WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #15!DC has used the most arguably unqualified character to call out the Superman as not "special." While many fans may be quick to defend these iconic characters, who have undoubtedly impacted pop culture like no other, this hero makes a compelling point that deserves to be heard in full.

Mark Russell and Jon Mikel return with the grand finale of their Booster Gold-centric story, Time Jerks, in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #15. In this time-traveling adventure, Michael Carter encounters the Jurassic League, a dinosaur version of the Justice League.

After causing and then preventing the extinction of the human race, Booster Gold teams up with the Justice League to stop an asteroid from hitting Earth. However, a mishap sends Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman back in time, where they meet their dinosaur counterparts. Amidst this time-travel blunder, Booster Gold darkly reflects on how no one, including the Trinity, is truly “special.”

Booster Gold Implies Not Even DC’s Flagship Characters Are Special (& He Kind of Has a Point)

"People always rubbin' my coals for mes this timeline or that. But isn't that what we're all doing?" - Booster Gold

As the Trinity helps their dinosaur counterparts battle the impending extinction, Booster Gold delivers a startlingly dark narration: “If there is one thing time-travel has taught me, it’s that no one’s so special the universe couldn’t possibly do without you.” This narration is accompanied by s of Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman, underscoring that DC is applying this sentiment to the Justice League’s Trinity. The real kicker is that Booster’s bleak perspective isn’t entirely unfounded.

Evan casual comic readers will know that DC has featured numerous storylines where the Trinity have died, been replaced by new versions, or never existed in the first place, yet the DC Universe has moved forward without them. Their absence is definitely felt in these storylines, especially from the viewers' perspective, but the very nature of their legacy inspires others to follow their example even after they're gone. But any one occurence of a Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, or Green Lantern owes as much to chance as destiny.

The dinosaur variants of the Justice League first made their debut in the six-issue Jurassic League miniseries by Daniel Warren Johnson & Juan Gedeon in May 2022.

DC's Own Elseworlds Prove Its Main Universe isn't The 'Most Meaningful'

It's a valuable reminder offered by Booster Gold, which in itself is a rare event. As much as superhero fans love to debate the overwhelming importance of the prime Superman to the very fabric of the universe, the expansive Elseworlds of the DC Multiverse are beloved just as dearly. In a sprawling web of realities that are forever-changing, constantly-rebooting, and permanently vulnerable-to-time-travel alterations, is the meaning not in the chaos, as opposed to an unmoving 'canon' universe? Or, as Booster puts it:

"Sometimes it pays to be a time jerk. Time is what we call the destruction of possibility. With each ing second, what we've done becomes who we are. And all the things we could have done forever disappear like skittish deer into the forest of the past. You're just a popsicle stick, floating on the ocean. Which actually sounds kind of fun when you think about it. So why not enjoy the ride?"

This point is driven home by the story's ending, or at least the Jurassic League's role within it. With the heroes unable to prevent the disaster, the dinosaurs urge the Trinity to depart, and perhaps make another attempt to rewrite their reality through other means. Bat Walker voices one part of the comic audience, asking what the point of their story even was if they now no longer matter. But Supersaur grasps their existence matters only as part of a greater whole (as just one more "what if?" alternate reality published by DC Comics).

Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman ARE Special, Just Not in the Way You Think

While DC Comics as a company could continue without Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman, their sales would likely suffer. The DCU would also likely persist if these iconic characters were suddenly removed, but their absence would be deeply felt by other characters, making certain hero and team dynamics suffer. So, while the Trinity might not be essential for the universe’s survival, the franchise wouldn’t have reached its level of popularity or lasted as long without these three characters, both from a sales and narrative standpoint.

In truth, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman aren’t special just because of their names or costumes. Anyone could have created these characters and dressed them in brightly colored spandex. What truly makes them exceptional is the depth and richness provided by over 80 years of storytelling from dedicated creators and writers. This extensive history has cemented their place in pop culture. This is also why fans get upset when these characters are poorly written or mischaracterized because it diminishes what makes them special. Thus, great writing is crucial for maintaining the lasting legacy of Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #15 is available now from DC Comics.