Booster Gold #14 is my least favorite issue of Booster's original volume.

I can't put my finger on just one reason why, but the art is a big part. Jurgens' take on the future of the DC Universe (and sequential-panel storytelling) was clearly being influenced by Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, which had taken the comic-book-reading world by storm earlier that year. What works for Batman doesn't necessarily work for Booster.

It doesn't help that the crowded panels are oversaturated with secondary and pastel colors. I typically like colorist Gene D'Angelo's work, but his color choices, clearly intended to play up the psychological tension of our physically-ailing hero stuck in an era that's out to get him, are perhaps working too well for me.

That said, the issue is not entirely without redeeming value. For example, page 19 does efficiently introduce Broderick, the Dirty Harry of the 25th century. And the final page, with a deconstructed Skeets, builds to a good cliff hanger.

But for my money, the best page in the whole book is this one:

If you couldn't tell before now, I'm a sucker for the Booster/Trixie relationship. Seeing them support one another emotionally in the lamplight.... Yeah. This one's got to be my favorite.

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I hope you're in the mood for some T&A today!

Booster Gold #13 is the only time Gary Martin ever inked a Booster Gold adventure, and the difference between it and what came before is striking. Take page 10 as an example:

Surgically clean lines, heavy black shadowing, and screentone gradients all contribute to a fittingly moody environment as a weakened Booster Gold struggles back into the super-hero saddle.

Or maybe that mood is just the sexual tension between scantily-clad Trixie and full-moon Booster?

"Ready to go," indeed!

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Perhaps most famous for its uncharacteristically metaphorical opening splash page, I can't imagine that Booster Gold volume 1 #10 is anyone's favorite Booster Gold comic.

The issue's main story is almost entirely about positioning the pieces for the final act of Booster's first long story arc. But the slower pace does allow for building emotional development, especially as we finally see the motivation of Booster's foes, the desperation of Dirk Davis, and most importantly, the friendship (romance?) Trixie Collins feels for our hero.

Artist Dan Jurgens reinforces writer Dan Jurgens' theme of plumbing character depths with pages of panels that start with large establishing shots and tighten to small panels of specific details.

The story starts on page 2, opening in a claustrophobic alley and then ratcheting up the tension as panels shrink the scope down to a very threatening cassette tape. On page 5, we literally follow the villain down as he descends into irrational madness. Page 11 is another fantastic example as focus is narrowed from a crime scene to the relevant clue, and on page 19, panels keep cutting away to closer and closer reaction shots of Doctor Shocker's glee at Booster's decreasing power. Alfred Hitchcock would be proud!

All of those are great pages, but my favorite is the most serene in the whole book: just Booster and Trixie hanging out in a pizza place.

You can actually see these two growing closer! Call me sentimental, but I think that's Boosterrific!

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In many ways, Booster Gold volume 1 number 4 is exactly what you might expect from a Bonze Age DC comic: two disparate heroes are forced to team-up to have a fist fight with a would-be world conquering super villain and his minions. However, the story has several elements that make it unique, not the least of which is that after several issues subverting heroic tropes, Booster Gold gets to play the role of the prototypical hero and be morally contrasted with Rose, a "hero" who shuns attention.

That said, I actually prefer the pauses the story takes to show us Trixie Collins feeding her fish or Skip Andrews trying to get a comic book off the ground. And I cannot tell you how excited I get every time I read the final page of the story, which promises Booster's next big foe: the Internal Revenue Service!

I am always disappointed that this subplot is eventually resolved off-panel. I think it would be interesting to meet Booster's bookkeeper.

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Booster booster Rob Snow sent me an electronic-mail to share the news that Ryan Sook has already released his original pen and ink page art for Blue and Gold #5 for sale at felixcomicart.com.

Naturally, I went and took a look, and what I found blew my—hold on.

Since there is no dialogue in the line art (these days, the letterer places the speech balloons digitally over colored artwork), and we already know that Rip Hunter is on the solicited cover for the issue (as reported on the Boosterrific Blog back on September 20), I don't think telling you that a red-headed, bearded Rip Hunter appears in the pages qualifies as much of a spoiler.

But if you don't want to see what follows before the issue is released, I'll give you to the count of three to look away.

One.

Two.

Two-and-a-half.

Three.

Still here? Good, so am I. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Here:

Blue and Gold #5 page 18 ($250 at felixcomicart.com)

Rip Hunter and Trixie Collins hugging? Needle drop!

As Rob said in his email

I swear if Rip calls her Mom imma lose my $#!+

You and me both, Rob.

I guess we'll find out what sweet nothings they are whispering to one another when Blue and Gold #5 is released next week.

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