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DC: The New Frontier
DC: The New Frontier, Volume 2
It's a mystery in space as Superman, the Suicide Squad, and the Challengers of the Unknown encounter a frightening extraterrestrial lifeform! This volume also features sketchbook material by Cooke!
Collecting: DC: The New Fronteir 4-6
Collecting: DC: The New Fronteir 4-6
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
71 people are currently reading
2009 people want to read
About the author
Darwyn Cooke
246 books356 followersDarwyn Cooke was an Eisner Award winning comic book writer, artist, cartoonist and animator, best known for his work on the comic books Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier and Will Eisner's The Spirit.
In 1985, Cooke published his first comic book work as a professional artist in a short story in New Talent Showcase #19, but economic pressure made him leave the career and he worked in Canada as a magazine art director, graphic and product designer for the next 15 years.
In the early 1990s Cooke decided to return to comics, but found little interest for his work at the major publishers. Eventually he was hired by Warner Bros. Animation after replying to an ad placed by animator Bruce Timm.
He went on to work as a storyboard artist for Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, and in 1999 he animated the main title design for Batman Beyond. He then worked as a director for Sony Animation's Men in Black: The Series for a year.
DC Comics then approached Cooke about a project which he had submitted to the publisher years earlier which eventually became Batman: Ego, a graphic novel published in 2000.
The critical success of that project led to Cooke taking on more freelance work, such as X-Force, Wolverine/Doop and Spider-Man's Tangled Web for Marvel Comics and Just Imagine... Stan Lee for DC.
In 2001, Cooke and writer Ed Brubaker teamed up to revamp the Catwoman character. They started with a 4 issue serial "Trail of the Catwoman" in Detective Comics #759-762 in which private detective Slam Bradley attempts to investigate the death of Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman).
The story led into a new Catwoman title in late 2001 by Brubaker and Cooke, in which the character's costume, supporting cast and modus operandi were all redesigned and redeveloped. Cooke would stay on the series, which was met with critical and fan acclaim, up until issue #4. In 2002 he would write and draw a prequel, the Selina's Big Score graphic novel which detailed what had happened to the character directly before her new series.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cooke's next project was the ambitious DC: The New Frontier (2004), a six issue miniseries which sought to tell an epic storyline bridging the gap between the end of the golden and the start of the silver age of comic books in the DC Universe. The story, which was set in the 1950s, featured dozens of super-hero characters and drew inspiration from the comic books and movies of the period as well as from Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the start of the US Space Program The Right Stuff. The major DC characters are introduced in "The New Frontier" in the same order that DC originally published them, even down to the correct month and year in the story's timeline. In 2005, Cooke won an Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series", and a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on the series.
Most recently, Cooke contributed to DC's artist-centric anthology project Solo. His issue (#5, June, 2005) featured several different stories in different styles with a framing sequence featuring the Slam Bradley character. In 2006, Solo #5 won an Eisner Award for "Best Single Issue."
In July 2005, it was announced that in 2006 Cooke and writer Jeph Loeb would produce a Batman/Spirit crossover, to be followed shortly afterwards by an ongoing Spirit series written and drawn by Cooke. Batman/The Spirit was ultimately published in November 2006, followed in December by the first issue of Cooke's The Spirit. In June 2007, Cooke and J. Bone won a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artists" for their work on "Batman/The Spirit", and Cooke won "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on "The Spirit".
In July 2006, it was announced that Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics would release a series of direct-to-DVD animated movies based on important DC com
In 1985, Cooke published his first comic book work as a professional artist in a short story in New Talent Showcase #19, but economic pressure made him leave the career and he worked in Canada as a magazine art director, graphic and product designer for the next 15 years.
In the early 1990s Cooke decided to return to comics, but found little interest for his work at the major publishers. Eventually he was hired by Warner Bros. Animation after replying to an ad placed by animator Bruce Timm.
He went on to work as a storyboard artist for Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, and in 1999 he animated the main title design for Batman Beyond. He then worked as a director for Sony Animation's Men in Black: The Series for a year.
DC Comics then approached Cooke about a project which he had submitted to the publisher years earlier which eventually became Batman: Ego, a graphic novel published in 2000.
The critical success of that project led to Cooke taking on more freelance work, such as X-Force, Wolverine/Doop and Spider-Man's Tangled Web for Marvel Comics and Just Imagine... Stan Lee for DC.
In 2001, Cooke and writer Ed Brubaker teamed up to revamp the Catwoman character. They started with a 4 issue serial "Trail of the Catwoman" in Detective Comics #759-762 in which private detective Slam Bradley attempts to investigate the death of Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman).
The story led into a new Catwoman title in late 2001 by Brubaker and Cooke, in which the character's costume, supporting cast and modus operandi were all redesigned and redeveloped. Cooke would stay on the series, which was met with critical and fan acclaim, up until issue #4. In 2002 he would write and draw a prequel, the Selina's Big Score graphic novel which detailed what had happened to the character directly before her new series.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cooke's next project was the ambitious DC: The New Frontier (2004), a six issue miniseries which sought to tell an epic storyline bridging the gap between the end of the golden and the start of the silver age of comic books in the DC Universe. The story, which was set in the 1950s, featured dozens of super-hero characters and drew inspiration from the comic books and movies of the period as well as from Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the start of the US Space Program The Right Stuff. The major DC characters are introduced in "The New Frontier" in the same order that DC originally published them, even down to the correct month and year in the story's timeline. In 2005, Cooke won an Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series", and a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on the series.
Most recently, Cooke contributed to DC's artist-centric anthology project Solo. His issue (#5, June, 2005) featured several different stories in different styles with a framing sequence featuring the Slam Bradley character. In 2006, Solo #5 won an Eisner Award for "Best Single Issue."
