Few comic creators can be said to have had a career as varied as Keith Giffen. A writer and artist, Giffen was famed for two things; high-concept science-fiction and his satiric wit. He created many characters for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, including Rocket Raccoon and the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle. Giffen’s passing in late 2023 prompted a number of tributes throughout the American comic industry. This includes Blue Beetle #7, which is a love letter to Keith Giffen, the characters he created, and his legacy.
Written by Josh Trujillo, Blue Beetle #7 finds Jaime Reyes traveling through time. Jaime’s mentor, Ted Kord, is lost in time and space. The only thing that can save him, according to Booster Gold, is to place “time anchors” at key points throughout the time stream.
These points just happen to be the Justice League embassy, Jaime’s childhood home, and a 31st-century Legion battlefield. Not coincidentally, Justice League International, Blue Beetle, and Legion of Super-Heroes are three comics associated with Keith Giffen. As Jaime jumps around time, he is also watched by Ambush Bug, The Heckler, and the Green Lantern G’Nort. All three comedic characters, who report to an unseen boss, were created by Keith Giffen.
Blue Beetle is Busted by Jonni DC
After placing the last time anchor, Blue Beetle is captured by the bounty hunter, Lobo. The Main Man was Giffen’s most successful satiric creation and is in the employ of the same mystery boss. This turns out to be another Giffen creation: Jonni DC, Continuity Cop.
First appearing in Giffen’s Ambush Bug #2, Jonni DC was a woman charged with maintaining the continuity of DC Comics’ multiverse. This brought her into frequent conflict with Ambush Bug, whose weird adventures defied a cohesive timeline. (She’s gone after Harley Quinn for the same reason in the Dawn of DC era.) Luckily for Jaime, he is released with a warning to “keep the retcons to a minimum” after clarifying if his Blue Beetle scarab powers are magic or science.
Beyond featuring most of Giffen’s DC creations, the comic’s art also pays tribute to Giffen’s legacy. Most of the art team, such as Howard Porter and Scott Kolins, worked with Giffen on various projects. The sequence in which Jaime visits his childhood home is drawn by Cully Hammer, who co-created Jaime Reyes with Giffen. This makes Blue Beetle #7 a doubly fitting tribute to Keith Giffen.
Blue Beetle #7 is now available in comic shops everywhere.
