Blue Beetle's History
It was said that Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re possessed a powerful artifact, a figurine in the shape of a blue scarab; with its powers, he was able to defend his followers from all evil. When Kha-Ef-Re died, the Scarab was buried with him in his tomb; over the years, thousands died attempting to claim it for their own.
In August 1939, a couple of weeks before the Second World War, archaeologist Dan Garrett and his companion Luri entered Kha-Ef-Re's tomb, becoming the first people to reach the Pharaoh's sarcophagus in millennia. Atop the sarcophagus rested Kha-Ef-Re's scarab.
As Dan and Luri admired the figurine, a cave-in began, the walls of the tomb collapsing on them. As Dan attempted to save Luri, the scarab flared to life, transforming Dan into a costumed superhero. Dan used his new-found superhuman strength to stop the cave-in, identifying himself as the Blue Beetle.
Dan smuggled the scarab out of the country, using its powers to become one of the so-called 'mystery men' of the 1930s and 40s, though little is known of his career. He was also active after the Vietnam War, teaming up with Christopher Smith, the first Peacemaker, at least once.
Dan married, and had at least one child, a son, and a granddaughter, Danielle, named after him. His family were entrusted with the knowledge of his secret identity.
At some point, Dan became a professor of archaeology, teaching the subject at university. One of Dan's students was engineering genius Ted Kord, and the two of them formed a bond. When a major crisis arose, Ted turned to Dan for assistance. Ted had learned that his uncle, Jarvis Kord, intended to take over the world, and Ted needed Dan's help to stop him.
Together, the two men succeeded in foiling Jarvis's plans, but only at the cost of Dan's life. The dying Dan asked Ted to take up the Blue Beetle legacy, and passed the Scarab onto him. Dan's body was lost in a subsequent cave-in.
However, Ted discovered that the Scarab wouldn't work for him, and ultimately lost it during the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Some while later, after Ted had established himself as the Blue Beetle, Dan returned, apparently resurrected by the Scarab, half-crazed and intent on fighting Ted. When Ted eventually confronted Dan, the Scarab spoke to him, offering him its powers if he would become its new host. Ted rejected the Scarab's offer, and convinced Dan to break the Scarab's hold on him. The Scarab's physical form shattered, and Dan was allowed to die a final death.
Dan's funeral saw the presence of the Question, Judomaster, and Tiger, among others, suggesting that Dan had met them in his superhero career too. So far, however, those adventures remain unrecorded.
Dan's granddaughter Danielle holds a number of his notes, although a good quantity are missing. She also asserts legal claim on the Blue Beetle Scarab. Since the Scarab's current instantation is attached to Jaime Reyes' spine, she has put her claim on hold for the time being.
