Warning! Spoilers for The Human Target #1 by DC Comics
Few DC characters are considered more of a joke among his peers than Booster Gold, as the egotistical hero has ruffled the feathers of his fellow do-gooders with his zany antics and self-promotion. However, DC Comics just revealed the brutal truth that many of the heroes in the DC Universe are also considered jokes, but at least Booster Gold is a funny one.
Booster Gold arrived in the modern DC Universe after Michael Jon Carter stole a number of pieces of advanced technology from the Metropolis Space Museum in the 25th-century. After a disgraced football career, Carter teamed up with his A.I. robot Skeets to steal a Legion of Super-Heroes flight ring, Brainiac 5's force field belt, and Rip Hunter's Time Sphere to travel back to the 21st century, where he tried to make himself a great hero. However, Booster Gold's desire for celebrity and fame has often put him at odds with his fellow heroes, as most consider him a joke. Booster Gold's best friend Blue Beetle even rejected a Justice League membership because the team didn't want a Blue and Gold package deal because they didn't like him or his methods. However, a new issue of The Human Target reveals the brutal truth about Booster Gold and other DC heroes.
In The Human Target #3 by Tom King, Greg Smallwood, and Clayton Cowles, Christopher Chance and Ice investigate who wanted to kill Lex Luthor, checking in on Booster Gold. They meet the hero at Booster Bagels, his newest business venture. When Chance sees Booster Gold, he monologues about how the 25th Century hero succeeded in turning himself into the hero he always wanted to be by going to the past. As the Justice League International member cuts the ribbon on his new shop, Chance reveals to readers that people consider Booster a joke since he makes a lot of mistakes. He notes the brutal truth is that most heroes make mistakes, but what separates Booster Gold from them is that he is a joke, but at least he's a funny one.
Chance drops the brutal truth about DC heroes: Most of them are jokes, but at least Booster Gold recognizes that and tries to make the most out of the situation. Sure, Booster Gold's humor is somewhat of a coping mechanism, but he's embraced his reputation from other heroes, which makes him stand apart from them.
So yes, the brutal truth is most DC heroes are a joke - even if they're not as dressed up as a punchline like Booster Gold. However, Booster Gold succeeds as a joke because at least he's a funny one. It's a fun character moment showing why Booster Gold succeeds despite getting in his own way at every turn. The Human Target #3 by DC Comics is in stores now.