Booster Gold

ARTISTS

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Mike DeCarlo
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: John Costanza
Editors: Alan Gold, Barbara Randall
Cover Artists: Mike DeCarlo, Dan Jurgens

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

hero: Booster Gold
supportinges: Dirk Davis, Monica Lake, Rose Forrest, Trixie Collins

Setting: 20th-century Metropolis, DCU, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: An unconscious Booster Gold is held aloft and threatened with a knife by the villainous Chiller.

Brief Synopsis: Booster and the Legion of Super-Heroes must work together to save the president from a 1000 assassination attempt. As a result, Booster Gold is thrust into the public limelight, exactly where he wants to be.

Issue Summary: Micheal Jon "Booster" Carter, native of the 24th century, is fighting Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, and Ultra Boy, all members of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century, in the skies above 20th-century Metropolis. The Legionnaires mistakenly believe that Booster is involved in an assassination attempt on United States President Ronald Reagan.

The combatants are unaware that the President and Vice President are being abducted by the Chiller in the city below. Fortunately for the President, Skeets has been following the limousine and interrupts Chiller's assassination attempt. Booster responds to Skeets summons by explaining the situation to the Legionnaires. The heroes join forces and rush to save the President.

In the aftermath, Brainiac 5 decides that Booster is in the right place at the right time. Before returning to the future, the Legionnaires ensure that the necessary artifacts are put in their proper place to eventually end up in the Space Museum in the 25th century where Booster will steal them. Booster is publicly rewarded by the President in a televised press conference in Washington, D.C. In the excitement, Booster garbles his own alter-ego, and is officially dubbed "Booster Gold."

Nearly a year later, Booster Gold enjoys the fruits of his exploits at a Dusk commercial shoot in Metropolis with girlfriend Monica Lake. Elsewhere, with the aid of Doctor Shocker, Benny, Marty, and Sarah Davis, the Director of the 1000 vows revenge on Booster for foiling his prior plans. Reveal Potential Spoilers

Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit

Issue Notes: In this issue, the gold star on Booster's chest is simplified from previous appearances, and the lines dividing it into simpler geometric shapes are omitted.

This story has been reprinted in the following issue:
Showcase Presents: Booster Gold (2008)

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 18, panel 1
PRODUCT PLACEMENT: Booster is shooting a television commercial with Monica Lake for Dusk cologne to be aired during a prime time soap opera such as Dallas or Dynasty. A narrative balloon declares that the present time is July 1986. This establishes that the rest of this story takes place in the present relative present, several almost a year after the events of the previous page. The events of Booster Gold issues #1 through #7 have taken place in the intervening time.

Page 20, panel 1
SILVER SCREEN: When Monica asks Dirk about getting her the lead female role in Booster's upcoming movie, she reveals the title of the movie to be the inventive Booster Gold: the Movie. However, this is likely a reference to Superman 1978 big-screen debut, Superman: the Movie.

Page 21, panel 1
After Booster destroyed the 1000's secret lair in Metropolis' Centennial Park, the remainder of the 1000 relocated to another lair underneath the Metropolis Docks.

Page 21, panel 2
Benny and Marty have been captured by the 1000 for interrogation about the private details of Booster Gold's life. This is their last appearance.

Page 21, panel 3
First appearance of Doctor Shocker (unnamed), another villainous employee of the 1000.

Page 23
In the letter column, Dan Jurgens confirms that Booster's first meeting with Blackguard took place in October 1985. Crisis on Infinite Earths concluded and re-aligned the DC Universe sometime around July 1985.

For more annotations from this issue which occur at a different point in Booster Gold's chronology, click here.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: This issue includes some of the most enjoyable action sequences yet in the title's run-to-date in the process of providing a very satisfying conclusion to the early adventures of Booster Gold. Skeets saves U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Then Booster Gold saves Reagan. Then Brainiac 5 saves Reagan. And the fight still isn’t over. In addition, this issue fills in a lot of empty holes that were left following the origin revealed in issue 6 and still manages to tie together some dangling sub-plots into a tease for the year-end story arc. This comic book stands as a testament to Dan Jurgens' art and storytelling.

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

Average Fan Rating:

• Currently 4.5/5 Stars.

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