After his father was killed by a gangster’s bullet, young Dan Garret joined the New York Police Department, but he soon tired of the slow pace and red tape of police work. He donned a blue three-piece suit and white mask and established a costumed identity, fighting crime as the Blue Beetle. He had no powers, but he used a gun and a wrist-mounted mini-radio to get an edge on the criminals he was fighting. His calling card was a small beetle-shaped marker that he left in conspicuous places to alert criminals to his presence, using their fear of his crime-fighting reputation as a weapon against them. Shortly afterwards, his friend and mentor, a pharmacist and a drug-store proprietor named Dr. Franz helped Dan acquire bulletproof armor made out of a chain-mail-like cellulose material. He still occasionally used a gun, but he mostly relied on his fists from that point on. He added a “BeetleMobile” car and a “BeetleBird” airplane to his arsenal. He also started using a “Beetle Signal” flashlight. In some stories, he was shown with a multi-pouched belt. While investigating a dope ring (Blue Beetle #4 1940), Dan Garret was wounded by a gangster’s machine gun and laid near-death in the hospital. He received a visit from Dr. Franz, who had a plan to save Dan’s life. Dr. Franz administered the secret experimental vitamin 2X, a super drug that temporarily endowed Dan with super strength, healing abilities, increased speed, heightened senses, and enhanced intellectual capacity. Because the effects of vitamin 2X were temporary, when a serious crime called for super powers, Dan had to rush to Dr. Franz’s drug store, where, in a hidden room, he donned his costume and took a vitamin 2X pill. A super-powered Blue Beetle would then emerge to strike out against evil.
Creators/Key ContributorsEisner & Iger Studio, Charles Wojtkoski (?), Charles Nicholas (pen name of John Celardo?)
First Appearance Mystery Men Comics #1 (1939)
First Publisher Fox Feature Syndicate [CB+] [DCM] [GCD]
Appearance List Mystery Men Comics #1-31, Blue Beetle #1-60
Sample Read Blue Beetle Big 3 DCM Collection [DCM]
Description After his father was killed by a gangster’s bullet, young Dan Garret joined the New York Police Department, but he soon tired of the slow pace and red tape of police work. He donned a blue three-piece suit and white mask and established a costumed identity, fighting crime as the Blue Beetle. He had no powers, but he used a gun and a wrist-mounted mini-radio to get an edge on the criminals he was fighting. His calling card was a small beetle-shaped marker that he left in conspicuous places to alert criminals to his presence, using their fear of his crime-fighting reputation as a weapon against them. Shortly afterwards, his friend and mentor, a pharmacist and a drug-store proprietor named Dr. Franz helped Dan acquire bulletproof armor made out of a chain-mail-like cellulose material. He still occasionally used a gun, but he mostly relied on his fists from that point on. He added a “BeetleMobile” car and a “BeetleBird” airplane to his arsenal. He also started using a “Beetle Signal” flashlight. In some stories, he was shown with a multi-pouched belt. While investigating a dope ring (Blue Beetle #4 1940), Dan Garret was wounded by a gangster’s machine gun and laid near-death in the hospital. He received a visit from Dr. Franz, who had a plan to save Dan’s life. Dr. Franz administered the secret experimental vitamin 2X, a super drug that temporarily endowed Dan with super strength, healing abilities, increased speed, heightened senses, and enhanced intellectual capacity. Because the effects of vitamin 2X were temporary, when a serious crime called for super powers, Dan had to rush to Dr. Franz’s drug store, where, in a hidden room, he donned his costume and took a vitamin 2X pill. A super-powered Blue Beetle would then emerge to strike out against evil.
