Monday, June 27, 2022
Picking Favorites
I recently saw on reddit someone complain that the first volume of Booster Gold was "boring" but that second volume was their "favorite comic of all time." That made me think about how the second volume was different than the first, which one I liked better, and why.
It's true that the style of Booster's first solo series is very much of its era. It's comprised primarily of the straightforward adventures of a flawed dramatic character struggling to better his position in a serious world. There isn't a lot of humor, and as a new character to the DCU, Booster's world often feels smallish. In many ways, it feels like the first season of a new soap opera.
However, the second series is very much of its era as well, with better paper, better art, and a larger universe to interact with than were available decades earlier. The biggest difference between the two volumes is most noticeable in the stories focusing on its character's inner lives. (It's a dirty word some places, but around here we call the sort of character development Booster and his supporting cast had undergone between volumes "continuity.") It is also often much more humorous.
Honestly, of the two, I think I like the first volume the best. I admit it's imperfect, but I like Booster's rougher edges, naivete, and imperfect understanding of contemporary society. On the other hand, I sure do love the deeper dives into DC Universe history that volume 2 makes possible. And I really appreciate Booster's extended family and recurring villains. Hmm. It's a hard choice to pick only one.
But maybe, just maybe, I like Booster's most recent book best. It re-teams him with his comedy duo partner of the 1990s and has even more humor, both in art and story. If DC Comics should decide to launch another Booster Gold series for his upcoming 40th anniversary in 2025, they could do a lot worse than giving us more Blue and Gold.
I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not that picky. I'll take whatever Booster Gold I can get.
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