Quick Rating: Excellent!
Story Title: 52 Pick-Up, chapter 1: Secret Origins
Booster Gold finds that despite saving the multi-verse, Time is still broken, and it’s up to him to save it–in a rather surprising way.
Written by: Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz
Layouts by: Dan Jurgens
Finishes by: Norm Rapmund
Colors by: Hi-Fi
Letters by: Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor: Harvey Richards
Editor: Michael Siglain
Cover by: Dan Jurgens
Variant cover by: Art Adams
Special Thanks to: "Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid…but definitely not Keith Giffen!"
Booster Gold created by: Dan Jurgens
Publisher: DC Comics
This issue rocks! It presses a lotta my fan buttons, and is one of very few issues of late that I put down and probably had some silly grin on my face, having just simply enjoyed it that much.
We pick up with Booster Gold a couple months after the events of 52, as he’s working to make it big again and get a shot at joining the current Justice League…even though none of it’s quite the same without his best buddy Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) around. Unfortunately for the would-be hero, other forces–and people–are at work in the timestream, and Booster finds himself drawn back into facing a crisis that threatens to keep him from his public and rise to genuine fame.
Throughout, we get a number of great character moments and interactions that speak to the potential of coming issues and stories, even as they add to the depth of this very story.
The story here seems really solid to me–and if there was a lack of solidity, it didn’t stand out to me. This issue–and series–builds on the events of 52 and takes up some dangling threads to start tying stuff up in one way or another. Booster is written in such a way that he’s not only true to classic/iconic form, but is also given some actual growth, leaving plenty of room for continuing growth as a character, without ditching or disrespecting the past.
We get a lot of what makes a great first issue for a new title: exposition/flashback to catch the reader up or introduce new readers to the state of affairs; prominent use of the title character; introduction of new and old characters for supporting cast; guest-stars to show what it is that makes this character stand on his own; a plausible story that builds on existing continuity without being bogged down; and several bits of foreshadowing and outright teases of what’s to come, that fit right into the context of the story without feeling forced.
The strength of continuity and the feel of the main character himself certainly must come partly from the fact that Johns was one of Booster’s writers from his last adventure.
Visually, the cover stands out immediately, with a fun, iconic sort of picture–and though I hadn’t realized it when I first noticed it and thought about what a cool image it was–the standard cover is by Dan Jurgens, who has had a certain place in Booster Gold history.
The general artwork in the issue is also very good…it captures the sheer fun-ness and energy of things. It’s not the most hyper-detailed, nor is it overly simplified…it clearly shows who’s doing what where and when, gets across what’s going on, and as a whole does a great job of doing what the art in a comic is supposed to do.
While this issue’s story, and perhaps very existence spring directly from 52, you need not have read that story to understand what’s going on here–and the details from 52 that do matter are recapped in the flow of this issue’s story. Though this looks to have elements drawn from all parts of the DC multiverse, and the ability to touch any and all titles that are part of the main stable of DC books, this issue feels very nicely self-contained, and a decent jumping-in point even if you’re not familiar with the DCU.
Taken as a whole, this issue is one of the single most enjoyable reads I’ve had all year, and I definitely recommend it–especially if you’re a fan of the character, of 52, or of the "new" multiverse.
Ratings:
Story: 4.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Filed under: Booster Gold, Classic Reviews, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: 52, 52 Pick-Up, Art Adams, Booster Gold, Comic Reviews, Dan Jurgens, DC, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Harvey RIchards, Hi-Fi, Jeff Katz, Keith Giffen, Mark Waid, Michael Siglain, Norm Rapmund, Rob Leigh, Secret Origins | Leave a comment »
This is the third “mega-anniversary” issue from DC in a month’s time (
I’ve long followed Tim Drake’s adventures. His first appearance was in the Batman: Year Three arc, the final issue of which was my very first-ever Batman comic to own. The very next Batman arc was the Lonely Place of Dying 5-parter crossing over with New Titans, that officially introduced Tim Drake to the Robin role. I had initially missed–but quickly caught up on–the original two mini-series the character had, bought the Eclipso: The Darkness Within annual that summer, and the first year or so of the ongoing series following Knightfall.
Along similar lines, Booster Gold is a character I’m familiar with going back to 1992’s Doomsday / The Death of Superman arc. The character has matured quite a bit since then, particularly throughout 52 and the current ongoing series. Aside from guest appearances, the character was largely off my radar, though, from the late 1990s until 52.
In the wake of the huge Blackest Night event across 9 months or so, and the majority of comics seeming to be hitting the $3.99 price point with virtually no stop in the $3.25 or $3.50 range, I’m burning out. I’ve also been increasingly frustrated at collected volumes either being over-priced for what they contain, or being a superior “package” to the single issues, as they often make me feel like I’m almost being “punished” for buying single issues.
I’ve been getting after opting to stop buying JSA when Johns left (I tried the first issue after and wasn’t sold on the new team).
Comic Reviews by Walt 