the trademark, such as keeping the character's name exclusively within the comic and not placing it on the cover. The real concern is accidentally utilizing elements from subsequent issues still under copyright; it’s advised that only components created within that precise number of PD issues be used.
@@FizzFop1 DC doesn't lose a copyright if they can help it, which is why we had so many Robins and Batgirls over the years!
Love the Charlton heroes!
I think BB is so popular as he has elements of both Spider-man and Batman to him. Cool Ditko designed costume, as well as a cool vehicle.
He's a science e nerd that swings around the city, but also owns his own company.
Think my first encounter with the Ted Lord BB was find an issue of the Charlton comic (the one with the squid gang) at the barber shop my grandfather went to.
They had a big pile of comics to read and if you were good, you could have one.
I later found the AC issues. That team of the Charlton heroes blew my mind.
Shame DC has treated the Charlton heroes so haphazardly.
Ah, the good ole' barbershop stack. That takes me back.
@@FizzFop1 the Barber shop and getting dragged to the drug store had a big affect on my becoming the comic-obsessed man I am today.
hey fiiz pop You do a GREAT job. don't think I have ever commented here before, but Ted has a new series with his buddy Booster Gold, It's called Blue and Gold
This was a great video. Thank you. I never read the beetle but always thought he looked cool. I really don't like the new DC remake. It's way too close to the Japanese comic/anime Guyver Bio Buster Armor and I love Guyver. So I hate to see DC ripoff the idea. Anyways thanks for all the pulp comic goodness that you do.
Enjoyed your video on The Blue Beetle. Supposable there is a movie coming out this year (2023, August) about this character.
Great video - I picked up the DC series when it came out... but I also remember that Americomics cover of Ted Kord fighting Dan Garrat
great video, i absolutely love Ted kords blue beetle and its a awesome insight into the characters whole history
Well, I never had comic books with lingering tobacco aromas, but I DID have a collection of baseball cards from the early 1960s -- Topps was the brand. They came 4 cards to a pack (5 if you were lucky), accompanied by a stick of over-sugared chewing gum, and cost just five cents. I say "just" in today's terms, but back then, a nickel for this lad was hard to come by. My allowance was 10 cents every two weeks. Anyway, far into the late Eighties, I still had many of those cards, and kept them secured in an elastic band in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Every so often I'd take them out to look at them and always, always, without exception, I was struck by the still-redolent scent of the gum (I should note that in those days, the gum was what Topps was selling -- the cards were just a deal sweetener). That was my "Ratatouille Moment". One day I came home from work and decided on a whim to have a reminiscent sniff before dinner. But -- ZUT ALORS! -- the wife had chucked out my collection! The marriage broke down soon after that -- not because of the cards, per se, but that heinous act of hers was just another in a long line of symptoms indicating I'd made a very bad choice of life partner.
So, guys, if you have a collection of comic books, or trading cards, or other small things from your childhood, make it absolutely crystal clear to your better half that this stuff is your private property and is not to be touched under pain of, um, whatever justice suits the crime.
Reminds me of the horror story Bob Kane told of his ex-wife throwing out his bound set of Batman comics. I'm surprised he didn't kill her and claim temporary insanity! If I were a juror I would never have convicted him for that. Now how he treated Bill Finger is a different story!
One of the things that stuck to me about Ted Kord/Blue Beetle was the strap to his cowl could only be released by the electronic "key" in the index finger of his glove. That prevented crooks from removing his cowl to find out who he was if they ever knocked him out.
No other hero I know about had something like that. Batman sure didn't!
He's unique and smart definitely not lame.