While I was busy getting my pantaloons in a bunch last week over Batman #45, Booster Gold sneaked his way into 3 — count 'em, 3! — other comic books.

1. Booster was a small face in a crowd of well-wishers in Action Comics #1000, courtesy none other than Dan Jurgens. (SuperPat pointed this out in the comments last Wednesday.)

Three cheers for Superman!

2. Booster had a slightly larger part alongside Blue Beetle in Injustice 2 #24. This one we knew was coming. I originally mentioned it when it was published digitally at the start of last month. Booster has been showing up quite a bit in the Injustice 2 as of late, with more appearances coming soon.

Booster's mom should wash his mouth out with soap.

3. However, I had no idea bout Booster's appearance in Mister Miracle #8 until Shawn slipped notification into Friday's comments. Booster doesn't appear in person, but his face is on one of the many, many shuperhero t-shirts that Scott Free wears throughout the issue.

Who knew Mister Miracle a fan club member?

Whew! Four issues in one week ties a record! (Can we go for five, DC?)

So no matter how Booster boosters feel about Batman #45, we can't be disappointed that it was the only place for us to find our hero last week. Booster Gold is everywhere in April 2018!

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Eleven years ago today, DC released JLA: Incarnations, an anthology mini-series focused on telling the "untold" stories set a various points in the prior history of the Justice League. Most of the fun and frustration of this series was in seeing how writer John Ostrander would mangle characterization and history in order to squeeze his new stories into pre-existing continuity. Issue #6, published 11 years ago today, was no exception.

This issue contains two stories set about 7 years apart, and both stories generously feature Booster Gold. Booster and Blue Beetle are the protagonists in the issue's lead story, "Buddies." The pair invent the villainous identities of Bloodspot and Deathmetal in order to sneak into the rogue nation of Bialya. As entertaining as the story is, at times almost everything seems to be an anachronism. Errors stretch from DC Universe chronological impossibilities (Mister Miracle's inclusion in events would have been impossible in the time period) to real-world industry conventions (the ultra-violent "grim and gritty" comics that would feature characters with ridiculous names "Bloodspot" and "Deathmetal" wouldn't be published for several years after the era in which this story was set). Even the relationship between the protagonists is blatantly misrepresented (Booster Gold should be playing straight to Blue Beetle's zany ideas, not the other way around).

The other story, "Authority," doesn't do much better. "Authority" details the untold and much-needed story of the dissolution of Extreme Justice, mostly from the point of view of team leader Captain Atom. Booster naturally plays a part in this story as well, although artist Eric Battle doesn't seem to realize that Booster wore more than one costume between the founding of the Justice League International and the conclusion of the Extreme Justice debacle. Again, Ostrander doesn't let history get in his way, as he, like Geoff Johns in the more recent retcon seen in Justice League International Annual, ignores that the United Nations washed its hands of the JLI long before the end of the team. As we all know, DC's writers never let facts get in the way of telling their stories.

That's not to say these stories aren't enjoyable, because they are. Objectively, they are entertaining reads that add to our knowledge of the period they represent. Subjectively, however, they don't quite live up (or in Extreme Justice's case, down) to the era that inspired them. Without hesitation, I recommend reading the issue, but like any story of historical fiction, I'll leave leave it up to the reader to decide how much truth they contain.

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As we all know, Booster Gold was inspired by Batman and Superman. But what happens when our hero crosses paths with another up-and-coming hero? Would he provide inspiration of his own? In short, no.

In all likelihood, Booster Gold was completley unaware that he was crashing Maxi-Man's attempt at a debut appearance in Mister Miracle, Volume 2, #9. Though Maxi-Man meant well, it was this constant upstaging by more established heroes that would drive him to seek the attention of the public and lead him directly into a confrontation with Booster's Justice League teammate, Mister Miracle. Needless to say, Maxi-Man was outmatched.

Booster and Maxi-Man would go on to work together in the Conglomerate (in Justice League Quarterly #1), but the group was disbanded before they had much time for bonding. Years later, Maxi-Man met his end in Roulette's casino, so we may never know if Maxi-Man held a grudge against everyone's favorite Corporate Crusader. Maybe Maxi-Man will get a second chance in the New 52.

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Hoping to surprise their friend and teammate Mister Miracle, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle drop in on him at his day job in Mister Miracle, Volume 2, #7. Mister Miracle is understandably not pleased to have his super-heroic secret identity exposed to the citizens of Bailey, New Hampshire. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

To make up for their gaffe, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold decide to masquerade as... themselves. Beetle and Booster, in the guise of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, respectively, go on to provide autographs for the citizens of Bailey. It's not their proudest moment.

Compared to some of the pair's misadventures, this events comes off comparatively smoothly. Until a foursome of Professor Ivo's robots crashes the event. Nothing is ever dull in the life of a professional super hero.

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