(cover image of issue 6 of The New Frontier)
Yes kids, it is Wednesday once again and I’m in the mood for a little comic book chatter. Jeff Smith, in a cunning ploy to take more of my money, recently loaned me his issues of the DC comics 6 issue series The New Frontier, written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke. It is safe to say that I have another comic book idol and I’m going to have to pick up copies of this for myself.
(back cover image)
Before giving it a proper read I flipped through issue number one. As I gazed at Darwyn Cooke’s art my heart skipped a beat, streams of light burst forth from the heavens and I could hear an aria in the background. Well, it felt like that anyway. Cooke’s art is reminiscent of mid-century “retro” science fiction art, advertising, and the “good girl” art of the 1950’s, all of which are personal favorites. Darwyn Cooke has a background in animation but his art cannot be relegated to being merely ‘cartoony’. His work has such a historic feel to it. I cannot say enough about how much I like the look of this book. Darwyn’s inks are very tight and Dave Stewart’s coloring is phenomenal. The New Frontier is nostalgia in print form.
(New Frontier art page sans color)
The New Frontier not only showcases Cooke’s amazing artistic talent, which he has in spades, but proves he has the chops to write a good story. Set in the time between the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, Cooke has fashioned a tale that places DC’s comic heroes amidst real world events that were taking place during and right after WWII. In this period of war and paranoia the government outlawed all but the most stalwart of superheroes (Superman, Wonder Woman). Events, however, lead the world to a point in which heroes of all kinds had to be summoned in order to avert total destruction.
The New Frontier is told in a series of vignettes focusing on both well-known and lesser known characters from the history of the DC universe. While bound as 6 separate issues each issue was actually three times the standard comic book length. The varied plotlines are tied together within the framework of the rise of Hal Jordan to the role of the Green Lantern. Cooke uses the origin story of Hal Jordan to personify the real life “fly boy” pilot heroes of WWII and it works to great effect.
(Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris)
I love Darwyn Cooke’s response in this interview as to why he focused on the Hal Jordan character:
“Most importantly, I suppose, was my personal attachment to Green Lantern and Hal, coupled with the Mercury and Apollo Space programs. These were the stuff of my childhood imagination. It is almost impossible to explain to someone what it was like to be a kid during that era unless you were there. Today we worship fey actors and millionaire children who throw or hit balls. But the Astronaut  good f***, they strapped in on top of huge jerry-rigged tubes of unstable fuel and fired themselves toward the heavens!” (The entire interview is terrific)
Cooke does a masterful job of weaving these tales together in such a way that each issue builds upon the other and he then brings all the characters together for the climatic, world changing event. The story is fascinating on so many levels. It includes characters that I either hadn’t heard of or knew little about in addition to the major superhero characters. Cooke penned the tale in such a way that you can follow the story even if you don’t know all the players but also whets your appetite to find out more about these characters’ history. The inclusion of a portion of John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier speech in the denouement was a stroke of brilliance and evoked powerful emotions in me as I closed the final page of issue 6.
This tale speaks so well to the times we are in right now. It speaks to the need for men and women of courage and intelligence and belief to rise up and face the challenges of today’s world. It touches on the fact that heroes are not perfect but that we can rise above our base humanity during times of great need and touch the lives of those around us. And in both tone and art it points back to a time that we today glamorize as being a simpler time but one that Cooke believes is quite similar to our own. The stories are collected in trade form and continue to be available in their original format and I highly recommend giving this a read. Few comic stories grab me like this one did and I’m still in awe this creative masterpiece. You can glimpse a ‘sneak peek’ on the DC Comics site here.
Here are some more examples of panels/pages from The New Frontier. These are from the original inked pages before colorization.
For fans old and new here is a link to a page featuring examples of Cooke’s art as well as some really cool sidewalk murals inspired by his art.
I’ll end this with the exciting news (at least to Jeff and I) that Darwyn Cooke plans on releasing a creator owned original graphic novel. In discussing this he mentions pondering whether “the notion of the heroic ideal [is] still valid today? Could I tell an exciting story that convincingly portrayed people doing the right thing in today’s society without seeming naive or nostalgic? It also deals with something I prefer to spandex  Giant Robots! I’m hard at work on this now, and I hope for a late 2005 release. Tentatively this book will be about 150 pages and will see a hardcover release first, with softcover to follow.”
Darwyn Cooke and giant robots!?!?!? Exciting days ahead, indeed!!!
wow.. i’m going to have to find it
I think you’d like it, it was very good. The owner of the store has 3 sets of the original comic issues at home so he is going to send one in for me to pick up next week. If you can’t find them anywhere we have those and the 2 trades around here. You can always borrow mine too it ya want.
Angela if you can’t find it at your local store let Carl or I know. We could do a mail order for you through the comic shop. I work at A to Z Comics and I know the owner wouldn’t mind. We ship things for other people plus do ebay sales all the time.
Great post on Darywn Cooke. I hadn’t heard about the orginal graphic novel yet and I’ll be keeping my eyes open for it in Previews. Carl, I also have a copy of Comic Book Artist that has a big interview with Darywn in it that I got last summer. I’m going to bring it on Saturday to loan to you. If you haven’t read it I think you really enjoy it plus it has Cooke art in it from other projects.
