Title and #: Booster Gold #41

Writer: Giffen and DeMatteis

Artist: Batista and Perrotta

Arc: Booster-Busted

Synopsis: Booster is still reeling from the news that Rip is going to take him back to the 25th Century to stand trial for stealing his tech at the start of his career. Then things get really exciting when Rip’s bunker is attacked by Dr. Nishtikeit. Rip is nearly killed in an explosion and Skeets is nearly destroyed. All looks lost until Gold Star joins in the fight! Will it be enough? Is Booster really going to have to stand trial? Will Rani survive? Why aren’t you reading this already?

Story: This is easily one of the best issues out of this Giffen and Dematteis run. The high points are that most of it is action and fighting and very little of the offensive and demeaning humor that was going on near the beginning of this run. Some moments seem forced and the end of the story does seem a bit rushed. For example, Rip gone in a single panel and Gold Star in the next. However, I do love the idea that Booster is finally standing trial and owning up to the crime that began his heroic career. And then to have him actually go to prison for it, I think gives Booster a distinct heroic edge that has been lacking in much of Giffen and DeMatteis’s writing for the character. They are quick to give him the bumbling idiot persona but usually forget that there is a real person a real hero who has saved the world time and time again and who has a real sense of right and wrong and of justice. While they have forced humanity on him, as they did with the death of Ted Kord, it’s rare to see this level of justice in him and it is welcomed.

Art: Batista and Perrotta’s art remains satisfactory for this run. The facial expressions and structure leave something to be desired but the form and composition of his panels remain interesting and action packed. Although at times, this can be a detractor. In the sequence where Dr. Nishtikeit stabs Booster in the leg with a boot tip blade, the main action of the panel draws you to Nishtikeit grabbing Booster. The blade ejects from his boot here as well, but on the opposite side of the panel and nearly in the binding. I actually missed it on the first pass and had to go back to find it.

Overall: Some nice visuals and a highly improved story make this one of the highlights of this creative team. While not the kind of interesting story we became used to under Jurgens, this shows promise for the end their run and give me confidence as we wait for the return of the master in issue #44