Yesterday BleedingCool.com set our hearts atwitter by suggesting that Booster Gold might be part of DC's latest Universe relaunch. (I guess the last one didn't take?)

The relaunched rumor became the news of the day week month on the Boosterrific Forum, where many hands were wrung in anguish that the latest Booster reboot may lead to a "grimmer and grittier" interpretation of the character.

This is where I, as the chronicler of all things Booster Gold, remind you that we've been here before. In fact, it was 19 years ago today that DC published Extreme Justice #0, the first issue in what was intended to be a grimmer and grittier, pro-active Justice League.

Extreme Justice is infamous as the apex — or nadir, depending on your point of view — of DC's 1990s artistic excesses. I'm not going to defend the book. I think it speaks for itself:

One of the better panels from Extreme Justice #0 (1994) by Marc Campos and Ken Branch.

Uh, yeah. Maybe some things are best left in the past.

(Thanks to Gio3432 and CaptainHeq for spreading the news in the Forum.)

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I'm so sorry. I'm working on it.

Last week's poll question: How has the recent server trouble at Boosterrific.com affected your visiting experience? (36 votes)

I talked about my feelings about this on Monday. How do you feel about it?

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After posting about Extreme Justice on Friday, I went back and read all 19 issues of the series this weekend. Since the series is commonly derided as one of the worst (if not the worst) Justice League ongoing series of all time, it made me wonder how it compares to the latest failed Justice League series, Dan Jurgens' nu-Justice League International.

Art: Let's get this one out of the way. There is no comparison between the traditionally naturalistic drawings of JLI's Lopresti/Ryan team and the fitfully stylized work of Marc Campos and Tom Morgan in EJ. The Extreme Justice art gets worse every time I look at it. Advantage: JLI.

Line-Up: EJ: Amazing Man, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Carol Ferris, Firestorm, Maxima, Plastique. JLI: Booster Gold, Batman, Fire, Ice, Guy Gardner... need I go on? Advantage: JLI.

Action: In 12 Dan Jurgens JLI issues, the team is formed and fights domestic terrorists, rogue Firestorms, and aliens. In 19 Dan Vados and Robert Washington III EJ issues, the team is formed, fights domestic terrorists, rogue Firestorms, and aliens. EJ also found time to battle Monarch, Star Sapphire, the Wonder Twins, and the Legion of Doom. Advantage: EJ.

Characterization: In EJ, Booster Gold regains his business fortune and gains the benefits of Millennium, Maxima finds interracial love with Amazing Man, and Captain Atom discovers that he is not who he thinks he is. Firestorm gets cancer, cures cancer, becomes a super-model and an alcoholic. Only Blue Beetle goes unexplored. In JLI, the only element that hints at growth for any character is a teased budding romance between Booster Gold and Godiva that is never resolved. Oh yeah, and a Rocket Red dies. Advantage: EJ.

Sales: Both series were under-performing sellers ultimately cancelled not because of their sales figures but to make way for other Justice League series. Advantage: even.

Legacy: Although the Wonder Twins eventually found their way into Young Justice, most of the events of EJ may as well have happened outside of DCU continuity. It's too soon to tell what JLI's legacy is, but given that so little happened over the course of 12 issues, it's hard to imagine that people will look back on these events as precursors of stories to come. Advantage: even.

Skeets (tiebreaker category!): In EJ, we get to see Skeets and in JLI we don't. Advantage: EJ.

As I count it, Extreme Justice comes out slightly ahead. Whether that means Extreme Justice is better than its reputation or whether the New 52 Justice League International was downright bad, you can be the judge.

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On this day in 1995, Booster Gold and Skeets were reunited in Extreme Justice #4.

I'd love to tell you it was a touching reunion between two old friends, but I'd be lying. Skeets appears in exactly three panels. The Blue Beetle's new Bug gets more attention. Heck, Mister Miracle's sidekick Oberon gets a bigger part, and Mister Miracle isn't even in this issue.

As you know, Extreme Justice has something of a reputation as the bad seed among the Justice League International-era titles. Honestly, this book won't do much to disabuse anyone of that opinion.

The story is little more than standard, soap-opera style melodramatics. Extreme Justice plots are typically like Hollywood action movies: big, loud, and dumb. Ironically, writer Dan Vado's strength isn't the action but the character development through interpersonal relationships. You might think that would make this reunion issue a success. You'd be wrong.

This is not Vado's best work. The action crowds out significant character development. Captain Atom is callous, Maxima is insane, and Firestorm, a former member of the "Satellite Era" Justice League, is a spoiled child. Amazing Man is shoehorned into a role best filled by Captain Atom, as though Vado was struggling to find a niche for his own character to fill.

If Vado's character development is typically the strongest part of Extreme Justice, the art is always its biggest weakness. This issue is no different, as guest artist Mozart Cuoto and inker Ken Branch combine to create panels with wildly inconsistent characters and hard-to-follow action. Unsatisfying is probably not a strong enough word.

So, as I said. Extreme Justice #4 features the reunion between Skeets and Booster Gold after several months apart. While we are still hoping to see Booster Gold and Skeets reunited in the New 52, we have to hope that it will be better than this.

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To start the week, I'm going to tell you to go away. Specifically, I recommend that you follow this link to FirestormFan.com, where The Irredeemable Shag! has assembled a pretty interesting demonstration of how the art for a page of Extreme Justice #12 was pieced together, from inks to overlays, to color. Even if Extreme Justice isn't your bag, I think you'll be entertained.

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