Believe it or not, once upon a time, Booster Gold was such a big star that he could sell comics he wasn't in just by appearing on the cover! Backwards!

Take, for example, Secret Origins #32, released 29 years ago today.

art by Eric Shanower

This issue presents the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths origin of the Justice League of America (which was differentiated from the original origin by the substitution of Black Canary for Wonder Woman).

The Justice League International was super hot at the time, so although the only links between the two teams were Canary and Martian Manhunter, the JLI was still given prime cover real estate to sell the story to new readers unfamiliar with DCU history.

There's no reason this strategy couldn't be used to sell old stories to a modern audience today. I speak only for myself, but I'd be much happier buying a comic showcasing Damian Wayne (Robin V) if he appeared only on the cover.

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No, seriously, I really need these two as actual LEGO minifigs.

This piece was created by the South African/German artists Basstudio on DeviantArt.com. Great characters know no boundaries!

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Once upon a time, Booster Gold appeared quite regularly in the annual crossover events uniting the DCU. For example, it was just 25 years ago today that Booster Gold appeared in a supporting role in Action Comics Annual #4.

Words by Dan Vado, Art by Chris Wozniak and a team of inkers

Back then, Booster and other members of the Justice League International were on the scene to try and free Superman from the clutches of Eclipso. These days that job would go exclusively to Batman, because... well, Batman.

It might be interesting to note that Blue Beetle wasn't with the rest of the Justice League for this mission (he had gone missing in the JLA Annual the previous month). That is consistent with the approach to the character taken by the current Blue Beetle series.

According to writer Kieth Giffen in an interview with Vaneta Rogers for Newsarama.com, the modern "rebirth" incarnation of Ted Kord was never a member of any Justice League. But Giffen also says that the events of Justice League 3000 are in Blue Beetle's future. JL3k was openly stated to take place in the same continuity as the original Justice League International stories. So . . . I have no idea what all that means for the current status of Blue and Gold.

Congratulations, DC. I'm not even trying to make sense of your continuity anymore.

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For the Independence Day holiday this year, let's celebrate this classy redesign of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold by Julalesss on DeviantArt.com.

I think they both look like something we might see on the CW, and I'm okay with that. At least there we can be sure that Booster won't be wearing his New 52 redesign. (No, I'm never going to stop beating that dead horse.)

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I don't know how Ross Pearsall does it, but he continues to churn out some amazing covers at Super-Team Family Presents.... In the past week alone, he's given us pairings of Groot and Chewbacca, Sgt. Rock and Cobra Commander, and Captain Carrot and Donald Duck. Whew!

But what earns him his latest mention here on Boosterrific.com is the return of Skeets' all-robot super team, Robo Force:

Skeets versus Brainiac! Why hasn't that happened in DC Comics before now?

As a bonus, check out this cover featuring the Blue Beetle's new partner.

Thanks for all your hard work, Ross.

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