As most fans know by now, DC Comics has just canceled Hawk and Dove again. The pair has a terrible track record at maintaining a series, in no small part due to the fact that they have never had a first-tier writer. Their stories tend to be hackneyed and dull, typically accompanied by lackluster art.

DC was no doubt acutely aware of the pair's limitations when they launched the third Hawk and Dove series in 1989. To ensure a good launch, the series included several higher profile guest stars in an extended Invasion! flashback. Naturally, this flashback was designed to make Hawk and Dove -- and not their guest stars -- look good.

Always smooth with the ladies, Booster. (At least Firestorm couldn't have done any better, right Shag?) Two years earlier, Booster had saved Hawk's life in the Mexican desert in Booster Gold #17. Booster was quite rude at the time, though Hawk had been unwittingly assisting in a madman's genocidal plot. Perhaps catching a falling Booster is Hawk's way of returning the favor.

Outside the character pieces presented in the flashbacks, the rest of the book is really quite dull. Hawk and Dove pal around with some friends that are not introduced to the reader, then the heroes make a mess of stopping a run-of-the-mill supervillain who is naturally using his advanced, lifelike robots to rob jewelry stores. This issue is costumed comic books at their most droll, a time-capsule of late-1980s mainstream storytelling given a golden lining with the inclusion of Booster Gold.

Perhaps this very lack of a signature adventuring style is the reason that the pair have had so much trouble maintaining their own series over the years. Maybe they need a home in a more forgiving ensemble environment. I hear the JLI is hiring.

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DC Co-Publisher Dan Didio has called it "probably my favorite comic of all things published in the last ten years." Comic book blogger Robby Reed has called it "staggeringly awful." Your response probably lies somewhere in between, depending on how much you care for DC continuity or the Blue Beetle.

This divisive comic book is Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1. Released 7 years ago today, this one-shot issue, officially titled DC Countdown in the legal indicia, kicked off the 4 separate mini-series leading to Infinite Crisis. It is more famous for re-introducing Justice League International supporting-character Maxwell Lord as a villain. And, of course, the related fate of Ted Kord.

While I still find this book to be an enjoyable read, I also believe that DC was short-sighted in choosing Ted Kord to be the sacrificial lamb to promote high sales of the Infinite Crisis crossover. The friendship of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle was unique in the DC pantheon: genuine but irreverent, lighthearted but sincere. Even when their misadventures strained plausibility, it was always worth going along for the ride just to bask in the reflected glow of their effervescent joy at being together. Simply put, their adventures were fun.

Booster Gold has enjoyed a career renaissance since the death of his best friend and business partner. However, the DC Universe is a smaller place without Ted Kord, and we have DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis to thank for it.

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In the year 2001, mankind's freedoms were sacrificed for the sake of security by a tyrannical government that seized power after a well-planned attack on American soil. Thankfully, this kind of scenario could only happen in comic books.

On this day in 1991, DC Comics launched their summer crossover series Armageddon 2001. The book was created by an all-star cast: written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by Dan Jurgens and Dick Giordano. However, it is far more famous for the illogical resolution to its story, which DC changed at the last minute due to the conclusion being leaked to the public. In the non-stop media-hype of the 21st century, that action seems rather quaint in hindsight.

The setup for the story revolved around the mystery of which DC hero betrayed the rest to become a world-dominating tyrant. A time-traveler from the future makes it his mission to investigate the heroes of the 20th-century in an attempt to forestall his own horrible fate. Naturally everyone was a suspect, including Booster Gold.

Honestly, Booster plays only a small part in this story and probably then only because Jurgens was the artist. Perhaps it was too far-fetched an idea that foolish Michael Jon Carter would one day wield the power to control the world. More likely, it may have been impossible for readers to believe that an egomaniac like Booster Gold would rule hiding behind a mask.

Despite Booster's tangential involvement, the story is actually quite entertaining. Betrayal and the temptation of power are themes regularly investigated in super hero comics. This story simply takes those themes to a logical extreme and with the addition of time travel, provides a frame story that allows the creative teams of the era to incorporate the crossover event into their series in organic and entertaining ways.

If you can get past the tragically unsatisfying ending, this 2001, like the year itself, is worth a second look.

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On this date in 1960, the United States of America defeated the Soviet Union at ice hockey for the first time ever on their way to the gold medal in the Winter Olympic Games. On this date in 1980, Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" won the first (and only) Grammy in the Best Disco Recording category. And on this date in 1990, Booster Gold did what he does best: helped Animal Man steal a time machine in Animal Man #22.

Preceding the events of Animal Man #22, Animal Man's family had been killed by assassins. Desperate to turn back the clock and save his wife and children, Animal Man reached out to fellow Justice Leaguer Booster Gold in order to enlist the aid of Rip Hunter, the Time Master. Booster arranges the meeting, but is critical of Animal Man's behavior. (This scene will be re-visited in Time Masters #4, published three weeks later.)

No doubt issue writer Grant Morrison was being intentionally ironic in having Booster Gold -- a hero with a questionable moral compass himself -- question "what kind of hero" Animal Man is for lying to Rip Hunter. A significant and recurring theme of Morrison's run on Animal Man was the value of comic book-style heroics and the over-simplified ethical values therein. Does Booster Gold have any right to criticize another hero? Does anyone?

It has never been revealed if Booster holds any animosity over being an accomplice in Animal Man's dishonest appropriation of Rip Hunter's time-backpack. Perhaps its no coincidence that these two characters who dress so similarly haven't shared an on-panel conversation since.

Despite Booster's brief appearance, Animal Man #22 is a journey through the emotional state of a very disturbed Buddy Baker and as such is part of a much larger narrative. The issue is recommended to fans willing to involve themselves in a meta-textual investigation of the nature of comics, but only if they are willing to read the issues that came before (several of which are referenced herein) and stick around for the long haul.

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Yesterday, Dan Jurgens tweeted some solemn news:

Since 1985? That means that pencil did the work on all 115 comic books penciled by Jurgens that featured Booster Gold, including the entire volume 1 and most of volume 2 of the character's self-titled series. That's also the same pencil that created Doomsday and killed Superman! (And created and killed Waverider!)

Someone save that pen: the Space Museum is getting a whole new exhibit!

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