In July 2005, it was announced that in 2006 Cooke and writer Jeph Loeb would produce a Batman/Spirit crossover, to be followed shortly afterwards by an ongoing Spirit series written and drawn by Cooke. Batman/The Spirit was ultimately published in November 2006, followed in December by the first issue of Cooke's The Spirit. In June 2007, Cooke and J. Bone won a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artists" for their work on "Batman/The Spirit", and Cooke won "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on "The Spirit".
In July 2006, it was announced that Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics would release a series of direct-to-DVD animated movies based on important DC com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
December 18, 2014
If you get a chance to read both of these volumes at once, I think it might make for a better reading experience.
DC: The New Frontier, Vol. 1 doesn't really go anywhere story-wise, and a lot of the characters are forgettable to most comic book readers.
Fans of the Silver Age would probably be the exception...or so Joseph tells me.
But even without an amazing plot, the art is just...lovely.
Ok, in Volume 2 you see how everything is sort of pulling together into a cohesive storyline. Is it an incredible story?
No.
A rather generic monster from the center of the planet is hell-bent on destroying Earth. There's not a lot of reasoning behind the Why of it, other than it wants to go out into space and visit other planets.
I think.
Anyway, it doesn't really matter. The point is that it takes a threat of that sort of magnitude to bring all of the heroes (super or not) together to fight this thing.
Some of them (the ones nobody knows or cares about) won't make it back.
It's the defining moment for all of them, though.
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman are all heavily overshadowed by the Marian Manhunter, Flash, and Green Lantern.
Whether or not that's a bad thing will vary from person to person.
I was ok with it, but I doubt that everyone is going to get excited as I do over Hal Jordan.
Whatever...haters.
It's a slow story, but with the beautiful art it's worth taking a look at.
Get this review and more at:
DC: The New Frontier, Vol. 1 doesn't really go anywhere story-wise, and a lot of the characters are forgettable to most comic book readers.
Fans of the Silver Age would probably be the exception...or so Joseph tells me.
But even without an amazing plot, the art is just...lovely.
Ok, in Volume 2 you see how everything is sort of pulling together into a cohesive storyline. Is it an incredible story?
No.
A rather generic monster from the center of the planet is hell-bent on destroying Earth. There's not a lot of reasoning behind the Why of it, other than it wants to go out into space and visit other planets.
I think.
Anyway, it doesn't really matter. The point is that it takes a threat of that sort of magnitude to bring all of the heroes (super or not) together to fight this thing.
Some of them (the ones nobody knows or cares about) won't make it back.
It's the defining moment for all of them, though.
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman are all heavily overshadowed by the Marian Manhunter, Flash, and Green Lantern.
Whether or not that's a bad thing will vary from person to person.
I was ok with it, but I doubt that everyone is going to get excited as I do over Hal Jordan.
Whatever...haters.
It's a slow story, but with the beautiful art it's worth taking a look at.
Get this review and more at:
January 13, 2022
This was such a great story wow!
It starts off with Hal becoming the GL or that mission with Flagg and well him discovering things about himself and the love romance with Carol and whatever is going on with J'onn as he re-discovers himself and finally we see the coming threat of "the centre" and how all the heroes gather together from Green Lantern to Flash to Ollie and others and what steps they take, the beginning of the age of heroes as we see them ccoming together to fight this threat of Dinosaur Island and all and the way it ends, it heralds in something new, the rise of Justice League and beginning of DCU.
Its an epic story and sure its wordy and can sometimes becoming boring but its just pieces being moved into place like with Superman and Diana and the various llove interests: Hal and Carol, Barry and Iris, the intro of Aquaman and explaining the threat and giving redemption moments to Flagg and Faraday and also the origin of J'onn and the coming together of the 7 aka the JL!
Its epic and one of my favorite DC reads and I love it, the art is wonderful and starngely nostalgic and the end page with all the heroes will make you love the DCU and all the hopes it encompasses and the great story-telling and legacy it has and continues to build! A must read for any DC Fan!
It starts off with Hal becoming the GL or that mission with Flagg and well him discovering things about himself and the love romance with Carol and whatever is going on with J'onn as he re-discovers himself and finally we see the coming threat of "the centre" and how all the heroes gather together from Green Lantern to Flash to Ollie and others and what steps they take, the beginning of the age of heroes as we see them ccoming together to fight this threat of Dinosaur Island and all and the way it ends, it heralds in something new, the rise of Justice League and beginning of DCU.
Its an epic story and sure its wordy and can sometimes becoming boring but its just pieces being moved into place like with Superman and Diana and the various llove interests: Hal and Carol, Barry and Iris, the intro of Aquaman and explaining the threat and giving redemption moments to Flagg and Faraday and also the origin of J'onn and the coming together of the 7 aka the JL!
Its epic and one of my favorite DC reads and I love it, the art is wonderful and starngely nostalgic and the end page with all the heroes will make you love the DCU and all the hopes it encompasses and the great story-telling and legacy it has and continues to build! A must read for any DC Fan!
September 11, 2013
The second and final volume in Darwyn Cooke's reimagining of DC's superheroes set against an early 1960s background is about as fairly dull as the first one was. I criticised a lack of plot in the first volume whereas we get one in this book, but it's still not a very good one. Basically an unstoppable giant alien headed towards America (of course) must be stopped - enter the group who will become known as the Justice League!
It's a plot of sorts but rather than complain about the arbitrariness of the alien threat - which I think is deliberately so - I would say that it's a slow read because it focuses on characters I'm not particularly fond of. Hal Jordan/Green Lantern for one gets the lion's share of the book as do a number of non-superpowered characters - government agents and so forth - who I couldn't care less about. Flash gets some time in the spotlight, Martian Manhunter gets even more, while the big 3 - Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman - get short shrift, relegated to mere cameos. I appreciate Cooke is trying to shine the spotlight on some of the less usual suspects but there's a reason why Batman and Superman are more popular than Green Lantern and Flash.
