Blue Beetle #9: Victoria Undefeated

Blue Beetle #9’s title may be “Pinnacle of Achievement,” but it might just as well be called “Your Chickens Come Home to Roost.” The issue successfully pays off story and character threads, some of which were set up all the way back in the first issue. And some of those characters get exactly what they deserve in the process.

Victoria Kord’s perfect hero, Pinnacle, stares down at her when Blue Beetle #9 begins. Before Pinnacle can turn on Jaime, though, Victoria regains control and takes it back to her lab. In the aftermath, Brenda is forced to come clean to Jaime and her friends about how she’s been secretly working with Victoria to develop the technology for Pinnacle. Back in her lab, Victoria attempts to destroy Pinnacle. And that’s when everything goes wrong.

Victoria Kord comes full circle in Blue Beetle #9. The previous issue introduced Pinnacle, Victoria’s answer to aliens that itself employs the alien technology she’s been collecting. But far from being a hero, Victoria sees herself the same way others will now–as a villain. Trujillo does an excellent job paying off the foreshadowing that he’s been building since Victoria’s first appearance. An air of menace surrounded her from the beginning, but while it did continue for several issues its development was minimal almost to the point of making her attitude feel like a red herring. Trujillo swung hard back into that sense of menace with the previous issue and delivers the emotional result here. But none of this eliminates the possibility of future arcs for Victoria. Indeed, by paying off her setup to this point, Victoria becomes a wild card with the potential for unexpected developments.

Brenda’s arc likewise takes a big turn here. For several issues the series tracked her work with Victoria as she essentially did the wrong thing for the right reason. The revelation of Brenda’s divided loyalties was probably inevitable. But would Brenda have ever gone to her friends with the truth if Victoria’s plan hadn’t failed? Her dialogue leaves that an open question because, while she is sorry, she believes in Victoria’s underlying motivation to keep people safe. And like Victoria, Blue Beetle #9 pays off Brenda’s foreshadowing while leaving her future full of possibility.

Blue Beetle #9 opens with a full page of Victoria as seen from Pinnacle’s point of view. She’s not defeated or dejected. But she lacks the take charge attitude that has been a hallmark of the character since her first appearance. The next page cuts to Pinnacle and Victoria as seen by Jaime. Victoria is very small by comparison. But over the course of the issue the overwhelming sense of presence Victoria projects has returned. Gutiérrez is largely responsible. The script definitely puts Victoria back in a commanding position. But without the art selling her more diminutive appearance in the opening pages to provide a contrast as the issue goes on, her arc in the issue wouldn’t have the same weight.

Pinnacle’s point of view on the first page is seen through what is basically a magenta/pink color filter. Pinnacle’s weapon blasts are that same color. Quintana perfectly matches that color to the sequence later in the issue when Victoria attempts to destroy Pinnacle. The repetitive use of that same color and the lack of its appearance elsewhere in the issue where Victoria appears focuses that sequence more on Pinnacle which works as foreshadowing.

The lettering in Blue Beetle #9 provides extra punctuation to the art driving VIctoria’s arc. Gattoni uses somewhat scribbled dialogue bubbles when Victoria is unsure of herself, contrasting with spiked dialogue bubbles when she is shouting–the former appearing only on the first page when Pinnacle is staring at her. As the issue goes on, Victoria’s use of other characters’ names is frequently highlighted. It doesn’t take long for Victoria to feel in charge once again.