Okay, so, here’s the thing – I wouldn’t consider myself a superhero connoisseur, per se, but I would consider myself a huge fan.
I didn’t grow up reading all the comics and knowing every single bit of lore behind every DC or Marvel superhero, but I had a father who was really into Spider-Man, and a brother who really liked Batman, and through that, I ended up loving superheroes more as I got older. Nowadays, superheroes are everywhere, whether it be the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the DC films that come out, such as The Batman; they are truly ingrained into pop culture.
But, I will admit – I had no idea who Blue Beetle was a few years ago. I didn’t know this was a popular character. I didn’t know he even existed. Quite honestly, though, I’m really happy DC is introducing him to the mainstream movie fans – because now, I’m even more excited than I ever thought I would be.
The DCEU has had a lot of shake-ups recently, but Blue Beetle looks to be one of those movies that is going to stick around, and honestly, I can’t wait to see what happens with it. I’m actually really excited for this film, and I’ll give you my reasons why, even as someone who wasn’t as familiar with the character.
As A Latina, I’m So Excited To See A Latino Superhero In DC
Alright, here’s the thing – I know we have been making strides with much better representation across all fields in many superhero movies. Even in the MCU, there was the introduction of America Chavez in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness. And she’s great, really – I love Xochitel Gomez and everything she is going to bring to the MCU in the future.
Blue Beetle: What You Need To Know About Jaime Reyes From DC Comics
But there’s never been a lead Latino or Latina. There have been characters, sure, most of which have started to become a lot more mainstream, such as Chavez, or the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres. In DC, if I recall, there hasn’t really been any Latino representation within the movies, which is what makes this film such a big deal.
I never saw myself represented on a big screen in a superhero movie. Sure, I loved watching Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and the sequels, or The Dark Knight, or any other really awesome superhero movie, but I never saw myself in those films. It was something that was really hard to come by as a young girl who was surrounded by the most famous superheroes ever.
Granted, we have taken a lot of steps to include many different diverse heroes, but this one means a whole lot to me because it really feels as if there’s a new generation of people who are going to feel so represented by seeing someone like them in a big movie featuring an all-star cast. I’m so eager to see this – and I’m sure millions of other Latinos and Latinas are, as well.
And The Inclusion Of Jaime’s Family Is Going To Make For A Great Dynamic
As someone who has a very Latino family, we bring the party. We’re loud, in your face, and dance to music all night long and we love each other fiercely. Just from the trailer of Blue Beetle, you can tell that’s the vibe, instantly.
I think that’s something that seriously brings me so much joy, because it makes me feel like it wasn’t toned down just for a specific audience. It’s authentic and real and filled with so much joy and love that I can’t help but snicker every time Jaime (which also happens to be my father’s name) is on screen with his family members.
There’s so much talent in the Blue Beetle cast, too! Damián Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo – heck, even George Lopez, who I never thought would be in a superhero movie but he fits this vibe so well. I can’t wait to see this family, so much, because it’s only going to remind me of my own.
Xolo Maridueña Is Such A Great Choice For The Lead Role
But, of course, we can’t have Blue Beetle without Jaime himself, and he’s played by the lovely Xolo Maridueña and let me tell you – this is perfect casting.
Just from the research I did on Blue Beetle when I first heard about this movie, Maridueña was one of the first people I thought of. Not only does he capture the essence of Jaime’s character, wanting to look out for his family first and foremost, but he looks the part, too. I can’t imagine many other young Latino actors playing Jaime other than him.
I’m also a little biased because I have watched Maridueña in Cobra Kai for many years at this point, and he’s outstanding in that show – and has been a part of some kick-ass fights, so you know he’s ready. I’m eager to see him take on a superhero role, something I know he’ll be killer at.
The Suit For Blue Beetle Looks Freaking Sick
If I could describe the suit in Blue Beetle, I would say that it’s one of my favorite suits ever. In any superhero movie.
I would say it's up there with Wanda’s new look in Multiverse of Madness, as well as T’Challa’s suit in Black Panther. I know it’s technically not really a “suit” per se, just because it’s what gives Jaime his powers from that mystical scarab, but the shape it takes is just so cool.
It’s also nice to have a hero who uses blue as their main color. I feel like so many heroes aren’t like that. We think red for Iron Man or Spider-Man, yellow for Thor or Captain Marvel, black for Batman or Black Widow, green for Hulk or Aquaman (or orange, if you’re that person). But the only other person I can think of for blue is Captain America, which isn’t a bad thing, but I’m eager to see some diversity in superhero costumes again, and he looks freaking awesome.
The Fact That He Can Generate Stuff Is So Cool
I know that Blue Beetle can do way more than just generate anything. He has a bunch of different powers that are so cool, but to me, the generation part is one of the best. It almost reminds me of a character from My Hero Academia, who can generate anything as well, because that’s a sick power to have.
All other superheroes usually have someone creating their gadgets or they create them themselves, but few can just make things out of nothing. Blue Beetle does that and more and just with that last scene that you see in the trailer, when he generated that sword, I was hyped.
The Action Looks Intense – And Also Hilarious
This may sound strange but I’m looking forward to the action scenes mixed in with the hilarity. This could be an unpopular opinion, but I want clumsier heroes. I feel like in so many superhero stories, we see the heroes adapt to their powers pretty quickly. Sure, we’ll get some sort of a montage, but we don’t really see them work out their powers.
Even from the first trailer, we can see that Jaime is pretty overwhelmed by these sudden powers – as shown in a scene where he’s telling his family that he split a bus in half and is freaking out about it – and that moment made me laugh. I want to see heroes have that growing phase, where they don’t know what to do and are trying to figure it out. From the action scenes we saw, there were some funny moments, and intense moments too, and I can’t wait to see both.
Honestly, overall, I just can’t wait for this movie. I wasn’t expecting to become such a big fan so quickly, but that trailer proved in my heart that this film was literally made for people like me. And, I seriously hope it does well at the box office so it can have a sequel, unlike some other DC films recently. I can’t wait – and I know my inner child, who had no one to really look up to as a young Latina, can’t wait either.
