Gold

Before it was upgraded to an ongoing series, “Goldie Vance” #3 would have been the miniseries’ penultimate issue. Knowing that makes Hope Larson and Brittney Williams’ decisions line up perfectly with the progression of this comic. This is the moment when things take a turn for the worse for Goldie and her father, and now she must solve this case, perhaps more than ever before — and quickly, at that. Fortunately for us, though, this won’t be the last we’ll see of “Goldie Vance.” In this issue, Larson gives us real consequences for Goldie’s choices in the first two issues. I suspect few readers blinked at the moments when Goldie broke the law (temporarily stealing a car, for example, even though she did return it) in an attempt to get things done. In the real world, of course, this would eventually come back to haunt you, and that’s what Larson delivers here. It’s actually a little fun to see Goldie getting taken down by decisions of her own making; now that she sees these consequence

As a whole, “Goldie Vance” #2 is an utterly charming all-ages read. Brittney Williams and Hope Larson’s girl detective story is as bright and gentle in its second issue as in the first. Goldie has plenty on her plate: she’s tracking down the missing Mr. Ludwig, matchmaking for her friends and making time for her mother. Nonetheless, the creative team imbues all these scenes with the same spirit. Williams’ playful character designs and Sarah Stern’s sunny pastels create a retro wonderland of a setting, and Larson writes lively, likeable characters who will win the reader over. Though it can be formulaic at points, “Goldie Vance” #2 is a pleasure. Williams’ artwork is, in a word, adorable. The Crossed Palms Resort is peopled with wide-eyed, animated characters who move with cheery purpose. The jaunty, delightfully retro outfits just add to the joy. Goldie’s dad rocks a pink shirt and plaid blazer; Rob sports a checkerboard shirt; Sugar Maple, newly introduced in this issue, shows up d

Writer Dan Jurgens and artist Alvaro Martinez give readers a time-travel-powered tale that brings in two Booster Golds, Goldstar, Ted Kord and Rip Hunter. Superboy and a version of the Legion of Super-Heroes appear to add some external conflict, but the crux of this issue balances the two Boosters and their impact on the DC Universe. Jurgens name-checks a whole bunch of the DC Universe but essentially delivers a “This is Your Life” story for Booster Gold that includes a conversation with Ted Kord (reuniting the fan-favorite Blue and Gold duo), a discussion of Vanishing Point and an explanation of Booster’s Legion flight ring. Jurgens appears to offer readers a conclusion to his journey as Booster’s creator and even points one of the Boosters towards a new destiny, except Jurgens leaves plenty for readers to look forward to. As the creator of Booster Gold, Jurgens knows the character best. The modern master tries to justify all aspects of Booster Gold’s experience — hence the two Bo

If there was ever a “Convergence” history recap truly needed, it’s the one that appears at the end of “Convergence: Booster Gold” #1. Dan Jurgens’ script follows a sequence of events leading through “52,” the short-lived “Justice League International” from 2011 and “Futures End: Booster Gold.” Plus, of course, time travel. For those who have been following the character’s path, they’ll probably be enthralled, but — for everyone else — perhaps not quite as much. Jurgens’ script for “Convergence: Booster Gold” #1 will definitely give you the impression that most — if not all — of this has been planned for years. It picks up right where “Futures End: Booster Gold” left off, and we bounce from one location to the next even as a large exposition dump is dropped upon the readers. It’s very much an “inside baseball” sort of story, one die-hard fans will find delightful; since it also appears to be a bit of a backbone to “Convergence” as a whole, it also ends up having greater weight than mo

No stranger to the “Futures End” story, Dan Jurgens revisits his most famous creation and brings along a legion of artistic collaborators in “Booster Gold: Futures End” #1. With both “Multiversity” and “Futures End” on comic book racks and a time-traveling character, like Booster Gold, in the starring role of this book, Dan Jurgens appears to have opened up the multiverse for his partners. On its surface, “Booster Gold: Futures End” #1 appears to simply be a collection of stopovers in various time periods and/or on various planets, but Jurgens lays down a sequence that flows under and around the various time stops. That situation is what drives the adventure, as Booster Gold is pressed for answers and tortured in a most stressful manner. Jurgens isn’t afforded the luxury of deconstructing Booster Gold in the pages of “Booster Gold: Futures End” #1, but the story itself moves along just fine — presuming everyone knows just enough about Booster to accept the story. Jurgens doesn’t li

