Original article by Kelly Knox on IGN.
The public loves it. The Justice League hates him. Even Superman doesn’t like him at first. We’re not talking about a supervillain, though, but about the spotlight-loving superhero Booster Gold! But when innocent lives are on the line, the fate of the multiverse hangs in the balance, or there’s a timeline to protect, Booster Gold becomes a true hero. After turning on your streaming, of course.
James Gunn has announced that a live-action television series starring Booster Gold will be part of the new DC Studios universe. Booster Gold, created by Dan Jurgens in the 1980s, he could be considered an early fame chaser. Forget grand ideals: he joined the superhero business for the fame and money. Booster Gold is the perfect hero for the modern age of social media, so he’ll fit right in with the “Gods and Monsters” phase of the new DC Cinematic Universe. As Gunn said when announcing the new series: “Basically, Booster Gold is imposter syndrome as a superhero.”
Who is the guy from the future that Gunn calls a loser? Here’s everything you need to know about the greatest hero you’ve never heard of…
The origin of Booster Gold in DC
Booster and his robot companion Skeets hail from the year 2462.. In his time, Michael Jon Carter was a promising young quarterback for Gotham University. Desperate for money, Michael was caught betting on college football games in a major scandal, and Gotham University expelled him. He eventually found a job as a guard at the Metropolis space museum, where he met a security robot: Skeets.
At the museum, he marveled at the exhibits highlighting the golden age of Earth’s heroes. Michael realized that a superhero had the chance to land endorsement deals like star athletes, but he knew he was too infamous to reach that level of celebrity. So he grabbed the superpowered gear from the museum and, along with Skeets, activated Rip Hunter’s time machine (also on display) to go back in time.
Booster Gold began his hero career in present-day Metropolis.. He quickly rose to fame, never missing an opportunity to hit the big time, even though being a superhero turned out to be much more difficult than he expected. But if Booster is anything to go by, he’s persistent, so his quest for fame never ends.
Booster Gold Powers and Abilities
Michael was a normal guy in his day, albeit with the physical abilities of a gifted athlete. The equipment he stole imitates superpowers, including a powered suit that gives him super strength and energy blasts and a force field that makes him nearly invulnerable. He also picked up a Legion flight ring and shiny high-tech goggles to complete the outfit.
Building your brand is the true superpower of Booster Gold. He has put his name on licensed merchandise from action figures to comic books to lunch boxes. And then there’s Booster Flakies cereal, Booster Bubble Gum, Boostermobile made by Brysler, Booster Golden Nugget casino…the list goes on. Michael recognizes a license opportunity when he sees it.
Meet Skeets
Of all the items Michael removed from the Space Museum, the smartest was to take Skeets, a robot with artificial intelligence.
Skeets may technically be Booster Gold’s partner, but everyone knows that Booster would be lost without his sentient robot. He often calls Skeets “coach”, a nod to his football past and a sign of how much he admires the little robot. Skeets is an indispensable source of battle lore and tactics, sometimes drawing on historical records from the present that he brings back from the future.
Booster Gold’s connection to the DCU
Booster is at his best when paired with the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord. Ted and Michael form one of the best bromances in comics. They don’t always get along, but when they’re on the same page, bad guys beware. While it’s unknown to what extent Ted Kord’s character is involved in the Blue Beetle movie due out later this year, let’s hope Kord and Carter find a way to team up on a DC Studios project.
Booster Gold has already made a few TV appearances, first in a 2011 episode of Smallville. Later, a character named Mike with some similar personality traits, played by Donald Faison, was part of the Legends of Tomorrow series finale. But Booster Gold is essentially a blank slate for modern audiences.
About the “impostor superhero syndrome”Gunn said, “How is it approached? It’s about how you’re trying to use this technology of the future to be liked by people today and what’s really the foundation of all of this. It’s a character story that’s going to be kind of very different show, and now we’re talking to an actor about it.”
Who could play the flashy hero? Top Gun Maverick’s Glen Powell has been mentioned by fans, and he certainly has fun with the character. “Booster Gold is a lot of fun,” he said in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight. Naturally, it’s too soon to know for sure who will play the classic superhero in his first series. As always when it comes to Booster Gold, only time will tell.
