After the recent trip to Krypton the DCU presents the return of Booster Gold, and Batman is not Happy.In this issue, think Flashpoint with Batman! Booster Gold Changes the time stream to give Batman a wedding gift.
Cover A
Cover B
BATMAN # 45
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Tony S. Daniel
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Tony S. Daniel & Tomeu Morey Cover A. Cover B : Jim Lee & Scott Williams
Editors: James S. Rich Assoc Editor: Britta
Publisher: DC Comics
What You Need to Know:
Batman and Catwoman are getting Married and as a result, they have encountered many of their Superhero and Villains friends alike. Booster Gold is the time traveling Superhero from the future, who has been known to make a questionable decision or two, but always done right by the Justice League, and even saved the Multiverse a time or two. This is a story about one of those questionable decisions.
If you are unfamiliar with the stories that this will play off of the book is Referencing a Superman Story Called “For the Man who has Everything” from Superman Annual #11. This was a story where Superman was given a gift, and it granted him his hearts greatest desire, and he was locked in a blissful state, until he was rescued by Batman, Wonder Woman and Jason Todd. It turned out this was a gift from the Interstellar Despot Mongul, and he was eventually defeated when Superman realized the life that he was living was a fraud.
The Next Story that this references is DC Comics Flashpoint, where Barry Allen (The Flash) went back through Time to save his Mother’s Life, and in turn set a string of events that would devastate the world.
Two great stories to premise this issue and the following Arc.
What You’ll Find Out:
Starting out in a Dramatic scene where Hal Jordan seems to me in a standoff with himself, Booster Gold The Time Hopping Hero appears with his sidekick Skeets. Not a lot is clear at this point, but from the dialogue, we can tell that Booster has done something to give Batman a gift. His Gift consists of showing him what his life would be like if his parents had not died in the alley. In doing so the entire of Gotham seems off. Evidenced by the Green Lantern who kills himself in front of Booster.
After this episode Booster and Skeets decide to find Batman and determine what was going on.
They find him, as they start up the Batsignal, where Skeets makes the Bat symbol. Not long after they are found by Batman.
What Just Happened?
Booster slinks away, and we see an advertisement for Jason Todd’s product called Tire-Taze! (Don’t Taze me Bro!) This is another example of the major players in Bruce Wayne’s life who are just far off from where their lives would be. Jason Has developed a system to kill the Jokers that try to take your tires. The Jokers appear to be a large gang affecting the city, and are possibly related to some sort of Mind control or illness too, that part is unclear yet.
Back to his confrontation with Batman, Booster is exhausting his personal Force Fields, as Batman fires endless rounds into his face and Body mass. Booster takes this time to make a Batman joke, and then is snared by a Noose that Batman strung over his neck. As they get pulled up to the gargoyle that Batman is standing on, Skeets recognizes his facial structure to be Dick Grayson. Knowing that this is wrong, the two escape to find Bruce Wayne.
Bruce is at a party, and living the lush life of a Gotham Socialite. He dances with his Mother Martha, in a scene that we the readers would never expect to see.
Booster then takes this moment to break in through the Skylight.
Booster tells Bruce what he did, and that the time stream is off due to his actions. Bruce says that he has always know that something is off. His memories are that of terror and death. He may or may not believe Booster Gold, but he does take this opportunity to Take a Fireplace Poker and demolish Skeets. Looks like Bruce, is not going anywhere.
We leave off on a Cliffhanger, as it’s clear that Bruce has known what he lost, and is in no way interested in reliving that.
Rating: 8 / 10
Final Thought:
While I am overjoyed to see Booster Gold, I can say that I am never really happy to see someone messing with an Alan Moore storyline, even if it’s just toying with the idea. That and they seem to have forgotten all of the great work that Geoff Johns has done on Booster Gold for years before the Rebirth Universe. The story is interesting, and it will be a good one to follow. Let’s talk about the Art Though. Tony S. Daniel makes his return to the Batman, and his work is amazing! I love the mix of style and cartoon that he has, and it is both classic and timeless.
The strangest thing to say is that I am not a fan of the Jim Lee cover, it’s so plain. The Cover itself by Daniel is very much a beautiful homage to a Silver Age hook to grab the reader, and it is just beautiful. Between the art and the colors, with the return of Booster Gold, I cannot wait to pick the next issue up. Booster is a great foil for Batman and seems that he royally screwed things up. Sure he meant well, but it looks like the Joker has something to do with the dead Green Lantern, and why the world has gone crazy. We will see next time.
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