Sounds great Jeff, thanks! I was really excited to hear that news about the creator owned book comic out, and a hardcover to boot! Very awesome!
It woul be cool if he also offered a signed version of the hardcover. I know I would get it. Man, we’re such fanboys. 🙂
Yes indeed we are! Thankfully Angela is a fangirl so we have some female representation on this post!
Speaking of fanboys, I sent you some cool Flash Gordon stuff in your email.
cool.. i’ll check next week.. thanks for the offer!
I was in the comic shop for an hour last night and saw 3 or 4 actual girls come in…cute ones even. Warms a comic lovers heart that the women-folk are braving the geek-infested waters of the local comic shop!
I see my predictions of last night came true Jeff, that you, Angela and I would be the only ones to post on this! Its okay everyone…don’t be afraid…comics are not the portal to the dark side!
Just realized the creme de la creme of geekdom starts today: The San Diego Comic-Con. I would love to attend that sometime. I’d need a ton of money for all the stuff I’d want but man that would just be too cool. Every year I read various comic sites’ diaries of each days events with envy. Maybe someday!
i don’t think i could attend that one.. being that close to the beach.. it’d be pulling me to hard to stay away.. lol
Ok, I’ll post.
Although, I don’t think I would enjoy reading comics, the artwork is fun to look at.
It’s ok Carl, I’m sure you’re not that into china, so we’re even.
Something tells me that Carl is into China. Like really into it.
No offense, Carl. 🙂
That pic of the fighter pilot stud and his beautiful dame is awesome. What classic 50’s imagery!
The truth of the matter is that I actually do like dishes…not (just) china per se. Used to watch Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic all the time when we had Style network and she always found the coolest stuff at flea markets. Being a very visual person I’m into anything and everything that fits into my eclectic style of what is “cool” to me, so china, linen, etc. are things I could probably talk about…briefly…though not with the religious fervor with which I can talk about comics.
And thanks for being brave Julie, I appreciate it! 🙂
Rob, I’m offended…I think I’ll go sip some chamomile tea and cry….
I don’t know Angela, I think I could easily geek out during the day and then hit the beach in the early evening and it would be a perfect combination. Wouldn’t take the comics though cuz sand, ocean water, and cheap paper don’t mix.
Ah… China… now were talking. Think if they only released new China every wednesday… just kidding Julie. 🙂
I’m glad you do enjoy the art. I do believe there is a comic book out there for everyone though. What are your interests, besides China? Maybe Carl or I might find something you might enjoy. Today’s comics cover so much more interests than just superheroes ( Mystery, Romance, Religion, TV shows ( CSI, The Shield ), Fantasy and on and on ). If your open to it we might find something you would enjoy if not that’s cool. I won’t be offended.
Angela. Good News about the San Diego Comic-con is that the convention center is actually located right down by the beach. I’ve seen pictures of the area and it’s beautiful. Plus the huge ships sail into the harbor right by it. I also, along with Carl, hope to make the pilgrimage to Mecca of comic books someday. 🙂
We just need to all get together and split the cost of the hotel and just pile ourselves around the room…we’d just need to make sure we had enough room to house our loot.
Or, we could car pool, camp out on the beach, shower at a local hostel, and store our loot in the car! Now I’m thinking!!!!
A car won’t be big enough. Maybe a U-Haul. Then we’d have room for some serious loot.
Shower? Hey, were at comic book show. Who else are we going to run into there who showers on a regular basis?
True, so true!!!
I guess I need to check out the comic store I hear so much about!
I am kind of a housewife geek! Although, I prefer to be called a homemaker. Is there a comic for me?
Here are a few images from the Jeph Loeb (amazing writer) and Darwyn Cooke collaboration that is coming out at the end of the year. It features Batman and Will Eisner’s character, The Spirit. Should be a great book. Thanks Jeff for pointing this out.
Julie, I’m sure Jeff could find something as there is everything under the sun!
Hey –
Michele sent me – good morning.
I’m not a big comic buff – used to be when I was a kid. I read this obscure thing called Omega about a mute superhero. It vanished after a year or so and I could never remember the name as an adult.
Then last year I was reading Jonathan Lethem’s magnum opus Fortress of Solitude (which I trust you’ve read and if not, stop reading my comment immediately and go to Amazon to make your purchase). Lo and behold, the protagonist is also an Omega fan.
My least favorite comic book moment of recent vintage is the supremely pussified version of the Fantastic Four which is now in theatres. If there’s a more cynical big budget film out there this summer, I’d love to hear about it.
Peace,
i love it! thanks carl, i was just thinking the other day that i needed another really good comic book series in my life and you’ve just given me a big red target! the art work is great – there’s something that really pulls me about the 1950’s version of the future-world USA (like in that first picture) and we really do need hero’s like the astronauts again. sure they were competing with Russians at the time, really were fighting against nature, the unknown and their own fears – pushing their bodies to the limits for science.
J Rock – i hear ya man, i don’t think i’m gonna see the fantastic 4.
I hope you check it out Mysfit, I really enjoyed it. Reading his interview on the link in my post also deepens the appreciation for what he was trying to convey.
And a hearty congratulations is due: Darwyn Cooke won an Eisner award for Best Limited Series on Friday night at the San Diego Comic-Con for New Frontier! Yay!!!