One of the biggest cliches in American superhero stories is that the superheroes are often, by default, champions of the status quo. But what if the status is not quo? Should superheroes be using their powers to build a better world? That question is at the heart of Booster Gold #17.

The issue themes will be familiar to fans of Roger Moore's James Bond: A mad scientist plans to improve the world by killing a bunch of people, and the Americans and Russians stand on opposite sides advocating for their own interests while a lone hero struggles against all odds to save the day.

The Russian agent is the amoral mercenary Cheshire. The issue's interesting twist is that the American agent is also a villain; the superhero Hawk's good intentions have become warped by his political ideology. Caught in the middle is Metropolis' own Corporate Crusader, Booster Gold, who is just trying to mitigate the collateral damage.

When it all builds to a head, Booster is forced to play his opponents' hardline games against them with a bluff that only an unknown wildcard could hope to pull off, as seen in this very dramatic sequence of panels:

Can superheroes make the world a better place? Booster Gold is still fighting to find out.

Comments (2) | Add a Comment | Tags: capitalism cheshire communism favorite pages hawk

More than half of you would buy extra issues if you thought it would make a difference to DC. You guys are real fans!

Last week's poll question: Would you be willing to buy 2 copies per issue if that would convince DC to produce a new Booster Gold series? (60 votes)

Elvis or The Beatles? Coke or Pepsi? PC or Mac? Fight!

Comments (2) | Add a Comment | Tags: blue beetle capitalism polls skeets

No one voted "team player." Is it any wonder that the New 52 Justice League International disbanded under his leadership?

Last week's poll question: Which soccer position would Booster Gold play? (36 votes)

I said yesterday that I'd be willing to buy two copies of each issue of a Booster Gold series if only DC would make one. I wasn't kidding. Am I alone?

Comments (4) | Add a Comment | Tags: capitalism polls soccer sports

Tony "G-Man" Guerrero has posted an article, "Off My Mind: Should Superheroes Get Corporate Sponsors?", on comicvine.com discussing the tricky relationship between the corporate world and the super hero. The article naturally spotlights Superman and Booster Gold. In fact, it was the very question of corporate sponsorships that inspired Dan Jurgens to create Booster in the first place. It can be no coincidence linking Booster Gold's endurance to the fact that the question of morally questionable corporate sponsorships is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago.

Comments (0) | Add a Comment | Tags: comicvine.com g-man tony guerrero