Millennium

ARTISTS

Writer: Steve Engleheart
Penciller: Joe Staton
Inker: Ian Gibson
Colorist: Carl Gafford
Letterer: Bob Lappan
Editor: Andrew Helfer
Cover Artists: Ian Gibson, Joe Staton

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

heroes: Aquaman, Arisia, Batman, Black Canary II, Black Lightning, Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Doctor Fate II, Doctor Midnight, Firestorm II, Flash III, Geo-Force, Green Arrow I, Green Lantern II, Green Lantern III, Green Lantern IV, Halo, Hawkwoman I, Jade, Katana, Katma Tui, Kilowog, Looker, Martian Manhunter, Metamorpho, Mister Bones, Mister Miracle, Obsidian, Rocket Red #7, Skyman, Superman, Wildcat III
villain: Hawkman II
supportinges: Herupa Hando Hu, Nadia Safir, Oberon

Settings: 20th-century Bonn, Germany; 20th-century Green Lantern Citadel, DCU, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: Assembled heroes (and some villains) from around the DC Universe gape skyward in awe, presumably at the arriving Guardian and Zamarian. Heroes pictured clearly include Aquaman, Arisia, Batman, Black Canary, Black Lightning, Blue Beetle, Blue Devil, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Dr. Fate II, Firestorm I, Flash III, Geo-Force, Green Arrow, Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, Halo, Hawkman II, Hawkwoman I, Hourman II, Jade I, John Stewart, Katana, Katma Tui, Kilowog, Looker, Martian Manhunter, Metamorpho, Mister Miracle I, Mr. Bones, Oberon, Obsidian, Rocket Red, Skyman, Wildcat, and Wonder Woman I. Several other figures, appearing above the masthead, appear to include Alfred Pennyworth, Catwoman, Deadman, Joker, Penguin, and Robin, among others.

This cover was reprinted in Focus #1 with different inks and colors. The cover was re-colored again as the cover to the collected edition released in 2008.

Brief Synopsis: Oans descend to Earth to select several of its inhabitants for rapid evolution. The DC Universe heroes are assembled to protect the "Chosen" from the Oan's archenemies, the Manhunters.

Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit

Issue Notes: This is Booster's first real crossover event, and as a result, it is his first time meeting most of the assembled heroes, especially the Outsiders and original members of the Justice League.

Reprints: This issue has been collected in the Millennium TPB.

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 1, panel 2
This panel is the only evidence of the Justice League International's first case in Bonn, West Germany. The villains are not identified.

Page 10, panel 4
Tom Kalmaku is nearly run over by a Pan Am 747 on a runway at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Though a prominent brand throughout most of the 20th century, the Pan American World Airways, commonly called Pan Am, would declare bankruptcy and close its doors in the early 1990s.

Page 12, panel 1
As usual for such superhero gatherings, Booster arrives before most of the crowd. As may be expected from a time-traveler, Booster is generally on time.

Page 14, panel 1
BUSTER GOLD: A meeting is held at the Green Lantern Citadel headquarters in the Santa Monica Mountains, north of Los Angeles, California. Booster appears on panel with the assembled teams of Green Lanterns, Infinity Inc, the Outsiders and many members of the classic Justice League of America. Though he has met several of them before, this is his first meeting with Aquaman, Arisia, Black Lightning, Firestorm I, Flash III, Geo-Force, Green Arrow I, Halo, Hawkman II, Hawkwoman I, Hourman II, Jade I, Katana, Kilowog, Looker, Metamorpho, Mr. Bones, Obsidian, and Wildcat III. Booster is explaining to Jade that his name is pronounced with an "oo" sound. This is a reference to the ongoing joke of people calling him "Buster."

Page 15, panel 2
The assembled heroes are addressed by the immortal and functionally omnipotent humanoids from the planet Oa, Herupa Hando Hu (a Guardian, or male Oan, the beings that founded and empower the Green Lantern Corps) and Nadia Safir (a Zamarian, or female Oan). This is Booster's first time in the presence of beings of such power.

Page 20, panel 5
Booster's primary concern about the coming intergalactic paradigm-shifting millennium is whether it will be televised. (He's really a pretty simple man.)

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: Crisis on Infinite Earths changed the DC Universe forever. Next Legends defined the role of heroes in the new DC monoverse. Then, sadly, came Millennium, and no one cared.

Millennium does not lack for scope, immediately establishing a global conspiracy against the heroes of the DC Universe as rogue members of the Guardians of the Universe seek to meddle with the evolution of Mankind. What it does lack is reason and cohesion. There is no natural evolution of events in this story, as well-established DC Universe supporting characters are suddenly turned into evil henchmen and Superman convinces the heroes of the Earth to allow the Guardians to manipulate humanity. Rarely has the villain of a story, in this case the Manhunters, seemed so rational. Note to writer Steve Englehart: when you find yourself cheering for the villain, something is probably intrinsically wrong with the story.

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 3.0/5 Stars.

Average Fan Rating:

• Currently 1.0/5 Stars.

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