Manic
User title? USER TITLE?!
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It's been a while since I've participated in this thread, but here I am. Just a note: My reviews in this thread are mirrored at NuMutant.net (with pictures).
BOOSTER GOLD #22
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciler: Dan Jurgens
Publisher: DC
“Day of Death (Part II of IV)”
The issue begins mere moments ago, with the Black Beetle speaking to his mysterious partner in a hidden snowy base. When Booster saved Dick Grayson’s life during the present, Black Beetle’s friend found a point in the past where they can affect the timeline and effectively kill Grayson then. Black Beetle’s destination is some point in the past when Grayson was still Robin, and a member of the Teen Titans.
Back in the present day, Booster, Skeets, and Rip realize what has happened, and Rip drops the two off in the past with instructions to protect the entire Teen Titans team. Booster and Skeets find Cyborg at STAR Labs, under attack from the original Ravager, Grant Wilson (son of Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, and older brother of Rose Wilson the current Ravager). Booster springs to Cyborg’s rescue, temporarily subduing Ravager. Black Beetle and that time’s Deathstroke come to Ravager’s rescue, and the three villains flee. Cyborg takes Booster and Skeets to the hotel the Titans are relaxing at. After a full page dedicated to Starfire & Donna’s bosoms, the Titans suit up and get ready for the villains to attack.
Meanwhile, at Vanishing Point (the former base of the Linear Men that exists perpetually at the final moment of the universe), Rip Hunter is investigating why exactly Black Beetle was there at the beginning of the previous issue. He finds that Vanishing Point’s database has been compromised, and soon sets off a proximity bomb that explodes mere inches in front of him. Rip Hunter is out, and possibly dead.
Back in the past, the fight between the Titans (with Booster and Skeets) and the team-up of Black Beetle, Ravager, and Deathstroke begins. History says that Ravager is supposed to die during this fight, as the superpowers he was given have been slowly killing him from the inside out for some time. However, Black Beetle uses chronal energy to halt the process, giving Ravager his strength back. The Titans are then sliced, blasted, and finally blown away by a grenade thrown at Robin’s feet. The Teen Titans are dead, and Booster is floating face-down in the pool next to a damaged Skeets.
Wow. It’s rare that you see the bad guys win. When they do win, they’re hardly this effective. The only death confirmed in this issue is Robin’s, but it’s highly likely that Booster, Skeets, and Rip won’t be repairing the timeline on their own anytime soon. False alarm deaths are a common story element in superhero comics, so I do expect the title character, his robotic sidekick, and his mysterious leader/future son to survive this one, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Rip came out of this story somewhat different.
What I find interesting is that Booster Gold’s sister, Goldstar, ran away several issues ago, and nobody has tried to find her. She’s a wildcard time traveler, a member of this team, and quite possibly the only good guy who isn’t presumed dead. Something tells me she’ll be back to save the day next month. It’s a long shot, but I also wouldn’t count out Ted Kord. He left at the end of “Blue and Gold,” and there was that mysterious figure on the final page of that story who shouted Ted & Booster’s signature “Bwahaha” laugh.
This issue was pretty good and pretty intense. Lots of action, and plenty at stake. If you’re a fan of the Teen Titans of the 1980’s, then you’ll love seeing them again as their old selves. Definitely worth a read.
BLUE BEETLE SECOND FEATURE
Writer: Matthew Sturges
Penciler: Mike Norton
“Armor-Plated (Part 2 of 3)”
When we last left off, Blue Beetle had finished off a giant robot named Thinko, but found that its original creator had been dead for years, and the creator’s son was already in jail for his own prior schemes as a mad scientist. Later on, Jaime and Paco are walking to school when they’re suddenly surrounded by an army of Unimate robots.
Jaime suits up into his Blue Beetle gear, and engages the Unimates in battle. There are too many of them, however, and Beetle needs to rethink his strategy. His scarab suggests using a small nuclear weapon, which Jaime rejects and wonders why the scarab has been so bloodthirsty lately. After realizing how the Unimates were targeting him, Jaime uses the scarab to reflect his heat and microwave signature back onto the Unimates, prompting them to attack one another. The havoc nearly destroys the school.
Back at Jaime’s house, his mom gets off the phone with the school and says that classes will recommence later in a set of trailers that were set up the last time Blue Beetle destroyed the school. She also tells Jaime that the school released a public statement asking the Blue Beetle to take his battles elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Brenda has found some information on the imprisoned scientist Von Neumann’s daughter. She apparently has no records linking her to Von Neumann, and Brenda wouldn’t even have found her if Von Neumann himself hadn’t mentioned it when they interviewed him. The prolonged interaction between Paco and Brenda eventually starts a fight, of course, and everyone decides to go home for the night. Paco decides to drive to Maria Boole’s house himself, and confronts her about being Von Neumann’s daughter. She pulls a gun on him, takes him down to her basement, and holds him captive alongside her father, whom she recently broke out of prison.
Jaime and Brenda hear from Paco’s mom that he never made it home that night, so the two go investigate Boole’s house. Maria Boole meets them outside, and catches Blue Beetle by surprise when she grows large robotic arms and attacks him.
The Blue Beetle backup comics are pretty fun so far, and I already regret not buying the old Blue Beetle ongoing series. Credit goes to Sturges for establishing so much in so few pages. After only two backup stories, I know who exactly Blue Beetle’s friends and allies are, that he trusts his parents enough to let them know his secret identity, and what kinds of personalities the characters are sporting. This backup also revealed why exactly Paco and Brenda broke up.
If you’re a fan of both Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, definitely get this issue. If you’re just a fan of Booster Gold, get this issue and give Blue Beetle a chance. If you’re just a fan of Blue Beetle, then I wouldn’t recommend dishing out $4 for 10 pages worth of story unless you really love some Jaime.
