Saturday, May 21, 2011

New Add on/Retcon changes how past stories are read?

It's amazing how one panel can change the way you read past stories. Like remember during the Johns/Katz run where it was implied that Booster had a one night stand when he was drunk? Or the more infamous moment where he gets drunk to get information from Jonah Hex? Sure the scene already reads differently once you realize how Rips' related to him but now Rips' shock and horror come across in another light. I noticed that Jurgens has Booster mention drinking a beer a few times during his run, even in the issue he reveals Jons' past in #44.

I figure it's to show that Booster can unwind and hey Guy can drink beer without turning into his dad. They already established that Boosters' temperament has him acting more happy go lucky under the influence. But this is a serious topic and it sorta changes how I perceive things even though, logically, the twins shouldn't recall everything their dad did when drunk since they were so young when he left. But like I said it worries me when these things come up with poor kids that grew up on the bad side of town. DC hasn't been too kind with the cliches in regards to those characters. (example: most writers imply Jason was always doomed because he started out as a "bad seed.") 

There's also the scene where Jon tries to guilt Michael into throwing the game for him. When he tells him to "make daddy some money" he does seem a little threatening but not like these characters are usually written. Jon mostly uses guilt because he knows that works best against his son and Booster really isn't threatened when his space is invaded. He looks upset but Michelle seems to think (correctly) that his main concern is winning his dads' love. 

2 comments:

  1. I've never connected Booster's having a brew to unwind with his Dad's bad behavior, but it is an interesting point. Double for Guy running a bar when HIS Dad was a raging alcoholic.

    WAS Booster's Dad a boozer? I thought he was just a cad, gambler and all-around-no-goodnik.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Booster did pick up his dads' gambling problem which played into why he was disowned.

    Granted Boosters' situation wasn't quite like Guys'. Jon left when they were four and Guys' dad didn't die until he was an adult. Booster wanted to see his dad when he was in college although they never say when he met him again. So the influence of having an alcoholic father wouldn't be the same as with Guy. But yeah, I do have to wonder if this is all taken into consideration when the writers put these things in.

    Boosters' dad wasn't called a boozer until that one panel in #44. The first series mentioned him as the gambler that left his wife with his debt and two young children. The only time he was seen was under Johns/Katz run. It's kinda hard to see what's Jon as Mind is controlling him but I never got the vibe he was a boozer or an abuser. He just never seemed to care about anything other than himself and money.

    ReplyDelete