Let's talk about the big alien menace that makes up the plot. First off, a vague alien danger is pretty much what a lot of Silver Age comics did - horrors from space, etc. - and if New Frontier is a mash note to the comics of that era then it gets the villain right. Then again, it's not a great villain. We know nothing about it, except it wants to destroy everything and everyone, which is about as 2-dimensional as you can get. But I think this is deliberate because this isn't about having a complex nemesis, it's about giving the Justice League a reason for forming because up until now, they've basically just been random elements doing their own thing. With The Center (the big alien bad thing), they're forced to work together thus realising they should be a team and completing the story.
All of which is fine even though Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are basically left out as Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter (guess who Cooke's favourites are?) save the day. But like I said, focusing on those less interesting characters made the book harder to read and, though the alien threat is a plot point, the rest of the book drags and drags even when they finally fight it. Meanwhile some space stuff happens - Hal is denied going into space and mopes around Ferris Industries, in a sequence that just went on and on, racism is touched on - John Henry Irons gets called some racist epithets, all 60s era issues that places the comic squarely in its time, but nothing that stands out as particularly inspired. And ending the book quoting Kennedy's New Frontier speech - really? It's too on the nose.
Cooke's art remains the best thing about New Frontier even though once again he has trouble distinguishing his male characters in appearance, something he really needs to do as he can't really make them stand out with his script. New Frontier has its moments but it was far too long - two volumes is too much for what little story - and though I get that Cooke wants to celebrate this era in history and comics, I still think if you wanted to experience the Silver Age you'd be better off reading the actual comics of this time than New Frontier.
It's a plot of sorts but rather than complain about the arbitrariness of the alien threat - which I think is deliberately so - I would say that it's a slow read because it focuses on characters I'm not particularly fond of. Hal Jordan/Green Lantern for one gets the lion's share of the book as do a number of non-superpowered characters - government agents and so forth - who I couldn't care less about. Flash gets some time in the spotlight, Martian Manhunter gets even more, while the big 3 - Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman - get short shrift, relegated to mere cameos. I appreciate Cooke is trying to shine the spotlight on some of the less usual suspects but there's a reason why Batman and Superman are more popular than Green Lantern and Flash.
Let's talk about the big alien menace that makes up the plot. First off, a vague alien danger is pretty much what a lot of Silver Age comics did - horrors from space, etc. - and if New Frontier is a mash note to the comics of that era then it gets the villain right. Then again, it's not a great villain. We know nothing about it, except it wants to destroy everything and everyone, which is about as 2-dimensional as you can get. But I think this is deliberate because this isn't about having a complex nemesis, it's about giving the Justice League a reason for forming because up until now, they've basically just been random elements doing their own thing. With The Center (the big alien bad thing), they're forced to work together thus realising they should be a team and completing the story.
All of which is fine even though Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are basically left out as Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter (guess who Cooke's favourites are?) save the day. But like I said, focusing on those less interesting characters made the book harder to read and, though the alien threat is a plot point, the rest of the book drags and drags even when they finally fight it. Meanwhile some space stuff happens - Hal is denied going into space and mopes around Ferris Industries, in a sequence that just went on and on, racism is touched on - John Henry Irons gets called some racist epithets, all 60s era issues that places the comic squarely in its time, but nothing that stands out as particularly inspired. And ending the book quoting Kennedy's New Frontier speech - really? It's too on the nose.
Cooke's art remains the best thing about New Frontier even though once again he has trouble distinguishing his male characters in appearance, something he really needs to do as he can't really make them stand out with his script. New Frontier has its moments but it was far too long - two volumes is too much for what little story - and though I get that Cooke wants to celebrate this era in history and comics, I still think if you wanted to experience the Silver Age you'd be better off reading the actual comics of this time than New Frontier.
March 10, 2014
After reading the first volume of New Frontier, I was frustrated with the lack of story progression. The first half read like a lot of random things happening around the same time, with no real sense of why or even if it was all connected. The second volume is an improvement in that regard, with an actual, discernible storyline. That said, the alien intelligence with poorly defined motives doesn't make for the most compelling threat. But the threat is really beside the point, isn't it? It's about creating the JLA. And that's fine, but I can't help but feel like a better opponent would have made for a better book.
I think that if I'd read this in the combined, Absolute DC: The New Frontier edition, there's a chance I would have liked it better. Maybe I would have felt less impatient with the lack of traction so much of the book seemed to have. Who knows? At least I enjoyed the art, enough to make it worth my while.
I think that if I'd read this in the combined, Absolute DC: The New Frontier edition, there's a chance I would have liked it better. Maybe I would have felt less impatient with the lack of traction so much of the book seemed to have. Who knows? At least I enjoyed the art, enough to make it worth my while.
April 12, 2008
For all the raves I had heard about this series, I expected good things from it. I did not expect that it would make me cry. I finished it while on the metro, closing it up and realized that my eyes were all misty and wet. This book was something magical in a way-paying homage, respect, and true love to the superheroes of old-those without all the angst and murky gray morals that can dance a fine line between dazzling and annoying. New Frontier was as Darwyn Cooke said in his afterword, (paraphrasing here as I lent out the book to my brother) "six people, six superheros who will always do the right thing." It wasn't chest thumping patriotic machismo, there was cleverly intertwining of how real life history would have affected these Silver Age heroes as Martian Manhunter feels the paranoia of McCarthyism, Green Lantern finds his country's black and white view of war shattered when he's in the thick of it. At the end though, as all the heroes come together to fight cosmic evil, there's a wonderfully, old fashioned sense of inspiration and hope, that can only come from letting your mind wander into a world where aliens, cosmically/scientifically powered men and women, and a guy in a batsuit, make you feel like a kid again, knowing that the world is going to end up alright in the end. Closing it with a montage set to John F. Kennedy's New Frontier speech was a master stroke.
November 24, 2013
Three words: Aquaman saving Superman. Even if the rest of the book was bad (which it wasn't!) it would be enough just for that moment. I'm a big Aquaman fan, and I think all the hate he gets is uncalled for. So this was a kick ass thing to witness (as was the volume 1 of the New 52 Aquaman. Thank you Geoff Johns).
