Justice League Quarterly
“When Titans Date”
Volume 1, Issue 10, Spring 1993
Released January 12, 1993
Cover Price: $3.50
Guide Price: $3.50 (as of 2007)
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Ty Templeton
Inker: Karl Kesel
Colorist: Steve Mattsson
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Editor: Brian Augustyn
Heroes: Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Fire, Flash III
Villain: Tattooed Man I
Setting: New York, NY, USA, 20th-century
Cover Description: Booster Gold poses with energy crackling around his fists. Repeated endlessly in the background is the word "execute."
Brief Synopsis: Booster Gold, Fire, and Flash eavesdrop on Blue Beetle's latest date.
Booster Gold's role in this story:
Featured (Booster Gold plays a prominent role)
Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit
Story Notes: The events of this issue must take place prior to Justice League America #69.
Page 59, panel 1
Booster Gold, Fire, and Flash III have arrived at a restaurant in order to spy on the date of their friend and fellow member of the Justice League, Blue Beetle II. No one is wearing his/her costume.
Page 59, panel 3
Booster laments leaving his $48,000 car in the hands of an untrustworthy valet. In 1992, the average price for a new car in America was around $16,000.
Page 61, panel 2
Fire accuses Booster of having no soul for spying on his best friend's disastrous date. Of course, Fire could leave, or alert Beetle to Booster's eavesdropping, but she does neither. So Booster probably isn't the only person in the room with no soul.
Page 61, panel 4
Booster's car is a Romanaclef 5200. A "roman a clef" is a literary term for a story in which real persons or events are disguised with fictional names. It sort of makes you wonder what a Romanaclef automobile really is, doesn't it?
Page 62, panel 1
Flash points out to Booster and Fire that the Tattooed Man is present in the restaurant. The Tattooed Man was a foe of Green Lantern Hal Jordan and the Justice League for many years and was once a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains.
Page 68, panel 2
While (unnecessarily) trying to save Beetle from the Tattooed Man, Flash accidentally destroys Booster's car, which had the license plate number "8ET-459."
Page 68, panel 4
Fire uses her power on the drink of a fellow who has been sitting behind her in the restaurant since she arrived. Though it is never declared, this figure looks strikingly similar to artist Ty Templeton. (Roman a clef indeed.)
Boosterrific Review: For the second consecutive issue in this series, Booster Gold appears in half of the stories in this anthology issue. Booster is the motivator in "Time and Chance," the issue's lead story. While Mark Waid's script is primarily concerned with building on the gambling angle of Booster's back-story, it is clumsy in execution with particularly weak characterization and art. If "Time and Chance" is an ungainly disappointment, "When Titans Date" is a sublime character piece played for humor. Booster and friends spy on the love life of teammate Blue Beetle, and knee-slapping hilarity ensues. This issue is definitely a mixed bag.
Boosterrific Rating: Gold Standard.
SPOILER WARNING: The content at Boosterrific.com may contain story spoilers for DC Comics publications.
Booster Gold, Skeets, and all related titles, characters, images, slogans, logos are trademark ™ and copyright © DC Comics unless otherwise noted and are used without expressed permission. This site is a reference to published information and is intended as a tribute to the artists and storytellers employed by DC Comics, both past and present. (We love you, DC.) Contents of this page and all text herein not reserved as intellectual property of DC Comics is copyright © 2007-2024 BOOSTERRIFIC.com. This page, analysis, commentary, and accompanying statistical data is designed for the private use of individuals and may not be duplicated or reproduced for profit without consent.