“Atomic Robo and the Knights of the Golden Circle” #1 by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener explores a new setting and genre for Robo: The Wild West. It’s 1884 in Colorado, and despite his own rules about time-travelling, Robo chooses to meddle in order to fight the wrongs of gun-toting outlaws. Clevinger and Wegener begin with a well-executed two-page silent sequence. The lack of words is an enjoyable deviation from the norm. The reader can take in the new setting gradually, and Robo’s handmade wall calendar quickly clues the reader in that we’re in the past now as the result of some time travel. Wegener’s clean lines, attractive composition, and the feeling of space in his interiors and outdoors scenes are all strong draws into the story. Clevinger also adds a new element of interest in introducing a local legend about “Ol’ Ironhide.” Either it’s a case of mistaken identity, or Robo went even further into the past on another trip, and it adds another layer of mystery. Time travel

Sometimes you just can’t go back. Like any long-time fan, nostalgia is a big part of my affection for the X-Men, and I look with fondness (and sometimes rose-colored glasses) on many of the stories on which I cut my teeth. Unfortunately, “X-Men: Gold” #1 offers neither well-crafted nostalgia nor anything fresh and new. Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod’s “classic tale” kicks things off, with an unimpressive twenty-page story — especially considering that unlike the other “X-Men: Gold” installments, it has a page count equal to most modern comics. The story packed with too many characters and elements, and relies heavily on nostalgia without bringing anything remotely new to the table. On the whole, Claremont’s tale is an awkward re-hash of everything longtime fans already know, which makes for an incredibly dull premise with a dated and tragically unhip sensibility. This “classic tale” lifts from a bunch of concepts, perhaps most notably it feels a bit like a bad episode of the ’90s “X

In the midst of the madness of “Flashpoint,” and on the eve of the relaunching of the entire line of DC comics, Dan Jurgens gets to say goodbye to an old friend in the most eloquent way possible. It’s a little hokey, a little over-the-top Silver Agey, but it works, not only for “Booster Gold,” but also for the entire DC Universe. This series is able to close with some dignity, which spoils nothing. I will say that Jurgens does seize the opportunity of the converging timelines, storylines, and character beats to play this story through with excitement and adventure and just enough teases of what could have been. He also mixes in an answer of what was and how things may have happened, but not in regards to any grandiose eye opening. It’s a small subtle answer, but one that will provide longtime Booster readers with a smile on their faces and satisfaction on their minds. The art on this book is nowhere near as ramshackle as it could have been, given the quartet of visual contributors.

After months of Doomsday showing up in other comics (“Action Comics,” “Steel,” and so on) and making them bad, I’d come to the grim conclusion that Doomsday is a not just a Superman-killer, but also a story-killer. It’s nice here to have Dan Jurgens show us that it doesn’t have to be the case. “Booster Gold” gets to be the other comic published at DC right now where the main character knows that the world of “Flashpoint” is the result of time travel; since Booster’s a time traveler himself, it makes about as much sense as anything else. From there, though, it’s turned into a rather fun little story as Booster Gold stumbles from one bad situation to the next, with the rest of the world not recognizing him and assuming he’s an enemy. It’s a second outsider-view storyline that gives us another good long look at the world of “Flashpoint,” and as much as I hate to say it, it’s more interesting than “Flashpoint” itself. This version of Doomsday has a bit of a twist on the original, thanks

The only regular ongoing title (allegedly) to tie into “Flashpoint” sees the creator of the titular hero return with this issue. Dan Jurgens (with Norm Rapmund helping on finishes) returns to “Booster Gold” just in time for Booster to be sewn into the world that is unfurling in the “Flashpoint” event. Scott, my local comic shop proprietor, was calling this issue, “Flashpoint One,” in a sarcastic nod to the “Point One” initiative over at Marvel. The thing is, though, Scott’s not that far off base. Jurgens climbs back into the hybrid writer/artist’s chair and delivers a quick recap of who Booster is and what he stands for before dropping Booster Gold, Skeets, and the reader into the world of “Flashpoint.” Luckily, no field guide is needed to determine the landscape of “Flashpoint” and appreciate this issue. Booster serves as your guide, and he’s just as clueless as you are, presuming of course that you haven’t looked into “Flashpoint” prior to this issue. That recap is enough to brin