After a month of box office dominance, Barbie was knocked down a peg, courtesy of Blue Beetle. News outlets are reporting that its opening weekend draw was less than anticipated, but James Gunn and Peter Safran must be pleased with the film’s warm reception.
With a 76% critic’s score, Blue Beetle is DC Studios’ first 2023 release to manage a “certified fresh” rating from Rotten Tomatoes. More telling is the 92% audience rating. Next to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s 94%, Blue Beetle is the second-most popular superhero movie released by either Warner Bros. or Disney so far this year.
Fans are enjoying what they’re seeing from Jamie and the Reyes family, and the mainstream love has given a boost to these Blue Beetle keys.
INFINITE CRISIS #5 JIM LEE EDITION
Regardless of who is under the mask, the first key to get the rub from a popular movie is the character’s debut comic. Given DC’s steep Golden Age history, those are typically reserved for collectors with a five- and six-figure budget. Naturally, it’s the modern Beetle first with its lower price tag that is generating the most sales.
In this case, Jaime’s first appearance as the new Blue Beetle in Infinite Crisis #5, specifically the Jim Lee edition, is by far the biggest seller. After struggling in the sales department less than a month ahead of Blue Beetle’s theatrical release, IC #5 rebounded. Over the past week, the graded 9.8 has been a hot item that sold for as much as $250.
CAPTAIN ATOM #83
Jaime’s keys are easily the most popular Beetle options, but Ted Kord’s debut in Captain Atom #83 is drawing its share of attention. In June, a graded 9.0 traded hands online for an impressive $2,050. So far this month, a 6.5 sold for $281 on August 19 followed by a $300 sale for the same grade a day later. There also was a 6.0 that went for $180.
Although the movie’s focus is understandably on Jaime, Ted’s influence is felt all the way through the mid-credits scene. We could see him in the future, and that is a likely reason his comic premiere is selling so well.
BLUE BEETLE, VOL. 2 #1
Although not the first self-titled Blue Beetle series, his first Silver Age comic has been an enticing purchase. Considering Blue Beetle #1 was published in 1964, finding copies is a bit harder than getting the modern Beetle keys. Taking that into account, there have been a fair number of sales for this particular issue in recent months. In July, a graded 8.0 sold for $695. More recently, a 3.0 sold for a record $229 on August 13.
TIE-INS GALORE
Whether Blue Beetle proves to be a hit or a flop remains to be seen, but Jaime Reyes is here to stay. There’s much for Jaime fans to look forward to as the DCU heads toward Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. While it’s the next-to-last film in the former DCEU, BB is part of the DCU, and director Angel Manuel Soto said it’s the first of a planned trilogy.
In fact, there are some possible allusions that could directly connect the film to Superman: Legacy and The Brave and the Bold, but that’s a blog for another day.
