The Blue And The Gold

In the 1980s DC Comics felt blue and went for the gold!

A classic character returns and two new future superstars are introduced: one with a super ego and one with a little devil in him.

When Charlton Comics went out of business DC Comics acquired its roster of characters.  Blue Beetle, Peacemanker, Captain Atom and several others were originally charted to star in the Watchmen series by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons.

DC executives opted out of the use of the characters for such a dark series.  Alan Moore was forced to create his own character roster.

DC Comics would later reintroduce the Charlton characters into its own  continuity and character gallery.

Blue Beetle received his own series that successfully captured the look and attitude of the original Blue Beetle series as drawn by Steve Ditko.

While the new Blue Beetle was comical and over the top at first, he soon became a key player in the DC Universe and took part in some truly momentous storylines especially in the various Crisis mini-series produced some years after his premiere.

At one point he was killed, resurrected and eventually retired when a new younger Blue Beetle who possessed an alien beetle carapace capable of various powers.

There was a period in DC Comics history that many of the books it published tended to have a humorous slant.  This was due in part because of the Watchmen’s success.  Dark and foreboding, the series completely changed the face of comic books.

Soon comic book publishers started to emulate the Watchmen’s brooding dark tone.  DC Comics took a different approach with some of its titles by adding touches of humor.  Blue Devil was one such title.

Coincidentally the artist on Blue Devil was the same artist on Blue Beetle: Paris Cullins.

Paris was well known for his talent to imbue humor in his drawings-a perfect ingredient in both Blue Beetle and Blue Devil.

The story centered on stuntman Dan Cassidy who wears a demon exto-suit to create the monster he performs as in the Blue Devil movie.

While wearing the suit he winds up tackling a real demon whose magical powers then binds the suit to him.

As the years progressed Dan was permanently transformed into the Blue Devil and acquired supernatural powers of his own.

Eventually he would become one of DC Comics most powerful magical characters.

In Booster Gold a superhero wannabe from the future steals advanced technology and travels to the present day.

He hoped to make a name for himself and cash in.  Things did not work out that way.

Booster Gold would eventually have a change of heart and become the superhero he always wanted to be.

Of course his super ego tended to still get in his way.  He and the Blue Beetle became fast friends.

All three #1 issues go for about $10 raw and $50 slabbed in mint condition for each.