Hot on the heels of Monday's news that Wally West is poised to make his long-requested New 52 debut comes word that Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle, will return to the DC Universe in April.

Ted Kord returns to the DCU in Forever Evil #7, and plays a role in Justice League post-Forever Evil," writer Geoff Johns teased Newsarama in an interview tied to this morning's announcement that Lex Luthor will join the team in the aftermath of the crossover.

Created by Steve Ditko in 1966 for Charlton Comics, the character was originally introduced into the DC Universe in 1986, in Blue Beetle #1, following the publisher's purchase of the Charlton superheroes. Although his solo title lasted just 24 issues, he became a favorite through his pairing with Booster Gold in Justice League International.

Kord was killed off in the 2005 one-shot Countdown to Infinite Crisis, much to the dismay of fans, only for his corpse to be reanimated during the 2009-2010 crossover "Blackest Night." Although the second Blue Beetle has until now been absent from the New 52, he was previously announced to appear alongside other Charlton characters like The Question and Captain Atom in Grant Morrison's long-discussed, and rather delayed, Pax Americana.

Forever Evil #7, by Johns, David Finch and Richard Friend, arrives April 2.