Last week, Erin posted the map of Booster Gold's mansion from Booster Gold, Volume 1, #16 on ExploringTheTimelab.blogspot.com. She lamented in her post, "I love looking at blueprints and maps so I do wish more comics had these sort of things."

Nearly 3 decades later, it's easy to see that cutaway as one of many Silver Age influences on Booster Gold volume 1. Time travel, sidekicks, evil doppelgangers, alien invasions, and Superman/Legion of Super-Heroes connections were cornerstones of the Silver Age DC Universe.

Immersed in the Silver Age trappings, a self-aware character like Booster Gold was a shocking departure for DC, even in the late Bronze Age. Some readers found this change refreshing, others were put off. But it is this simultaneous bi-polar acceptance and rejection of Silver Age concepts that has defined Booster Gold for most of his career (until the New 52 openly rejected the characters and history of the pre-Flashpoint DC Universe).

As a fan of Booster Gold and the comics of yesteryear, I can also say that I love looking at blueprints and maps, so I, too, wish more comics had these sort of things. Thanks for reminding us of the good old days, Erin.

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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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Erin of Exploring the Time Lab has compiled a list of the "10 Top Booster Gold" stories. You may quibble about the order, but who can argue against her taste? In reverse order, her favorite stories are

10. Booster Gold meets Superman in Booster Gold, v1, #6 (1986);
9. Booster Gold vs Lex Luthor in Booster Gold, v1, #23 (1987);
8. Booster Gold as International Man of Mystery in Justice League International, v1, #17 (1988);
7. Booster Gold quits the Justice League in Justice League America #37 (1990);
6. Booster Gold joins the Justice League in Justice League #4 (1987);
5. Booster Gold faces down Broderick in Booster Gold, v1, #18 (1987);
4. Booster Gold journey to becoming a Time Master in Booster Gold, v2, #1 (2007);
3. Booster Gold faces down a dead Ted Kord in Booster Gold, v2, #26 (2010);
2. Booster Gold saves the World in 52 (2006).

What is Erin's number 1 Booster Gold story? You're going to have to head over the the Time Lab to find out.

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Earlier this week, Booster-phile Morgenstern directed our attention to OldTimeFamilyBaseball.com, a blog devoted to -- you guessed it -- baseball. Not just any blog about baseball, it's a blog that recognizes greatness when it sees it. That's why Wednesday's post was about Booster Gold.

Specifically, the post was about Booster Gold's brief meeting with the Minnesota Twins as published in 1987's Booster Gold, Volume 1, #21 and #22. As you would expect from someone who honed their powers of observation by looking for funny mustaches on old baseball cards, Old Time Family Baseball's interpretation of the events of the issues aims right at the center of the strike zone. Recommended reading for Booster Gold and baseball fans alike.

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Are you wondering what Peraxxus was saying as he gave Guy Gardner a Parallax-sized beat down in yesterday's Justice League International #4? Well, now you can translate the trash talk with this handy Peraxxus Cryptographic Language Key!

To get you started, Peraxxus' first line of the issue is "The alarm! There is an intruder!"

Beware: Peraxxus' speech contains a couple of typos. And for some reason, the standalone first-person singular pronoun "I" is represented by three different glyphs! Do no DC editors speak Peraxxian? (Note to letterer Travis Lanham: it looks like no one's looking, so go nuts! I understand that if you are clever enough about it, you can start sneaking your friend's names into the book. Just ask Jim Pesl.)

If you'd rather simply read the translations than try to decipher them yourself, you'll find them in the Boosterrific.com issue annotations here.

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