Armageddon 2001

Cover Description: With the specter of Monarch looming overhead, Waverider soars above several of DC's heroes on a desert night scene. Visible heroes from left to right: Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Captain Atom, Martian Manhunter, Booster Gold, Hawk, Metamorpho, Dr. Fate, Power Girl, Blue Beetle, Mister Miracle, Starfire, Hawkman, Guy Gardner, Nightwing, Wonder Woman, Batman.

Brief Synopsis: In the near future, one DC superhero has killed all others to become the villain Monarch and establish a dictatorship over the world in order to endure the peaceful tranquility of humanity. One man in 2030 becomes a time traveler to return to the year 1991, discover which superhero will fall, and prevent the future from occurring.

Booster Gold's role in this story:
Cameo (Booster Gold makes a minor appearance)

Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit

Issue Notes: The story in this issue concludes the summer-long "Armageddon 2001" storyline running throughout the 1991 DC annuals. The background of this series, a hero turned dictator to make the world a more stable place, has clear parallels to the events in the more recent Countdown to Infinite Crisis storyline of 2005. Booster Gold does not appear in this book except via flashback from a potential future and computer records. This series was promoted via house ads that include Booster Gold.

Story Notes: On page 13, a New York Post headline declares "Romano Does Backgrounds."

Page 8, panel 1
Booster Gold appears in Matthew Ryder's disjointed recollections about the year 2001, which include the assembled heroes of the DCU fighting a gigantic villain whom Ryder recalls to be Darkseid. Heroes appearing in the battle include Captain Atom, Fire, Geo-Force, Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, Jade, Metamorpho, Orion, Power Girl, Rocket Red, Starfire, Starman V, Superman, Troia, and Wonder Woman. (Heroes in the battle appearing on other panels include Batman, Big Bear, Blue Beetle, Blue Devil, Creeper, Cyborg, Elongated Man, Firehawk, Flash III, Hawk, Mister Miracle, Nuklon, and Robotman.)

Page 18, panel 1
In an flashback panel, Booster Gold is seen fighting the Royal Flush Gang alongside the Justice League International. This is no doubt an allusion to Justice League #4.

Page 33, panel 4
Booster Gold appears on a computer screen list of potential heroes who might have become the villain Monarch. Other heroes on the screen, from right to left; top row: Starman, Hawkman, Cyborg, Nightwing. Second row: Superman, Aquaman, Batman, Hawk, Starfire. Third row: Robin, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Flash. Bottom row: Guy Gardner. (Others on bottom row are indistinguishable.)

Page 51, panel 1
First appearance of Waverider. Waverider is another superhero-worshiping time-traveler-turned-hero from the future. Waverider was created by Archie Goodwin and Dan Jurgens, the creator of Booster Gold.