Confirmed: Ted Kord in Booster Gold (but not the way you think)

[samurainoir]

If what you were thinking was Blackest Night. If you were thinking time travel, you're right!

Newsarama.com : Giffen ft. Ted Kord?

Nrama: There have been a lot of hints in this series that Ted Kord may be alive somehow. Without revealing anything, how do you feel about the character's death and the idea of bringing him back to life? Keith, knowing how hard you worked to establish a new Blue Beetle, what do you think of the possibility that Ted's alive?

Giffen: Ted is dead. Period. That said, Booster is a time traveler so, yes, Ted will be a regular player. Blue and Gold lives! Kinda...

DeMatteis: At the time, I wasn't happy with Ted's death, but that's ancient history now. Besides, with a time-traveling main character, you don't have to resurrect dead Ted in order to feature him in the book.

[The Toyroom]

Hmmm....been there done that already in this book....can't Giffen and DeMatteis think of something fresh? Plus, I didn't mind the one arc but Booster needs to be on his own....tieing him down to the Blue and the Gold again is a disservice to the character.
And if the want to use Ted Kord, why was he killed off in the first place and replaced with lame Jamie Reyes?

[BlackKnight]

I have come to the Conclusion that the Reason for Ted to be killed,
Was to use the idea of that,.. and make Booster Gold in to a Great Character.

[samurainoir]

Hmmm....been there done that already in this book....can't Giffen and DeMatteis think of something fresh? Plus, I didn't mind the one arc but Booster needs to be on his own....tieing him down to the Blue and the Gold again is a disservice to the character.
And if the want to use Ted Kord, why was he killed off in the first place and replaced with lame Jamie Reyes?

I'm suspecting Jamie Reyes will remain in the DCU as Blue Beetle even with Ted showing up on occasion in Booster's title. Particularly with Giffen writing that new Justice League International title as well as Booster Gold.

After all, Giffen is the creator of the new Blue Beetle. Wouldn't that entitle him to royalties for the Brave and the Bold cartoon appearances and action figures in every Toys R Us currently? If he gets to write Ted via a time-travel loophole, I'm sure that's simply having his cake and eating it too. Notice they never refer to Ted as Blue Beetle in the interview?

And Booster has become a much more interesting character since Ted was killed. He was never really big on my radar outside of JLI before Countdown, 52 and the current Booster Gold series. Although he's been great in the cartoon appearances too.

[The Toyroom]

I wish Dan Juregsn was staying on this book...the guy is DC's most under-rated SUPERSTAR....

[The Toyroom]

....and Giffen is over-rated lately....he's doing a lot of work for DC these days (Magog, Booster, Doom Patrol, JLI)....wonder if he's got some dirt on Dan DiDio

[samurainoir]

....and Giffen is over-rated lately....he's doing a lot of work for DC these days (Magog, Booster, Doom Patrol, JLI)....wonder if he's got some dirt on Dan DiDio

I always assumed it was the Levitz connection that kept getting him work at DC even after duds like Heckler and Suicide Squad. Don't discount the Old School ties.

Beyond that particularly with Levitz on his way out, Lobo always seems to be optioned for film... I'm sure creating that character has earned DC some $$$ over the years. Putting Giffen on JLI related properties now would seem to be money in the bank given how vocal the fan community has been.

From DC's editorial POV, he's reliable with multiple deadlines and multiple projects, he's really put his time in at the salt mines doing layouts for 52 and Countdown and really showed he's a team player on the various series he has worked on. Hopefully now that he's put his time into Crossover Crisis Purgotory, he can cut loose

For the most part, the only DC work I've really enjoyed from Giffen lately is Metal Men and Ambush Bug. While outside of DC, I think his Battle Royale scripting was great, and the Boom comics such as Hero Squared, Ten, Dominion and Jeremiah Harm, I've been enjoying as well.

[The Toyroom]

I was enjoying his Metal Men (but that is getting canned)....the Doom Patrol has been "ennnh" so far (there should be a moratorium on DP stories/series for at least 10 years)...and his Ambush Bug...well Ambush Bug was definitely a series that never should have been green-lit IMO. Way too much time has passed since the Bug was relevant (or irrelevant as the case may be) and it just didn't feel the same as the old days.

[Cosmicman]

As far as I am concerned, Ted Kord is the only Blue Beetle. I don't care for the teenager Spider-man rip off.
When I eventually get to making a Blue Beetle custom, it will be Ted.