Futures End: Booster Gold

The book DC claims is important for understanding what's to come in the future of their books.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Booster gets thrown from different points in time and onto different earths. Michelle shows up for the first time too and there's actually two Boosters. Ours from the new 52 that's currently being tortured by some unknown being for the location of Vanishing Point. The other older Booster is from another earth and Michelle is a younger version of his sister. Our Boosters' sister apparently died. The unseen villain almost kills Michelle before our Booster tells him not to and he'll bring them to Vanishing Point.

Overall: I'm still not sure how to feel. I don't hate this I'm just not sure why the hype. Okay we're dealing with different earths. Something we already had some idea of thanks to the focus on Earth 2 and of course the crisis anniversary that's coming up. For some reason heroes were experiencing power problems (or maybe just certain ones like Captain Atom.) Alternate Booster couldn't control his traveling and his sister tells him about places being cut off. The events of the JLI annual are different from what Johns/Didio wrote as Rip isn't mentioned as trying to stop him and Booster isn't trying to warn himself. How and why our Booster ended up being tortured we don't know. Despite not building up a relationship with Rip in the new 52 JLI he at least knows about Vanishing Point.

Speaking of Rip he's mentioned as working with Alternate Booster. Not sure if that means ours doesn't exist or if there's only one Rip guides all Boosters. As much as I'm thrilled Booster is the protective older brother I'm kinda annoyed he's put in the position to be the reason everything goes to hell. If this is Darkseids' forces at work (the torture tubes have Kirby energy effects) well we know Earth 2 is suffering from his forces. Of course it could also be OMAC which threatened him when he released it's hold on Kevin. Whatever is going down with the Brainaic type machine will take place after Futures End/Worlds End which is months away. This was a little like reading those free comic book day issues that tie into these events. Vague and brief, not that it's that shocking as the purpose is to get readers interested in the next big thing.

The multiple artists were supposed to be in this to represent each time/place Booster visited. I don't think it worked as well as DC was hoping and felt unneeded. To sum up the story older Booster goes sight seeing through various places, Michelle joins him, our Booster is being tortured but gives in to save Michelle. I can't say I'm disappointed I'm not really impressed either. It's great to see Booster, Michelle, and to hear about Skeets and Rip. There's just not much to this and neither Booster really does anything. I'm also sad to see Michelle showed up only to once again be reduced to a hostage. I don't think the team up with Jonah Hex fits into this which doesn't really bother me. Since the annual changed I'm hoping we can ignore everything else in that issue.

This was an okay issue it just wasn't as good as it could have been. In it's defense prelude intros don't always shine. We still gets to see lots of worlds intact and have some nice moments. Besides it's hard to live up to expectations when Booster hasn't had his own book for awhile.

Did You Notice?: Michelle has reddish hair like Trixie did. Last time I saw this problem was in the start of BG vol.2. She's appeared more since then and you'd think it'd be easy to remember she's a blond because she's Boosters' twin.

Questions Raised?: How did our BG end up being tortured?

Who is his tormentor? How does the other BG factor in?

Where's Rip Hunter throughout this? Shouldn't he realize Booster is missing?