Other than that, this was brilliant. Better than the first one, definitely, but you can tell Mr Cooke was building up to this. Again, I've watched the animated film before I read the books, so there were no surprises to what was happening, but it was still very VERY good.
The retro slightly cartoon-ish illustrations are absolutely perfect. The alternative covers gallery at the end made me want to buy posters of all of them, just so I can put them in my wall and drink up all that 50's inspired goodness. I think Darwyn Cooke is up there with Jeff Lemire on my list of awesome authors/illustrators (even though they have VERY different styles!)
This is definitely an Absolute Edition worthy series, and I'm going to look up more of Mr Cooke's worth, Selina's Big Score looks particularly good.
Other than that, this was brilliant. Better than the first one, definitely, but you can tell Mr Cooke was building up to this. Again, I've watched the animated film before I read the books, so there were no surprises to what was happening, but it was still very VERY good.
The retro slightly cartoon-ish illustrations are absolutely perfect. The alternative covers gallery at the end made me want to buy posters of all of them, just so I can put them in my wall and drink up all that 50's inspired goodness. I think Darwyn Cooke is up there with Jeff Lemire on my list of awesome authors/illustrators (even though they have VERY different styles!)
This is definitely an Absolute Edition worthy series, and I'm going to look up more of Mr Cooke's worth, Selina's Big Score looks particularly good.
July 9, 2020
Nooo... there are moments, brief, Brief moments when this almost works.. but overall NO.
Like volume one most of the focus is on Hal Jordan, the Challengers of the Unknown (so these guys are basically the Fantastic Four but without any superpowers? who knew there could be an even duller version of the FF :P ) and other dull characters.
It also tries for Watchemen-esque politics but at the same time keeps the heroes in their cheezyist golden-age incarnations, the effect if jarring.
Far too many characters, unless you love ALL of the DC pantheon this just becomes a mess and in fact some of the most important heroes for the final battle arn't even introduced before that.
Side-note, green-arrow is a fighter pilot is that canon?
Overall, while this is a little better than vol 1 in that it does have some over-arching plot, like vol 1 it still feels more like a pitch meeting for an entire range of comis (like Marvels Ultimate Comics line) than it does a comic in its own right.
Edit: I also don't think it helped that the enemy was so similar to the one from Giant Sized X-Men #1.
Like volume one most of the focus is on Hal Jordan, the Challengers of the Unknown (so these guys are basically the Fantastic Four but without any superpowers? who knew there could be an even duller version of the FF :P ) and other dull characters.
It also tries for Watchemen-esque politics but at the same time keeps the heroes in their cheezyist golden-age incarnations, the effect if jarring.
Far too many characters, unless you love ALL of the DC pantheon this just becomes a mess and in fact some of the most important heroes for the final battle arn't even introduced before that.
Side-note, green-arrow is a fighter pilot is that canon?
Overall, while this is a little better than vol 1 in that it does have some over-arching plot, like vol 1 it still feels more like a pitch meeting for an entire range of comis (like Marvels Ultimate Comics line) than it does a comic in its own right.
Edit: I also don't think it helped that the enemy was so similar to the one from Giant Sized X-Men #1.
March 3, 2014
This is Darwyn cooke's re imagining of the silver age dc universe with a lovecraftian enemy.
And this is considered a classic. But I think I'm not well enough versed in the dc universe to get who all these characters were, and how they are related. so I think I missed a lot of the story. I also had the feeling that part one did not really have a story, but that it were just some anecdotes and scenes to show as much dc characters off as possible.
Things that save this book for me are Cooke's drawings and the the last battle against the centre.
And this is considered a classic. But I think I'm not well enough versed in the dc universe to get who all these characters were, and how they are related. so I think I missed a lot of the story. I also had the feeling that part one did not really have a story, but that it were just some anecdotes and scenes to show as much dc characters off as possible.
Things that save this book for me are Cooke's drawings and the the last battle against the centre.
September 1, 2021
Lovely artwork, and a decent story featuring some of the less heralded members of the DC universe.
December 4, 2024
No es que el enemigo que hace de catalizador de los superhéroes de la edad de plata de DC sea especialmente carismático, pero el enfrentamiento es climático y obliga a todos a dar lo mejor de sí mismos. Cooke suple su ingenuidad en la construcción del guión con su talento para la composición y la narración. Al final he cerrado el tomo echando de menos alguna viñeta memorable pero con la sensación de que La nueva frontera es uno de los tebeos de las últimas tres décadas de DC que hay que leer.
July 19, 2011
What can I say that I haven't already? Comic books just don't get much better than this. From a completely biased point of view, I wish Superman played a bigger role in all of this, but I completely agree with Cooke's focus on Hal Jordan. Jordan is in many ways a Silver Age transitionary figure. A daredevil pilot turned superhero practically begs to be identified with the 50s and 60s and the themes of space exploration, the science fiction of the period, and the hope and optimism mixed in with the lingering sense of domestic maladjustment fit perfectly into this story.
More philosophical and more epic than the first volume by far. Cooke seems to be able to walk that thin line between action-fest with things blowing up dramatically and deep inner monologues that push the story along and make you think. It's a difficult thing to do and he deserves every shred of credit for this accomplishment. His theme-building is also profoundly layered in the artwork, the dialogue, the structure of the story and the epigrams selected; all of it seems to cry out CHANGE in a way that is spiritual and uplifting and hopeful. (Throwing in Kennedy's New Frontier speech was a really, really nice touch. The tone was perfect and the speech is one of the best in American political history.)
A stirring conclusion that returns readers of my generation to the point where we all began and the faces we were familiar with growing up. I've seldom been this satisfied after reading a comic book. Feels like the caliber of Watchmen and the heart and hope of a Superman classic. Well done.
