Ted Kord (Blue Beetle II) ‘Countdown to Infinite Crisis / Pre-New 52’
This is gonna put me in my feelings a bit. Ted Kord was the second Blue Beetle. For those not in the know, Ted Kord is arguably DC’s Peter Parker. The guy is hilarious, but as he was depicted in the CTIC, the superhero community (at the time) considered him a second stringer at best. The self-deprecation goes so hard in this. Ted is onto something of a conspiracy happening, but only his boy Booster Gold backs him up on his belief that there is something amiss in the grand scheme of things. As it turns out Ted was right, he was uncovering how Brother Eye and Omac projects (coughthatbrucewaynecreatedandwasusing) were being used to spy on meta-humans by their longtime friend Max Lord. Ted uncovered who was behind this before Batman (whom he asked for help and was brushed off). When he refuses to join up with Max, his death triggers certain simultaneous events that lead us to the Infinite Crisis. This was a serious hit to the stomach to read as you wanted to believe he’d escape capture, but even Ted himself knew he was finished. Ted also represented a lighter time getting snuffed out as everyone would refer to his humor and ability to lighten any situation when making their own jokes.