What makes a hero super? The super powers! From awesome strength to zero-to-sixty speed, great superpowers are the most useful tricks in every famous costumed crime-fighter's tool kit. Michael Jon Carter knew this, and that's why he started his career with an impenetrable force field.

When he looted his equipment from the Space Museum, Booster Gold literally had his pick of powers, and he chose only the best from Superman's history. Perhaps none of his impressive array of powers are more notable or powerful than his force field belt.

First encountered in Action Comics #242 (1958), the original belt was the creation of Brainiac, a brilliant alien who claimed mastery of super-scientific forces. His "Ultra-Force Barrier," controlled via his belt remote, was strong enough to frustrate any attempt Superman made against him. The Ultra-Force Barrier was expandable enough to envelope entire space ships and whole planets. No matter the size, at full power it resisted anything used against it, from energy beams to projectiles to Men of Steel.

Brainiac would go on to become one of Earth's greatest foes, but his descendant, Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes, would become one of Earth's greatest allies. From his first appearance in Action Comics #276 (1961), Braniac 5 was using his own variation on his ancestor's technology to help make Supergirl even more powerful than her cousin, Superman. Like it's predecessor, Brainiac 5's Force-Shield Belt was resizable and could stop all radiation and matter alike, although its smaller, more portable size limited the duration it could be used.

Brainiac 5 would recreate his signature belt many times over the years, and he would occasionally lend them out to protect the lives of others. Once he even gave a copy to United States President Ronald Reagan (as seen in Booster Gold #9, 1986). Centuries later, that belt would be put on display in the Space Museum for a disgraced ex-football player to find. That thief would put it good use.

Booster Gold integrated the Force Field into his costume, relocating the controls from the belt to his gauntlets where he could more easily adjust its size, strength, and area of focus. The field proved its worth almost immediately, saving the young hero from an army of gunfire (in Booster Gold #3), massive bombs (Booster Gold #5), and Superman himself (Booster Gold #7). In addition to protecting himself, Booster has put the field to more creative uses destroying a incredibly toxic poison (in Booster Gold #17) and containing a rogue Green Lantern (Justice League International #19).

In many ways, the Force Field has become Booster Gold's signature power. And that's Boosterrific!

Justice League International #9 (1988)

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On this date 29 years ago, fans finally learned where Booster Gold's Legion Flight Ring came from in Booster Gold, Volume 1, #9.

See, we knew Booster Gold stole a Legion Flight Ring from a museum in the 25th century before he traveled with it to the 20th century. The only problem was that the ring wouldn't be invented until the 30th century. So how did it get back in time for Booster to steal it in the first place? Even 12th-level intellect Brainiac 5 didn't know the answer to that.

Ironically, it was only after he traveled back in time with Chameleon Boy and Ultra Boy to investigate this paradox that Brainiac 5 realized that Booster's Flight Ring was in fact his own. Brainiac 5 didn't dare change history lest he damage his own timeline, so he chose to leave his 30th-century ring with 20th-century United States President Ronald Reagan so that it would eventually end up in the 25th-century museum.

Hey, if you don't love a good time-travel paradox, maybe Booster Gold isn't the right hero for you.

The Legion of Super-Bloggers reviewed this story (including its first half in Booster Gold #8) from the Legion's point of view earlier this week. Check it out at legionofsuperbloggers.blogspot.com.

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Booster Gold skipped a digital issue of Smallville Season 11, but he's back for issue #48, and Skeet's is spilling his secrets!

Booster Gold is a bottle blond? Heavens, no! Presumably, this is a sly reference to the actor who played Booster on Smallville, Eric Martsolf. Martsolf is not a natural blond. He has brown hair. The real Booster Gold has blond hair!

Also in this comic, Booster retells his origin for Smallville fans. In Smallville continuity, there isn't any mention of Booster's signature force field, and his Booster Shots, er, "wrist blasters," are made from 22nd-century technology.

You can download a copy of the issue from ComiXology.com for just 99¢, or you can wait until the issue is collected in Smallville Season 11 #14 at your Local Comic Shop on June 12.

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