Remember that time when the powers-that-be at DC decided to scrap (almost) their entire shared universe for another, new shared universe of unfamiliar characters in familiar costumes?

Yeah, okay. That's a little vague. We *are* talking about DC here.

Specifically, I'm talking about the relaunch 12 years ago, the "New 52." If you'll recall, sales were down, and something had to be done to goose them. That something was determined to be a line-wide reboot. However, before a new universe could be launched, the pre-existing universe had to be canceled. Which is how Booster Gold #47, released on this day in 2011, became the final issue of that series.

Sadly, it's not a very good comic book.

Most of the story deals with Booster's tragic but inconsequential misadventures in the Flashpoint alternate universe with doomed Alexandra Gianopoulos — all drawn by a fill-in artist who seems to be operating under an unforgivingly tight deadline.

But the issue ends with a Dan Jurgens-drawn coda teasing that perhaps Booster had returned to the mainstream DCU in time to continue his story in the incoming New 52 Universe, where all DC characters would be wearing new costumes designed by Jim Lee.

It would be four more years before it was clarified that the New 52 Booster Gold (introduced the following month in Dan Jurgens-written Justice League International #1) and the original, post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Booster Gold were not actually the same entity at all. (All was revealed in 2015's Convergence Booster Gold.)

It's that sort of confusion that made the New 52 such a frustrating experience for longtime fans. If the creative teams don't know what the new rules are, how can the readers?

Frankly, over a decade later, I'm still irritated. The less said about Booster Gold #47, the better.

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Cryptozoic Entertainment released their DC Comics Justice League trading card set months ago, and somehow I've failed to mention it here despite the fact that there is a Booster Gold card.

Maybe I've failed to mention it because it features Booster's New 52 costume. But the artwork by Alejandro Germánico Benit is too good to ignore. It looks great, especially when the cards are assembled into the nine-slice collages, like this one of the short-lived New 52 era Justice League International.

Booster Gold is card #61 in the base set of 63, which means you have pretty good odds of getting one if you buy a box at your Local Comic Shop or wherever fine trading cards are sold.

(I owe a thanks to dcinthe80s.com, whose recent review of Batman trading cards reminded me to post this.)

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Back in 2011, Rachel E. Ordway reimagined the entire DC Universe as a friendlier, funner New 52. Among the redesigns were a female Blue and Gold.

Visit crackpotcomics.DeviantArt.com to see a much larger graphic with even more characters.

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I usually save previews for Wednesdays, but I thought since we've been in a bit of a Booster Gold drought since Convergence, I'd go ahead and post a link to Uproxx.com's preview of this week's Bat-Mite #4.

I'm sure it's not my imagination that Skeets is starting to look like a golden, robotic Batman. Though, to be fair, this is a "Batman Family" title. Loosely.

Bat-Mite #4 will be released this Wednesday.

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Newsarama.com got the first look at the upcoming Convergence: Booster Gold #1. And the revelations just keep coming.

New 52 has no idea who Rip Hunter is. That seems to make it pretty clear that there are no Time Masters in the New 52 continuity. One more reason to hope it doesn't survive Convergence.

What else will we see when we get our hands on the full issue of Convergence: Booster Gold #1 this Wednesday? I'm pulling for a meeting between New 52 Skeets and post-52 Skeets. (IhopeIhopeIhope!)

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