Don't think that just because Animal Man took over pin-up day on Monday you are going to miss out on sweet Booster Gold art this week. The following sketch comes by way of Marcio Takara, the artist taking over Blue Beetle for issue #9. (Takara is currently the artist on Boom! Studios' Incorruptable.)

While Booster wears his classic threads -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it! -- note that Skeets gets a little jet-fighter makeover that combines his original and JLU designs. The fact that our li'l robot pal still looks so good owes no small debt to Takara's graceful line-work.

Takara has this sketch from Wizard World New Orleans and other great work on his page at Deviant Art, where you can find contact information for a commission of your own. (If you look around his gallery, you'll also find a nifty image with 100 tiny characters, including the classic Justice League International with Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, that can be used as a computer desktop image.) It's worth a look.

Comments (0) | Add a Comment | Tags: deviantart.com fan art marcio takara

Thank you to everyone who voiced an opinion regarding the Boosterrific Blog. I was surprised by how many comments I received. It remains possible that in the future I may cut back the number of posts per week, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. One thing's for certain: the world needs a blog devoted to Booster Gold, now more than ever.

Last week's poll question: How often would you say that you visit Boosterrific.com? (45 votes)

On to lighter fare. Since earlier this week we took a look at some of Booster's endorsements, it's only natural that we do some market research to determine the consumer base for the Booster Gold brand. After all, Dirk Davis needs to know what Booster's fans want before BGI can approach the National Dairy Council about having Booster Gold appear in a "Got Milk?" ad.

Comments (1) | Add a Comment | Tags: endorsements polls products website update

February 29 is Superman's birthday. Naturally, anything that is good for Superman is anathema to Booster Gold, so it should come as no surprise that Booster has never appeared in a comic released on February 29. And after today, he still might not have.

DC released preview art for DC Universe Online Legends #24 last week on The Source that mentions -- but does not show -- our hero. It also implies that we will not be seeing our hero... ever again. (At least in the alternate continuity of the DCU Online video game.)

So does Booster finally get his Leap Year on or not? Buy this issue and let Skeets know if he should start collecting unemployment.

Comments (2) | Add a Comment | Tags: birthday dc universe online holidays leap year new releases superman

Last week's Teen Titans #6 introduced us to Booster Gold Coffee, sold via vending machine. Name brand coffee is only the most recent beverage venture for Booster. In addition to Sundoller Coffee, previous drinks endorsed by Booster include DC's best-selling Soder-Cola, Enlongated Man's preferred Gingold Soda, and Lit Beer. Outside of comic books, Booster has been known to shill beverages such as Booster's Super Soda seen in Batman: the Brave and the Bold video game.

For those longing to taste Booster's wares, Darkseid's Draperies has posted the following suggestion:

My friends and I just invented a drink we are calling a Booster Gold. It's amazing and tastes like a creamsicle. It's about half a can of sprite, a splash of pinnacle cake vodka, and a splash of orange juice.

As a teetotaler, I have absolutely no way to judge whether that would taste good or not. But I have to say that I think a drink named after Booster Gold is an idea too good to miss.

Comments (3) | Add a Comment | Tags: bigbardafree brave and the bold drinks endorsements products tumblr.com

On this date in 1960, the United States of America defeated the Soviet Union at ice hockey for the first time ever on their way to the gold medal in the Winter Olympic Games. On this date in 1980, Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" won the first (and only) Grammy in the Best Disco Recording category. And on this date in 1990, Booster Gold did what he does best: helped Animal Man steal a time machine in Animal Man #22.

Preceding the events of Animal Man #22, Animal Man's family had been killed by assassins. Desperate to turn back the clock and save his wife and children, Animal Man reached out to fellow Justice Leaguer Booster Gold in order to enlist the aid of Rip Hunter, the Time Master. Booster arranges the meeting, but is critical of Animal Man's behavior. (This scene will be re-visited in Time Masters #4, published three weeks later.)

No doubt issue writer Grant Morrison was being intentionally ironic in having Booster Gold -- a hero with a questionable moral compass himself -- question "what kind of hero" Animal Man is for lying to Rip Hunter. A significant and recurring theme of Morrison's run on Animal Man was the value of comic book-style heroics and the over-simplified ethical values therein. Does Booster Gold have any right to criticize another hero? Does anyone?

It has never been revealed if Booster holds any animosity over being an accomplice in Animal Man's dishonest appropriation of Rip Hunter's time-backpack. Perhaps its no coincidence that these two characters who dress so similarly haven't shared an on-panel conversation since.

Despite Booster's brief appearance, Animal Man #22 is a journey through the emotional state of a very disturbed Buddy Baker and as such is part of a much larger narrative. The issue is recommended to fans willing to involve themselves in a meta-textual investigation of the nature of comics, but only if they are willing to read the issues that came before (several of which are referenced herein) and stick around for the long haul.

Comments (1) | Add a Comment | Tags: animal man grant morrison history reviews time travel