From the Long Box - DC: The New Frontier
My Opinion:
I really enjoyed the art style. I'm glad I read it, but I wouldn't read it again.
Synopsis:
This award winning 6-issue epic is a ensemble cast from the DC's Golden Age and Silver Age characters. Darwyn Cooke uses JFK's acceptance speech in the 1960 United States presidential election to highlight the changing of the times in 1950's and 60's America to parallel the passing of the torch from the World War II era superheroes to the next generation. There's a loose plot of a weird monster island that ties it all together and a background of racial tensions during that era, but really that's all just a reason to get all these characters in one place.
Who would like it:
Fans of the DC line as a whole and specifically the silver age. If you have a DC Comic favorite that you rarely see, they probably make an appearance.
Reason to read (SPOILERS):
This epic is a long and winding road not just for our heroes but also the reader. There are lots of seeming deadends and at least one big plot point I reflect back on and think you could have cut that whole bit and not missed a thing. I almost gave up on the story a couple times for feeling it wasn't going anywhere, but this story isn't as much about story as it is about the characters. There's a moment for any DC fan when you favorite little known superhero gets some face time. For me my favorite B-Lister took the spotlight near end. I'm a big fan of Shazam(Captain Marvel)/Billy Batson and this is what he did in the spotlight...
Billy Batson is sitting at a cosmic meeting of the Golden Age superpowers and what does he do?
All he does is get scolded for wolfing ice cream! Was I upset?!?
Absolutely NOT! I loved every second of it! The prepubescent superhero was always lighted hearted which is why I loved the Big Red Cheese in the first place! Cooke nails it as I assume he does for all of the other characters he writes into the story for just a cameo, many of which the average fan will have to google later.
...
For me I wanted to read New Frontier because of the art style. I love simple but expressive lines. Why use 40 lines of detail when one great line lets your mind fill in the the rest of the details. And - boy howdy! - did Darwyne Cooke nail that in one specific panel at the end of Issue 6, but to explain that I have to go back a little. There was pressure that had building and building. In Issue 5 all the superheroes have finally gathered despite their different conflicts in order to face a giant monster thingy. And who could possibly rally then together but Superman.
Superman goes off to the monster for recon but then something unexpected happens.
But he's not dead, right? But the funny thing is, he never returns. The good guys manage to beat the bad guys and Superman is gone. Unfortunately for our heroes, right as they're celebrating a new monster appears in the beach. It seems to open its mouth and...
"It's the kind of moment you dream about. The kind of moment that makes you want to cry."
Priceless.
If you look at Lois' face too closely you'll notice it's really just a couple blob squiggle lines. BUT in full caption I dare saw it would be near impossible to get a real photograph of that subtle intensity.
It was at that moment that I sat back and said to myself, "That made it all worth it!"
Reflecting on the Hero's Crossroad:
What are you struggling through right now where you are really waiting and hoping for a big payoff?
By Darwyn Cooke
with Dave Stewart
Edited by Mark Chiarello
Assistant Editor Valerie D'Orazio
My Opinion:
I really enjoyed the art style. I'm glad I read it, but I wouldn't read it again.
Synopsis:
This award winning 6-issue epic is a ensemble cast from the DC's Golden Age and Silver Age characters. Darwyn Cooke uses JFK's acceptance speech in the 1960 United States presidential election to highlight the changing of the times in 1950's and 60's America to parallel the passing of the torch from the World War II era superheroes to the next generation. There's a loose plot of a weird monster island that ties it all together and a background of racial tensions during that era, but really that's all just a reason to get all these characters in one place.
Who would like it:
Fans of the DC line as a whole and specifically the silver age. If you have a DC Comic favorite that you rarely see, they probably make an appearance.
Reason to read (SPOILERS):
This epic is a long and winding road not just for our heroes but also the reader. There are lots of seeming deadends and at least one big plot point I reflect back on and think you could have cut that whole bit and not missed a thing. I almost gave up on the story a couple times for feeling it wasn't going anywhere, but this story isn't as much about story as it is about the characters. There's a moment for any DC fan when you favorite little known superhero gets some face time. For me my favorite B-Lister took the spotlight near end. I'm a big fan of Shazam(Captain Marvel)/Billy Batson and this is what he did in the spotlight...
Billy Batson is sitting at a cosmic meeting of the Golden Age superpowers and what does he do?
All he does is get scolded for wolfing ice cream! Was I upset?!?
Absolutely NOT! I loved every second of it! The prepubescent superhero was always lighted hearted which is why I loved the Big Red Cheese in the first place! Cooke nails it as I assume he does for all of the other characters he writes into the story for just a cameo, many of which the average fan will have to google later.
...
For me I wanted to read New Frontier because of the art style. I love simple but expressive lines. Why use 40 lines of detail when one great line lets your mind fill in the the rest of the details. And - boy howdy! - did Darwyne Cooke nail that in one specific panel at the end of Issue 6, but to explain that I have to go back a little. There was pressure that had building and building. In Issue 5 all the superheroes have finally gathered despite their different conflicts in order to face a giant monster thingy. And who could possibly rally then together but Superman.
Superman goes off to the monster for recon but then something unexpected happens.
But he's not dead, right? But the funny thing is, he never returns. The good guys manage to beat the bad guys and Superman is gone. Unfortunately for our heroes, right as they're celebrating a new monster appears in the beach. It seems to open its mouth and...
"It's the kind of moment you dream about. The kind of moment that makes you want to cry."
Priceless.
If you look at Lois' face too closely you'll notice it's really just a couple blob squiggle lines. BUT in full caption I dare saw it would be near impossible to get a real photograph of that subtle intensity.
It was at that moment that I sat back and said to myself, "That made it all worth it!"
Reflecting on the Hero's Crossroad:
What are you struggling through right now where you are really waiting and hoping for a big payoff?