Writer Jeremy Adams and artist Xermanico just dropped a bombshell in Green Lantern #22. While expertly navigating the tangled threads of their “Fractured Spectrum” storyline, the creative team pulled off a stunning reveal: a long-forgotten hero from the Golden Age is back. This isn’t just a fleeting cameo; it’s a dramatic reintroduction that hints at a new, yet strikingly familiar identity for this classic character, one deeply connected to a certain mystical artifact. WARNING: Major Spoilers for Green Lantern #22 below.
The stunning reveal unfolds within a subplot following Kyle Rayner, who, accompanied by Conner Kent (Superboy) and Odyssey the Time Bandit, infiltrates a Reach home base on a mission to secure Nth metal. Inside, they don’t just find their objective, but a maltreated human, a figure who has been absent for so long that his return was virtually unimaginable. This individual is none other than Dan Garrett, the original Blue Beetle, reborn as the Silver Scarab!
Dan Garrett’s history is foundational to DC lore. He was an archaeologist who discovered an ancient, mystical scarab in an Egyptian tomb, which granted him enhanced abilities, establishing him as the first hero to bear the Blue Beetle name. His legacy was eventually passed down to Ted Kord and later to Jaime Reyes, whose scarab has overtly alien (Reach) origins.
The context of Garrett’s reappearance is particularly intriguing. He was found within a Reach facility, a species intrinsically tied to the scarab technology that powers Jaime Reyes, and during a quest for Nth metal, a substance associated with Thanagarian power and, notably, with Hector Hall, the original Silver Scarab (son of Hawkman and Hawkgirl). There are lots of moving parts here, and the implications are vast.
Is Garrett related to Hector Hall by blood, a clone, or something else entirely? He doesn’t exactly look as old as he should theoretically be. How did he get there? Was he kidnapped by the Reach, and is there a specific connection between the Reach’s technology and Nth metal? We still don’t know much, but the story so far wisely injects a note of caution, questioning whether Garrett is everything he claims to be, or if a darker element is pulling the strings, adding a layer of suspense to his comeback.
Garrett’s adoption of the “Silver Scarab” mantle marks a significant evolution, and with it, we witness his new, destructive power set. This blending of the original Blue Beetle’s mystical scarab roots with a legacy often tied to Nth metal and alien powers could create a fascinating new dynamic for the character. More than just a character update, this pronounced Nth metal aspect could weave Garrett directly into the fabric of larger DC Universe events. Given the concurrent searches for Nth metal by Kyle Rayner’s team and Atrocitus’s Red Lanterns, Garrett’s re-emergence strongly suggests his involvement in a significant, Nth Metal-centric confrontation.
Jeremy Adams’ tenure on Green Lantern is proving to be a thrilling era for the franchise, expertly weaving together disparate threads of the DC Universe. Green Lantern #22, with Xermanico’s dynamic art bringing these cosmic and infernal adventures to life, is a testament to this. The return of Dan Garrett as the new Silver Scarab is not just a deep-cut fan pleaser but a significant strategic move, enriching current storylines and opening a Pandora’s box of possibilities for the future of DC Cosmic.
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