DC will be including short primers in the various Convergence mini-series to catch newer readers up on the events that inspired these new comics. Obviously a lot happened during the JLI's decade-long run, and it's amusing to see what DC thinks readers will need help remembering, including these two panels:

Justice League America #35 (1990)

Justice League America #80 (1993)

The first panel is clearly the inspiration for the events of Countdown to Infinite Crisis, and the second is the single ugliest Booster Gold costume ever. Personally, I think they're both events in JLI history that I would rather forget!

You can see the whole piece at ComicBookResources.com.

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While we can continue to debate what sort of "pivotal" role Booster Gold might be playing in Convergence, it certainly looks like we should expect to see him show up in Convergence: Justice League International.

Friday, Russ Burlingame put the question to Ron Marz (Mr. Pivotal himself) answered:

Burlingame: [I]s the fact that we already have a minimum of two Boosters running around being Time Masters limiting to what you can do with him [in Convergence Justice League International]?

Marz: Booster's dance card is pretty full in Convergence, but I think we'll find a way to sneak him in there. Everybody wants a Booster and Beetle moment.

We sure do! And it looks like we're going to get what we want!

You can find the whole conversation at ComicBook.com. (Thanks, Russ!)

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On Friday, Chris Sims defended the legacy of the Justice League International.

Everyone always thinks of it as the funny Justice League book. That's how it's always referred to, with the emphasis on the bwa-ha-has, the "One punch!" scenes, and Beetle and Booster's wacky schemes, but that's not really accurate. All that stuff is in there, sure.
...
The point is, while JLI was a book with a lot of very funny, very memorable parts, comedy was never really the main focus of the series. Or at least, it wasn't the focus at the expense of anything else. See, the thing that marked JLI more than being a funny book was that it was a balanced one.

Of course he's right. If you've never read the original Justice League International comics, come for the Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, stay for the action, adventure, and drama. You'll be glad you did.

You can read the rest of Sims' "Ask Chris" article at ComicsAlliance.com.

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Blastr.com has some of the solicitations for the second wave of Convergence minis, and it looks like there's at least one that will include Booster Gold:

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL
(Writer: Ron Marz; Artist: Mike Manley, with color by Sotocolor)
The levity of the JLI team collides with the severity of the world of Kingdom Come.

I didn't include the pic from the solicitation — you can see it at Blastr.com — specifically because it doesn't include Booster Gold. For that matter, neither does the solicitation text. But DC can't revisit the JLI without including Booster Gold, can they?

For those of you too young to remember, Ron Marz never actually wrote a single issue of Justice League International. Most of us know Marz as the man who turned Green Lantern Hal Jordan into the villain Parallax and introduced his replacement, Kyle Rayner. It should be interesting to see Marz's take on the signature stylings of Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis.

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Do you remember What comics you were reading 25 years ago? If you were a Justice League International fan, you were treated to the first on-panel appearance of the tiny Pacific island KooeyKooeyKooey 25 years ago today.

Justice League International #33

One month later, KooeyKooeyKooey would be the home of the ill-fated Club JLI, a Justice League-themed resort and casino. Club JLI was built by funds embezzled from the United Nations and was robbed by future Leaguer Major Disaster, but neither of those problems were what ultimately doomed it. But you probably know all about that already.

(If you don't, find yourself copies of Justice League International #33, #34, and #35, or the 2011 reprint in Justice League International Volume 6).

(And if you miss the madcap adventures of Blue and Gold, be sure to pick up the duo's return in Justice League 3000 #12 on December 3.)

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