Imagine a DC cinematic universe that starts with The New Frontier and ends with Kingdom Come? On a massive, decade-spanning, multi-movie scale? Man, what a dream.
Kindom come is supposed to be a cautionary tale about how one uses power. It was only ever supposed to be a what if that keeps being alluded to because "twisted" edgelord BS makes money. To legitimize its occurence like the true defacto endgame of dc in what would be its most public showing would be an insult to the purpose of the story and to all the characters in it. (Superman would spend countless films struggling with using his powers for good and then just go dictator? Fuck off) Even if they did it perfectly it just doesn't work.
Watching Wonder Woman stand up to Superman, seeing Batman shudder in shame for accidentally scaring innocent children, hearing Superman stand up for the rights of Martian Manhunter, watching the Flash be falsely accused of communism and hunted like a pig; moments like these are what made both the comic and animated film timeless and legendary.
I love that aspect that Batman had. "I seek to scare criminals, not children.". I do hope to see one day a live action Batman adopt a costume in the name of that line
New Frontier really is a masterpiece, for all the reasons you've just described. I adore Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, and all the rest of the great gritty deconstructions, but the fact that Cooke was able to still address on a realistic, resonant level the same sociopolitical issues as those comics, while still maintaining the spirit of hope and optimism that defines the genre, is nothing short of genius. Really wish I would have known of his work prior to his death.
After a lot of deconstruction of superheroes, not many writers/artist tried to construct them again. Cooke successfully write an optimistic stories within realistic settings, constructing that was once destroyed.
@@sethleoric2598 Not said explicitly. But, whether by accident or design, the time lines match up: In Watchmen, Hooded Justice disappears around 1955, the same year John Henry's family is murdered and he becomes a vigilante. Room for some connective work, though HJ would have to jump from Watchmen universe to main DC universe a la Dr. Manhattan in Doomsday Clock.
the fact that Darwyn was able to make something so relevant even today, something so realistic yet still retaining the charm and camp of silver age comics, while also breaking down these beloved characters and setting it all during a 1950s-60s time period is honestly amazing. There are times when heroes that you know and love feel wrong, but you later learn their motivations and/or reasoning. For example, batman and wonder woman. When you see batman threatening J'onn, you feel scared for who has essentially been the main character up until this point. But you see how paranoid and prepared batman is. he tries to save a child from a cult, but the child is scared of him. he changes his costume and takes robin under his wing. Superman is confused as to why wonder woman would let hundreds of men die, and then we learn that these men had taken an entire village of women hostage and... yeah. Wonder woman freed the women and gave them justice. This story understands every character it includes, which is to say, it has *a lot* of characters
Thank you Matt, I appreciate it! I caught your Spider-Man: Blue video also, that's definitely one of my favourite comics, along with the likes of Kingdom Come, and basically anything from Scott Snyder's Batman run haha.
Darwyn Cooke is the kind of once in a generation talent I would read about in Wizard Magazine. Always written in a past tense because he was from a generation before my own; only I lived through his prime and enjoyed his work in his life time. I adore The New Frontier, Cooke manages to create something original and dang beautiful in that story. His art made me want to learn to be a cartoonist. He was the kind of artist that helped to make that word acceptable. If anyone puts you down for wanting to be a cartoonist you show them Darwyn Cooke and they will be left speechless by his talent. This video is awesome.
the new frontier is in my opinion the best dc comic ever and its my favorite cause i love the art style of darwyn cooke. if he had made a marvel version of the new frontier i would buy it to go along my darwyn cooke collection
@@MattDraper Agreed wholeheartedly - although the two issues of 'Spider-Man: Tangled Web' that he did do are a heck of a lot of fun in their own right - plus, he also did an excellent revival of Will Eisner's Spirit (including a crossover with Batman) that's been highly underrated in my view, yes?
The New Frontier closes with Kennedy's speech accepting the 1960 Democratic Presidential nomination, in LA (hinted at by the line about "facing west" which accompanies the full-page drawing of Superman and Jonn Jones, who oddly enough, are facing EAST from Cape Canaveral), not the inaugural address, which was given on Jan. 20, 1961.The 1960 speech was called "The New Frontier Speech." Oddly, it's considered one of JFK's more "meh" speeches, particularly compared to the inaugural. I remember seeing the latter on TV with my Mom. She cried.