More philosophical and more epic than the first volume by far. Cooke seems to be able to walk that thin line between action-fest with things blowing up dramatically and deep inner monologues that push the story along and make you think. It's a difficult thing to do and he deserves every shred of credit for this accomplishment. His theme-building is also profoundly layered in the artwork, the dialogue, the structure of the story and the epigrams selected; all of it seems to cry out CHANGE in a way that is spiritual and uplifting and hopeful. (Throwing in Kennedy's New Frontier speech was a really, really nice touch. The tone was perfect and the speech is one of the best in American political history.)
A stirring conclusion that returns readers of my generation to the point where we all began and the faces we were familiar with growing up. I've seldom been this satisfied after reading a comic book. Feels like the caliber of Watchmen and the heart and hope of a Superman classic. Well done.
January 11, 2013
I loved this book, the conclusion of New Frontier. The style, the feel, the personalities, and the way everyone interacts, all against a backdrop of McCarthyism Superhero hunts/Korean War/Cold War/Space Race, etc. This book strongly features Hal Jordan and John Jones, but also includes the rest of the JLA Classic lineup (Supes, WW, Bats, Green Arrow and Aquaman). The emotional investment that Cooke was able to get me to make in the storyline was amazing to me that I cared this much. Final Crisis should have strove to have me this emotionally involved. But who knows what appeals to who. Either way, loved the story, the way it was done, and look forward to checking out more of Cooke's work. Strongly recommended.
November 26, 2023
This volume brings what was started in Volume 1 to an epic conclusion as Earth (or the United States although the outcome matters to the entire world) battles a huge (like miles across) monster, requiring US authorities to rely on the superheroes who have to combine their abilities to take on this terrifying enemy. More importantly it's about heroes - even those who are not superheroes but willingly take responsibility to protect and fight for the greater good. My rating is 4 stars. I recognize the 'jerky jumpy' nature of graphic novels but I felt these 2 volumes were always jumping from place to place. Granted it's to bring together a number of characters but I was left wanting a deeper dive into the character development.
January 24, 2023
Druga knjiga ipak nudi neku konzistentniju radnju i zaplet u odnosu na prvu, ali i dalje je vrlo neupečatljivo.
Sam taj koncept davanja omaža svemu i svačemu je meni uvek bio neinteresantan. Ka knjiga sa gomilom referenci i easter egg ova koji samo tvrdokornim fanovima pričinjavaju zadovoljstvo.
I u drugoj knjizi Cooke ne prestaje da sipa, likove, dešavanja, reference,... Ili je trebalo smanjiti obim radnje i likove ili je ovo trebalo razvući na tri puta više stranica. Ovako je cela priča kao u kratkim flashbackovima.
Crtež je fenomenalan, ali dinamika ranje i sama radnja su prenabijeni i samim tim se teži i brzim rešenjima koji se na kraju svode na kliše.
Sam taj koncept davanja omaža svemu i svačemu je meni uvek bio neinteresantan. Ka knjiga sa gomilom referenci i easter egg ova koji samo tvrdokornim fanovima pričinjavaju zadovoljstvo.
I u drugoj knjizi Cooke ne prestaje da sipa, likove, dešavanja, reference,... Ili je trebalo smanjiti obim radnje i likove ili je ovo trebalo razvući na tri puta više stranica. Ovako je cela priča kao u kratkim flashbackovima.
Crtež je fenomenalan, ali dinamika ranje i sama radnja su prenabijeni i samim tim se teži i brzim rešenjima koji se na kraju svode na kliše.
April 19, 2013
The New Frontier closes with the formation of the Justice League, while the Cold War goes into full swing. These books are a visual delight - every page could be framed, especially when the characters are given a moment in the spotlight. One in particular has Superman rescuing a wounded Wonder Woman after she crashes her invisible jet, and is echoed later on as Aquaman emerges from the sea carrying a wounded Superman.
The storyline isn't as jumbled in this volume, so it gets full marks. If I was rating the two as one volume, it would still get the five stars overall. It's a gem.
The storyline isn't as jumbled in this volume, so it gets full marks. If I was rating the two as one volume, it would still get the five stars overall. It's a gem.
July 4, 2012
Volume two surpassed the first volume in story and meaning for me. It had a more focused purpose and of course the artwork and lettering are superb. Given that Cooke and I are close in age, I feel his intent behind such a piece - nostalgia and hope. Growing up in the 60's and 70's was a different time in America. Better? Yes and no. But Cooke knows what the positive forces were and that is what he mainly showcases here. Reading this isn't a bad way to spend a fourth of July in America.
July 13, 2020
I’m going to have to say I didn’t end up liking this very much. The story never really got any better than the first trade. Sue me but I honestly don’t find a big monster villain with no motives bigger than ‘me angry, me make big hit hit until you kill me’. It was very forgettable.
I still stand by my review on the first trade, the world building and how the characters interacted with one another was very interesting. Too bad the world didn’t have anything else interesting in it.
I still stand by my review on the first trade, the world building and how the characters interacted with one another was very interesting. Too bad the world didn’t have anything else interesting in it.
August 2, 2008
The grand finale to one of the best comic stories of the last couple years. A brilliant blend of cold war history and silver age comics. The heroes are big and bold, while at the same time feeling very real.
An epic comic battle with lots of nice human touches and beautiful art.
An epic comic battle with lots of nice human touches and beautiful art.
December 26, 2020
I don't get the low ratings on this. I read those reviews and I see certain key words that make me understand those reviews though. I also see the years they were written and what was going on in those years and I understand a little more.
Such a great story. Also a sad story, because so much of it is relevant today. The John Henry story? It wasn't as relevant on publication as it was in 2020 and that's not a good thing. But the hope in the book? That's also part of 2020. The back half for sure but it's there.
I read some reviews that the story is saved without the big three doing anything of note. So? Don't you get tired of the same heroes saving the day? Does that not bore you? Yeah it's cool when Superman punches real hard but sometimes he doesn't have to do that, sometimes you just need Flash to run real fast.
