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By Dante' Maddox

At 29 years old it’s strange being a comic book reader. While I enjoy the activity, it’s not lost on me that reading comics is something better suited for someone half my age. I try to keep that in mind when I write reviews, but sometimes it’s hard not to feel like a kid again when I read and think about certain books.

The book that really takes me back is Booster Gold. The character takes me back to a certain period of comics when the JLA was a funny book (who can forget the old issue where Batman punches out Guy Gardner?) and Marvel comics were an easier read. I think comics were better for younger readers overall back then, something your parents didn’t have to read over your shoulder (something I highly recommend parents do today, seriously check out what your kids are reading, it’s not much different than TV).

Seven issue’s in and I get the feeling that Booster Gold is a different kind of book, one that captures the fun of the 80’s and 90’s without seeming dated. It all comes down to a mix of Dan Jurgens now classic artwork and Geoff Johns approach to the character. I always hoped that Booster would mature a bit as a character and I wondered what he would be like when that happened. Thanks to ‘52’ and these seven issue’s Booster has come along quite nicely.

The major arc up to issue 7 surrounded the rescue of his best friend Ted Kord (through time travel) known to the world also as Blue Beetle a character who first caught my eye during Crisis on Infinite Earths. Kord was killed by Maxwell Lord upon discovering Lords evil plans (do your self a favor and start picking up the ‘52’ trade paperbacks and related issue’s) to take out the worlds super powered citizens. While that has been going on, Geoff Johns took time to address some other issues as well.

Rescuing Ted has had negative repercussions, and it looks as though Maxwell Lord succeeded where he should not have. Booster’s father was introduced a few issue’s back, his importance to the story really expands in issue seven. We also learn that a certain Beetle from the future isn’t exactly what he claims to be. There is a big reveal at the end that is a bit of a letdown only because the villains aren’t exactly a ‘who’s who’ list of infamy, but they do pose a considerable threat to history and therefore the multiverse.

The cool thing about comics is that certain stories set precedence for future stories. Certain things are explained, therefore creating rules. Using Rip Hunter as a supporting cast member and having him still very much focused on the multiverse allows Johns to ‘tighten the bolts’ so to speak. Rip Hunter spends a great deal of time warning Booster about time travel and its dangers; those are rules that could easily find their way into books like JSA, or Countdown. A wise man once said that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby pretty much created the Marvel Universe in the early pages of Fantastic Four (to paraphrase); I think I’m starting to really understand how that works.

Booster Gold is a great title for those of you who haven’t picked up a book in a good long while, it stands alone very strong so you don’t have to worry about reading too many other books to get a grasp of what’s going on, plus it’s still possible to get all the previous issues at your local shop.

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Dan Jurgens
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99

CraveOnline Rating: 7 out of 10