+kakyoin MILF HUNTER I think that's an interesting way to look at it. Going from the classic stylings of New Frontier to the very avant-garde writing of Final Crisis gives a very epic scope to the start and close of the DC Universe!
kakyoin MILF HUNTER I agree with you on The New Frontier being the true beginning of the DCU, but for me, Kingdom Come fits perfectly as an end to that universe.
Murdock The Pooch I have to agree with you. Initially I though the idea of Final crisis being then end of the DC universe felt right. You remind me of my favorite comic, and how Kingdom Come fits as the perfect end to the DC universe as New Frontier is it’s beginning
Honestly I love the idea of New Frontier and watchmen being like two sides of the same coin, they both aim to comment on society and the idea of superheroes but they both come to different conclusions (hopeful and cynical)
I know, man. Whenever I hear it I just picture this video and this comic, getting hook on that feeling of genuine optimism and hope, that may feel old fashion but still feels right.
@@wrestlinganime4life288 understood in the past. Not anymore. Recently he's criticized the very nature of superheroes. In his Twilight of the Superheroes pitch, he planned to give the DC Universe a cynical anti-superhero ending similar to Watchmen.
@@wrestlinganime4life288 I agree. The thing that I understand, for DC heroes at their conception, is that they're supposed to be paragons, not human. It's good to ground them by giving them real heartfelt problems (For The Man Who Has Everything) and show how they rise above them to be icons people can look up to. Not to say there aren't stories like that, but there are so few that understand that
Darwyn Cooke was a genius and his art style was retro and looked very 60's. I would have liked to see him do a James Bond graphic novel. He was incredible illustrating the Parker series (by Donald Westlake as Richard Stark). He did a great job here showing the optimism of the 60s before Vietnam and Watergate.
LOVED this mini series. Even liked the movie. And it wasn't just the heroes. Loved the usage of the Losers, Rick Flagg, King Faraday and the Challengers of the Unknown. Wished there was more with John Henry, but what we got was great. I was extremely saddened and upset with Cooke's passing. A shame he'll never finish his adaptation of the 'Parker' series with IDW. Another great series he did.
I believe there is very much a place for stories like Watchmen, The Boys, and Zack Snyder’s DC films-but only if we ALSO have these kinds of heroes. The idealists. The ones who, even if we can’t ever be as pure as them, we want to follow the example of. If we don’t have the hope to counteract the cynicism, we become lost. Cynicism tells how things are, but hope shows us what they could be. And I don’t mean that these heroes shouldn’t be flawed-it’s important that we see ourselves in them. But we need examples to inspire us to get out of bed each day and do our best. One reason I loved WW84-despite everything-is that she represented the spirit of the Reeve-era superhero. And I needed that. So by all means, let’s have more superhero deconstructionist stories. It’s good to question them. But we need people who, unrealistic or no, don’t kill. People who somehow find a way to be heroes without corrupting their soul. No matter whether that’s “realistic” or not, that idealism is important to hold on to.
Now that's how you do super heroes, also like to note the fact that you used *[The Midnight's- Vampires]* for the outro, gives you a thumbs up from me.
Excellent documentary. I had seen the animated film and found it to be remarkable, it even inspired me to do a couple of images for DeviantArt. It shows this work made an impression for you to put in the research and effort into such an elaborate and well done vid. Fantastic commentary, deserves lots of praise.
There's just something about this book in how it manages to be historical and political, yet reinforces the nature of superheroes as how they are. That speech by Cooke at 6:00 is just so moving to me. I wish the live-action films were able to do the same instead of embracing the cynicism and deconstruction of Watchmen without recontructing.
This book is one of the best comics of all time. Me personally I would rank this on the top 10 list alongside Alex Ross's Kingdome Come. I love the art style and blend of real world history with the characters of the DC Universe. If you have not read this book you owe it to yourself to give this a chance.
New Frontier is one of those books where I could tell it was a masterpiece but I feel like I didn't... "get it" This video really makes me wanna jump back in and try again
This is the best comic book I've read since Kingdom Come came out in 1996. So my love for the comic obviously extends to the DC animated film. However, rewatching it... I do feel a little let down. The problem is that there is just so much to love about The New Frontier, and it should've all been kept in. This was basically the exact opposite of the problem with Superman/Batman Apocalypse, in that they cut stuff out to make a 75 minute film. They did not fit in everything from the comic, and this hurts it if you've read and loved the comic. The original source just looks so much better, and you find the omissions lacking. There are so many changes that it's hard to count, and I won't even attempt it. But the entire Challengers of the Unknown element from the story is excised, they're not anybody in the film. And you lose a lot of the richness, that worldbuilding that made the comic so fresh and interesting and enjoyable. Also, some of the musical choices and odd pauses during dramatic scenes felt off to me. For example, there's a big scene where Barry Allen stops Captain Cold's scheme at a banquet by tying his cold bombs to a balloon. They detonate up in the atmosphere and produce snow, which falls on the people at the banquet. Here's the actual lines of narrative in the comic: "Then something magical happens. Cold's bombs detonate high in the evening sky." "And for a few minutes, it's snowing in the desert. The other folks, they can't see me, but I'm there, vibrating just out of their vision." "I'm there with them, and it's something to see." Now, it's this rather magical and awe-inspiring sight in the comic. We're there with Barry, enjoying this light snowfall in the aftermath of a superhero struggle, and we're meant to savor the moment. It's touching and rather mellow. The Flash is enjoying the spectacle along with everyone else. But in the film, the same scene ends with Barry speeding off while heroic peppy music plays dramatically. It just ruins the whole tone that the comic was going for, IMO. So yeah, these things do bother me. The overall plot with the Center does get covered, but it just feels so bare-boned and perfunctory, rather then majestic and layered. The ending with Kennedy's New Frontier speech is done fairly well, and it is poignant, but then they don't even bother animating the last scene, where the newly formed Justice League arrives to battle Starro, their first official encounter. It's just a static image, and we don't get Jimmy Olsen's excited utterance of "Miss Lane! Here they come now... it's going to be okay!" That exuberant line, denoting newfound confidence and optimism for the future, made the scene for me and to have it missing was a disappointment. Ultimately, that's how DC The New Frontier feels like, a disappointment. The comic is great, and the film adaptation is pretty okay because of that, but it's a shadow of what could've been.
I bought the DVD a few years ago, based upon this DC Comics miniseries. It is a masterpiece of classic-style comic book animation and artwork. Highly recommended. I wish more DC artists did artwork like Darwyn Cooke (and also like David Mazzucchelli, who did the artwork for "Batman: Year One").
This story was such a masterpiece and I love the comic so much. The movie was beautiful too, I only wish that DC would create additional scenes to the movie to fill in for subplots they cut, for a story this good it'd be a beautiful opportunity to make it even more polished.
I just finished it and loved it. However, I'm still having trouble with coming to terms with Hal Jordan calling Carol a "rich bitch" to her face as they embrace for a kiss 2 pages later. I was loving his arc all the way until that came out of nowhere. Carol had a right to be angry at him since he literally stole her prototype plane and was about to run off without telling her. Any thoughts on this?
I personally thought it was Hal finally standing up and having the courage to give his honest thoughts. Tensions are high for the world and he can’t stand idly as things go to the crapper. So he just says his peace both good and bad, having the will to be completely honest with the woman he loves before he goes off to possibly die. His frustrations, his dreams (how he wants to be the pilot who will save everyone even if it kills him) and his love. Carol might be salty and she has a right to be, but that is overshadowed by the image of a brave man who will face the odds stacked against him. Seeing the willpower that the ring itself sees.
It would be nice if the DCEU could just make Elseworlds movies with the same cast. It doesn't matter if audiences are confused, just have them accept it's a different universe. If Zack Snyder adapted Watchmen into a coherent film, I think that someone could definitely do the same with A New Frontier movie.
This. This is my dream justice league movie.. Green Lantern as the heart of the movie. And the familliar justice league environment I and many had known and loved. While this new frontier has superman, batman, wonder woman, green lantern, the flash, martian manhunter, aquaman, green arrow, steel and even plastic man in the end. Now that's the justice league i love. But i know damn well this aint happening. Wasted opportunity
I wouldn't say Darwyn Cooke captures the look of old school comics, back then the color pallet was more saturated and, Darwyn Cooke.art style is more simplified than 50s comics.
+MR UPLOAD I think some of the colors of New Frontier are fairly saturated, but overall I'd say his art is evocative of it, if not a specific recreation. Hope you enjoyed the video!
@@mayotango1317 It’s reminiscent in the sense that both are about the beginnings of the classical superhero age and how they come into contact with irl politics/society, The Marvels just has an added protagonist civilian POV on top it
It would be awesome to see. From what I've heard, some things in JL Part 3 seem similar to The New Frontier. Mainly the whole final alien battle thing and the potential sacrifice
Zz Batson Yeah I thought that was awesome! It was really cool going back to the island and seeing the aftermath of New Frontier. Overall, I've been loving Superman Rebirth.
Zz Batson Thank you! I really love Jon, too. I like the movie. Basically, it's exactly the same as the comic. If you like the comic, you'll like the movie, but it won't add much to the story.
Yes and no. It’s very self contained and you don’t need to read anything beforehand, but it’s also an alternate universe so this story doesn’t continue anywhere else. But if you’re interested in DC, this can be a fun introduction to the characters and the style of DC Comics in general.
I don't think it's that great of a starting point....this story is the core of heroism and the idea of hope however the way it's presented is a light hearted throwback to the overall comics in the decades that went by....it is presented in a very child like manner and for first impressions basis this would go really bad...I know because one of the first ones I and my friends dug into was this and they found it really absurd and uninteresting and so did but I kept looking at other stuff and the dc portrayed in this story is not necessarily the best....in short it's very cheesy and stuck to the american way , way more than it should...makes itt kinda sour and cringy to read at times.
+Evan Vaughn I've seen it and I think it's pretty good! It is a pretty faithful adaptation of the comic but doesn't add anything new. So I'd say if you enjoy the comic, give it a watch, but don't expect to like it more than the source material.
But he died, and all we're left with is superheroes who are more interested in their own mental dramas than fighting evil or helping people. It's pretty obvious to me we've learnt nothing from the 90s.
For its story, I like New Frontier. Just by the sheer number of characters, it can feel overwhelming. Many of them just get a brief overview or snapshot, and they don't get enough of an in depth look. It touched on many issues of those times but didn't feel like it was preaching a one sided ideology, allowing for the reader to form their own opinions about order, vigilantism, when to and not to trust, and balance to achieve harmony. One thing I thought the story could have done a better job with is the importance of compromise and learning to live with those compromises to maintain harmony, and whether or not we can even have freedom and harmony at the same time. That is sometimes a problem for comic writers trying to deal with political issues, creating a balanced view for all readers. Cooke did a decent job with it I think, but it may be more due that the book was set in the 50s. Issues of the 50s seem more like a history lessons than current events of today. That historical setting probably led to less polarization. The ART of New Frontier is AMAZING. While the story may have had some flaws, the art design does not. It accurately captures the transition of golden to atomic to silver age styles. I think it builds a great sense of nostalgia for that style.
The New Frontier was brilliant. On the surface it was "How the Silver Age started" because too much 'retro' focus had been the "Golden Age" while modern readers and especially established Comic Book artists had their roots in said Silver or Bronze age. It had dual meanings because it was released during the post 9/11 - PresiDon't Dubya years with increasing division between Americans over left/right media idealism and hyper patriotism calling people who doubted the government's ways some kind of 'traitor' or 'subversive'. And it had a message despite seeming dark and changing times.
Such a Beautiful art style and a complex story as well.. Where can i get these Books? I want to read them, and don't take that lightly when I say "I wanna Read."
Imagine a DC cinematic universe that starts with The New Frontier and ends with Kingdom Come? On a massive, decade-spanning, multi-movie scale? Man, what a dream.
UltimateKyuubiFox they would screw it up so be honest with you
I can see the new frontier work, but you would need a 2 movies at least to do kingdom come and do it justice.
It be nice but let's be honest they would mess it up somehow
Kindom come is supposed to be a cautionary tale about how one uses power. It was only ever supposed to be a what if that keeps being alluded to because "twisted" edgelord BS makes money. To legitimize its occurence like the true defacto endgame of dc in what would be its most public showing would be an insult to the purpose of the story and to all the characters in it. (Superman would spend countless films struggling with using his powers for good and then just go dictator? Fuck off) Even if they did it perfectly it just doesn't work.
Thats what i want to do
I love this art style so much
For sure Mr Cooke brought something unique to the mainstream comic industry
My favourite style of art
Reminds me of my favorite artist, Dick Sprang. I miss the cartoony retro look.
It was it's art style that originally free me in to begin with it's such amazing work.
It's very good
Watching Wonder Woman stand up to Superman, seeing Batman shudder in shame for accidentally scaring innocent children, hearing Superman stand up for the rights of Martian Manhunter, watching the Flash be falsely accused of communism and hunted like a pig; moments like these are what made both the comic and animated film timeless and legendary.
I love that aspect that Batman had. "I seek to scare criminals, not children.". I do hope to see one day a live action Batman adopt a costume in the name of that line
The film did me no favours.
New Frontier really is a masterpiece, for all the reasons you've just described. I adore Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, and all the rest of the great gritty deconstructions, but the fact that Cooke was able to still address on a realistic, resonant level the same sociopolitical issues as those comics, while still maintaining the spirit of hope and optimism that defines the genre, is nothing short of genius. Really wish I would have known of his work prior to his death.
Wait so John Henry is Hooded Justice?! Dun dun duuunnn
After a lot of deconstruction of superheroes, not many writers/artist tried to construct them again.
Cooke successfully write an optimistic stories within realistic settings, constructing that was once destroyed.
Unknown User In short reconstruction
@@sethleoric2598 Not said explicitly. But, whether by accident or design, the time lines match up: In Watchmen, Hooded Justice disappears around 1955, the same year John Henry's family is murdered and he becomes a vigilante. Room for some connective work, though HJ would have to jump from Watchmen universe to main DC universe a la Dr. Manhattan in Doomsday Clock.
Janice Gustafson pmhmm
the fact that Darwyn was able to make something so relevant even today, something so realistic yet still retaining the charm and camp of silver age comics, while also breaking down these beloved characters and setting it all during a 1950s-60s time period is honestly amazing. There are times when heroes that you know and love feel wrong, but you later learn their motivations and/or reasoning.
For example, batman and wonder woman. When you see batman threatening J'onn, you feel scared for who has essentially been the main character up until this point. But you see how paranoid and prepared batman is. he tries to save a child from a cult, but the child is scared of him. he changes his costume and takes robin under his wing. Superman is confused as to why wonder woman would let hundreds of men die, and then we learn that these men had taken an entire village of women hostage and... yeah. Wonder woman freed the women and gave them justice. This story understands every character it includes, which is to say, it has *a lot* of characters
The New Frontier is one of my favourite comics, and Cooke's artwork in that book is nothing short of amazing. Great video!
Thank you! I like your channel, Owen. What are some of your other top comics?
Thank you Matt, I appreciate it! I caught your Spider-Man: Blue video also, that's definitely one of my favourite comics, along with the likes of Kingdom Come, and basically anything from Scott Snyder's Batman run haha.
All great choices! I wrote something about Kingdom Come last year and I've been considering a Snyder Batman video. Probably Black Mirror!
Darwyn Cooke is the kind of once in a generation talent I would read about in Wizard Magazine. Always written in a past tense because he was from a generation before my own; only I lived through his prime and enjoyed his work in his life time.
I adore The New Frontier, Cooke manages to create something original and dang beautiful in that story. His art made me want to learn to be a cartoonist. He was the kind of artist that helped to make that word acceptable. If anyone puts you down for wanting to be a cartoonist you show them Darwyn Cooke and they will be left speechless by his talent.
This video is awesome.
Years ago, I made a conference in college about this cómic book and analyzed the ideology of the Cold War. This has become my favorite cómic book.
In my opinion, next to the DCAU, The New Frontier shows what DC Comics really is
Jared Garcia as a loyal Marvel man myself the New Frontier showed me the Dc inspires heroism in Dc you truly get the heroes you need and deserve.
Totally agree brother
@@user-ci1wg5gh2t thanks
@@Cmon2828 we need stories like that
Could I possibly add in Batman: The Brave and the Bold?
This art style feels so heroic
With the focus on Hal, J'onn and Barry, I always felt that it was a transition from the golden age to the silver one.
Alan Scott left while Hal Jordan entered
I like how this book is a giant middle finger to Garth Ennis's "The Boys" in a sense.
Even when that book would come 2 years after.
