Blue Beetle: Black and Blue #[nn]

In "Brutus," the original Blue Beetle’s long-lost foe, Dr. Mephistopheles, resurfaces after vanishing in the 1940s, bringing with him a monstrous force from his past. The story follows Jo as she confronts the terrifying return of a villain once thought defeated, and the creature that now answers to his call.

In "Armor-Plated, Part 1 of 3: Golden Child," Jaime Reyes faces off against a towering robot known as THINKO!, while Brenda uncovers a mysterious link to a similar machine that terrorized El Paso decades earlier. As the trio tracks down the inventor’s son behind bars, they’re met with denial—and then a shocking encounter with the far more advanced Unimate.

In "Armor-Plated, Part 2 of 3: Silver Spoon," Blue Beetle uses clever tactics to disable a swarm of Unimate robots, but the real challenge begins when Paco tracks down Maria Boole—the daughter of the Unimate creator—and discovers Alan Von Neumann held captive by her. As Brenda and Jaime follow his trail, they confront a mystery that suggests Maria might not be who she seems.

In "Armor-Plated, Part 3 of 3: Thoroughly Modern Maria," Maria’s shocking truth unravels: she’s not Von Neumann’s daughter, but a creation of his—built with human emotions he never intended to include. As Jaime fights to protect the scientist, Maria unleashes a wave of robots, forcing him into a desperate battle through her lab. Just as he prevails, the Black Beetle arrives, vanishing with Maria’s body—leaving only questions in his wake.

In "Black and Blue, Part 2 of 2," Jaime faces a chilling confrontation when the Black Beetle—claiming to be a future version of himself—attacks, forcing a tense standoff. With Milagro injured and time running out, Jaime must make a difficult choice that puts his trust in the very enemy he’s fighting.

In "The Beginning of the End," Jaime Reyes and his friends journey to the ancient dig site where Dan Garrett first found the scarab, seeking answers as the alien tech grows increasingly violent. When Jaime reconnects with the Reach technology, the scarab’s long-buried programming awakens—and takes control, turning him into a weapon meant to conquer Earth.

In "The End of the End," Jaime, trapped under the scarab’s full control, is forced to stand against Peacemaker’s devastating strike on the Reach—only to emerge from the wreckage, shaken but alive, thanks to Traci’s timely intervention. The story pits loyalty against survival in a moment that redefines what it means to be a hero.