Booster Gold
“Showdown”
Volume 1, Issue 18, July 1987
Released April 14, 1987
Cover Price: 75¢
Guide Price: $3.00 (as of 2013)
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Mike DeCarlo
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Barbara Randall
Cover Artists: Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Gaspar Saladino
Hero: Booster Gold
Villain: Broderick
Supporting: Dirk Davis, Jack Soo, Skeets I, Staci
Setting: Metropolis, DCU, USA, 20th-century
Cover Description: Booster Gold lies on his side in a dirty alleyway as he stares down the barrel of the futuristic pistol aimed at him by Broderick.
Brief Synopsis: Booster must save a liquor store owner from robbers while saving himself from Broderick, a cop from the future carrying a grudge.
Booster Gold's role in this story:
Featured (Booster Gold plays a prominent role)
Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit
Issue Notes: Booster's hair is slightly longer than the previous issue, but is consistent with the length shown in the Justice League Annual #1.
This story has been reprinted in:
Booster Gold: Future Lost (2020)
Showcase Presents: Booster Gold (2008)
Page 1, panel 2
While Booster exercises on a pommel horse, Skeets mentions that Booster was a former professional athlete. This suggests that the rules will change somewhat in the future of college football. It has previously been established that Booster never played in a professional football league, but that does not meant that he may not have been materially compensated in some way for playing for a college team.
Page 2, panel 1
POWER DOWN: Dirk mentions that Booster must keep in shape for his upcoming Booster Gold calendar shoot.
Page 3, panel 1
Booster complains about the presence of Superman's famous "S" shield on the chest of his robot sparring partner, dubbed "Seymour." Booster comments that he fears legal action in regards to the presence of the "S." However, in the DC Universe, no one, not even Superman, owns the legal copyright on the emblem, and therefore it is available for fair use by anyone. (More than one hero/villain has chosen to wear the "S" shield in honor of Superman in the DC Universe, though most have Superman's expressed approval and permission.)
Page 7, panel 3
Broderick reveals that he used the Borsten Time Platform to follow Booster into the present following the events of Booster Gold, Vol. 1, #15. How this was possible after Broderick's assassination of Animal remains unclear. In any event, the Time Platform malfunctioned again and delivered Broderick to a time and destination other than the one intended.
Page 8, panel 3
In a flashback to the future (!), Broderick reveals that vendors at the stadium for the Metropolis U. vs. Gotham U. annual football game serve soy dogs instead of hot dogs. Two fans debate the age-old question: "less filling," or "tastes great?" (This is a reference to a popular, critically acclaimed, and long-running advertising campaign for Miller Brewing Company's Miller Lite beer. If sports fans in the 25th century still recognize it, it must be longer running and more popular than currently imagined. Or people of the future really love soy.)
Page 8, panel 4
Broderick reveals that he once though highly of Booster as an athlete whom he hoped would be drafted by the Metropolis Panthers. He praises the government for reviving football "50 years ago" relative to Broderick, or approximately the absolute year 2610.
Page 9, panel 3
Broderick, a federal agent, reveals that he also a gambled on football, though he did not have any influence over the outcome of the games. Sports gambling will apparently be as popular in the future as it is now.
Page 12, panel 1
PRODUCT PLACEMENT: Broderick watches Booster on a television commercial for Dusk aftershave in the window of Little Joe's Stereo & TV.
Page 13, panel 10
Booster's date with Staci (to meet the governor, no less) is interrupted when Broderick shoots at him across the street from his B.G.I. headquarters. Wearing only his Legion Flight Ring and a handmade tuxedo, Booster battles Broderick.
Page 20, panel 4
Booster sets up a distraction for the robbers using a bottle of Teroux Champagne. This is likely a cheap champagne, maybe even a masquerading sparkling wine, as Booster is unlikely to waste a truly fine champagne on liquor store thieves.
Page 22, panel 5
SPOILER WARNING!: Reveal
Boosterrific Review: Booster Gold #18 is largely a character study of Booster Gold from the point of view of the issue's antagonist: the federal agent Broderick last seen in issue 15. The middle third of this book is essentially Broderick's story, giving the impression that Broderick was intended to be a bigger player in the life of Booster Gold than he already was. Even if that wasn't the case, it's an interesting opportunity to show how Booster Gold affected the lives of people even before becoming a super hero.
The primary appeal of this issue is the portrayal of Booster Gold as a moral and intelligent hero. Despite Broderick's reservations to the contrary, in this issue Booster demonstrates humanity far beyond that which he is typically credited as he puts his life on the line to thwart an unglamorous liquor store robbery. And while the case could be made that Booster is simply manipulating the situation to save himself from Broderick's bloodlust, even that pays complement to Booster's often underplayed intelligence. Either case is a win for Booster, and this issue is a win for the reader.
Boosterrific Rating: Boosterrific!
Average Fan Rating: (3 votes)
I really enjoyed this story a lot. Broderick turned out to be a very interesting character; I really hadn't expected to see him ever again after Booster returned from the future a few issues back.
Great issue-I would say the finest in the first series. The contrasting lives but intertwined stories of Broderick and Booster is wonderful.
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