Such a great story. Also a sad story, because so much of it is relevant today. The John Henry story? It wasn't as relevant on publication as it was in 2020 and that's not a good thing. But the hope in the book? That's also part of 2020. The back half for sure but it's there.
I read some reviews that the story is saved without the big three doing anything of note. So? Don't you get tired of the same heroes saving the day? Does that not bore you? Yeah it's cool when Superman punches real hard but sometimes he doesn't have to do that, sometimes you just need Flash to run real fast.
September 20, 2024
I don't know. Spend a series building up a bunch of mundane threats and problems, stuff about government overreach and racism, only to push it all aside in favour of your typical global supervillain threat. Could've done something to work with the former and it would have been good. But alas, we have that stuff in the real world and no supers to help deal with it, so we can't be having that in fiction either. Tsk.
So that's a black mark, but the art and general quality of writing still keep it floating around three and a half stars.
So that's a black mark, but the art and general quality of writing still keep it floating around three and a half stars.
September 10, 2018
Wszystkie wątki łączą się w epicką historię o ratunku dla ludzkości, którym są superbohaterowie. Niezależnie czy prawdziwi czy fikcyjni, ich postawa i dążenie do uczynienia świata lepszym miejscem powinna być wzorem do naśladowania dla każdego. Ten komiks bogaty jest w sceny, które przemawiają do wyobraźni i docierają do czytelnika z jasnym przekazem.
To początek podróży. Jej cel znajduje się gdzieś w niezbadanej oddali, w którą patrzymy razem z postaciami na okładce.
To początek podróży. Jej cel znajduje się gdzieś w niezbadanej oddali, w którą patrzymy razem z postaciami na okładce.
November 7, 2018
I was not totally awe-inspired by the first volume, but New Frontier has such an incredible ending and afterword that I was stolen away by this masterwork of cartooning. I don't usually spend too many words on older works like this which have already been reviewed to the end of the world and back. All I really want to say is that Darwyn Cooke was a treasure, and I hope every comics fan takes some time to appreciate his work. New Frontier is a fine place to start, if you haven't already.
May 21, 2019
A strong conclusion, epic in scope and filled with vivid moments. I especially enjoyed, as a carryover from part one, the inclusion of so many non-superhero characters and teams (Lois Lane comes across especially well). The villain remains a bit faceless and personality-free, but the story is really about the heroes and their reckoning with the "future."
January 2, 2022
This book is great.
Off topic: I’m starting to use StoryGraph this year, which has WAY more features than GoodReads. I recommend people check that app out. If you do my username there is AnotherXtian
Off topic: I’m starting to use StoryGraph this year, which has WAY more features than GoodReads. I recommend people check that app out. If you do my username there is AnotherXtian
April 22, 2019
Great! Concludes the first TPB's arc, so read 'em together.
June 25, 2018
A paranoia continua... numa nação hipócrita que não resolve nem seus próprios preconceitos raciais. Finamente, Hal Jordan encontra Abin Sur, ou o contrário... Os traços do Rei dos Mares são mais aceitáveis. Vandal Savage mantido cativo do governo?E a iminente formação de uma Liga de Heróis, contando com a ajuda de Adam Strange e Ray Palmer. Até Jimmy Olsen dando uma de herói... Apesar do apelo americano, o fim desta história se encaixa perfeitamente no enredo de outra.
Quanto aos erros... o que é DE MAIS para a EaglemossBr? ANTES DE e DEPOIS DE: nunca usados corretamente.
Quanto aos erros... o que é DE MAIS para a EaglemossBr? ANTES DE e DEPOIS DE: nunca usados corretamente.
April 7, 2013
Darwyn Cooke is a master of the nostalgic comic book. The type of 1950s throwback that manages to take the ideals of the three-colored yarns of yesteryear and modernize them for today's stone-faced, post-The Dark Knight Returns comic book fans. The New Frontier is Cooke's opus, a tale of the emergence of the DC Universe's big guns, broken down by a government scared of superheroes, but brought together and back in to the limelight by the sort of otherworldly, psychic threat, a great comic can really make feel dangerous. They're all here - Superman, Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and more - thrust in to the zippy world of big fun and big emotions Cooke has become so gifted and weaving over the years.
I've always been a Marvel kid in terms of my comic book consumption. As a kid I loved the big epic storytelling that didn't seem as weighed down by the onus of its past. DC has a tendency to get hung up on the fan-boy shit, the various Earth-types, the ten different bearers of each superhero identity and so on and so forth until a new reader can barely find a foothold in their comic universe without an extensive amount of research. Cooke seems to see that here and goes about cleaning the plate, introducing us, quickly and with a aim towards the bigger story, to the big names and then intricately pushing them together. Even with Cooke's huge talent as a writer though, the first half of this series left me cold and confused, the flood of character introductions seemingly shackled by their connections to DC's past. If I had stopped at the midway point, I don't know if I could have given this series a positive review. Yes, Cooke's characters are well painted and in this series especially indicative of the 50s and 60s James Bond-type do-gooders that are as likely to be fighting space creatures as dipping a woman on the dance floor with a cig in one hand and a martini in the other. And yes, Cooke's art is amazing, simple, gorgeous and wearing the influences of all things 60s firmly on its sleeve with each page broken down in to a series of wide-shot, almost storyboard images. This is a superhero epic and Mr. Cooke has no intention of you forgetting it. Toss in the beautifully bright colors of super-colorist Dave Stewart and this book is nothing if not a work of art.
And thus, you forgive the more confusing aspects of the first half and you plunge forward and you're happy you did. You're happy to see the characters that seemed, and intentionally so, shallow cut-outs, defined by their powers and not by their intentions, grow, thicken and come together in the deft hands of the writer. Where the first book is introductions, the second book is getting the band together to face off against yet another DC super-villain re-adapted, this time in the form of The Centre, a seething, living bit of psychic horror that tears at the minds of the entire world. This second book, a near perfect concoction of big action and bigger emotional moments, moves at an exceptional pace, each character getting their moments to shine and doing so in service to the greater story.
