Justice League International Special

ARTISTS

Writers: Keith Giffen, Len Wein
Penciller: Joe Philips
Inker: Bruce D. Patterson
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Andrew Helfer
Cover Artists: Gene D'Angelo, Bruce D. Patterson, Joe Phillips

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

heroes: Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Fire, Ice, Mister Miracle
supporting: Oberon

Setting: 20th-century New York, NY, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: A promotional poster for Mister Miracle's "1990 World Tour" showcases appearances by Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Power Girl, Fire, Ice, Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, and Huntress.

Brief Synopsis: Mister Miracle is abducted by the Cluster during a performance in New York City.

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

Issue Notes: Though this issue is titled Justice League International Special on the cover, the interior indicia lists the title as simply Justice League Special.

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 6, panel 1
The "certain world famous Manhattan hotel" hosting Mister Miracle and Funky Flashman prior to their big performance is the Plaza Hotel. The Plaza Hotel was opened in 1907 and stands overlooking New York's Central Park.

Page 8, panel 1
Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are dressing up in stylish tuxedos for Mister Miracle's show. Booster is not impressed by the media hype being generated by Mister Miracle's new "Miracle Misters" cleaning sprays. As an old hand at being a celebrity pitchman, Booster is unfazed by the situation, but is willing to enjoy himself at Mister Miracle's expense.

Page 10, panel 1
Mister Miracle's performance is billed for "Medison" Square Garden. Despite the misspelling, the building represented is clearly Madison Square Garden in New York City. Madison Square Garden is most famous as the home arena of the NBA New York Knicks.

Page 13, panel 2
Booster laments not bringing rotten tomatoes to hurl at Mister Miracle onstage, a comment that upsets his companions Fire and Ice. The practice of throwing rotten eggs and tomatoes as a sign of protest or displeasure, especially at public figures, is centuries old. Throwing tomatoes was especially prominent in nineteenth-century American theater. Based on Booster's comment, it seems likely that the custom will carry into the future.

Page 27, panel 2
When the alien Cluster appears over New York, Booster and Beetle are unable to aid the Justice League. Stuck in panicked New York traffic without Booster's Legion Flight Ring, the two are powerless to join their companions above the city. The CASCO cab that they are stuck in hosts advertising for Babar: the Movie, an animated film released in 1989. Perhaps one of the reasons that Booster is so nonplussed in the cab is because Babar, a fictional elephant with his own series of children's books, has a movie while his Booster: the Movie was never produced.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: No disrespect intended to Len Wein, a fine writer in his own right, but he makes a poor replacement for J.M. DeMatteis as scripter for Justice League International dialogue. Still, despite the title, this is certainly more of a Mister Miracle story than a Justice League story, and while it isn't the best story every told, it is still pleasantly entertaining.

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 3.0/5 Stars.

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