This comic just keeps getting better, I've missed reviewing it the last few months but I haven't taken it off of my pull list or anything.

Issue 14

Writer: John Rogers
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Cover: Cully Hamner
Letterer: Phil Balsman
Colorist: Guy Major

Guy Gardner I think I love you...this issue Jaime finally makes up and has an old fashioned team up with Guy "I ran the justice league" Gardner to make up for their random fight in issue 1.

The issue starts with a recap in the form of Jaime writing in his journal about how the reach (the eviiiil creators of his armor) have fooled the government into trusting them and how none of the heroes will help him out without some evidence. He also complains about how his hero-ing keeps him from getting a girlfriend as any teenage boy would do.

...Then Jaime's "arch nemesis" Guy Gardner comes out of nowhere ready for a fight...or so Jaime thinks. Jaime armors up blinding guy with a flash of light. After getting some space in between the two of them BB resists the armors urges to go crazy on the lantern and fires off a blue laser at him. Unfortunately Guy just blocked the huge beam with a shield and seems no worse for wear. Gardner is a bit agitated but not on his usual levels. This must of been the scarabs best attack because at this point Jaime realizes he's screwed and immediately flies out of the area.

Back at the Reyes household Paco and Brenda (Jaime's friends) are enjoying burgers (tofu for Brenda meat for Paco) cooked by Jaime's Father. They seem to be getting together almost too well when Jaime runs into the backyard warning his family about guy gardner...when his mom comes from inside with gardner saying he wanted to talk. Jaime instinctively armors up both of his arms and hits Guy with a laser. Guy is ready to fight back but in a very funny scene is stopped by Jaime's mom.

After talking it out Guy tells Jaime he just wants to go talk out their difference...so Gardner takes the underage Jaime to a nice bar he knows. He explaisn that the GL corps had faught a war against the reach long ago but they came to a draw as long as the reach didn't try to take over more planets. After Jaime tells Guy more about the reach off camera they go to Antarctica where Jaime's suit is telling him the location of a reach base. After getting through the fortress's
robot penguin guards (seriously) the pair battle the ultra humanite who according to Guy is a "mind hoppin' super-evolved genius with telepathic powers who gets his kicks bein' in the body of a giant white ape"

After Ultra is taken out the pair are approached by the reach leader who seems to be glad the beetle is okay. Guy tells him to cut the crap but The reach leader simply points out that their fortress is not anywhere near and that the ultra humanite us just a coincidence. He basically threatens that more of these super villains could pop out as "coincidences" in places where BB hallucinates their facilities.

Not knowing what to do Guy and Beetle both head home. Guy gives Jaime a book with the words "strategy" on the front saying Ted Kord had tried to get him to read this stuff. The reach may all stronger then one boy with a scarab but so were all of the mad men, aliens, and gods who Ted Kord had bested.

Ok, this was a great issue. Guy Gardner had funny dialog all of the way through and Jaime finally seems to be having good showings in his fights. Also the recap at the beginning was very welcomed. This comic sometimes had a tendency to throw you into events and not really explain how the characters got there.

The art is still great and I hope Rafael Albuquerque stays around longer, his art fits the tone of the book like a glove just like Hamners did. The backgrounds are sometimes a bit sparse but who cares if the guy draws people this well? Jaime did look a bit odd on the last page though.

I hope the comic keeps this good for awhile...although there'll be a guest writer and artist next issue so we'll see. There were still problems like how they didn't really establish how Jaime knew where the reach base was...but the comic is still getting better so I give it

9 scarabs out of 10

and yes I know I give high ratings...maybe it's because I'm still young and the bitterness of most comic review sites hasn't reached me yet.