Now that the story is over and the numbers are in, I thought it would be fun to look at whether or not choosing to add Booster Gold to All-Star Western did anything to help its anemic sales. In short, the answer is "not really."

I've included the six months of sales prior to Booster's arrival (issues #13 through #18) in the graph for reference. It seems that Booster's arrival in issue #19 may have slowed the defection of readers briefly, but they resumed their flight from the title as the story wore on. If All-Star Western lives or dies based on sales numbers (and not Dan DiDio's favor), Booster's appearance might have bought the title one more issue.

Granted, the numbers in this chart are for print issues only and fail to account for any digital sales. Maybe the book sells like gangbusters online, although since All-Star Western appears in 407th place of ComiXology's "Top Titles" list, that seems unlikely.

Looking at the slope of sales decline, an unexceptional issue #19 should probably have been expected to sell about 16,400 copies. Instead, with Booster's help it sold 16,838 copies. Does that mean that adding Booster to a book boosts sales by 400 copies? If the sales of Smallville are any indication, we should probably assume that it was the "WTF" gatefold cover, not Booster's appearance, that drove up sales for the issue.

Booster's appearance in issue #13 didn't seem to move the sales needle. Sales continued on pace. Although these graphs show decreasing sales, remember that as a general rule, comic sales decrease in a gentle curve from month to month for every title everywhere. That's natural sales entropy, and it's why titles are constantly started over with number 1 issues; it moves the title back to the top of the ladder to start the slide over again.

Did Booster fail to make any mark on Smallville: Season 11's sales because Smallville takes place outside of continuity (whatever that word means in the New 52 Universe)? Was it because Smallville: Season 11 is sold in weekly installments online? Or was it because the people who would buy Smallville are buying anyway, and don't care who the guest star of the week is? Who knows. But whatever you do, don't blame it on Skeets!

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An overwhelming majority! Well, let's put that issue to rest and never speak of it again.

Last week's poll question: Of what country do you believe Booster Gold to be a citizen? (51 votes)

With Booster completing two, separate 3-issue stories this month, it is only natural that we compare them. What did you think?

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"What type of gold means certain death for Jonah Hex?"

Note the clever re-working of the "Booster Gold" logo star from high-tech to Old West sheriff's badge. That's a nice touch.

ComicBookResources.com released this cover on Friday. You can see a bigger version of this pic on their site here. You can buy a copy of the book this cover is attached to when the book hits stands on April 24, 2013.

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Now that we are 99.9% sure that Booster will be appearing in next month's All-Star Western #19, you may want to pick up today's All-Star Western #18 so that you have an idea what's going on in that title. Then you can hit the ground running next month when Booster arrives to save the day.

While it's a long shot that Booster would appear in today's All-Star Weatern, Booster's appearance in today's release of Batwing Volume 2: In the Shadow of The Ancients is a sure thing. This trade collects Batwing issues #7-12 and 0. You may recall that Booster Gold and the JLI assisted Batwing in Africa in Batwing #12. Batwing quit the JLI in its very next issue. Maybe Batwing knew how bad the Justice League International Annual was going to be, so he got out while the getting was good.

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Earlier this week in the Boosterrific Forum, Booster booster Morgenstern pointed out that Comixology.com was telling us what DCComics.com would only tease. Specifically that Booster Gold will be the guest star in All-Star Western #20.

The official solicitation for All-Star Western #20 from DC (as found on their website here) reads:

"The future collides with the past in this issue as [REDACTED] causes problems for Jonah Hex. And in the backup story, a never before seen Stormwatch team takes the spotlight!"

Comixology's version of the solicitation for the issue (as found on their website here) has one small but specific difference:

"The future collides with the past in this issue as time traveler Booster Gold causes problems for Jonah Hex. And in the backup story, a never before seen Stormwatch team takes the spotlight!"

Did you catch that? It sure looks like Booster will be the cover surprise for All-Star Western #19!

Russ Burlingame gives his take on the story over at comicbook.com, spreading the word of Booster's return far and wide. Now's the time for those of you who called that to say "I told you so!"

Thanks, Morgenstern.

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