No, Booster Gold is most definitely not a speedster in DC comics. But he’s a DC superhero through and through and is even getting his own TV series.
But who exactly is this guy? What are his superpowers? Is he even a legit superhero to begin with? Let’s get some answers by exploring his history in DC comics!
Who Is Booster Gold?
Booster Gold is a superhero from the future who traveled to the present time. Before his superhero-ing days, he was just Michael Jon Carter, a talented college gridiron football athlete who attended Gotham University in the 25th century.
Despite being a star quarterback with a cool nickname (“Booster”), Carter’s family was poor, a fact not helped by his no-good gambling man of a father. Things take an ugly turn when his dad forces him to sabotage games for gambling purposes. He got caught and was expelled.
He takes a job as a night duty security guard at the Space Museum in Metropolis. Inspired by the displays of historical superhero figures there, he decides to become a “superhero” himself.
With almost nothing to lose, he steals artifacts from the museum, aided by his trusted sidekick Skeets, an AI-powered robot. He figured he was going to use these devices to go back in time to the 20th century (specifically, the 1980s), make a name for himself as the superhero “Goldstar”, and then become famous and rich.
And he does gain fame by saving President Ronald Reagan’s life. In gratitude, the American President moved to introduce Carter to the public. Unfortunately, Carter mangled his “Booster” and “Goldstar” monikers. So the Great Communicator introduced him as “Booster Gold” to America.
Is Booster Gold A Good Guy?
Yes, he is! Sure, he may have started out as somebody who became a superhero for entirely selfish reasons. But Booster Gold went on to become a legit superhero, even earning membership to the Justice League (he was an active member from 1987 to 1996).
Later years would see Booster Gold play an important role in DC’s multiverse. In the Brightest Day crossover saga (which ran from 2010 to 2011), it is revealed that a future version of the superhero is a Time Master.
For those not in the know, Time Masters guard the time stream against those who would abuse it. During his tenure as a member, Booster Gold’s fellow Time Masters include Hal Jordan and Superman – not bad company at all.
Is Booster Gold Funny?
Yes, Booster Gold is indeed funny. As a matter of fact, many consider him to be one of the funniest characters in DC comics, alongside proven purveyors of comics hilarity like Beast Boy, Plastic Man, and Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), who, interestingly, is Booster Gold’s best bud.
In the comics, Booster Gold has no shortage of comedic moments. He is often portrayed as a superhero with an exaggerated sense of confidence, which sometimes reaches levels of crazy (frequently to Blue Beetle’s chagrin).
Booster Gold is also a known practical joker. He once teamed up with Blue Beetle to steal Martian Manhunter’s chocolate sandwich cookies (which the green alien guy absolutely loves). And that’s not all – DC’s comedic duo also went the extra mile with the prank by purchasing all of those cookies within a one-mile radius and hiding them in a warehouse.
What Are Booster Gold's Powers?
Sure, Booster Gold is a superhero through and through. But he belongs in the pantheon of DC superheroes who don’t actually have inherent superhuman powers. It’s a club that includes Gotham City’s Dark Knight himself, Nightwing (Dick Grayson), Green Arrow, and his best pal Ted Kord (aka the second Blue Beetle).
Even without superpowers, Booster Gold gets by with some massive help from 25th-century technology, which powers his suit of armor. Using this armor, Booster Gold can shoot energy rays, generate a force field, fly at high speeds, travel through time, and exhibit superhuman strength. But without his power suit, he can only rely on his athletic (but natural) physical abilities.
How Did Booster Gold Get His Powers?
Technically speaking, Booster Gold got his powers by stealing 25th-century tech from the Metropolis Space Museum. For instance, he can fly because of a stolen Legion of Super-Heroes flight ring.
As for his power suit’s force field generating abilities, it is actually made possible through a force field generator belt once owned by the superhero Brainiac 5 (he’s a good guy, but his great-great-grandfather happens to be major baddie Brainiac).
Lastly, his armor grants him time-traveling abilities thanks to some upgrading by the time-hopping scientist known as Rip Hunter (more on him later, we promise). Although it must be mentioned that the first time he went back through time, he rode Hunter’s Time Sphere transport, which was on display at the Space Museum.
How Strong Is Booster Gold?
Booster Gold’s superhuman strength is mainly derived from his power suit. His armor happens to feature special micro-circuitry incorporated into its mesh. When Booster Gold exerts himself, his suit’s micro-circuitry automatically activates to provide force. You can say that Carter makes the effort, but his suit does the heavy lifting for him.
So using his armor, how strong can Booster Gold get? He can easily lift about 20 tons, which would make him a Class 20 in DC comics. Of course, it is quite possible that he can lift more. Unfortunately, his armor’s mesh is far from being indestructible. He can probably lift more, but he would risk damaging his suit.
Being able to lift 20 tons is not bad. But in DC comics, other super-strong characters can manage heavier loads. For instance, a hundred tons for Aquaman would be like a walk in the park. Still, Booster Gold’s strength is incredible compared to human norms. After all, 20 tons is easily the equivalent of a school bus or a fire truck.
Is Booster Gold Related to Barry Allen?
No, Booster Gold is not related to Barry Allen, aka the second Flash. But the two superheroes do have a connected history. For one, Booster Gold was the first big character introduced by DC after the Crisis on Infinite Earths saga. DC fans will know that during this crossover event, Allen sacrificed himself to save Earth from the villain Anti-Monitor’s anti-matter weapon.
The two would have memorable encounters later on in comics pages. In 2007, for example, a drunk Booster Gold is driving the Time Sphere through the time stream, and hilariously rear-ends Barry Allen’s treadmill.
Is Booster Gold Rip Hunter's Dad?
Yes, Booster Gold is Rip Hunter’s dad. But due to time-travel dynamics, the two have a complex relationship. In the comics, it is revealed that an older Booster Gold from an even farther future is the mentor of Rip Hunter.
But in an interesting twist, older Booster Gold from the future has given Rip Hunter a special mission: to guide and teach the younger Booster Gold. The objective was to ensure that the younger Booster Gold matures into a wiser, older version, who will one day train Rip Hunter to become the greatest Time Master.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!