DC: The New Frontier #1-6 (2004)
Writer: Darwyn Cooke
Artist: Darwyn Cooke
There's a comic shop going out of business up in Longmont and they're selling off a good chunk of their back issues at a buck a piece. I picked up this entire series for a whopping 6 bucks. An amazing bargain considering that the original cover price of each issue was 6.99. But bargain bins are usually filled with awful crap like Darkhawk, West Coast Avengers or Superman comics from the 90's. Usually when I find something as insignifcant as an issue of "Batman and the Outsiders" or "DC Comics Presents", it's a small victory for my bargain bin hunting skills. Surely "DC: The New Frontier" deserved to be among the bargain rags, right?
No way. This is proof that you CAN find good stuff in your local bargin bin.
"DC: The New Frontier" is a period piece, set in an "Elseworlds" timeline of
the 50's and 60's. It spins an alternate history of DC's transition from the Golden Age to the Silver Age and makes relevant use of the time period. For instance, McCarthyism forces the Golden Age heroes into hiding and Cold War phobia tinges the air. No mention of Earth-2 or a multiple CRISIS, either. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman play important parts, but they're essentially background players to the real stars of the series: the new Green Lantern, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Rick Flag and King Faraday. The series reaches its conclusion in the 60's, at a time
when John F. Kennedy and the space program sent a proud, positive vibe across the country. By the time you reach the final panel, you feel some of that pride and optimism. Appropriately, the story ends at Cape Canaveral.
As the series spins along, Hal Jordan's dreams of flight become the recurring theme. Daddy Jordan died in World War II and flew with Chuck Yeager. Other war buddies of Daddy Jordan included the Challengers of the Unknown and Rick Flag. Following in his dad's footsteps, Hal enlists in the army and is sent abroad for the Korean War. Hal is forced to kill a Korean soldier at the end of the war. An incident that scars Hal and labels him a "coward" by his contemporaries. Meanwhile, Rick Flag and the Losers (Gunner, Sarge, Lt. Storm, Johnny Cloud, and of course Pooch) fight giant dinosaurs on a remote island. Sounds completely random, but the two plots are woven together over the course of the series.
Two other wrinkles work their way into the plot. Superman and Wonder Woman become government superheroes, while Batman continues on, defying the government. A little like "Watchmen", eh? Wonder Woman distances herself, after a philosophicla difference with Superman in Korea. The second wrinkle involves the arrival of J'onn J'onnz from Mars. J'onn immediately takes to television and lives quietly as Detective John Jones. His partner for awhile is Slam Bradley, as they work on the Gotham City Police Force for Jim Gordon. J'onn loves his new planet, but lives in fear of being discovered. Fear of the Russians has led to fear of an alien attack-- especially from Mars.
Spacemen, superheroes and giant dinosaurs-- staples of 1950's DC. We're just missing the gorillas. But a few make cameos.
The giant dinosaurs aren't a throwaway element, either. Their presence is tied into a centuries-old entity living beneath the earth. Somewhat like an H.P. Lovecraft monster. Before it's over, we get significant appearances by Aquaman, Green Arrow, Captain Adam (Atom), all FIVE
Challengers of the Unknown, Ray Palmer, Doc Magnus (of the Metal Men), Adam Strange, the original Suicide Squad, plus the two teams that always show up for a big planet-threatening CRISIS:
The Sea Devils and the Blackhawks. It's a tremendous job of tying the caped heroes with the sci-fi 50's heroes. A pairing that has seemed awkward in modern stories-- but here it works.
The final battle starts out on an ominous note: Superman is easily dispatched and sent hurtling into the ocean.
Really drives home the "oh...shit" mentality that is felt by the remaining heroes. Superman's usually the one to rally the troops and deliver the heavy blow. But with the Big Red S sitting at the bottom of the ocean, everyone needs to work together and apply some Yankee ingenuity if they're to save the world. For once, the final resolution isn't "let's zap and punch this thing until it overloads"... they have to come up with a PLAN.
The only forced and awkward element of the series is "John Henry". A masked civil rights superhero, who caves in the skulls of idiotic Ku Klux
Klan dolts with sledgehammers. He's not really essential to the overall story, and it seems he was tossed in just to make sure
the civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's was touched upon. We see that he eventually inspires a young John Henry Irons....and, in turn, Shaquille O'Neal to star in the movie "Steel". The "John Henry" plot operates on its own and isn't essential to the big picture. Seems weird, when everything else becomes connected. It's like it was sandwiched in to meet the "Multicultural Requirement".
The art seems based on the successful DC Animated style. The slimmed down, stylized versions of Batman, Superman and the Justice League cartoons. A good deal of early 60's architecture and style is prevalent. Think of the original Las Vegas sign, or some of the design from the Jetsons. It's especially noticeable at Ferris Aricraft and their various experimental rockets. Nice attention to detail and it helps to put a stamp on things.
"DC: The New Froniter" is everything I like about comics. It involves the entire DCU, has character development and introductions... and at the end everyone teams up to save the world from extinction at the hands of a big epic monster. There's even a staged fight between Batman and Superman to make fanboys cream their shorts. And all in SIX double-sized issue. Infinite CRISIS only wishes it could have woven plots and characters together like this did.
Comment about this article. Hit the Message Board, or
Contact Me!
Back to Tales of the Bargain Bin index
Back to Comics index
