Booster Gold #43

[superboyprime]

You might recall that J.M. DeMatteis mentioned in interviews that he and Giffen had a big reveal planned about Rani in the final issue, one that would make her very important for Booster's future. He said it was something he wasn't sure editorial would approve, though. Well, this was their final issue and it looks like editorial said no. There was no such revelation within these pages.

Comments

[From: thehefner]

You might recall that J.M. DeMatteis mentioned in interviews that he and Giffen had a big reveal planned about Rani in the final issue, one that would make her very important for Booster's future. He said it was something he wasn't sure editorial would approve, though. Well, this was their final issue and it looks like editorial said no. There was no such revelation within these pages.

Aw, man. Maybe that's why this feels like something of an anticlimactic ending. I was hoping Giffen and DeMatteis would get to tackle some of the big stuff they hinted at in their first couple of issues, but it looks like all that's being ignored in favor of Justice League: Generation Lost, sadly. And I have zero hope of that storyline ending up in any way satisfying. At least, not to JLI fans like myself.

[From: jlbarnett]

I guess the thing with her on a missing person's poster was based on that then. Because really what are the odds of that happening, since she was supposed to be on Daxam when the Daxamites were under Darkseid's control.

She'd have to have been missing before hand and she didn't act like it IMO

If you don't get it, google it!

[From: misterbug]

A 'big reveal', eh? Perhaps she'll start referring to herself in the third person, hang out with triple-faced alien bat-monsters, and work on a design for a landmine which turns people into trees.

(Which might be the best crossover idea ever!)

Re: If you don't get it, google it!

[From: icon_uk]

And after that she'll regenerate into a young girl, use the Chameleon Arch, and go and live across the road from that reporter woman on Bannerman Road, believing she's a normal human.

Re: If you don't get it, google it!

[From: karunya]

Sarah Jane FTW!!!

[From: kirke_novak]

Nice comic book meta there, Booster.

I think Rani was suppose to be Ted and Mike's baby from the future. No, I'm SURE of it. Yes. Yes. Makes sense...

[From: brain_floss]

I actually have a theory that maybe Rani will be Rip's mother, since she was also from the future, different time from Mikey. She has brown hair & has shown interest to Goldstar suit, similar to the glimpse of Rip's mom we've seen so far.

[From: likeaminx]

Some people have mentioned that before too. But god I hope that wasn't it. That would be way too skeevy.

[From: pyrotwilight]

Indeed it would.

[From: xammax]

Probably why editorial said no. Sometimes editorial has its uses.

[From: jaybee3]

According to Jerry Ordway, Giffen also pitched that underage minor Mary Marvel would lose her virginity (as an off-panel joke) in Formerly Known as The Justice League and change her white outfit back to red as a result (get it - because she would no longer be "pure"). Tasteful, no? Editorial said no to that as well (maybe the only time they did Mary a favor).

So I wouldn't put it pass Giffen/DeMatteis to make Rani Rip's mom.

[From: big_daddy_d]

According to Jerry Ordway, Giffen also pitched that underage minor Mary Marvel would lose her virginity (as an off-panel joke) in Formerly Known as The Justice League and change her white outfit back to red as a result (get it - because she would no longer be "pure"). Tasteful, no? Editorial said no to that as well (maybe the only time they did Mary a favor).

Thank. Fucking. God.

[From: pyrotwilight]

Holy shit. That's/that'd be just plain awful.

[From: thehefner]

It might be better/worse (almost certainly worse) to mention that she was to have lost her virginity to Guy Gardner.

[From: pyrotwilight]

Hoo boy, definitely worse.

[From: icon_uk]

Worse, without a shadow of a doubt, worse....

[From: jaybee3]

I was going to mention it until I though if I added that part in it might seem too far-fetched (even though it's totally true). It also wasn't the first time Giffen has made that suggestion - according to rumor, he previously wanted Mary Marvel to lose her virginity (in a pitch years earlier) to Ambush Bug. I mean because statutory rape is so Bwa-Ha funny, right?

You know what makes it worse? Many of the Countdown writers wrote Mary based on her FKATJL/SuperBuddies persona (and not her serious Power of Shazam one) and obviously took Giffen's take as the one they used to create "Black Mary" complete with the obsession with her virginity. Thus we get Darkseid proposing Mary (just 16) become his concubine and writer Justin Gray's quip to Wizard Magazine that Countdown Mary was good with magic because she was a virgin and the solution to stopping her would be and I quote “put Mary Marvel and Jimmy Olsen in a room with a lot of tequila and some Barry White CDs.”.

Hmmm...I wonder where he got that idea from. It sure as heck wasn't Ordway, or Alex Ross, or Geoff Johns.

[From: icon_uk]

That's... that's... actually I don't think I have a word to express the sheer tackiness/tastelessness of that.

[From: icon_uk]

Is the title not skirting that already with Rip being Booster's son and older than Booster is? This is "just" continuing the theme in the same direction for another generation.

Don't get me wrong, I agree it would feel skeevy, and it's a very obvious paradox to aim for, but it would be continuing a trend.

[From: likeaminx]

Not... Really. Rip being older doesn't have anything to do with it. There's a big difference between "I'm younger than my son! WTF TIME TRAVEL" and "Oh hey you're older than I'm used to how you doin'? ;D "

IMO, of course.

[From: icon_uk]

Doh, sorry, my mistake, I misread brain_floss comment as her being BOOSTER'S mother, not Rip's.

[From: likeaminx]

OH! No problem then.

Let's just pretend this comment thread never happened then. ♥

[From: kamino_neko]

I think the skeevy part is potentially boinking a girl he raised as his daughter for a time.

The sheer age difference at this point in their respective timelines is an issue, but...the daughter thing is the killer.

[From: icon_uk]

Ahem, apologies, my error, I was thinking brainfloss had said that she was Booster's mother, not Rip's.

[From: kamino_neko]

Ah, yes, that would be less skeevy.

Still massively weird, but not so skeevy.

[From: sallymustard]

I'd been worried about that for months. Way too....no.

[From: darklorelei]

*squick* DO NOT WANT.

[From: goblinthebamf]

gonna miss this creative team. :-/

there was another minor bit about Rani, a missing child poster in the 30th century with her on it. I hope she isn't just dumped or fridged.

[From: karunya]

Oh no! Infinite recursion loop! An author writes a book about himself writing a book about himself....

*head asplodes*

Damn you Matteis for your evil meta!

[From: karunya]

And did I really need to see pretty!crucified!Booster while I was writing my Good Friday sermon?????? *LOL*

[From: thokstar]

But inquiring fans want to know: did the T-Rex make an appearance in this issue?

[From: retro_nouveau]

Really, Booster - Gumby? I would have said Oogie Boogie, but maybe you have to watch out for the infringement police.

[From: philippos42]

Oreos! (not "Chocos"--that makes me happy)

I thought Rani was supposed to grow up & become Rip Hunter, not bear him. Huh.

[From: lorriek]

I don't think the former was ever a real possibility, what with there having been flashbacks of young Rip; and the latter is simply too creepy to be allowed to happen.

[From: radioactivepiss]

TBH if we never find anything out I'll be fine with that so I can at least PRETEND the former is on the cards.