Theodore Stephen ''Ted'' Kord is a fictional character from Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. The character was created by Steve Ditko and Gary Friedrich, first appearing in Captain Atom #83 (1966).
He was the second hero to call himself Blue Beetle, successor to Dan Garrett and predecessor to Jaime Reyes. Garrett was his mentor and he vowed to take up the crime-fighting legacy, although when he found himself unable to activate the Blue Beetle Scarab he turned to science and martial arts instead. He has been a member of Justice League International, the Living Assault Weapons and the Birds of Prey. His most enduring partnership is with his best friend Booster Gold.