To recap: when last we left our heroes during the 1992 "Darkness Within" event, the Justice League and the rest of the heroes of the DCU were fighting for their very survival against the awesome corrupting powers of Eclipso, who had just taken his greatest prize, Superman, starting a race against time to find the Man of Steel before Eclipso could unleash the Kryptonian's powers at sunset.

Which brings us to Adventures of Superman Annual #4, and Booster Gold to save the day!

A redheaded Brazilian?

I'd make a joke here about discovering that Booster can read, but he's really just flipping past the articles to look at the pictures. Sigh. Oh, Booster, you really are your own worst enemy.

Look, Booster Gold and Superman have thrown down several times by now, and I'd like to tell you that this is the occasion when our Golden Boy finally taught Big Blue a lesson... but no.

I won't spoil the story further except to say that this issue is the penultimate chapter in this event, and about a third of the pages are used to set up the finale. Still, it's a pretty good battle with consistent characterization, solid (if unexceptional) sequential art, and a heroic tone, which combine to make me nostalgic for the comics of yesteryear.

(Footnote: As it happened, I was listening to the soundtrack to Kpop Demon Hunters during my latest re-read of this and by chance started "Takedown" as the heroes launched into their fight with Eclipsed Superman [page 9]. It's no Dark Side of the Moon during Wizard of Oz, but I thought it made a pretty good backing track for this particular fight. YMMV.)

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Pay attention, Booster boosters, as Booster Gold is in three different comics today!

Did I say "different"? According to Rob Snow, not so much. Apparently, while Booster Gold is in Justice League Unlimited #11, it's just the "last page splash panel. Same exact scene as the last page splash panel in Superman #30" that sets up next month's Justice League: The Omega Act.

You all already know my opinions on what's going on over in Superman, so that's all I have to say about those.

However, the third comic is New History of the DC Universe #3, which has been twice delayed past its original expected date August 27. Two delays are kind of fitting considering that Booster Gold and Skeets(!) are on two of its covers, one by Chris Samnee and the other by Scott Koblish. Both are really great. AIPTComics.com has a preview of the interior that confirms that Booster Gold and Skeets are inside, too.

Buy some comics and make Skeets happy! Thanks, Rob.

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Ok, I've just read Superman #29. For the purpose of updating this site, I read it twice. And my initial gut reaction is that I hate it. I hated reading twice so much that I want to stop reading comics set in the DCU forever, or at least until they can tell a story that doesn't assume I want to read multi-part crossover, years-long, seemingly-unending torture-porn stories about heroes failing. I'm just sick of it.

I've read and even enjoyed some dark stories before, but this one has really been the last straw. Is it event fatigue? Dissatisfaction with Joshua Williamson's fanboy-pandering, tell-but-don't-show writing style or Dan Mora's inability to deliver functional sequential art? World news? American politics? Summer heat? Too many years of Booster Gold being put through the meat grinder? I really don't know. I thought I was in a good mood before I started reading.

I'm going to take some time and consider why I feel this way and if anything can be done about it.

It may be a few days before I post again; my enthusiasm for following Booster Gold comics has been completely exhausted.

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After making a surprise cameo appearance in June's Superman #27, Booster Gold wasn't in last month's Superman #28. But he's definitely going to be on the cover of September's Superman #30. So the question is: Will he be in tomorrow's Superman #29?

BleedingCool.com has a preview, and Booster's not in that. But Time Trapper is, and in that preview, Time Trapper excuses himself to go face the Dark Legion in another book which turns out to be Justice League Unlimited #10. Unfortunately, Booster's not in that preview either.

Booster has to appear in at least one of those books, right? I'll keep you posted.

UPDATE: Rob Snow tells us Booster *is* in Superman #29. Thanks, Rob!

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SLW has brought it to my attention that for a second time in three months, a comic book depicted a Booster Gold doll. That book: Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1.

In the story, Superman is suffering from purple kryptonite poisoning and is experiencing time out of order. The comic represents this by presenting the panels out of order (which is a clever bit of metatext, but isn't a great reading experience).

As a public service, here are the four panels which depict Booster Gold in chronological order of events:

Page 23, Panel 1

Page 21, Panel 3

Page 22, Panel 2

Page 23, Panel 2

Hmm. That looks kind of like a Booster Gold Troll doll. I sure hope Booster is getting a cut of all these Booster Gold-themed products.

Thanks, SLW.

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