Eleven years ago today, DC released JLA: Incarnations, an anthology mini-series focused on telling the "untold" stories set a various points in the prior history of the Justice League. Most of the fun and frustration of this series was in seeing how writer John Ostrander would mangle characterization and history in order to squeeze his new stories into pre-existing continuity. Issue #6, published 11 years ago today, was no exception.

This issue contains two stories set about 7 years apart, and both stories generously feature Booster Gold. Booster and Blue Beetle are the protagonists in the issue's lead story, "Buddies." The pair invent the villainous identities of Bloodspot and Deathmetal in order to sneak into the rogue nation of Bialya. As entertaining as the story is, at times almost everything seems to be an anachronism. Errors stretch from DC Universe chronological impossibilities (Mister Miracle's inclusion in events would have been impossible in the time period) to real-world industry conventions (the ultra-violent "grim and gritty" comics that would feature characters with ridiculous names "Bloodspot" and "Deathmetal" wouldn't be published for several years after the era in which this story was set). Even the relationship between the protagonists is blatantly misrepresented (Booster Gold should be playing straight to Blue Beetle's zany ideas, not the other way around).

The other story, "Authority," doesn't do much better. "Authority" details the untold and much-needed story of the dissolution of Extreme Justice, mostly from the point of view of team leader Captain Atom. Booster naturally plays a part in this story as well, although artist Eric Battle doesn't seem to realize that Booster wore more than one costume between the founding of the Justice League International and the conclusion of the Extreme Justice debacle. Again, Ostrander doesn't let history get in his way, as he, like Geoff Johns in the more recent retcon seen in Justice League International Annual, ignores that the United Nations washed its hands of the JLI long before the end of the team. As we all know, DC's writers never let facts get in the way of telling their stories.

That's not to say these stories aren't enjoyable, because they are. Objectively, they are entertaining reads that add to our knowledge of the period they represent. Subjectively, however, they don't quite live up (or in Extreme Justice's case, down) to the era that inspired them. Without hesitation, I recommend reading the issue, but like any story of historical fiction, I'll leave leave it up to the reader to decide how much truth they contain.

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Grimmy asked in last week's comments why I didn't include the option of "never" in the poll. The answer is because I was trying to be somewhat upbeat. But given that most of you think it might take up to 6 months (that's half a year!) before we see Booster Gold again, it seems that most of you weren't feeling much more positive than Grimmy was. Give us back our Booster Gold, DC!

Last week's poll question: When do you think we will see Booster Gold reappear in a DC comic book? (46 votes)

If there's one thing we've learned since the DCnU reboot, it's that we really don't know what our favorite characters' histories are anymore. Even though we don't necessarily know what did happen, we can be sure that there are some things we know didn't happen. Which of these "missing adventures" bothers us the most?

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No would-be hero can consider himself a success without a signature vehicle. Batman has his Batmobile; Spider-Man, his Spider-Mobile; and even Superman, the Supermobile. Naturally, Booster Gold would want to have to have his eponymous means of transportation. Too bad this will turn out to be just another lesson for Booster Gold in being careful in what he wishes for.

When Booster Gold discovered that Jeremy Brylser was marketing civilian models of his unique Boostermobile to the general public, Booster balked. Ostensibly, Booster claimed to be concerned about the liability issues, though we have since learned that shouldn't have been an issue. So what really kept Booster from allowing the common man the opportunity to own their own Brysler-Booster Mark IV vehicle? Pride? Guilt? Greed?

Find the whole story in Booster Gold, Volume 1, #11, released 26 years ago today.

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So Booster Gold doesn't exist anymore. It could be worse.

Booster is technically qualified to be a Black Lantern. He was pronounced legally dead in Justice League International #65 following his encounter with Devastator. Fortunately for Booster the Overmaster kept everyone in the world alive as part of his plan to destroy the world. (Don't ask how that was supposed to work.) By the time the Overmaster was defeated, Booster was wearing the life-supporting armor designed by his friend and future Black Lantern, Blue Beetle. Thus Booster was returned to life after death. Technically.

The above Black Lantern Booster Gold was drawn by Andre Charipar as part of his quest to create 100 sketches in 101 days prior to this October's New York Comic Con. You can see other sketches on his site, Misfit Corner Press.

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The Justice League International Annual isn't due for another two weeks. While it might seem odd to release an annual to a series that has already been canceled, it certainly won't be the first time that this has happened to a Justice League title. Sixteen years ago today, DC published Justice League America Annual #10 more than two months after the series had been canceled at issue #113. Then, as now, Booster Gold took center stage.

The theme of the DC annuals in 1996 was "Legends of the Dead Earth," a series of tales about how the heroes of the DC Universe would go on to inspire humanity years after their own deaths. While many of the stories in these annuals could be considered unlabeled Elseworlds tales of an alternate reality, the Justice League story was heavily linked to ongoing continuity.

The story focuses on Captain Atom during one of his many unintentional trips through the quantum field to a future where Maxwell Lord's villainous schemes were oppressing humanity. (Sound familiar, Justice League: Generation Lost readers?) Lord has created a new JLI-inspired team called the Alliance that spend most of their time violently putting down "Trogs" bold enough to oppose Lord's tyranny. Whatever his original motivation, it becomes clear that Maxwell Lord has become corrupted inside former JLI-foe Lord Havok's robotic body (expanding on a plotline last seen in Justice League America #100).

The other original member of the JLI on the team is Michael Jon Carter. Refusing to be called Booster Gold, Michael acts as the team's field leader. Michael's position as Lord's right-hand man is fitting given that Lord had once hand-picked Booster to join his new JLI (as seen in Booster Gold #16). Michael is still something of a time traveler, having survived the intervening centuries by replacing his organic parts with mechanical imitations (a process begun in Justice League America #90). Wearing a prototypically Extreme! 1990s costume, this Michael exhibits a no-nonsense demeanor, increased power, and a warped set of personal values, even by Booster's admittedly questionable standards.

Before the story careens to its conclusion, it is revealed that Maxwell Lord is an evil megalomaniac who relives his past with living puppets based on his JLI template. Booster's motivations are never made clear, though Captain Atom expresses many uncharacteristically derogatory theories. Booster Gold fans are likely to be far more forgiving to our hero's actions.

Clearly a product of its era, this book is hardly the best annual in which Booster Gold appeared. Christopher Priest's story really doesn't make much sense, and Nick Napolitano's inks are especially unattractive. With the bar for annuals of cancelled series set this low, Geoff Johns and Dan DiDio won't have to do much work to top this effort.

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