And so at last we reach the end of Booster Gold Volume 1. It is, without a doubt, the ugliest of all 25 original issues.

Robert Campanella's inks are not a good fit for Dan Jurgens' pencils, and even most of Jurgens' layouts are subpar. Either this issue was rushed through editorial to fit the aggressive Millennium publishing schedule, or all the visual artists involved were in a hurry to move on to greener pastures. Maybe both.

(In my opinion, this issue is the only one in volume one that I think looks definitively superior in the often careless recolored digital reprints over the original newsprint publication.)

It's really a shame about the art, because the Dan Jurgens' script deserves better. It hits all the right notes as it forces Booster to face the down-side of publicity (in an American fast food restaurant) with a Communist providing outside perspective.

It also cleverly draws in the Justice League characters Booster is closest to while setting our hero up for a triumphant come-back in the future. Both of those latter elements factor into my favorite page of Booster Gold #25 (especially Beetle's lecture in panel 2):

Yeah! What Beetle said!

That's what I like so much about Booster Gold. His path meanders, but he always gets to the right place in the end.

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While Booster Gold has had many adventures without his robot sidekick since the pair debuted in 1985's Booster Gold #1, the reverse is not true. Skeets has rarely wandered far from Booster's side.

But this week, Skeets will be on the cover of Batman Superman: World's Finest #17 with nary a Booster Gold in sight!

The issue preview at AIPTComics.com doesn't give any indication what role (if any) Skeets (or Booster) will play in the issue's story. Given that the scenario in preceding issues focuses on a villainous artificial intelligence taking over all the other artificial lifeforms in the DC Universe... things don't look good for our favorite sidekick.

Buy this issue and make Skeets happy!

UPDATE: As Marty notes in the comments, neither Booster nor Skeets appears inside the actual issue. Oh, well. We still got a Skeets cover.

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Last week, DC released its retailer solicitations for July 2023, and about the only thing I can say about it is that Booster boosters are going to be able to save a bunch of money on comic books this summer.

The only sign of our hero is the DC Vs. Vampires: All Out- War Part 2 collection, and I'd never recommend anyone should even read that, let alone buy it.

But rather than focus on our summer without Gold — there will be plenty of time for that later — let's stay positive and keep an eye on what we're getting this week: the re-release of Booster Gold: 52 Pick-Up.

DC is calling this the 2023 edition. So far as I'm aware, the only thing different from the 2008 printing is the price, but I can't begrudge that. Everything is more expensive now than it was 15 years ago.

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, what cost you $14.99 in 2008 should cost you $20.89 today. Turns out that Booster Gold: 52 Pick-Up 2023 Edition is a bargain! Buy a copy for everyone in your family.

UPDATE: I got an email from Marty pointing out that Skeets is on the solicited Dan Mora cover for Batman/Superman: World's Finest #17 due on July 18. That's definitely something to look forward to!

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I got not one but two emails this week telling me that I missed a Booster Gold appearance in the backup story in last week's Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #6.

And here's the panel to prove it:

If you're wondering what the context is for that panel, I can't help you. I've read the comic cover to cover and still have no idea what's going on. But I have to admit that's one pretty amusing panel.

Thanks to Jace and Marty for bringing it to my attention.

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Last Friday, Outright Games released the new DC Comics-based video game, Justice League: Cosmic Chaos, on most major platforms. I haven't played it yet, but I have learned that Booster Gold is in it.

That's the artwork that accompanies the "The Drip" achievement for the Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S version of the game. According to xboxachievements.com, you earn it when you "Get your first costume from Booster Gold."

I didn't know the game existed before the weekend, but if it's got Booster in the game — and Skeets in the artwork! — I'll definitely have to add it to my wish list.

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