Xolo Maridueña stars as the scarab-tactic superhero Blue Beetle, which buzzed onto the big screen this past weekend. Blue Beetle, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, is the first live-action comic book film with a Hispanic lead. The long-anticipated picture is the third DC Studios release this year after Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash.

It's all about family in The Fast and the... er... Blue Beetle, and on this episode of The Cosmic Circle, we are joined by some fantastic family members. Writers Anthony Flagg and Wiktor Reinfuss swarmed in for our chat about the celestial scarab-powered superhero Jaime Reyes.

We talked about the movie's meaning on a cultural level, our favorite parts, including the charming and talented Xolo Maridueña, and our thoughts on the nefarious Victoria Kord, portrayed by screen legend Susan Sarandon. We even talked about that mid-credits scene and whether or not Jason Sudeikis really is Ted Kord.

And dear listeners, you won't want to miss our discussion of just how many times Wiktor has seen The Flash. So whether you're a lifelong DC Comics fan or someone who's just getting into the world of DC after James Gunn took over the studio, this podcast is for you.

You can listen to the podcast below directly or on most sites where you listen to podcasts. For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts, subscribe here and follow us for updates on X (formerly Twitter) at @cosmicpodcasts!

[Warning: Spoilers from Blue Beetle are within the podcast! Avert your eyes and return to Gotham, Central City or Metropolis lest you be spoiled. ]