I believe that you are being hyperbolically negative. Not so much in your critique of the current trend of overly long, pointlessly drawn-out stories that go on for 4 issue too long (that I completely agree with), but in your complaint that this type of thing will irrevocably damage the franchise. I do not believe that there is evidence to demonstrate any truth to your sentiment.

Even if you have only been reading comics for a couple of years, you should be aware by now there is a long tradition of writers ignoring previous continuity to tell the stories they want to tell. Even a relatively young character with straightforward continuity like Booster Gold has already had a lot of characterization jettisoned over time.

In comics, when certain characterizations are unpopular, or at least not as popular as previous incarnations, they are simply ignored over time. Take a look at EXTREME JUSTICE or JUSTICE LEAGUE TASK FORCE: both were irrelevant to continuity within months of their conclusion. They weren't retconned out of existence, per se, but by being ignored they might as well have been.

You might get fed up with a particular style or writer or editorial decisions and leave the franchise, but the franchise will go on. And as time passes, those who remembered the origins of the series fondly will keep that memory alive.

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That might be very well be true, but after having high hopes for the new JLI and then having to face the..medicore reality, I prefer to return to expecting the worst and be grateful when it does not turn out that bad.



They are (rightfully) forgotten, but did they not lead to a black age with hardly any appearances for years outside out of cameos. While there eventually came the two Super-buddy minis, it did take Ted's death for Booster to return to the deserved spotlight. I am not saying that I am worreid that Booster will be gone and forgotten, but that it might take years for him to get a "third coming"...and I don't want to wait until I am thirty until I can enjoy Booster Gold again.



The problem is..Dan Jurgens is the one guy who should Booster get right. If it would be a run of the mill author messing up JLI it would be easier, but which guy at DC would push more for Booster Gold than Dan?

Speaking as someone who had to wait until he was (*cough* older than *cough*) 30 for more Booster Gold stories, I have to say that during that long hiatus, I never stopped enjoying Booster Gold.

I have never believed that Jurgens is particularly skilled at scripting team books. What I've seen so far on JLI hasn't changed my mind. But I don't see Dan Jurgens getting Booster "wrong" in JLI. The series is a net positive in characterization of Booster Gold. JLI just isn't a solo series. Booster lost his solo series because of low sales, and (almost) any project that can keep Booster in front of an audience is preferable to the alternative.

Dan wasn't responsible for using Booster Gold in COUNTDOWN, 52, or the second volume of his series. Comic book writers are fans. So long as that is the case, and so long as Booster Gold has fans, he has a future.

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Boosterrific, that's a bad cough you got there.

I agree with your assessment of Jurgens team writing skills but he obviously understands Booster better than anyone. That said, a book full of cast off heroes needs a little more humor and intimate moments and less standard villain of the month. I wish Giffen and DeMatteis (kept on a short leash) could write this series and see what their modern take on a group of under appreciated heroes would be like. Has it been determined if Ted Kord is still dead in this universe?

Of course the way sales have been plummeting I'll be interested to see DC's reaction once the title drops below 20K.

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Yeah, DC looks especially trigger happy right now, and at this rate, JLI will be under 20,000 within another 8 months. We shall see what we shall see. Fortunately, they have many books that are performing much worse, so that may provide some padding.

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I'd bet less than 6 months. But at least Dan Jurgens will also now be writing for Superman, a book where his talents are more likely to shine. Who knows we might even get a cross-over (can you say sales boost?).

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Oh..sorry.



You mean you still treasured the old Booster Gold stories? Or were you really invested in the thrilling romance of Booster and Firehawk?



Agree with you here mostly. My fear is that a bad and short lived Booster Gold title might lead to no Booster for a long time, while a quick end (or dramatic change) to the same title might shorten the time the time is seen as right for his return by DC. If my line of thinking makes any sense is a another matter.

Also what I meant with Jurgens "getting it not right" was not that he is writing the charactor wrong, but he fails to deliver a good Booster Gold centric title. The reason for that you've explained yourself.



I guess you are right, but the driving force behind Booster's second coming (is that by now an "official" fandom term, or am I the only one using it?) was Johns afaik. And I worry that he is busy with other, "bigger" stuff. Than again from what I am hearing, he seems to be rather burnt out quality wise.

In the end the different perspective most likely stem fromt he fact that I am "the new guy" who is used to have Booster show up several times a month. Further there a few old BG titles left I have not read yet, so my backlog is gone as well. In other words I am spoiled since I never had to endure a Booster Age-less time.

Yes. Yes, you are. You lucky little bastard. And here's hoping that you never have to endure one going forward.

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Same to you, or rather that you won't have to endure one again.