This is big-budget storytelling told with the sort of style and aplomb you don't get to much on the big screen anymore. Cooke manages to create a story that embodies the good-natured, emotionally earnest vibe of The Silver Age of comic, one that rattles the long dormant cages of comic optimism but does so in a way that doesn't feel false. In the last few pages of the comic there's an image that if put in the hands of a lesser writer/artist would seem false: the super heroes of the world arms extended flying towards adventure unknown, an errant strand of a JFK quote floating over them. This could be cheesy, this could be a halfhearted attempt to ape a style gone missing, but with Cooke behind the while, this is the capper at the end of a great story, that makes your heart lift and a smile slowly creep across your face.
I've always been a Marvel kid in terms of my comic book consumption. As a kid I loved the big epic storytelling that didn't seem as weighed down by the onus of its past. DC has a tendency to get hung up on the fan-boy shit, the various Earth-types, the ten different bearers of each superhero identity and so on and so forth until a new reader can barely find a foothold in their comic universe without an extensive amount of research. Cooke seems to see that here and goes about cleaning the plate, introducing us, quickly and with a aim towards the bigger story, to the big names and then intricately pushing them together. Even with Cooke's huge talent as a writer though, the first half of this series left me cold and confused, the flood of character introductions seemingly shackled by their connections to DC's past. If I had stopped at the midway point, I don't know if I could have given this series a positive review. Yes, Cooke's characters are well painted and in this series especially indicative of the 50s and 60s James Bond-type do-gooders that are as likely to be fighting space creatures as dipping a woman on the dance floor with a cig in one hand and a martini in the other. And yes, Cooke's art is amazing, simple, gorgeous and wearing the influences of all things 60s firmly on its sleeve with each page broken down in to a series of wide-shot, almost storyboard images. This is a superhero epic and Mr. Cooke has no intention of you forgetting it. Toss in the beautifully bright colors of super-colorist Dave Stewart and this book is nothing if not a work of art.
And thus, you forgive the more confusing aspects of the first half and you plunge forward and you're happy you did. You're happy to see the characters that seemed, and intentionally so, shallow cut-outs, defined by their powers and not by their intentions, grow, thicken and come together in the deft hands of the writer. Where the first book is introductions, the second book is getting the band together to face off against yet another DC super-villain re-adapted, this time in the form of The Centre, a seething, living bit of psychic horror that tears at the minds of the entire world. This second book, a near perfect concoction of big action and bigger emotional moments, moves at an exceptional pace, each character getting their moments to shine and doing so in service to the greater story.
This is big-budget storytelling told with the sort of style and aplomb you don't get to much on the big screen anymore. Cooke manages to create a story that embodies the good-natured, emotionally earnest vibe of The Silver Age of comic, one that rattles the long dormant cages of comic optimism but does so in a way that doesn't feel false. In the last few pages of the comic there's an image that if put in the hands of a lesser writer/artist would seem false: the super heroes of the world arms extended flying towards adventure unknown, an errant strand of a JFK quote floating over them. This could be cheesy, this could be a halfhearted attempt to ape a style gone missing, but with Cooke behind the while, this is the capper at the end of a great story, that makes your heart lift and a smile slowly creep across your face.
April 23, 2012
So I was right. Vol 1 of New Frontier was on slow burn, because it was building up to this hugely epic climax. The shit really hits the fan about halfway through this trade. I loved how this retold the origins of Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, as well as the introduction of Aquaman.
What really makes this story work, above all other origin stories, is how character driven it is. The entire series is centered around Hal Jordan, the future Green Lantern, which is different, since I believe most writers would've jumped on the Batman/Superman train. But having Jordan as the lead was brilliant. We see Hal Jordan as wild and reckless, but also unsure of himself, and of the current situation the US is in. His viewpoint perfectly captures the zeitgeist of that era in our history.
Cooke's artwork was once again top notch here. I'm reminded of an action-heavy scene in the climax where Hal and his air force friends are being mentally manipulated by the brain of the alien they're fighting. What follows is an insane pool of colors and shapes and whacked out trippy-ness that's bound to remind you of that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey (I think this is like the fifth time I've referenced this movie in my book reviews, I'm a fan if you can't tell) where they're flying through the black hole. And there's also a breathtaking full page panel of Hal and Carol kissing in front of a Jet engine, which is one of the most beautiful images I've ever witnessed in a comic book. I'd love to have a print of that framed on my wall.
Like I said, graphic novels like this are few and far between. Anyone who's read a Justice League comic lately could tell you that characterization has definitely taken a backseat to mindless Michael Bay explosions for quite some time. That's all fine and good, but it's nice to pick up something like this, that really gets into the minds of the seven leads, and shows just why they really believe in what they are doing.
If you're reading this review and haven't read the first volume yet, I highly recommend you pick up both volumes, and read them back to back, as they're really halves of one large story. This is an absolutely fantastic look into the greatest team of superheroes to ever grace comic books. It builds and builds up to what is probably the most perfect and satisfying conclusion to a comic I've read in quite some time.
5/5
What really makes this story work, above all other origin stories, is how character driven it is. The entire series is centered around Hal Jordan, the future Green Lantern, which is different, since I believe most writers would've jumped on the Batman/Superman train. But having Jordan as the lead was brilliant. We see Hal Jordan as wild and reckless, but also unsure of himself, and of the current situation the US is in. His viewpoint perfectly captures the zeitgeist of that era in our history.
