Blue Beetle #1 is an issue of the series Blue Beetle (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1939.
Synopsis for "The Origin of Blue Beetle"
A pharmacist named Doctor Franz provides rookie police officer Dan Garret with a special vitamin and bulletproof costume so that he can fight crime as the Blue Beetle.
Appearing in "The Origin of Blue Beetle"
Featured Characters:
- Blue Beetle (Dan Garret) (First appearance chronologically)
Supporting Characters:
- Doctor Franz (First appearance chronologically)
- Mike Mannigan (First appearance chronologically)
- Karen Dobbs
Antagonists:
- Chick Alonzo (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Michael Garret (Single appearance; dies)
- Mrs. Garret (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Coming of the Blue Beetle"
This story is reprinted from Mystery Men Comics #1.
Police Officer Dan Garret dives to the sidewalk as a speeding sedan goes by pumping machine gun ammunition sporadically and shoves a man out onto the city street. Ignoring his wound, Garret checks on the man who turns out to be banker Mr. Vander, who along with his daughter and secretary, were recently kidnapped. Vanders' last words turns out to be his informing Garret that his kidnappers were the White Face Gang. Garret learns that the sedan that Vander was pushed from, has been found and he investigates the car, to discover that the identification number has been filed off. Garret uses a chemical that reveals the number on the vehicle and he learns that the vehicle is owned by a garage owner, Mike Ravani. Garret makes his way to a drug store, owned by his friend Abe, to change into his guise as the Blue Beetle. In another part of the city, Vander's daughter is being tortured for the combination of her father's bank vault. One of the thugs is shocked to see a blue beetle emblem on the desk and they quickly discover that the Blue Beetle has crashed their little party. The Beetle tells the gang that he has the combination to the vault so they don't have to torture the girl anymore. The telephone rings and one of the thugs speaks to an unknown person. Beetle gives them the combination and the thug informs everyone that that is the same combo that he had just received from someone on the phone. They gang heads for the bank and given a brief moment alone, The Blue Beetle calls the police station on a wireless telephone that he invented, to let them know that the Blue Beetle, apparently a wanted criminal to the police, would be at Vander's bank at midnight. When the Beetle and the White Face gang arrive at the bank they are all gathered up by the waiting policemen, except for the Blue Beetle, who uses a smoke screen to make his escape. It is revealed that John Brandes, Mr. Vander's secretary, was actually the leader of the conspirators. Later, Dan speaks to Abe, who apparently knows of Garret's dual-identity, and he thanks him for making that call to the thugs that reiterated the same vault combination, thus making them more likely to trust the Beetle and lead to their capture.
Appearing in "The Coming of the Blue Beetle"
Featured Characters:
- Blue Beetle (Dan Garret) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Mike Mannigan (First appearance)
- Abe (Friend of Dan Garret) (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- The White Face Gang
- John Brandes
Other Characters:
- Mr. Vander (Banker)
- Ms. Vander (Banker's daughter)
Locations:
Items:
- Wireless Telephone
Vehicles:
- Beetle's High-Powered Car
- White Face Gang's car
Synopsis for "The Armored Truck Robbery"
This story is reprinted from Mystery Men Comics #2.
Appearing in "The Armored Truck Robbery"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mike Mannigan (misspelled "Mannigin")
Villains:
- Bank Thievs
- Unnamed Leader (Single appearance)
- Jake (Single appearance)
- Blackie (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Newspaper boy (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Loan Shark Racket"
This story is reprinted from Mystery Men Comics #3.
As loan shark crime increases, Dan Garret goes undercover and borrows money from a loan shark. When his loan comes due, two of the loan shark's collectors come to accost him, but he beats both of them up and leaves a blue beetle with them so that they know who is on to them. The try to quit the racket, but the leader reminds them that he has their signed confessions that could lead them to the electric chair. At that moment, the Blue Beetle bursts through the window and beats all of them and leaves them tied up outside Police headquarters with each man's confession.
Appearing in "The Loan Shark Racket"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Various Thugs and Loan Sharks.
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Protection Insurance for Newsboys"
This story is reprinted from Mystery Men Comics #4.
Appearing in "Protection Insurance for Newsboys"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Bull Blackart (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "A Trap for the Blue Beetle"
This story is reprinted from Mystery Men Comics #5.
Appearing in "A Trap for the Blue Beetle"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Dr. Franz (First appearance)
- Mike Mannigan
Villains:
- Desperados (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Death Rides on Horseback"
Text story
Appearing in "Death Rides on Horseback"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Yarko the Great: "The Old Hex House"
Story originally printed in Wonderworld Comics #2.
Appearing in Yarko the Great: "The Old Hex House"
Synopsis for Yarko the Great: "Death and the Devil"
Story originally printed in Wonderworld Comics #3.
Appearing in Yarko the Great: "Death and the Devil"
Synopsis for Yarko the Great: "The Judge's Wife and the Smugglers"
Story originally printed in Wonderworld Comics #4.
Appearing in Yarko the Great: "The Judge's Wife and the Smugglers"
Synopsis for Yarko the Great: "Vladim the Voodoo Master"
Story originally printed in Wonderworld Comics #5.
Appearing in Yarko the Great: "Vladim the Voodoo Master"
Notes
- This comic issue was published by Fox Features Syndicate, a defunct comic book publishing firm founded by Victor A. Fox.
- The only stories in this issue that are owned by DC Comics are the Blue Beetle stories, therefore they are the only stories that are completely indexed.
- Yarko the Great, Master Magician was the creation of Will Eisner and was not absorbed into the greater DC stable of characters.
- Will Eisner's influence in the early Blue Beetle stories is undetermined. Most sources credit artist Charles Nicholas Wojtkowski with creating the character.
- Most of the stories in this issue are untitled ("Protection Insurance for Newsboys" and "A Trap for the Blue Beetle" are the exceptions). We are using titles made up by comics indexers in the 1960s-1970s
Trivia
- The Blue Beetle's name and concept was largely inspired by the Green Hornet, a popular "Mystery Man" created by George W. Trendle in the 1930s.
- In these early issues, Dan Garrett's name is spelled "Garret" while later issues add the second T. Daniel Garrett is also provided with a rebooted origin, changing him from being a rookie police officer to an archaeologist.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Blue Beetle Recommended Reading
- Blue & Gold (Volume 1)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 1)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 2)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 3)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 4)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 5)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 6)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 7)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 8)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 9)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 10)
- Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (Volume 1)
- Justice League America (Volume 1)
- Justice League Europe (Volume 1)
- Justice League International (Volume 1)
- Mystery Men Comics (Volume 1)