Blue Beetle #5
writer- Tony Bedard
artist- Ig Guara

I read Blue Beetle #5, at the urging of one of this site's fine readers. In a comment left on the review for Blue Beetle #1, Eric says:
“Don't worry! Blue Beetle gets better and better with each issue. Your mouth will drop in shock (the good kind) after you read #5. Keep holding onto Blue Beetle. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE HIM!!!”
Back when I reviewed #1, I thought the book lacked a natural flow. The dialogue was forced and Bedard's characters said things that people wouldn't say. Well, just as Eric promised, Blue Beetle #5 pays off.
The story up to #5 is a roller coaster of an origin story. It's the story of a teenage boy who finds a special suit, fights super-villains, and ends up constantly at odds with the suit's onboard security protocols. In the end of #4, it's those protocols that cause our new teen hero to accidentally impale his best friend with the suits weaponry. And that point is where issue #5 begins. Without giving anything away, I can tell you that there are new villains for the DCU, created in this very issue and they thoroughly excite me. It's now easier to relate to the characters in Tony Bedard's book. The world our hero lives in is a more thrilling place. The story is good, the script is good, and I'm going to have to read the next issue. After the painful first issue, I'm happy to say Bedard has it going on.
Now, what about that promise of a jaw dropping shock in Blue Beetle #5? It's definitely in the art. As soon as you see the cover, you're expecting something big. It's the striking image of the Blue Beetle holding the limp figure of his friend in front of a loud red backdrop. Ig Guara's pencils, JP Mayer's inks, and Pete Pantazis' colors really make this book shine from the detail on a crumbling motel sign right down to the fiery magic bursting from a witch's eyes. There's no complaint about the art here. In fact, I'm considering picking up back issues of Marvel Adventures, just to get more of Ig's artwork.
So, I'm saying it... pick up Blue Beetle #5. You'll love it. Plus, Eric doesn't want to lose him.