Booster booster Rob Snow sent me an electronic-mail to share the news that Ryan Sook has already released his original pen and ink page art for Blue and Gold #5 for sale at felixcomicart.com.

Naturally, I went and took a look, and what I found blew my—hold on.

Since there is no dialogue in the line art (these days, the letterer places the speech balloons digitally over colored artwork), and we already know that Rip Hunter is on the solicited cover for the issue (as reported on the Boosterrific Blog back on September 20), I don't think telling you that a red-headed, bearded Rip Hunter appears in the pages qualifies as much of a spoiler.

But if you don't want to see what follows before the issue is released, I'll give you to the count of three to look away.

One.

Two.

Two-and-a-half.

Three.

Still here? Good, so am I. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Here:

Blue and Gold #5 page 18 ($250 at felixcomicart.com)

Rip Hunter and Trixie Collins hugging? Needle drop!

As Rob said in his email

I swear if Rip calls her Mom imma lose my $#!+

You and me both, Rob.

I guess we'll find out what sweet nothings they are whispering to one another when Blue and Gold #5 is released next week.

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We have inevitably arrived at the final Boosterrific.com blog post of the year. While I'm watching football, perhaps you'll enjoy revisiting these, the 5 most-read Boosterrific.com blog posts of 2021:

5. Wednesday, October 13: Old Friends Are the Best Friends
In which we welcome back Booster's first 20th-century friend, the original Goldstar, Theresa "Trixie" Collins to the pages of Blue and Gold #3!

4. Wednesday, June 16: This Day in History: Black and Gold
In which we take a look back at the time Booster Gold took Black Canary to Paris in Justice League Annual #1 (1987).

3. Tuesday, October 19: Coming Soon: Blue and Gold 6
In which we reveal the advance solicitation for Blue and Gold #6 with Blackguard on the cover. In hindsight, that cover was used on Blue and Gold #4. What will be the cover actually be on issue 6? I guess we'll find out on February 15, 2022.

2. Monday, April 26: The History of Blue and Gold, Part 1
In which we investigate how a comic book series first announced in 1988 took 33 years to actually reach readers. (This was the first in a three part series. Follow these links to Part 2 and the Dan Jurgens interview in Part 3.)

1. Tuesday, July 20: New Release: Blue and Gold 1
In which we celebrate the release of the long delayed debut of Booster Gold/Blue Beetle team-up book Blue and Gold #1! This was the highest hit count Boosterrific.com had received in a single day in the history of the site! (Second place isn't even close.) People sure do love them some Blue and Gold!

Here's to another Boosterrific year in 2022!

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Do you remember the alternate cover of Blue and Gold #2 back in August showcased the Suicide Squad in order to promote the movie of the same name? If it was in your Local Comic Shop, it was because they specifically ordered it (instead of or in addition to the standard Ryan Sook cover). I would have thought that a cover to a comic that gave no indication of what was inside would be a turn-off to buyers, but it must have sold well, because DC is doing it again next month with Blue and Gold #5:

variant cover by Simone Di Meo (via LunarDistribution.com)

The Suicide Squad cover at least depicted the movie's version of Booster's old foe, Blackguard. This cover's connection to our hero is slightly more obscure.

If you saw the Suicide Squad movie, you've already met Peacemaker, "a man who loves peace so much that he is willing to fight for it!" However, you may not recognize the man in black reflected in Peacemaker's silver helmet. That's Vigilante, the masked alter ego of Adrian Chase, an early 80s Marv Wolfman and George Pérez creation who became in many ways DC's version of the Punisher.

Like Booster's best friend, the second Blue Beetle, Peacemaker was originally a Charlton character who jumped into the DC Universe following the Crisis on Infinite Earths. His first appearance in the DCU continuity was in Vigilante #36 (where he killed someone who was not Adrian Chase wearing the Vigilante costume). Peacemaker would later become a mentor to the third Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, who was revealed to the world by none other than Booster Gold.

Are those trivial connections to Booster Gold and Blue Beetle a good enough reason to put Peacemaker and Vigilante on the cover to Blue and Gold? I wouldn't think so, but then again, I don't have access to DC's sales numbers.

Both covers to Blue and Gold #5 should be available in fine comic shops everywhere on January 18, 2022.

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Last Sunday, the Fire and Water Podcast Network's JLI Podcast released a new episode in which the Irredeemable Shag interviewed Dan Jurgens and discussed Blue and Gold.

I... haven't listened to all of it yet. I mean, I did hear the part about the sponsor, InStockTrades.com, having the Booster Gold volume 1 hardcover collections on sale for 45% off. (Just in time for Christmas!) That part was pretty good.

But I seriously do have the utmost faith in both Shag and Dan, and I don't think you should have to wait for me to find the time to finish it before I inevitably recommend the episode to Booster boosters everywhere.

If you are better at managing your time than I am, you can listen to the podcast at fireandwaterpodcast.com.

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DC Comics February solicitations are out, and Blue and Gold #7 (of 8) is on the way!

BLUE AND GOLD #7
written by DAN JURGENS
art and cover by RYAN SOOK
ON SALE February 15 · $3.99 US

Blue & Gold Restoration is up and running, with Booster Gold and Blue Beetle taking on any number of strange cases, from paranormal extremes to lost civilizations, ancient aliens, gateways to other dimensions, and even super-villains looking for help in going straight! But what happens when one of the threats turns out to be an old friend? Guest-starring Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle!

It's about time for the two Beetles and Booster to go adventuring together. (I love that Jurgens is really digging into the toybox for this series.)

And while we're on the subject of solicitations, I should mention that Human Target #5 is solicited to feature Martian Manhunter. There's no sign whether we'll also see a Booster Gold appearance, so we probably won't know until that issue is released February 22.

You can find all of DC's February solicitations at gamesradar.com.

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