Tom King is up to his old tricks in today's Human Target #1. Someone has tried to kill Lex Luthor, and who are the usual suspects? Hint:

Art by Greg Smallwood

I wonder which character will need a rehabilitation mini-series this time?

Booster Gold's arm is on the standard cover, and his legs are on the variant. Buy either one and make Skeets happy!

Comments (0) | Add a Comment | Tags: greg smallwood human target justice league international new releases tom king

The life of any comic book hero would be a lonely one if not for the many characters who have made up their supporting cast. Just as Superman has Lois Lane and Batman has Alfred, Booster Gold has also shared his adventures with quite a few people over the years. Today we look at one of those, Mister Twister.

Who is Mister Twister, you ask? Here's the man himself, from his first (and so far only) confrontation with Booster Gold in 1987's Booster Gold #5:

That Mister Twister was a "bizarre lunatic" with a giant bomb who attempted to hold the Metropolis Mammoths ice hockey team and its arena full of fans hostage for $3,000,000.

But was he really "The one, the only"? It's hard to tell.

As it happens, the very first person to use the alias Mister Twister was a novelist named Dan Judd who took to a life of crime and bedeviled Superman... in 1946 on Earth-2!

Judd was only as criminal as was necessary to get material for his book, and hung up his alter ego when his manuscript was published. For more details on this bit of alternate-Earth history, track down a copy of Action Comics #96!

Many years later, someone more significant — and much more malignant — would adopt the name Mister Twister. His story began when the government of a typical American community called Hatton Corners declined to respect a contract made by their founders.

The Brave and the Bold #54, 1964

When Hatton Corners didn't make good its debt, Bromwell "Brom" Stikk did what any wronged landowner would do: he used mysticism to control the weather and enslave the town's teenagers!

Unfortunately for Stikk, Hattons Corners' teenagers had friends in the teenaged sidekicks of the Justice League. Mister Twister ultimately proved no match for Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad. The teens' teamwork in saving Hatton Corners paved the way for the formation of the Teen Titans, but the horrible Mister Twister was arrested by the authorities and would not be seen again for some time, at least not as Bromwell Stikk.

When Twister finally reappeared in the months after the Crisis on Infinite Earths re-wrote the entire DC Universe in 1985, his mystical powers had been replaced by technology. Twister's face and powers may have changed, but his methodology hadn't. His goal was still holding young men and women hostage for money. And he was still no match for sidekicks.

Was this mad bomber calling himself "Mister Twister" the post-Crisis incarnation of Bromwell Stikk? It's possible. It certainly wouldn't be the craziest twist in Stikk's story.

Years after the Metroplex bombing attempt, the Teen Titans would learn (in Secret Origins Annual #3, 1989) that their longtime foe Gargoyle was actually Stikk disguised and empowered by a cosmic entity called the Antithesis. Stikk would finally free himself from the Antithesis' control and beg Roy Harper for forgiveness for his past wickedness (in Justice League of America #16, 2008).

As so often happens in the DCU, past wickedness would not be forgotten, and Mister Twister was reborn again in the wake of Convergence as a literal demon — and the explanation for why the New 52 Titans hadn't remembered their past adventures together.

Titans Hunt #8, 2016

Even as a demon, Mister Twister was defeated by a team of former sidekicks. Some things *never* change.

Are you interested in meeting other "People in his Neighborhood"? Follow these links to get to know Mrs. Carter, Daniel Carter, Michelle Carter, Trixie Collins, Nurse Devlin, Dirk Davis, Rani, Skeets, Jack Soo, Mackenzie Garrison, Rip Hunter, Monica Lake, Doctor Shocker, and Blackguard.

Comments (0) | Add a Comment | Tags: mister twister people in his neighborhood supporting characters teen titans

You probably already have your Halloween costume ready, but just as a reminder, dressing as Booster Gold is always an option.

The above unidentified Booster Gold cosplayer was photographed by Michael Foster at DragonCon 2021. If that's you, let me know so that I can give you credit.

Comments (0) | Add a Comment | Tags: 2021 conventions cosplay costumes dragoncon michael foster

Those of you who had pre-ordered a Kindle version of Russ Burlingame's "Gold Exchange" columns from Amazon.com may have gotten some unpleasant news earlier this week when the listing was withdrawn and pre-order payments were refunded.

I reached out to Burlingame, and he explained that he was still working on completing the book but unexpected delays had been caused by family health issues.

I tried to push the release date to November 17, but Amazon never processed that and I received word that preorders had been cancelled when I missed my prepub date on Sunday. Unless something else happens I should still have it ready for readers between now and 11/17, but unfortunately because I missed my initial deadline they will not reinstate the preorders, and it won't be available to buy until I have uploaded the files.

While that is a setback, it is good to know the book is still in the works. I've worked with Amazon a bit myself (plug, plug), and I know how it can be.

We can be patient, Russ. If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.

Comments (1) | Add a Comment | Tags: amazon.com gold exchange interviews rob snow russ burlingame

Readers of Blue and Gold #3 may be unaware that Booster's old secretary, Theresa Collins, has previous history of providing office space to superheroes.

It didn't go well.

Teen Titans #17 (1998), written and drawn by Dan Jurgens, saw the Teen Titans reforming under the leadership of former Justice Leaguer Atom who had been de-aged to a teenager by Extant in Zero Hour.

To attract attention, the team chose the "hottest hangout in Metropolis" for its new headquarters:

Teen Titans #17 additional art by Phil Jimenez, Gregory Wright, Comicraft

The Stain was a combination nightclub/arcade. In Teen Titans #18, its manager was — you guessed it — Trixie Collins.

Teen Titans #18 additional art by Phil Jimenez, Gregory Wright, Comicraft, Digital Chameleon

"Lazer Booster 2000"? A Booster Gold Easter egg!

Mercifully, this dysfunctional incarnation of the Titans was canceled eight issues after it started, but the Stain didn't last even that long. It was blown up by longtime team nemesis Deathstroke The Terminator in issue #22.

It's been two decades since the Stain was removed. I sure hope Trixie learned her lesson and has supervillain insurance for her new building.

Comments (0) | Add a Comment | Tags: deathstroke teen titans trixie collins