DC’s Booster Gold has always been a light-hearted goof-off whose antics get him in and out of some very surprising situations. Since his debut in 1986, Booster has had a good fan following and been a part of some major teams and events within the DC universe. However, this slick time traveling wannabe superhero still has several serious moments throughout his publication history.
Recently, Booster has been a major part of DC’s Rebirth event, making appearances in Action Comics, Batman, and the recently concluded Heroes in Crisis. For those who are unfamiliar with him, here is our list of 10 facts about Booster Gold, “The greatest hero you’ve never heard of,” that every DC fan should know.
10 Michael John Carter
Before donning the gold and blue suit, Booster Gold was no more than just Michael John Carter, a young man in the 25th century. Mike was a football star (who earned the nickname “Booster”) who was about to go pro until he was caught wagering on his own games.
This got him kicked out of playing football, and Mike ended up becoming a security guard for a museum. It’s at this point where he would conceive the idea to steal his suit, travel back in time where no one knew him, and hopefully make a profit as a superhero.
9 Daddy Issues
Mike’s father was absent for most of his life. When Mike was young, his father abandoned him and his twin sister to pursue a gambling addiction. This led Mike through a troubled childhood that he was eventually able to overcome through football. Upon his father’s return, however, things would drastically change for Mike.
His father, being a betting man, was the one who convinced him to start throwing games, thus ending Mike’s whole future and landing him at the museum. While it is far from a typical superhero origin, Booster could easily have gone down a much darker path, all as a result of his father’s selfish actions.
8 Booster is a Fugitive
Ironically enough, while Booster seeks to fight crime as a costumed superhero, he is actually a fugitive on the run himself. While working at the museum, Michael stole a lot of futuristic technology to give him abilities and allow him to travel through time.
This theft would leave an even bigger stain on his name and cause police to go back in time looking for him, popping up to cause trouble on occasion. Even though Booster aims to make a name as a hero and someone who helps; he, himself, is also a wanted criminal from the future.
7 Powerless
In all actuality, Booster Gold had no idea what he was doing when he first stole his tech. He had to learn everything from scratch. Thankfully, his suit and other technologies would be there to keep him from getting killed in the process, as he has no actual superhuman abilities.
All of Boosters enhanced abilities are technologically based. The only advantage Booster himself possesses is knowledge of future events. While he’s not the only superhero to rely on a lot of gadgets, it does leave him vulnerable during a hack or malfunction.
6 Skeets
Most people who know Booster Gold also know his trusty robot sidekick, Skeets. Skeets is another piece of stolen tech from the future who follows Booster around and helps him out of bad situations. Skeets is also a character in and of himself, with a very sassy personality.
Skeets will regularly offer sarcastic comments to Booster and state the obvious of whatever the current situation may be. On the other hand, the two do care for each other and are often shown to have a brotherly kind of relationship. Though they may get on each other’s nerves, it is hard to imagine Booster without Skeets.
5 Booster Gold's Best Friend, Ted Kord
While on the subject of Booster’s friends, no one is closer to him than Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle. The pair became fast friends almost immediately upon their introduction. They would also go on to serve on the Justice League International team for many years, often offering a lot of comic relief in the book.
The antics between the two were always as hilarious as they were deadly. The two would remain friends all the way up until Ted’s death at the hand of Maxwell Lord in Countdown to Infinite Crisis. While Ted would eventually return as every deceased comic character does, this moment served as a major turning point in Booster’s life, forcing him into a slightly more mature mentality.
4 Created By Dan Jurgens
The man who killed Superman is the same man who created Booster Gold. Dan Jurgens has gone on to explain a lot about his love for Booster as a character and how he’s developed over the years. As he was reintroduced into Jurgen’s Action Comics Rebirth run, Jurgens talked about how Booster appeals to such a wide audience.
He particularly notes Booster’s celebrity attitude and nature, saying it’s something that a lot of readers can relate to that Booster can also use to his advantage. While some may be unfamiliar with Booster, the things Jurgens describes are precisely why he has a fanbase.
3 A Purposeful Underdog
While it may seem like Booster Gold is an attention-seeking wannabe superhero, he is also very clever at times. For reference, he’s noted before that painting himself the way he does often means that his opponents underestimate him, giving him a significant advantage in battle. Booster also notes that he has knowledge of ways to defeat many villains based on notes in the future.
Furthermore, Booster has acknowledged that he can’t become too big a superhero, as that would significantly alter the timeline and thus, his own future. This type of attitude shows he is actually smart and responsible, despite it never seeming to be the case.
2 Booster Gold: The Movie?
A while back, it was announced that writer Zack Stentz (Thor, X-Men: First Class) was tapped to write a solo movie for Booster Gold. Recently, however, Stentz had announced that the script was completed and submitted to Warner Brothers for review. At this point, it is up to the studio executives and producers to determine if the movie actually goes into production.
While it would be nice to actually see Booster come to life on the big screen, it is also nice to know that the studio, at the very least, sees the potential with his character.
1 Booster Gold Is a Major Player in DC’s Rebirth
As previously mentioned, Booster Gold has made appearances in several DC: Rebirth titles, including Action Comics, Batman, and Heroes in Crisis. Though he still hasn’t received his own ongoing title, Booster has been causing trouble since he was reintroduced in Action Comics. From nearly rewriting Superman’s origin, to drastically changing Batman’s history as a well-intentioned wedding present, Booster can’t seem to stop screwing up time.
More recently, he was framed for the murder of everyone at the superhero help center, Sanctuary, in Heroes in Crisis. Now that this series has concluded, it is unclear exactly where Booster will be in the DC universe going forward, though it is apparent that he will still be present.