Broken Frontier

Booster Gold is on a mission to change the past and rescue Ted Kord no matter the cost. Even if that cost is Booster’s life.

Writing partners Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz have proven with this series that you really can breathe new life into an old series without destroying what has come before. Building on the character Booster Gold they have crafted a series that embraces the past and explores the future and after all, isn’t that what a comic book about a time traveling hero should do?

Time Master Rip Hunter has told Booster that certain parts of the past cannot be altered but a mysterious Blue Beetle from the 27th century claims he has the power to change that. In addition, he has taken the first Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett, out of the past and recruited the present Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes all to rescue Ted Kord from his fate. Booster is willing to sacrifice anything, even his own life, to save his best friend. And it may take just that.

Johns and Katz have not shied away from Booster’s past, instead choosing to use that as a springboard for moving the character forward. They manage a fine balancing act between having the character mature but not lose some of the loveable loser aspects that endear him to fans. One of the things that make this book stand out as well is the care and crafting that are going into the supporting cast here. Rip Hunter, Daniel Carter, Rose Levin and, of course, Skeets all play vital roles and help to make the story richer and more balanced – adding to the drama, comedy and action.

The artwork by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund also reflects this mixture of old and new school. Jurgens’ work is influenced and shaped by what he did in the 1980’s when he first helped launch the character of Booster Gold. The finishes and inks added by Rapmund then help to add more modern shading and in many places really increase the mood and atmosphere of the story.

The thing about this issue in particular is how much of a coherent whole it is. Look at the cover image – a throwback to the old days when there were actually captions on the front of comic books and the front cover actually represented the story inside. Then look at the title: "Meet the Beetles". Sure, it’s a pun but at least it is a good one and it has the added benefit of being true as, during the course of the story we are introduced to and learn more about each of the men to bear the name Blue Beetle. Finally, there are visual puns as well courtesy of Jurgens and Rapmund – the top of page four in a hilarious and yet subtle tribute-pun to the famous Beatles album cover "Abbey Road".

In short, everything about this comic is running on all eight cylinders – art, cover, title, story meet comedy, action, and drama to mesh together in ways that this reviewer has not seen for a very long time. That kind of attention to detail is what makes Booster Gold one of the best superhero comics on the shelves today.