In many ways, Booster Gold volume 1 number 4 is exactly what you might expect from a Bonze Age DC comic: two disparate heroes are forced to team-up to have a fist fight with a would-be world conquering super villain and his minions. However, the story has several elements that make it unique, not the least of which is that after several issues subverting heroic tropes, Booster Gold gets to play the role of the prototypical hero and be morally contrasted with Rose, a "hero" who shuns attention.

That said, I actually prefer the pauses the story takes to show us Trixie Collins feeding her fish or Skip Andrews trying to get a comic book off the ground. And I cannot tell you how excited I get every time I read the final page of the story, which promises Booster's next big foe: the Internal Revenue Service!

I am always disappointed that this subplot is eventually resolved off-panel. I think it would be interesting to meet Booster's bookkeeper.

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Whether you're chasing the Ethan Young 1:50 incentive variant cover or you're satisfied with one of the more affordable, Booster-less covers for this week's Dark Crisis #3, you'll want to know that our hero does get a small taste of the action inside:

It might surprise you that this is actually Booster's first meeting with all three of these villains. Raptor is relatively new to the DCU, but Crazy Quilt and Key have each been pestering DC's heroes for over half a century.

Personally, I admire their stick-to-it-iveness, if only because it means they've finally gotten their chance to have their butts kicked by Blue and Gold!

Buy any cover of this issue and make Skeets happy.

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While Booster boosters were occupied with last week's announcement and pre-sale of the McFarlane Toys Blue and Gold action figure 2-Pack, DC Comics tried to sneak another announcement past us:

That's the "Gatefold Main Cover" by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding of The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1, coming to a Local Comic Shop near you on November 8. And, as you can see, Booster Gold is on it.

According to the press release at DCComics.com, Jurgens and Breeding are just part of the all-star cast of writers and artists from the original "Death of Superman" reuniting for this special. The issue also brings back Roger Stern and Butch Guice, Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove, and Jerry Ordway and Tom Grummett. Yes, please.

This is obviously a big deal for DC, so obviously there are multiple covers. Nine, in fact, if you count the "Premium Polybag Variant." What you see above is the main cover. That means it'll be the cover you'll find if when you open the polybag to get your updated armband.

(Personal side note: for many, many years, I've worn a black leather jacket modeled after the Tom Grummet cover of The Adventures of Superman #501 with a Superman #75 black arm band. That armband is not a particularly durable fabric [2015 pictures here], and I look forward to replacing it.)

Anyway, while not every cover has been revealed yet, DC's announcement does include the "Funeral for a Friend" variant cover by Ivan Reis and Danny Miki. Like the Dan Jurgens variant for Justice League #75 a few months back that homaged "Funeral for a Friend," this cover also pays tribute to the Superman #75 poster, also with Booster Gold:

(Yes, that *is* Blue Beetle behind Booster on that cover. I'm sure I don't need to remind you that Beetle was not present for Superman's funeral because Doomsday put him in a coma. But if I'm going to nitpick, I probably should say something about Martian Manhunter/Bloodwynd. And let's just not go there.)

So if you're counting, that's at least *two* copies of The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 you're going to need to keep your Booster Gold comic collection complete.

I'll let you know if that number goes up.

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First things first: the "BLUE BEETLE & BOOSTER GOLD 2-PACK" teased by McFarlane Toys last weekend on Twitter is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com, EntertainmentEarth.com, BigBadToyStore.com, and McfarlaneToysStore.com.

Personally, I've authorized my Local Comic Shop to get me the figures whenever they can, so consider supporting your Local Toy Shop as an alternative (or in addition) to those websites.

Judging by the emails I've been getting, there was a lot of pent-up demand for more Blue and Gold action figures, which is good. Pre-order demand is necessary to see these figures to market. The last time DC solicited a Booster Gold/Blue Beetle figures in 2017, they canceled them citing lack of retailer interest. Let's not let that happen again.

For those of you who need to know a little more information about this toy before you buy it, McFarlane.com has the deets (and plenty of pictures):

Product Features:

• Incredibly detailed 7" scale figure based off the DC Multiverse
• Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing and play
• Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are featured in their looks from the comic Blue Beetle & Booster Gold: Blue and Gold
• Blue Beetle and Booster Gold include a grapple launcher, a blast, a cellphone, a drone, and mechanical themed base
• Included collectible art cards with figure artwork on the front, and character biography on the back
• Collect all McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Figures

Uh, I'm not sure that I'd call "Collect all McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Figures" a "feature," but I suppose that's not really aimed at me. I gather from their other marketing, that whoever is writing McFarlane's ad copy doesn't actually read DC comic books, at least Booster Gold and Blue Beetle comics. That doesn't really bother me, as they are a toy company not a comics publisher, and they are pretty good at what they do.

You do you, McFarlane Toys; I'll just get my wallet out.

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I am not deluded enough that I would call Extreme Justice a great comic series. But comics don't have to be great to be enjoyable, and I certainly enjoy Extreme Justice.

Which is why I was so pleased to see a recent article in support of the much maligned series last week on ComicBeat.com.

Article author Deidre Freitas points out many of the things wrong with the series (though I think she undersells just how bad the art is), but she specifically (and correctly) singles out Booster Gold as one of the better parts.

One thing about this series is that it seems to be discarded as a byproduct of the '90s, and its certainly of its time, from its Extreme label to the outfits, hairstyles and even mannerisms of the characters. But beneath the lingo and fashion choices, there are some genuinely good storylines in this book.

Booster Gold, who had nearly died at the end of Justice League America, is kept alive by a suit that Blue Beetle made him. He lost an arm, and his vitals are only stable because of the alien technology surrounding his body. For all intents and purposes, Booster is disabled for much of this run. Several times in the series he questions his own usefulness, wondering if all of this is worth it. Booster even goes after his former manager, spiraling into a dark depression and anger because the man embezzled all of his money.

Yeesh. Without a doubt, the "Extreme" era of the 1990s is the longest, darkest period of Booster's long career, though that was probably true for most of the DCU. Is that darkness why Extreme Justice is so derided? Who wants to see heroes at their worst?

Extreme Justice #6

On second thought, don't answer that.

Just know that it gets better, Booster.

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