Review: DC Universe Classics Booster Gold

It took me a while, but I finally got my grubby hands on a DC Universe Classics Booster Gold.  This is in the same wave as the Flash figure I reviewed a while back.  You may remember I mentioned I wanted one at the time.  Well, Amazon came through for me, and I was able to pick him up cheaper than I've paid for one of these in a long, long time.  Heck, thanks to a bulk purchase, I didn't have to dish out for shipping.

For those of you who don't know Michael Jon Carter, a.k.a. Booster Gold, he's one of most interesting "generic" DC heroes out there.  When I say generic, I don't really mean he comes off as such to the reader, but rather to a resident of the DC Universe.  In a world where legends walk the Earth, Booster's just seen as one of numerous would-be heroes moving in their shadows.

This is a big part of what makes him work.  He's not Superman.  Oh, he wishes he were, but that's part of his problem.  Booster is a washed up football player from the future who stole some old superhero equipment from a museum then came back to our time in a bid for fame and glory.

Not the noblest of origins, I'll admit, but, despite this, he usually comes off as a fairly complex character.  While his motives lack heroism, when the chips are down, he usually comes through and does the right thing, even if it costs him.

He's joined by a security robot he reprogrammed named Skeets, here floating over his shoulder.

I really should add that there's a variant "modern" version with a different costume and a Skeets that opens to reveal Mr. Mind (don't ask; just know those of us who read 52 think this is awesome).  I wasn't really sure which version I was getting until it came in the mail, but really I'd have been happy either way.  While I wish I had the Skeets with Mr. Mind, I'm not sure it's worth losing the traditional suit with the raised collar.

DC Universe Classics are produced by Mattel, and you can find them in lost caverns and forgotten crypts.  I've heard that they've even been spotted at Toys R Us, but I figure that's just a rumor.  I was surprised to find this one on Amazon, and considerably less surprised when the shipping date was delayed a couple times.

Appearance: 8/10

This is one of those figures you like more and more the longer you play with it.

Lets start with the issues, since those were the first things I noticed.  The face has no shading, and just a little could have elevated this to new heights.  Likewise, the eyes under the goggles have a goofy look, which, while not entirely inappropriate, should have been nicer.

The paint lines could have been quite a bit nicer, too.  It isn't that they're bad, but they don't match up with the sculpt as closely as I might like, at least around the face.

But, all that aside, this is a great figure.  There's actually far more paint work here than on most of the DC Universe Classics figures I've gotten recently.  The costume - particularly the star - look great, and Skeets is downright fantastic.  They've captured the robot's look perfectly, down to the football shape and blue visor.

They've also managed to include one of my details about Booster.  Remember that museum he robbed?  Yeah, one of the trinkets he picked up was a Legion Flight Ring, which is what allows him to fly.

"What's a twenty-fifth century ex-football player doing with a 30th century Legion Flight Ring?" you might ask.  Well, keep in mind Superman was an honorary Legionnaire.  His ring wound up in a museum, and Booster lifted it.

Well, if you look closely at the his ring, you can just make out the 'L'.  It's a small detail, but much appreciated.

The connection where Skeets' energy trail meets Booster's back is a bit of an eyesore, but it's a minor quibble.

I'm handing over eight points for this category.

Packaging and Extras: ----

I've been over this, what, nine or ten times now?  Oh well; here we go again: Mattel packages are fine; the personalized info on the back is well written; so on and so forth.

Lets get to the accessories.

Or, more accurately, the accessory.  Booster comes with the leg of Atom Smasher, who I don't really intend on collecting or connecting.  I've got nothing against that bruiser, but I don't like him nearly enough to buy all the figures in this series.


Now, I know what you're thinking: what about Skeets?

Skeets, I'm afraid, isn't an accessory: he's part of the figure itself.  And that's all I'm saying now, save that had he been an extra, I'd have handed a bonus point to Booster here (maybe even two).

But he's not, and the leg isn't enough to warrant recognition on its own.  It's a nice leg, I suppose, and it would be far nicer attached to the rest of Atom Smasher, but times are tough, and I'm not dropping that kind of cash on toys I don't need.

I still wish Mattel was willing to pack these with bases - I'd particularly have loved part of a time bubble, but it's not like I actually expected them to do anything like that.  Because he's a time traveler, though, there are plenty of other accessories they could have given Booster.  No such luck.

Lets move on.

Play and Display: ----

Okay, WHY isn't Skeets an accessory?  Were they unable to get him to stay in place as an accessory?  What happened here?

I'm assuming this was a last minute change, since Booster is pictured without Skeets on the back.  Whatever the reason, it's a fairly large disappointment, and it greatly limits the figure's options for display.

They didn't even make the connection articulated.

Other than that, everything's fine and dandy.  Booster has all the great articulation that DC Universe Classics has become known for.  The joints are a little loose on mine, but everything works well enough.

Booster would have gotten a bonus point for the articulation, but he loses it because Skeets is fused instead of removable.

Price Tag and Final Analysis: 8/10


If Skeets was detachable, Booster would have scored at least a 10; probably a 10+.  This is a great figure, but the bizarre decision to do this as an attachment cost him two or three points.

Of course, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit if he was detachable, I'd almost certainly remove it snap some pictures then reattach him in the same place.

Still, it's the principle of the thing.

It's also very out of character for this line.  I really can't get my head around how or why they made this choice.

Anyway, it's still an awesome figure, and it's going to look great on the shelf.  I paid about $13 on Amazon, which is pretty reasonable, on things considered.  I'd still love to find some of these for the mythical $10 price tag I keep hearing about, but living in New York makes that somewhat unlikely.

Thirteen is a good three or four bucks less than I see these for in stores, so I'm happy.  Actually, I'm really happy, because I've already pre-ordered a Hawkgirl from the next wave at the same price.

If you haven't seen the Booster Gold episode of Justice League Unlimited, The Greatest Story Never Told, you owe it to yourself to track it down as soon as humanly possible.  In fact, you don't just owe it to yourself: you owe it to Skeets.  Don't let the little guy down.

Oh, crap.  I got so carried away with Booster, I forgot to plug my blog.  Too late now.