Justice League: Generation Lost

Cover Description: There are two covers to this issue: the standard cover by Cliff Chiang features Fire and Maxwell Lord. The 1:10 variant cover by Kevin Maguire features Maxwell Lord and Magog. Neither cover includes Booster Gold.

Brief Synopsis: The Justice League International faces trouble from within (with a little prodding by Max Lord).

Costume Worn: MARK I.v2 power-suit

Story Notes: Tie-in to Brightest Day.

This story has been reprinted in the following issue:
Justice League: Generation Lost Volume 1 (2011)

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 1, panel 1
From within the Justice League Embassy in Germany, Booster Gold recaps, brining readers up-to-date on the series' storyline. Behind Booster are Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and Ice.

Page 6, panel 4
Ice is the only member of the current membership of the Justice League International to have no pressing reason for hunting Maxwell Lord:

Booster Gold hunts Lord for revenge for Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle;
Blue Beetle is interested in preventing Lord from endangering his family;
Captain Atom has personal information about Lord's actions that may endanger the future of the world;
Fire is wanted by Checkmate, her former employer, thanks to Lord's intervention;
Rocket Red, in addition to his admiration for the former JLI, seeks vengeance for Lord's murder of his former comrades

Image Copyright DC Comics

Page 8, panel 2
Rocket Red recognizes Skeets as an equal, something that even Booster has rarely done. Skeets, as an artificial intelligence, is often treated as a pet and not even granted the rights frequently given to a typical hero's sidekick.

Page 8, panel 4
It seems that Rocket Red's injuries are much worse than they appeared in the previous issue. His hideous appearance is described by Skeets as 2nd-degree burns over thirty percent of his body. It is unclear if these burns were caused by Checkmate's device or Fire's removal of it (as seen in the previous issue).

Page 9, panel 3
Skeets is "captured" by Maxwell Lord. This event is mentioned in Booster Gold, Volume 2, #36, released the same day as this issue. Events of that issue take place both before and after events of this issue.

Page 12, panel 3
Fire explains to Booster Gold that Maxwell Lord is forcing her to fight Rocket Red and Skeets. Usually, Lord's victims are incapable of explaining their situation to others, so if Fire can explain that Lord is controlling her, it is probably because Lord is letting her.

Page 17, panel 1
Booster Gold and Maxwell Lord pit their duplicate force fields against one another. Lord's force field was copied with 21st-century technology from Booster's 30th-century technology originally constructed by the genius Brainiac 5. I know which force field I'd put my money on. Note that this is the second time in 4 issues (2 months) that the Ultra-Humanite, a character completely unrelated to the story, has been mentioned derisively. Is this foreshadowing, or just a glimpse of writer Winick's opinion of the character?

Page 19, panel 1
Lord calls ~~Booster~~ Captain Atom a "boy scout." [Correction: Erin points out in her feedback below that Lord was probably referring to Captain Atom.] Though this is not how Lord's powers have worked in the past (Lord controls minds through implanted suggestions, not continuous bio-feedback), on re-reading the issue, I agree with Erin's interpretation especially because, as I had earlier said, Booster is never, ever called a boy scout. Booster should be ~~honored~~ confused, though he's probably too busy...

Page 19, panel 4
...being mind-controlled by Maxwell Lord.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: Another fantastic issue. I am willing to admit that part of my current affinity for this series was likely born in my initial cynicism towards a title that appeared to be little more than an uninspired event tie-in. However, Judd Winick and company have completely won me over with their intricate and mysterious plot, excellent characterizations, and recent action-oriented issues. Now I'll be disappointed if they can't keep up the good work.

Boosterrific Rating:

Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

Boosterrific!

Average Fan Rating:

Currently 4.7/5 Stars.

(3 votes)

Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

BoosterPowershot (Oct. 24, 2010, 00:24:05)
I thought this was an excellent issue. This little group is rapidly becoming my favorite heroes in the DCU. I've always been partial to Fire, and although I'm not a fan of her black bodysuit and slicked back hair, it's still good to see her taking main stage in a comic title.

Currently 4.0/5 Stars.

Erin (Sep. 12, 2010, 01:31:03)
I didn't like this issue as much as last issue but I did enjoy the character moments. Cap snapping at Ice, Booster stopping their fight, the RR/Skeets moments, etc. The confrontations between Max and Booster remains the most fascinating aspect of the entire series. This issue highlights that while Max understands them Booster can see through Max. Great set up for things to come. Notes: Well I'd say Ice has a personal reason to go after Max, he broke up her relationship with Guy. She just doesn't want to die again. I couldn't tell if Booster had a forcefield but I thought Max stole it from Booster when he was waiting for Fire last issue. I think Max was referring to Captain Atom as "boy scout" since he says this after Cap "cools down" Fire and Max also calls him a tin plated.
[Agreed about "boy scout" comment. I was confused by the unusual power use. I've updated my comments above. However, Guy and Ice have not been in a steady relationship since her return to the living, more because of Gardner's sense of duty than Lord's intervention. -Boosterrific]

Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

KMD (Sep. 10, 2010, 09:27:38)
This was a real joy that had the perfect blend of character development and action scenes. Max Lord is banging at the gates of the DC pantheon--he is one of the best villains in the DC stable. The scenes with Max and Booster were priceless. I love how Booster has grown as the character and is now somehow the leader of the team.

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