JLA Classified
“This Guy, This -- Gardner!”
Volume 1, Issue 4, April 2005
Released February 16, 2005
Cover Price: $2.95
Estimated Issue Sales: 53,630
Writers: J. M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen
Penciller: Kevin Maguire
Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Colorist: David Baron
Letterer: Bob Lappan
Assistant Editors: Michael Siglain, Stephen Wacker
Editor: Michael Carlin
Cover Artists: Kevin Maguire, Joe Rubinstein
Heroes: Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Elongated Man, Fire, Warrior
Supporting: Dick Hertz, L-Ron, Maxwell Lord, Sue Dibny
Setting: New York, NY, USA, 21st-century
Cover Description: From left to right, Elongated Man, Maxwell Lord, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, L-Ron, and Fire react in horror to an unseen figure.
Brief Synopsis: The Super Buddies are getting a new neighbor who is a familiar face.
Booster Gold's role in this story:
Featured (Booster Gold plays a prominent role)
Costume Worn: MARK XII armored power-suit
Issue Notes: Originally written and promoted in 2004 as the mini-series I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League, this story was published in 2005 due to conflicting events occurring in the Identity Crisis mini-series. Events in this story must take place prior to Identity Crisis #1 for obvious reasons. However, during Formerly Known as the Justice League, Fire had a very short haircut. In this story she has returned to her more familiar shoulder-length hairstyle. Since hair grows at approximately 6 inches per year, some time must have passed since the previous storyline (though it is possible that she could be wearing hair extensions made from the same fireproof material as her costume). Also, events of the Infinite Crisis mini-series have possibly erased some or all of the events in this issue from history.
This story has been reprinted in:
Justice League International Omnibus (2024)
I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League (2005)
Page 4, panel 2
FASHION ALERT: Blue Beetle II and Booster Gold fly towards the Super Buddies Queens, New York headquarters in Beetle's flying Bug airship. For the first time, both heroes are wearing new costumes. (Though Booster's costume has changed frequently during his career, Beetle's costume has remained consistent for several decades.) Booster is wearing his "Classic" Mark XII armor, but without the high collar. The reason? Booster's wife didn't like it.
Page 5, panel 3
At last Booster's wife's name is revealed: Gladys. Booster estimates her wealth at "a couple hundred million dollars."
Page 12, panel 1
SILVER SCREEN: When L-Ron transfers Fire's telephone calls Booster, Booster answers the telephone as "Booster Gold, star of stage, screen, and television." Booster has had guest appearances on DC Universe television shows such as Love Cruise, and Booster Gold: the Movie has been struggling through development limbo for practically as long as Booster has been in the 20th century. However, there has never been any indication that Booster has acted on stage in any plays.
Page 13, panel 6
Sue Dibny informs Beetle and Booster that the bar being built next door to the Super Buddies headquarters is owned by the super villain Blackguard, but both heroes pretend not to know who he is. It is hard to believe that Booster could forget Blackguard, the second super villain that he fought during his career as a 20th-century super hero. Blackguard debuted alongside Booster in Booster Gold, Vol. 1, #1.
Page 18, panel 7
When Elongated Man hints to Beetle and Booster that Sue is pregnant (which she vehemently denies), Booster's thoughts turn immediately to the publicity. He excitedly plans to alert the media. Specifically, Booster plans on notifying "Page Six," a popular gossip column in the daily New York Post tabloid newspaper. (Note that Sue's "alleged" pregnancy is a running joke in this storyline, but is used for dramatic effect in her final appearance in Identity Crisis #1.)
Page 19, panel 8
Booster Gold and Blackguard appear on-panel together again for the first time since Booster Gold, Vol. 1, #4. At the time of their last meeting, Blackguard was a boorish super-villain and Booster was a clever super-hero. Now Booster plays the part of the buffoon while Blackguard (whose name is revealed to be Richard "Dick" Hertz, pun intended) is a virtuous man, at least according to Maxwell Lord.
Page 20, panel 7
BUSTER GOLD: Discussing their appearance on the fictional website superhumanresources.com, Beetle tells Booster that he has a small entry and "they misspelled your name." This is an allusion to the decades-long running joke of disrespecting Booster by calling him "Buster."
Page 22, panel 1
SPOILER WARNING!: Reveal
Boosterrific Review: Giffen, DeMatteis, Maguire, and Rubenstein return to the Super Buddies, picking up with their ridiculous misadventures without missing a beat. Already this is a faster paced issue than the previous Formerly Known as the Justice League, allowing for even more jokes at our heroes' expense. Boosterrific's recommendation: don't try to drink anything while reading this issue.
Boosterrific Rating: Boosterrific!
Average Fan Rating: (1 vote)
Great issue but I am stunned Booster did not remember Blackguard, the strong arm from the 1000 all the way back to BG Vol 1 Issue 1. Very funny.
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