Gold, Booster Gold
The Beginning: The new villain is the return of one of those many loose threads created over the course of the past arc, which makes me happy to see come to fruition, and he's so utterly campy that it's clearly intentional, and his henchman even continuously calls him out on it.
The credits are actually fun to read, as there's some good comedy mixed into it.
We all know Booster Gold's origin, but rarely is it revisited in such detail, and it makes this a fantastic jumping on point for new readers.
The other new villain, a throwaway villain, is even campier than the first, and the banter between him and Booster is utterly hilarious.
There's a nice neat look into a bit of Booster's history we didn't really know about, and ties together a tiny thread that's been running in Griffen/DeMatteis' run. And the emotional component of it is pretty heartwarming.
The ending really gave me a huge shock.
Art's pretty good.
The Bad: Griffen and DeMatteis seem to be trying to have their cake and eat it too. This issue was crammed full of plot and comedy, and trying to shove in an emotional scene as well seemed just a little bit forced.
We all know Booster Gold's history, and this issue spent quite a chunk of time recapping it. But that does make it a good point for new readers.
EDIT: Forgot to mention. Rip suddenly seems pretty casual about mentioning the threat of Maxwell Lord, just like when he remembered him. Of course I thought it was bullshit that he forgot in the first place, I even called this series out in it in a previous review (I think). I mean, here's a good logical explanation. Rip DID remember Max but was testing Booster. Which would make sense considering how #33 played out. But if that IS the case, the issue needs to be ADRESSED, not just swept under the rug like we're supposed to forget about it.
In Conclusion: 4/5
Month after month, Booster Gold is an immensely fun comic to read. Griffen and DeMatteis know how to write some fantastically entertaining dialogue, and how to weave together time travel plots incredibly well. The 'Character Spotlight' cover is very appropriate because this is a perfect jumping on point issue. If you've been thinking about picking this title up, hop aboard the Booster train!
