A Booster Gold TV show is currently in the works as part of James Gunn’s DC Studios' upcoming slate. One of the characters whose DCU debut was most asked for by audiences following the announcement that James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios would craft a new DC Universe, Booster Gold will indeed be part of the upcoming franchise. Though not much has been revealed about Booster Gold’s story, the time-traveling character could be one of the foundations of Gunn’s new DC Universe.

Despite being a rather popular DC superhero, at least outside of the main Justice League characters, Booster Gold only had two live-action appearances, the most recent being in 2022. Donald Faison played Booster Gold in Legends of Tomorrow season 7’s finale in what has since become one of the Arrowverse’s biggest unresolved cliffhangers as Legends of Tomorrow season 8 will not happen. Here’s everything you need to know about Booster Gold, including his origin in DC Comics and how his story can tie into the new DC Universe.

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Booster Gold's Origin In DC Comics

Booster Gold flying and smiling in DC Comics

A 25th Century Gotham citizen who worked at a Metropolis Museum, Booster Gold made his DC Comics debut in 1986’s Booster Gold #1. Created by Dan Jurgens, Booster Gold is far from having a conventional superhero origin story as he was not given any superpowers nor was trained in any physical skills. Instead, Michael Carter, who had been resealed from prison and was rebuilding his life in Metropolis, decided to steal technology from the museum to become a superhero. Michael Carter wanted to be like the Justice League members he would often read about at the museum, from which his ultimate superhero idea was born.

Michael Carter stole a time machine used by Rip Hunter, who also appeared in the Arrowverse’s Legends of Tomorrow, and went back to the 20th century to become one of that era’s new superheroes. Carter’s idea was simple – by using 25th-century technology, including an A.I. robot known as Skeets, he would be able to fight beside Superman or Green Lantern and become one of the legendary 20th-century heroes. In his original comic book appearance, Carter saved Ronald Reagan from a supervillain and sort of achieved the fame he was looking for. That is when Booster Gold, the superhero, was born.

Booster Gold's Powers In DC Comics

Booster Gold in DC Comics Flashpoint

Despite the Booster Gold-caused timeline changes and the fact that Michael Carter himself does not have any superpowers, Booster Gold’s suit and tech grant him an impressive set of abilities. Booster Gold can fly, shoot gold energy blasts, create time dilatation zones to resist time travel paradoxes, and even become intangible. Skeets, Booster Gold’s faithful companion, also helps the hero by serving as a super-computer who can come up with solutions to whatever problems in a split second. When it comes to Booster Gold's appearances outside the comics, such as in the DC Animated Universe, Booster Gold’s energy blasts are usually depicted as his primary ability.

While Booster Gold cannot time travel without an external device, the ability to use Rip Hunter’s technology makes Booster Gold one of the most important DC characters when it comes to the time-space continuum. Though audiences may be more familiar with Booster Gold’s more comedic side due to the DC Animated Universe, Michael Carter has played a huge role in several crucial DC Comics events – including in the search for Bruce Wayne leading up to the now-famous Flashpoint DC reboot. Curiously, Booster Gold’s time travel equipment is the result of a time paradox itself, as Booster Gold and Rip Hunter were mysteriously connected.

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How Will Booster Gold Fit Into James Gunn's DC Universe?

According to James Gunn, Booster Gold will be a character study diving into Booster Gold’s imposter syndrome. Despite helping save the universe quite a few times, Boster Good never saw himself as a true Justice League hero like the ones he would read about at the museum. That is something DC’s Booster Gold can explore, as it would link a character study to the broader DC Universe. Who will play Booster Gold in the upcoming James Gunn DCU project has yet to be announced, although an actor is currently in talks for the role. As Gunn had promised, the DCU is involving not only movies but also shows.

A Booster Gold show also confirms that the new DCU will dive into the more fantastical side of DC right away. It is impossible to tell a Booster Gold story without involving time travel and establishing at least something about the in-universe future of the DC Universe, so it will be interesting to see how much of DCU worldbuilding will be crafted in the Booster Gold series. Booster Gold in the DCU can also set up potential crossovers, including but not limited to Justice League International and the famous Booster Gold and Blue Beetle interactions. Between the comedy and the seriousness of the character, DCU’s Booster Gold is very exciting.

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