Cooke's artwork was once again top notch here. I'm reminded of an action-heavy scene in the climax where Hal and his air force friends are being mentally manipulated by the brain of the alien they're fighting. What follows is an insane pool of colors and shapes and whacked out trippy-ness that's bound to remind you of that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey (I think this is like the fifth time I've referenced this movie in my book reviews, I'm a fan if you can't tell) where they're flying through the black hole. And there's also a breathtaking full page panel of Hal and Carol kissing in front of a Jet engine, which is one of the most beautiful images I've ever witnessed in a comic book. I'd love to have a print of that framed on my wall.
Like I said, graphic novels like this are few and far between. Anyone who's read a Justice League comic lately could tell you that characterization has definitely taken a backseat to mindless Michael Bay explosions for quite some time. That's all fine and good, but it's nice to pick up something like this, that really gets into the minds of the seven leads, and shows just why they really believe in what they are doing.
If you're reading this review and haven't read the first volume yet, I highly recommend you pick up both volumes, and read them back to back, as they're really halves of one large story. This is an absolutely fantastic look into the greatest team of superheroes to ever grace comic books. It builds and builds up to what is probably the most perfect and satisfying conclusion to a comic I've read in quite some time.
5/5
April 19, 2012
Sure, there are better superhero books out there, but there aren’t many as much fun as Darwyn Cooke’s "New Frontier." I generally frown on this kind of rewriting of comix history. It muddles continuity and inspires lesser writers to try to explain things in neverending crossover "events" that serve only to muck things up further. But Cooke does a really lovely job in this concluding volume celebrating the optimism and adventure of DC's Silver Age. Over the past few decades, superheroes have gotten to be a pretty tortured bunch. As readers grew, characters had to change in an attempt to stay relevant, and as the world got more complicated and morally hazy, so did the stories. And that's fine. I'm not griping. I like my Batman cranky. But when Nick Fury (different company, I know) calls a waitress the C-word coz she asks him to put his cigar out, I have to think maybe gritty has been carried a bit far. Most of us who continue to read comix as adults picked up the habit as children when our parents brought us a big stack of "funny books" to keep us out of their hair for a while. Comix offered thrills, laughter, larger-than-life adventure. They kickstarted our imaginations. Cooke remembers the excitement of getting a big stack of unread comix in your lap. You realize what kind of book it's going to be when you open it to the inside cover where every hero is wearing a big grin. It's fun to fly. It's fun to run ridiculously fast. It's fun to talk with fishies. Upon reading the very first words of the story -- "Giant gorilla in the business district" -- I had a matching grin. But "New Frontier" isn't an exercise in simple nostalgia. Cooke includes the dark side of the '50s -- racial strife in the South, the rumblings of Southeast Asia, the Cold War, covert government activity, Richard Nixon -- but the darkness doesn't overpower the book, which is fundamentally hopeful. As the title suggests, this is a story about exploration, about meeting the challenges of unknown territory, about the determination to make things different, to make things better. It's like "The Right Stuff" with capes and snazzier spacecraft. "New Frontier" is pop art mythology that really POPS. Even the most cynical reader (that's me) can't help but be disarmed by giant dinosaurs and Martian Manhunters.
December 18, 2017
The narrative does not work as successfully as the artwork; as the plot progresses to its climax Cooke’s desire to tell a nuanced story about real-world problems sits uncomfortably with the use of superhero protagonists. In the end, a comic book blow-‘em-up conclusion undoes much of the subtlety of characterization and motivation that Cooke has established. This disconnect is made even more blatant in the series’ epilogue, where the words of a JFK speech are used as captions for a series of images alternating between actual issues from the early sixties – the doomsday clock, racial segregation – with panels from comic book story-lines.
I’m wrestling a bit with the ending. The final three pages, presenting the fragment of a story, show the Justice League fighting a giant flying starfish. My first reaction was that this probably unintentionally emphasized the banality of comic book escapism in the face of reality. But this ridiculous closing seems to intentionally echo an earlier scene in which the Martian Manhunter, still becoming accustomed to the ways of Earth, attends a SF film (its imagery based on Invaders from Mars) which he sees as a comedy, but is disturbed to find that no one else is laughing. If these two scenes are intentional reflections of each other I’m not sure what message the reader is supposed to take from that – it seems that rather than turning from fantasy to grapple with reality, the reader is advised to be satisfied with fantasy; for my taste a very unsatisfactory message, but one, if embraced, sure to sell more comic books.
Cooke’s sincere afterword indicates that he wishes to celebrate the power of the imagination and “sensawunda” comics engage. Perhaps he sees comic book tropes as ways for the imagination to concretize abstract problems as a preliminary step in coming to terms with them. He successfully did this in many of the earlier episodes of The New Frontier, putting new wine into old bottles. But the ending was quite a letdown – shopworn tropes and imagery betraying the story’s earlier promise, seeming to flee reality rather than ultimately confronting it.
I’m wrestling a bit with the ending. The final three pages, presenting the fragment of a story, show the Justice League fighting a giant flying starfish. My first reaction was that this probably unintentionally emphasized the banality of comic book escapism in the face of reality. But this ridiculous closing seems to intentionally echo an earlier scene in which the Martian Manhunter, still becoming accustomed to the ways of Earth, attends a SF film (its imagery based on Invaders from Mars) which he sees as a comedy, but is disturbed to find that no one else is laughing. If these two scenes are intentional reflections of each other I’m not sure what message the reader is supposed to take from that – it seems that rather than turning from fantasy to grapple with reality, the reader is advised to be satisfied with fantasy; for my taste a very unsatisfactory message, but one, if embraced, sure to sell more comic books.
Cooke’s sincere afterword indicates that he wishes to celebrate the power of the imagination and “sensawunda” comics engage. Perhaps he sees comic book tropes as ways for the imagination to concretize abstract problems as a preliminary step in coming to terms with them. He successfully did this in many of the earlier episodes of The New Frontier, putting new wine into old bottles. But the ending was quite a letdown – shopworn tropes and imagery betraying the story’s earlier promise, seeming to flee reality rather than ultimately confronting it.
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