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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Reviewers across the internet have been pretty kind to Justice League International, Vol. 3, #1. ComicBook.com, Comics Alliance, and Inside Pulse all rate the book highly. It seems pretty clear that the majority of reviewer across the net seem to rate the book no worse than average.

In the Boosterrific.com review for the issue (found here), I expressed my relief in finding a familiar port in the storm of the DCnU reboot by giving the issue a five-star rating. In no time I was accused of being overly generous. That criticism made me wonder about how highly I was rating other issues on the site, so I took a look. Here's the results:

Obviously, I like more books than I dislike. Does this mean that I like most comics, rating comics in general higher than they deserve? Or does this mean that Boosterrific.com exhibits a selection bias, consistently rating comics containing Booster Gold as better than average simply because they contain Booster Gold? You be the judge; I'm busy reading comics.

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Eyz of G33K Life is running a very periodic comic strip based on everybody's favorite Booster Gold and the rest of the Justice League International. You can find Eyz's SUPPERBUDDIES! strips and links to his other very entertaining comic-centric cartoons here.

But wait, that's not all! This past weekend, G33K Life has been busy with the Booster Gold love, posting a review of the entire original run of Booster Gold in the site's Comic Book Quickies series. Of course, anyone visiting Boosterrific probably already knows everything that there is to know about Booster (right?), but there's certainly something to be said for quick reviews of books in this modern, minute rice world.

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