Justice League International

Cover Description: (Clockwise from center) Blue Beetle, Black Canary, Booster Gold, Mister Miracle, Captain Atom, Guy Gardner, Batman, Rocket Red, and Martian Manhunter stand against a background of international flags.

Brief Synopsis: After polishing off the Gray Man, the Justice League finds itself manipulated by outside forces into a United Nations-sanctioned super-team.

Issue Summary: In the Secret Sanctuary, Guy Gardner wakes up from his defeat at Batman's fist and begins searching for his discarded Power Ring. Seeing a mouse, he is startled into another concussion.

After seeing that the Gray Man is properly "rewarded" by the Lords of Order, Doctor Fate restores the citizenry of Stone Ridge, Vermont. The Justice League regains consciousness, parts ways with the Creeper, and heads home.

At the United Nations in New York, Martian Manhunter confronts Maxwell Lord about his plans to take the Justice League global. Manhunter is surprised to discover that Lord's "associate" is Mister Miracle's business manager, Oberon. Unknown to Manhunter, their conversation is watched remotely by a third party.

Still concerned that Guy Gardner is a member of the new League, Hal Jordan confronts Gardner directly. Jordan is surprised that Gardner takes his criticism so well, and he warns Mister Miracle and Captain Marvel about Gardner's behavior before leaving.

In order to circumvent "media hostility" against the new Justice League, the mysterious third-party launches an attack on Earth from a space satellite. The Justice League springs into action, taking a S.T.A.R. Labs space shuttle into orbit. When the satellite resists missiles, the League dons space suits and approaches. Batman has his space suit compromised, but realizes that the Justice League has been set up. Batman's hunch is confirmed by Mister Miracle who reveals the satellite to be of New Genesis origin.

Having seen a global broadcast of the Justice League's self-less heroics (generated by the same third-party that motivated them) and encouraged by an endorsement by Superman, members of the United Nations Security Council decide to officially sanction the Justice League as an international peace-keeping force. To satisfy the United States and the Soviet Union respectively, Captain Atom and a Rocket Red are added to the team to form the Justice League International. Reveal Potential Spoilers

Booster Gold's role in this story:
Featured (Booster Gold plays a prominent role)

Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit

Issue Notes: As the Justice League accepts the approval of the United Nations, the title of the book changes from Justice League to Justice League International while maintaining its previous numbering. This League also has its first major membership shake-up; out are Dr. Fate and Captain Marvel, in are Captain Atom and Rocket Red (as Justice League members #28 and #29). Batman steps down as team leader to be replaced by Martian Manhunter. This is also the first issue to spotlight the change in Guy Gardner's persona from aggressive troublemaker to agreeable pacifist.

This story has been reprinted in:
Justice League International Book One: Born Again (2020)
Justice League International Omnibus (2017)
Justice League International Volume 1 (2009)

Page 6, panel 5
With Dr. Fate's resolution to the Gray Man's situation, Booster regains consciousness alongside the rest of the League.

Page 23, panel 1
Booster stands with his fellow Justice Leaguers in conference with a specialist inside a S.T.A.R. Labs facility (exact location unknown).

Page 23, panel 5
The Justice League goes to space aboard a S.T.A.R. Labs spacecraft that looks a lot like the Space Shuttle, a reusable rocket system operated by NASA from 1981 to 2011. The Soviet Union had their own version of the Space Shuttle called the Buran, which made its maiden (and only) flight in 1988, so it's not entirely inconceivable that a non-government agency like S.T.A.R. Labs had their own version of the spacecraft. What is inconceivable is that a shuttle could be prepared for liftoff within a half-hour; it took NASA an average of 5 hours just to move their shuttles from hangers to launch pad on their specially-designed crawler-transports. Perhaps S.T.A.R. Labs was already about to go into space for another reason?

Page 24, panel 3
A narrative balloon from the editor indicates that sound effects are provided by "artistic license." Of course, there is no sound in the vacuum of space, though why a comic book editor would suddenly feel the urge to justify the inclusion of space sound effects when other American entertainment media has long ignored the science altogether in favor of exploding asteroids and Death Stars is not entirely clear. (Nor is it clear why a S.T.A.R. Labs shuttle would have rockets on board. Just what kind of science are they getting up to up there?)

Page 27, panel 4
POWER UP: As the Justice League battles a rogue satellite with a death ray, Booster brags about the capability of his force field. Booster will visit space occasionally, sometimes protected only by his force field, sometime requiring a suit.

Page 28, panel 1
EXTRA, EXTRA: Batman's life is saved, but not, as it appears, by Booster's force field. This dramatic "rescue" is being broadcast live around the world (as part of a villainous plot), making Booster Gold the unintentional idol of millions! (Some guys get all the luck.)

Page 34, panel 1
Booster and several other members of the League are in the United Nations 39-floor Secretariat Building in New York City. The Secretariat Building stands alongside the East River in Manhattan.

Page 36, panel 1
This is the first time that Booster has appeared on panel with Mister Miracle's right-hand-man and Justice League assistant, Oberon.

Page 38, panel 1
With the Justice League now sponsored by the United Nations, Booster is gleefully introduced to the U.N. General Assembly alongside (from left to right) Martian Manhunter, Batman, Black Canary, Mister Miracle, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, Rocket Red #7 (Vladimir Mikoyan), Oberon, Captain Atom, and Maxwell Lord. Captain Atom (from the U.S.A.) and Rocket Red (from the U.S.S.R.) have been forced into the Justice League as representatives of their respective governments in order to earn the recommendation of the U.N. Security Council. The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. have each always been among the five permanent members of the U.S. Security Council, and were almost always at odds during the decades-long Cold War. The other three governments with permanent seats on the Security Council, China, France, and Great Britain, apparently did not have any problems with the Justice League roster despite the League having no members from any of those nations. This is the first meeting between Booster and either Captain Atom or any Rocket Red. Effective immediately and after a run of only 3 issues, Booster is no longer the "New Guy" in the Justice League.