As we all know, Booster Gold was inspired by Batman and Superman. But what happens when our hero crosses paths with another up-and-coming hero? Would he provide inspiration of his own? In short, no.

In all likelihood, Booster Gold was completley unaware that he was crashing Maxi-Man's attempt at a debut appearance in Mister Miracle, Volume 2, #9. Though Maxi-Man meant well, it was this constant upstaging by more established heroes that would drive him to seek the attention of the public and lead him directly into a confrontation with Booster's Justice League teammate, Mister Miracle. Needless to say, Maxi-Man was outmatched.

Booster and Maxi-Man would go on to work together in the Conglomerate (in Justice League Quarterly #1), but the group was disbanded before they had much time for bonding. Years later, Maxi-Man met his end in Roulette's casino, so we may never know if Maxi-Man held a grudge against everyone's favorite Corporate Crusader. Maybe Maxi-Man will get a second chance in the New 52.

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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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I am 100% sure that if Kord Omniversal had been in last week's poll, it would have won in a landslide. Who wouldn't want to see Ted Kord as the backer for the JLI? (Note to DC: get on that.)

Last week's poll question: Who should be the financial backer for the New 52 Justice League International? (51 votes)

Booster Gold may have chosen to play football and become the greatest quarterback in history, but that doesn't mean that was the only sport he could have played. With a little free time on his hands while the 2012 Olympic Games are in session, perhaps it is time to show the world that Booster is good enough for gold.

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Now that Justice League International has come to an end, Russ Burlingame and Dan Jurgens have their final monthly wrap-up with "Justice League International #12: The End of the Road" at ComicBook.com. The series was bittersweet, to say the least. As good as it was to have Booster Gold included somewhere in the New 52, the stories always tasted half-baked. Even this final conversation between Burlingame and Jurgens feels a little uncomfortable, as though Jurgens is unwilling or unable to directly answer some of Burlingame's more pointed questions about the activities behind-the-scenes at DC that led to the cancellation of this book despite what appear to have been positive sales.

Burlingame: "Our adventure together proved otherwise." We get a little on-page indication by Batman of a little bit of the nature of his past with Booster. Was there a particular story you had in mind, or was it just a New 52 riff on the adventure they had together during Booster Gold vol. 2?

Jurgens: No, there was a particular story we had in mind that was actually going to be our issue zero. Sadly, we didn't get there.

Burlingame: It almost seems like a weird kind of mirror of the end of Generation Lost, for Aaron to have to set up the end/beginning again.

Jurgens: I hadn't quite thought of that, but you're right. I was just trying to do something fitting. The cancellation was something of a last minute decision so we didn't have a lot of room or time to do things differently.

Burlingame: All of that "turning the page" stuff in this issue —- was that a bit of metatext? If Booster is moving on to the next stage in his evolution, is it time for fans to do the same and let go of our hopes and conspiracy theories that he might be a tether to the DC Universe of old?

Jurgens: My feeling has always been, that, regardless of the character, if there's something about him/her that fans want to hold onto, they should do so.

Here at Boosterrific.com, we'll be holding on to Booster Gold, all right, high collar and all.

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Hmm. How to interpret this poll? Jaime has a small but strong following? Blue and Gold fans still mourn Ted Kord? Ah, I got it: give us back our Booster Gold, DC!

Last week's poll question: How would you respond to a new series pairing Booster Gold and the new Blue Beetle? (61 votes)

Yesterday's issue of Justice League International #12 confirms that the JLI will no longer have any support, financial or otherwise, from the United Nations. One international organization's mistake is another man's opportunity.

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