[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writers: Mark Russell, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Amanda Conner
Artists: Rick Leonardi and Pier Brito
Summary
It is March 15th, 2472. Gotham City’s air quality is mildly toxic. The last mole on Earth has died, thus leaving the total number of animal species at lucky number 13. Booster Gold, that swashbuckling time traveler has a date. Unfortunately, just as he is getting ready to decide if he can afford the rat meat, aliens arrive and start lighting people on fire and disintegrating them. Wouldn’t you just know it, Booster chases these pesky critters to the town of Bedrock, 20,000 years in the past where he hopes to kill the alien menace before it can begin. He does, but he breaks his time sphere. He enlists Fred and Barney to help him get back to the future and the date he left in a dumpster. It will be a “gay old time.”
There is a bonus story called “Eternal Upgrade.” What would a romp through Hanna-Barbera time be without a visit to everyone’s favorite future family (no, not the McFlys) The Jetsons? It would be not as fun I tell you, not nearly as fun. In this story, we get to meet the family in a whole new way. There is a big surprise in this story. No spoilers here. It was truly a bonus as I had no clue it was going to be in this book when I opened it. The other bonus is it seems that The Jetsons will be coming to a comic shop near us.
Positives
Where to begin? To quote Booster Gold, “What I am about to do may seem unorthodox.” I am going to start at the end. Why? Because it is funny. When Crabulon arrives with Gorak in an attempt to save the day, Gorak discovers that for over 20,000 years, his people have been planning his vengeance and building an army. He was a prophet of peace who only preached peace, yet his followers have all used his name to kill and maim (sound familiar?) At that point Gorak says,
“A person of faith has no need of an attack fleet. You don’t didn’t listen to a word of my teachings. You just used my death as an excuse to go on being the same old buttholes you were before.”
That is comedy gold right there. Not just comedy gold, but Booster comedy Gold. OK. I am not funny like Mark Russell is funny. So funny in fact, that the last page, masterfully drawn by Rick Leonardi, is straight out of the opening to The Flintstones cartoon. So, so good.
The Jetsons story is pretty good as well. The whole family has a bit of an artistic upgrade complete with George looking like a dead ringer for Conan O’Brien. I don’t want to give too much away as the book was written for a big reveal. Just read it. You will not be disappointed.
Negatives
I am on record as saying Mark Russell is a great writer. This book is really well done. The jokes land on their feet the whole way. The issue is that Booster Gold is kind of douchey. Granted, he is written that way and he is that way, but he also grates. As Fred says when Booster offers to come back to visit, “Please don’t.” While this is fun, I hope I do not see him showing his face in Bedrock any time soon.
Verdict
Did you know that if you put $10 in the bank in 1966, by 2472, you will have $3.8 billion? Nice. This is a fun one off that is worth your time and money. It is a nice set up for the new Jetsons comic that will most likely be essential reading for those of us who have totally loved the Hanna Barbera lineup.
