The following poster was published as part of a contest in Wizard's JLA Special in 1998. You'll note Booster's original costume is in the exact center of the poster. That costume was lucky number 13 of the 45 items needing identification in the Wizard contest.

Time for a little audience participation. Who can name the other 44 items in the picture?

Click on the image above for a larger image of the poster. And click here for a visual key of which items need to be identified. You can leave your answers in the comments below or discuss the items in the Boosterrific Forum. (Naturally, a Justice League challenge should promote teamwork!)

When Wizard published this poster in 1998, they offered some original Howard Porter art to the person who could come up with the most answers. I don't have any original Howard Porter art lying around, but anyone can name all 45 pieces, I'll give that know-it-all an original sketch of Booster Gold by me!

There will be no post tomorrow for New Year's Day, so you have plenty of time to work on this. Good luck.

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Tomorrow is the birthday of the Carter twins, Michael and Michelle. Boosterrific.com is devoted to the adventures of Michael Jon Carter, at least the portion since he adopted the identity of Booster Gold in 1985. As a result, we know a great deal about his history and personality. However, his twin sister still remains something of a mystery.

The siblings were born on December 29, 2442. Although the pair are twins, Booster is considered the older sibling. We know little of the pair's upbringing, save that Booster found his way through life by way of his incredible athletic ability. Michelle was left in her brother's shadow, caring for their mother. By their own admission, the siblings were not close. This could in part be due to the fact that Michelle is every bit as headstrong as everyone else in her family. If nothing else, the Carters are all fiercely independent spirits.

When Booster's life fell apart in the 25th century and he retreated to the past, Michelle was left behind, surviving as a highly-lauded flying school bus driver. Whatever sense of disappointment or abandonment Michelle might have harbored against her brother, she did not hesitate to risk her own life to save his when Booster returned to the future and was facing a death sentence. Heroics also run in the family. When Booster again fled to the past, he this time took Michelle with him.

Michelle was excited to live in the 20th century, but had great difficulty adapting to the world around her. Her desire to understand her brother's motivations for being a hero led her to steal the Booster Gold International Goldstar costume. Unfortunately, wearing the costume caused her to be confused for a hero herself, and ultimately resulted in her apparent death. Fortunately for Michelle, her nephew is Rip Hunter, Time Master. Rip saved Michelle from the moment of her demise and transported her into the 21st century. Michelle at long last had access to travel anywhere and any time, allowing her to see the world, past, present, and future.

To date, Michelle has appeared in 33 different comics. All but 5 of those issues has been written by Dan Jurgens. Despite this consistency, Michelle has never been given the opportunity to express much of her individual character. We know that she often frowns on the Time Masters' methods but has an affinity for time tourism. She considers Skeets to be a soulless, high-tech appliance. She volunteered to step in and aid her brother in raising Rani. And like her brother, she has no idea that Rip Hunter is his son.

Unfortunately, we still may never get the opportunity to learn any more about her. Like Skeets and Rip, she has yet to seen in the DCnU. Like Rani, she has yet to even be mentioned. Does Michelle even exist in the post-Flashpoint DCnU? I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing for the return of Michelle Carter on her birthday.

Happy Birthday, Michelle! Here's to many more.

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As I said last week, 2012 was not a good year for Booster Gold. When the best thing that you can say is "at least DC didn't treat him like they treated one of the most popular and best-selling characters of the past 20 years by pretending he never existed," that's not a good year.

Last week's poll question: ( votes)

Booster Gold turns the big negative 430 this Saturday. How would you celebrate if you were a time traveler who still wouldn't be born for another four hundred and thirty years?

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Now that we're past Christmas, popular media will devote the rest of the year to retrospective lists for 2012. Booster Gold fan and comic-book blogger Erin of Exploring the Time Lab has gotten a head start with her own superlatives list. She saves her biggest gripe for last:

Worst Book of the Year: Justice League International Annual. I could have made this the worst character derailment but this comic was worse than that. The writers ignored most of the actual comic series itself which felt like a big screw you to the readers. I try not to see things like that but think about it. As someone that invested time and money on the relaunch series since #1, that enjoyed the characters then told none of that mattered. Having all of that sweep under the rug to do their own take and totally destroy the team. Not only did it feel like an insult to the fans but I can't help feeling bad for Jurgens who had his work ignored. At least Countdown to Infinite Crisis had the Ted and Booster friendship to make it special. Now Booster's back to no one liking him, being a loser that lies for no reason. Skeets is just an anti-virus, and Rip is erased with Booster. Thanks again Johns, we can't tell something's a big event without needlessly killing or derailing a character.

I couldn't agree more, Erin. Here's hoping Booster Gold and company make out better in 2013.

To read the rest of Erin's list for 2012, including her "Biggest Surprise Read" and "Biggest Disappointment," visit exploringthetimelab.blogspot.com.

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You would think that a time traveler could re-visit the happiest days of his life over and over. However, for poor Booster Gold, there really haven't been that many great Christmases.

For example, Booster Gold will spend the Christmas of the year 2462 on Death Row for his crime of stealing a time machine. Although, you have to admit that when you are facing a death sentence, being rescued by your twin sister probably seems like about the best gift in the world.

Read the details in Booster Gold, Volume 1, issues 13 through 15 and have yourself a merry little Christmas.

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