CBR: Giffen & DeMatteis Go Back to the Future with "Booster Gold "

[CBR News]

Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis begin their highly anticipated run on "Booster Gold" this week with #32. We spoke to the fan favorite writing team about the character, the series, what to expect and more.


Full article here.

[CMBMOOL]

Nice of them to mention that old saying of "You can never go home again," within this interview.

To be honest it sound like they're once again throwing Booster through the ringer of having him relive his past life as a member of a JLI.

[jsf]

I have to confess I had mixed feelings about this issue. There was the sort of "bwahahaish" feel to it which indicates they've not really grasped the evolution of the character since the new series started. The humor -- which was sorta funny, sorta not -- was a bit much. That said, there was a grim turn in the story towards the end that really blunted the humor, and would've been too much without the light hearted set up. So I've a mixed reaction to the issue: it departed a bit too much from the direction Johns/Jurgens had set up previously, but had a harder edge to it which almost justifies the humor. It was good, but definitely different than the previous runs.

The only thing I want to suggest is that they don't forget Michelle. She's become an integral part of the series (and has always been an integral part of Booster's cast), and I hope they make good use of her.

[Thok]

I have to confess I had mixed feelings about this issue. There was the sort of "bwahahaish" feel to it which indicates they've not really grasped the evolution of the character since the new series started.

Eye would argue that Giffen and DeMatteis did a good job at showing Booster being fairly competent in a mostly impossible situation. Eye liked the use of the guest villain, and Eye'm curious what they plan on doing with the new supporting cast member. (Pun intentional, obviously.)

(On a side note, there's an annoying editor's mistake with seven incorrectly replacing eight in a couple places. Those that have read the issue will know exactly where to find that mistake.)

[jsf]

Eye would argue that Giffen and DeMatteis did a good job at showing Booster being fairly competent in a mostly impossible situation. Eye liked the use of the guest villain, and Eye'm curious what they plan on doing with the new supporting cast member. (Pun intentional, obviously.)

(On a side note, there's an annoying editor's mistake with seven incorrectly replacing eight in a couple places. Those that have read the issue will know exactly where to find that mistake.)

It was definitely an interesting scenario. But the bathroom gag got old after the second time it was mentioned, while the Empress wanting a booty call with Booster seemed really dumb given the circumstances. Her actions in his absence, however, were chilling.

[jmac]

The 80s JLI run was funny, energetic, human -- just genius. I loved it.

But I have to say, the more recent reincarnations (as well as the Metal Men series the guys did the last year) -- even rereading those issues now -- I find them very talky and not so very funny. The best they did the first couple years was the Grey Man stuff. Much more complex in tone and substance.

Their first new issue of Booster -- I don't know. It's not the same tone as JLI, and I'm glad for that. But the pages were a mess, just clogged with visuals, and I don't know, not bad storywise, but not great, either. Not a real jumping on point.

Keith talked about having established that the time line can't be changed. But a million storylines, both in Booster and elsewhere, have shown that that is hogwash. Bad guys change the timeline all the ...well, all the time. To me, a much more interesting storyline at this point is to find out that Rip has been lying to Booster, that time can be changed, but shouldn't because it's all just too messy and impossible to predict. Or even that the past has to be as it is so that certain, heretofore unknown things in the future will come to pass.

I realize the Joker/BG story from early on created this situation, and it was brilliantly written. A classic. But I think at this point it's even more interesting (and a better explanation of the DC reality) if we find out Rip set up all that up, was behind all those failures in one way or another. Not that he's a bad guy himself, but that he can't have novice Booster stumbling around changing everything. That Machiavellian streak.

And I'm glad for the possibility of Ted joining on -- think it's an obvious choice. I love that guy. But returning to the 80s for too long -- well, frankly it sounds like what DeMatteis and Giffen have been doing for the last 20 years with these characters. Writers, we love you, but beware! Please don't kill this series. (And I'm with you about making Booster more a straight man, a normal guy. Loved the idea. But your first issue veered pretty close to making him the old goof. Which is really frustrating.)

[Static-Pulse]

In a sense, Booster has become DC's version of Doctor Who these past few years.

Jeffrey, what does it feel like to never have seen an episode of Doctor Who in your life? Sad? Yeah, thought so.

If anything, Booster is Jack Harkness, and even that's stretching it. Booster is not the Doctor, not by a stretch.

[TCJohnson]

Overall I liked it. There were a couple of complaints but think it is a promising beginning.

[HaroldAllnut]

I was quite surprised. I thought I wouldn't like it at all, but Giffen and DeMatteis definitely have me on board. Batista's art was pretty swell, too.

[bluebeetle73]

Love the character and have since the first issue of his original series. Blue Beetle was the primary reasons I picked up the Justice League reboot as a kid. Blue Beetle and eventually Booster Gold (and Capt. Marvel though he was only there for a short while) are what kept me reading long after the book quit being any good.
I love that time and go back to reread those stories on a regular basis. That is without a doubt my all time favorite period in League history, but that was then and I'm 20+ years older. If I want to relive that time I'll just reread those books. I'm tired of what seems like comic companies (mainly DC as the moment) constantly trying to return everything to the way it was in the 70's and 80's.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the stories and direction of the new Booster Gold series. This current series is not only the best iteration of the character, but one of the best and most consistently good books put out by DC. I don't want the series to spend too much time rehashing the "good 'ol days" of the JLI. A JLI storyline that appears once per year in a 1-3 issue arc would be fine. I just don't want the next 12 issues to revolve around Booster and his JLI days unless the current team was brought on just for the purpose of doing an extended storyline involving the JLI, before Dan returns.
Also I have to admit the current issue seems way to "talky" and some of the jokes seemed forced and unfunny. The bathroom joke mentioned earlier was one example. I don't mind occasional witty banter, but occasional is the key word.
There's no way I'm giving up on the book, I've been a fan of the character, and this creative team, for way too long and have seen the character treated terribly by too many writers to give up on him now. I'll remain optimistic, but while I hope I am wrong, I do have the feeling that this will not be the high point of the series.

[bluebeetle73]

Batista's art was pretty swell, too.

I can't disagree with you there. The art was not bad.

[dupersuper]

Cool Great Darkness crossover.

[Lemmy Caution]

Why even bring back the "bwa-ha-ha" at all?

Can't they find some new schtick that won't interfere in what's been the tone and feel of this book all along.

They better not joke this thing up. I'd hate to stop reading my favorite DC title.

[gwangung]

Why even bring back the "bwa-ha-ha" at all?

Because 98% of comics fans are fetishists and will totally reject a character if it isn't exactly the same as it used to be. Quality doesn't matter, only the exterior and the baggage.

[TCJohnson]

Why even bring back the "bwa-ha-ha" at all?

Can't they find some new schtick that won't interfere in what's been the tone and feel of this book all along.

They better not joke this thing up. I'd hate to stop reading my favorite DC title.

Didn't Johns and Katz run have a lot of jokes?