BOOSTER GOLD #22
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciler: Dan Jurgens
Publisher: DC
“Day of Death (Part II of IV)”
The issue begins mere moments ago, with the Black Beetle speaking to his mysterious partner in a hidden snowy base. When Booster saved Dick Grayson’s life during the present, Black Beetle’s friend found a point in the past where they can affect the timeline and effectively kill Grayson then. Black Beetle’s destination is some point in the past when Grayson was still Robin, and a member of the Teen Titans.
Back in the present day, Booster, Skeets, and Rip realize what has happened, and Rip drops the two off in the past with instructions to protect the entire Teen Titans team. Booster and Skeets find Cyborg at STAR Labs, under attack from the original Ravager, Grant Wilson (son of Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, and older brother of Rose Wilson the current Ravager). Booster springs to Cyborg’s rescue, temporarily subduing Ravager. Black Beetle and that time’s Deathstroke come to Ravager’s rescue, and the three villains flee. Cyborg takes Booster and Skeets to the hotel the Titans are relaxing at. After a full page dedicated to Starfire & Donna’s bosoms, the Titans suit up and get ready for the villains to attack.
Meanwhile, at Vanishing Point (the former base of the Linear Men that exists perpetually at the final moment of the universe), Rip Hunter is investigating why exactly Black Beetle was there at the beginning of the previous issue. He finds that Vanishing Point’s database has been compromised, and soon sets off a proximity bomb that explodes mere inches in front of him. Rip Hunter is out, and possibly dead.
Back in the past, the fight between the Titans (with Booster and Skeets) and the team-up of Black Beetle, Ravager, and Deathstroke begins. History says that Ravager is supposed to die during this fight, as the superpowers he was given have been slowly killing him from the inside out for some time. However, Black Beetle uses chronal energy to halt the process, giving Ravager his strength back. The Titans are then sliced, blasted, and finally blown away by a grenade thrown at Robin’s feet. The Teen Titans are dead, and Booster is floating face-down in the pool next to a damaged Skeets.
Wow. It’s rare that you see the bad guys win. When they do win, they’re hardly this effective. The only death confirmed in this issue is Robin’s, but it’s highly likely that Booster, Skeets, and Rip won’t be repairing the timeline on their own anytime soon. False alarm deaths are a common story element in superhero comics, so I do expect the title character, his robotic sidekick, and his mysterious leader/future son to survive this one, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Rip came out of this story somewhat different.
What I find interesting is that Booster Gold’s sister, Goldstar, ran away several issues ago, and nobody has tried to find her. She’s a wildcard time traveler, a member of this team, and quite possibly the only good guy who isn’t presumed dead. Something tells me she’ll be back to save the day next month. It’s a long shot, but I also wouldn’t count out Ted Kord. He left at the end of “Blue and Gold,” and there was that mysterious figure on the final page of that story who shouted Ted & Booster’s signature “Bwahaha” laugh.
This issue was pretty good and pretty intense. Lots of action, and plenty at stake. If you’re a fan of the Teen Titans of the 1980’s, then you’ll love seeing them again as their old selves. Definitely worth a read.
BLUE BEETLE SECOND FEATURE
Writer: Matthew Sturges
Penciler: Mike Norton
“Armor-Plated (Part 2 of 3)”
When we last left off, Blue Beetle had finished off a giant robot named Thinko, but found that its original creator had been dead for years, and the creator’s son was already in jail for his own prior schemes as a mad scientist. Later on, Jaime and Paco are walking to school when they’re suddenly surrounded by an army of Unimate robots.
Jaime suits up into his Blue Beetle gear, and engages the Unimates in battle. There are too many of them, however, and Beetle needs to rethink his strategy. His scarab suggests using a small nuclear weapon, which Jaime rejects and wonders why the scarab has been so bloodthirsty lately. After realizing how the Unimates were targeting him, Jaime uses the scarab to reflect his heat and microwave signature back onto the Unimates, prompting them to attack one another. The havoc nearly destroys the school.
Back at Jaime’s house, his mom gets off the phone with the school and says that classes will recommence later in a set of trailers that were set up the last time Blue Beetle destroyed the school. She also tells Jaime that the school released a public statement asking the Blue Beetle to take his battles elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Brenda has found some information on the imprisoned scientist Von Neumann’s daughter. She apparently has no records linking her to Von Neumann, and Brenda wouldn’t even have found her if Von Neumann himself hadn’t mentioned it when they interviewed him. The prolonged interaction between Paco and Brenda eventually starts a fight, of course, and everyone decides to go home for the night. Paco decides to drive to Maria Boole’s house himself, and confronts her about being Von Neumann’s daughter. She pulls a gun on him, takes him down to her basement, and holds him captive alongside her father, whom she recently broke out of prison.
Jaime and Brenda hear from Paco’s mom that he never made it home that night, so the two go investigate Boole’s house. Maria Boole meets them outside, and catches Blue Beetle by surprise when she grows large robotic arms and attacks him.
The Blue Beetle backup comics are pretty fun so far, and I already regret not buying the old Blue Beetle ongoing series. Credit goes to Sturges for establishing so much in so few pages. After only two backup stories, I know who exactly Blue Beetle’s friends and allies are, that he trusts his parents enough to let them know his secret identity, and what kinds of personalities the characters are sporting. This backup also revealed why exactly Paco and Brenda broke up.
If you’re a fan of both Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, definitely get this issue. If you’re just a fan of Booster Gold, get this issue and give Blue Beetle a chance. If you’re just a fan of Blue Beetle, then I wouldn’t recommend dishing out $4 for 10 pages worth of story unless you really love some Jaime.
