Random Happenstance

One of the few legitimate complaints from when Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis revitalized Justice League in 1987, was that Blue Beetle and later Booster Gold were treated as incompetent jokes. Although they both had their own titles (up until around Millennium in '88) where they would get to be the hero, there wasn't a lot of continuity between them, or if any it was only one way, from JL down. Admittedly, you wouldn't expect a jokester like Beetle to casually mention, "Oh, had to kill my mentor this weekend. NBD." From 1987, Blue Beetle #18, "...And Death Shall Have No Dominion!" Written by Len Wein, with thanks to R.J.M. Lofficier, art by Paris Cullins.

The original Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett, has returned, and is on a somewhat uncharacteristic rampage through Chicago; in search of the "thief that stole my good name!" If you recall Ted's origin, though, it began with Dan's death: Ted had gone to his old archeology professor and friend for help finding his lost uncle Jarvis. Jarvis was less missing and more creating an army of robots to conquer the world, and Dan had to change into his alter-ego Blue Beetle to stop him, but was mortally injured. Dan makes Ted swear to carry on for him--perhaps intending him to use the mystic scarab that gave him powers, but it was lost; leaving Ted to do the best he could with training and tech. Ted questions how great of a job he was doing, but doesn't believe this could be Dan, acting like this.

Outclassed by Dan's powers--super-strength, flight, lightning blasts!--Ted does his best to keep ahead of him. When Dan smashes the viewport of his Bug airship, Ted gets mad, and starts to fight back. He also realizes the powers came from the scarab, knocks it out of Dan's hand, and grabs it. The scarab then tries to take Ted over, who fights it; but Dan continues to kick the tar out of him, as well as the cops that show up. A telepath--released from S.T.A.R. Labs, and a plotline for another day--reaches out to Dan, showing him the hero he used to be. Dan turns against the scarab, which changes, showing a true form like an eyeball with tentacles. The scarab explodes, but Dan is done for, after asking Ted to swear to carry on for him again.

The wandering telepath is a bit out of place, but that unusual point foregoes the common way this would've played out: Ted doesn't reveal himself to Dan, not even at the end! It does kind of undermine his win, though; not that he would've enjoyed this one. And I thought the classic Dan Garrett Beetle was public domain, like the Daredevil now known as the Death-Defying 'Devil: the former Shocker Toys, GBJR Toys, was going to make figures of them both before the cash dried up. I don't know if that means anybody could do it now, though...