When Marvel started their journey into cinema, they chose to go with the least obvious choice. They didn’t present us with Captain America right off the bat. Instead, they gave us Tony Stark, a known character but not one that had the popular status of Spider-Man or The Hulk. They chose a character that the mainstream may not be aware of, placed an actor-turned-director behind the camera and an acting prodigy looking to make a comeback from numerous mistakes in front of it. What they gave us was 2008’s Iron Man.
What resulted was a major success. The film grossed over $585 million worldwide, solidified Jon Favreau as a visionary director and returned Robert Downey, Jr. to his A-List mantle. It also opened the door to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. One that continues to dominate the comic book movie world practically every year. All this on the shoulders of a character that many understood very little about, including this writer. Unknown to the mainstream, Iron Man became a key figure in Marvel films, including the formation of The Avengers.
While DC Studios chose to start their cinematic journey with their holy trinity of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, they can still learn from Marvel’s debut and present the public with a character they don’t know they need. One that can give the audience a different perspective when it comes to beings with special abilities. One that will make the audience scoff and chuckle at the main character while also eventually cheering him on to do what is right.
Whether they know it or not, the audience needs Michael Jon Carter, the man who becomes Booster Gold.
Unlike other heroes in the realm of DC, Carter’s story starts centuries after the reign of the Justice League. Residing in the 25th century, Carter is a failed football star who is now a security guard at a museum that houses artifacts from super beings and vigilantes of the past. Destined to correct his mistakes and make a name for himself, he uses these artifacts to go back in time to the 20th century and become a super hero… for hire.
From the start, Carter is a relatable character not because of his attained super abilities, but because of his deep flaws. He’s selfish. He has an ego. He wants to be in the spotlight and be the big name he was destined to be before he was tarnished by gambling and throwing college football games for money. He is a tainted, complex character who takes advantage of his situation and uses the tools he has attained to create a business where he is hired to do good deeds. These aren’t the actions of what we consider a hero. However, it is just the beginning of this character’s arc. He eventually reaches a point where he realizes he must put aside his selfishness and ego and do what’s right. While he’s not perfect, he attains that glimmer of the hero we want him to be. We end up cheering for him, no matter how much of a loud-mouthed ass he can be.
Imagine a film that features a character with the wise-cracking humor and swagger of Tony Stark in a time-traveling adventure on the same level as Back To The Future. A guy who has Scott Lang tendencies only to eventually learn he needs to step up and take the Steve Rogers stance. That is what Michael Jon Carter is. That is what Booster Gold is.
A Booster Gold film would present an original and groundbreaking angle for the DC Cinematic Universe. A story balanced in comedy and adventure, with a complex antihero anchoring it. A con man who ends up placing himself in the world of Earth’s mightiest heroes. A swindler the audience can’t help but root for as he realizes that he’s more than just a con artist; that he’s more than just a guy collecting a paycheck for rescuing cats from trees.
This is a character deserving of being added to the pantheon of DC’s cinematic superheroes. This is a character whose film has the potential of revolutionizing the superhero film once again. This is a character who will make the audience laugh at him at the start and then have them cheering for him before the final scene.
This is Booster Gold: the selfish hero we don’t know we need.
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