Given that the current New 52 incarnation of Captain Marvel Shazam is such a jerk, I'm guessing the New 52 Black Adam is probably a pretty nice guy.

Last week's poll question: What historical DCU character would you like to see time-traveler Booster Gold visit next? (54 votes)

You may recall that I ran a poll back in February that failed to record most of the results because I carelessly left a script disconnected while trying to resolve the server slowdown. Today, that poll gets a second chance.

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If Speedy can get his own mini-series, why not Skeets?

Last week's poll question: How should Skeets be incorporated into the DCnU? (43 votes)

Visiting Jonah Hex in the Old West is so much fun, let's keep the action going! DC has a good inventory of historical characters, so let's put them to good use!

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On this day in 1995, Booster Gold and Skeets were reunited in Extreme Justice #4.

I'd love to tell you it was a touching reunion between two old friends, but I'd be lying. Skeets appears in exactly three panels. The Blue Beetle's new Bug gets more attention. Heck, Mister Miracle's sidekick Oberon gets a bigger part, and Mister Miracle isn't even in this issue.

As you know, Extreme Justice has something of a reputation as the bad seed among the Justice League International-era titles. Honestly, this book won't do much to disabuse anyone of that opinion.

The story is little more than standard, soap-opera style melodramatics. Extreme Justice plots are typically like Hollywood action movies: big, loud, and dumb. Ironically, writer Dan Vado's strength isn't the action but the character development through interpersonal relationships. You might think that would make this reunion issue a success. You'd be wrong.

This is not Vado's best work. The action crowds out significant character development. Captain Atom is callous, Maxima is insane, and Firestorm, a former member of the "Satellite Era" Justice League, is a spoiled child. Amazing Man is shoehorned into a role best filled by Captain Atom, as though Vado was struggling to find a niche for his own character to fill.

If Vado's character development is typically the strongest part of Extreme Justice, the art is always its biggest weakness. This issue is no different, as guest artist Mozart Cuoto and inker Ken Branch combine to create panels with wildly inconsistent characters and hard-to-follow action. Unsatisfying is probably not a strong enough word.

So, as I said. Extreme Justice #4 features the reunion between Skeets and Booster Gold after several months apart. While we are still hoping to see Booster Gold and Skeets reunited in the New 52, we have to hope that it will be better than this.

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It may be hard to imagine in this day and age when Booster Gold has all but disappeared from DC continuity, but 26 years ago today, DC published three different books that contained Booster Gold!

Chief among these books was Booster Gold, volume 1, #15. This issue saw the conclusion to Booster Gold's first true time-travel adventure. Rip Hunter had been instrumental in returning Booster to the 25th century, but he plays little role in Booster's escape. Knowing in hindsight that Rip knew that Booster was his father, is Rip intentionally letting his dad get out of trouble because he knows that is the course that history naturally takes? Hmm?

Another storyline drawing to a conclusion this day was found in New Teen Titans #30. Although Booster appears in just a few panels in this book, this adventure is in many ways his introduction to the heroes of the larger DC Universe. This is Booster's first adventure with Green Lanterns, members of Infinity, Inc., and notably his idol Batman! Welcome to the DCU, Booster Gold!

The final book published this day was the the final issue of a series: Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe. Booster makes an appearance in the entry for the 1000. Booster was too new to the scene to earn his own entry in the first volume of this encyclopedia, but as usual he gets the last word, appearing inside the back cover in a promotion for Booster Gold #15. That's pretty much the Booster Gold motto: if you can't join 'em, buy some advertising space to make sure they at least know your name!

So take heart, Booster boosters. If it has happened before, it can happen again. The only thing separating us from three comics is time, something that a Time Master has plenty of!

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While DC may not have room for a Christmas book in the New 52 (the heroes are probably all too busy infighting to exchange gifts), we'll always have ghosts of Christmases past.

Way back in the Good Old 52 days of 2008, Booster Gold helped the Justice League celebrate the holiday in DC Universe Holiday Special #1. Whenever the Justice League throws a party, you'll find Booster Gold!

Indicative of Booster's rekindled popularity at the time, our hero appears in not one but two stories in this anthology, albeit in very, very small roles. (He sings! He dances! He appears only in backgrounds!)

No, it's not a great issue. Fortunately, greatness isn't a requirement for Christmas Specials. A bunch of "lesser" heroes get some much deserved spotlight in this issue, and that should be good enough for the price of admission to this party.

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