Secret Files & Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000

ARTISTS

Writer: Jay Faerber
Penciller: Darick Robertson
Inker: Darick Robertson
Colorists: Digital Chamelon, Tom McCraw
Letterer: Larry Young
Editor: Michael Carlin

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

heroes: Atom II, Booster Gold, Firehawk I, Firestorm V, Power Girl, Ray II, Steel III
supporting: Skeets I

Setting: 20th-century Ivy Town, DCU, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: Superman leads several heroes into action through space. Pictured, clockwise from top right, are Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, Stargirl, Batman, Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Starfire, and Steel. (No Booster Gold.)

Brief Synopsis: Booster Gold and others attend a class taught by the Atom II.

Costume Worn: MARK XI armored power-suit

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 78, panel 2
Booster Gold is attending a lecture by professor and Justice Leaguer Ray Palmer, the second Atom, in the Science Building at Ivytown University. A lush green foliage is visible in the windows of the classroom, indicating that it is likely late spring or summer in Ivy Town, New York. Others in attendance of this science lecture include Firehawk, Firestorm V, Power Girl, the Ray II, and Steel III.

Page 78, panel 5
Booster and Firehawk are too busy flirting with one another to pay much attention to Atom's lecture, intended to "discuss problem solving techniques and to share ideas" among Justice League associates. Everyone in the room except for Firehawk has spent time on the active roster of one incarnation or another of Justice League. Presumably, Firehawk is attending the class as the companion of her current beau, Booster Gold.

Page 79, panel 5
PRODUCT PLACEMENT: Firestorm, Booster's rival since they served together on the Extreme Justice team, taunts Booster by producing various products that he has sold over the years. Pictured are Booster Bits breakfast cereal, the Booster Gold Card credit card, Booster Bubble bubble gum, sunglasses, and action figures. Firestorm's taunting leads to an argument between Firestorm and Firehawk, former lovers.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: This issue, like so many of its kind, is an anthology of brief stories that will appeal primarily to hardcore DC Universe fans. It's contents, briefly amusing studies in the daily lives of the inhabitants of the DCU, are generally forgettable collages of generally forgettable characters. Each story in this grab-bag issue varies widely in style, purpose, and quality.

"Higher Learning": This 3 page vignette manages to insult almost every character it features, which, besides reminding readers that these characters still exist, seems to be its only reason for existing.

"Robots in the DCU": This story is a very brief (3 page) summary of how the B13 virus and much anticipated Y2K bug affected the technology of the DC Universe. The details are pretty irrelevant (if this story were important, the situation could have been handled elsewhere), but it is nonetheless interesting to know how the many artificial life forms of the DCU handled the technological crises presented by the turn of the millennium.

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 3.0/5 Stars.

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