Editor’s Note: The following report is the first article from Moxiebot, whom we hope will become a staple to readers of Big Shiny Robot!  She’s one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met when it comes to the DCU and comics in general and is probably nerdier than I am, though undoubtedly much, much more attractive.

So, without further ado, we are proud to present her first report:

Between the hype surrounding the inevitable return of Bruce Wayne and the new Aqualad, a beacon of hope for the dedicated fans of DC’s greatest underdog has emerged — and it looks like their dedication might be paying off in the biggest way since Infinite Crisis.

Images from a recent live-action test of Jaime Reyes AKA Blue Beetle III’s super-powered symbiont have been posted by DC, and reception has been surprisingly enthusiastic. Reyes was introduced to the public in February of 2006 as the recently deceased Blue Beetle II/Ted Kord’s teenaged predecessor. While initial reactions were wary due to Ted Kord’s nearly fifty years as Blue Beetle, artist Cully Hamner paired with writers Keith Giffen and John Rogers proved that the unwilling, awkward, bumbling Reyes was a strong fit for the name. Blue Beetle’s monthly series ran out of steam early last year, but Jaime hasn’t wanted for work — his recent appearances include issues of Teen Titans and Booster Gold.

We’ve been told straight from the source that the full clip will be showing at the San Diego Comic-Con this year as often as they can manage to squeeze it in. While this doesn’t mean anything conclusive or solid — they’ve been very careful to emphasize that it’s not green-lit, or even a final design — the fact that DC is pouring resources in to Blue Beetle can only mean more action on the horizon for those of us with perpetual Beetle Mania.

Ted Kord is probably somewhere in heaven thinking that this is more than enough payoff for his work in Watchmen.

Have a look at a few choice captures below, and then head over the DCUblog for the rest: