Warning! Spoilers ahead for Blue & Gold #1
Batman is known for keeping secrets from his teammates in the Justice League, but when it comes to what he knows about the hero, Booster Gold, Bruce is keeping one of the biggest – and saddest – secrets in the DC Universe. Batman is known for his no nonsense attitude to crimefighting, while Booster Gold and his best pal, Blue Beetle, couldn’t stop cracking jokes if they tried. While most would expect Booster and Bats to hate each other, they’re actually much closer than anyone realizes.
While he may present himself as a self-serving jerk, once upon a time, Booster Gold was secretly the most important hero in the DC Universe and only Batman knew the truth. After Booster became the protector of the timestream in Geoff Johns and Dan Jurgens’ Booster Gold series spinning out of the events of 52 by Johns, Greg Rucka, and others, Bruce was the only person Booster could confide in. And with Infinite Frontier restoring memories long thought forgotten, that may still be the case.
Blue & Gold #1 by Dan Jurgens and Ryan Sook reunites the fan-favorite heroes as the less-than-dynamic duo rescue the Justice League from a mysterious and powerful alien threat. While the pair succeed – largely in spite of Booster’s efforts – their victory doesn’t earn the respect they both hoped for. As Black Adam draws Booster away to help in the cleanup efforts, the remaining members of the League invite Blue Beetle to join their ranks. But when he misunderstands the invitation as being for both him and his best pal, the Justice league are less than kind in sharing how they feel about Booster. Pretty much every member of the team berates Gold behind his back, except for Batman – the hero that fans and Leaguers would expect to like Booster the least. Beetle rejects the Justice League's offer out of solidarity with his best bro and the team departs, but not before Bruce turns around silently and hits Ted with a surprisingly meaningful look.
It’s not entirely clear whether Booster’s status as master of time has been restored in Infinite Frontier, but Batman’s silence when the rest of the League rejects Booster speaks volumes, as does the knowing look he gives the Blue Beetle. More than anyone, Batman understands the need for strategy and secrecy, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy with seeing a former teammate constantly getting dismissed by their fellow heroes, especially when he’s one of the few people who know what Booster has sacrificed.
Booster Gold’s incompetent reputation is vital to his mission as the protector of the timestream. When nobody takes him seriously, it allows him to operate without any real oversight and keeps his fellow heroes off his back while he works to keep the timeline stable. Unfortunately, that autonomy comes with its fair share of disrespect from those he’s saved countless times, and Batman finally accepting Booster when he learned the truth about his old friend was a big moment for both characters.
Booster is a true hero, even without the Justice League. And even though he’s been sworn to secrecy, Batman knows it better than anyone. With Infinite Frontier changing everything, he may even know it better than Booster Gold himself.