@@MutantsInDisguise Ok maybe Dark Knight Returns, Image comics.
the new frontier is in my opinion the best dc comic ever and its my favorite cause i love the art style of darwyn cooke. if he had made a marvel version of the new frontier i would buy it to go along my darwyn cooke collection
Sadiq Jimoh I wish Cooke had a chance to do more Marvel stuff. I feel like he could have made some truly classic works at the publisher.
@@MattDraper Agreed wholeheartedly - although the two issues of 'Spider-Man: Tangled Web' that he did do are a heck of a lot of fun in their own right - plus, he also did an excellent revival of Will Eisner's Spirit (including a crossover with Batman) that's been highly underrated in my view, yes?
Marvel frontier should takes place in the 60s
Marvels by Kurt Busiek
The New Frontier closes with Kennedy's speech accepting the 1960 Democratic Presidential nomination, in LA (hinted at by the line about "facing west" which accompanies the full-page drawing of Superman and Jonn Jones, who oddly enough, are facing EAST from Cape Canaveral), not the inaugural address, which was given on Jan. 20, 1961.The 1960 speech was called "The New Frontier Speech." Oddly, it's considered one of JFK's more "meh" speeches, particularly compared to the inaugural. I remember seeing the latter on TV with my Mom. She cried.
for me, the new frontier is start of the DC Universe and Final Crisis is the end of it
+kakyoin MILF HUNTER I think that's an interesting way to look at it. Going from the classic stylings of New Frontier to the very avant-garde writing of Final Crisis gives a very epic scope to the start and close of the DC Universe!
kakyoin MILF HUNTER I agree with you on The New Frontier being the true beginning of the DCU, but for me, Kingdom Come fits perfectly as an end to that universe.
Murdock The Pooch I have to agree with you. Initially I though the idea of Final crisis being then end of the DC universe felt right. You remind me of my favorite comic, and how Kingdom Come fits as the perfect end to the DC universe as New Frontier is it’s beginning
kakyoin MILF HUNTER
I can kinda see rebirth as part of that “start of the DC universe” thing.
And Doomsday clock as the start of the end and new beginning
Honestly I love the idea of New Frontier and watchmen being like two sides of the same coin, they both aim to comment on society and the idea of superheroes but they both come to different conclusions (hopeful and cynical)
Kieran Holmes
That’s the best way to see it in my opinion.
@@daelen.cclark cynical is realisitc
@@jmgonzales7701 Cynicism is not wisdom. Optimism is not naivety
@@natek4488 being unrealistic is naive. No one that powerful wont be a bit selfish
@@jmgonzales7701 selfish doesn't necessarily mean bad though
I wonder if Matt reads any of the recent comments here. Just wanted to say the background song, That Dream Again, is etched into my brain.
I know, man. Whenever I hear it I just picture this video and this comic, getting hook on that feeling of genuine optimism and hope, that may feel old fashion but still feels right.
Darwyn is the Anti-Alan Moore
True Believer
How so?
@@daelen.cclark Moore deconstructed superheros and Darwyn reconstructed
@@truebeliever4144 Tbf Moore also understood the needs of Superheroes.
He wrote 2 of the best Superman stories
@@wrestlinganime4life288 understood in the past. Not anymore. Recently he's criticized the very nature of superheroes. In his Twilight of the Superheroes pitch, he planned to give the DC Universe a cynical anti-superhero ending similar to Watchmen.
@@wrestlinganime4life288 I agree. The thing that I understand, for DC heroes at their conception, is that they're supposed to be paragons, not human. It's good to ground them by giving them real heartfelt problems (For The Man Who Has Everything) and show how they rise above them to be icons people can look up to. Not to say there aren't stories like that, but there are so few that understand that
I fucking love this art style. Im not a huge dc fan but this art work just pops and the 50 and 60 era look is so amazing
Darwyn Cooke was a genius and his art style was retro and looked very 60's. I would have liked to see him do a James Bond graphic novel. He was incredible illustrating the Parker series (by Donald Westlake as Richard Stark). He did a great job here showing the optimism of the 60s before Vietnam and Watergate.
This book looks beautiful. Just convinced me to get it.
LOVED this mini series. Even liked the movie. And it wasn't just the heroes. Loved the usage of the Losers, Rick Flagg, King Faraday and the Challengers of the Unknown. Wished there was more with John Henry, but what we got was great. I was extremely saddened and upset with Cooke's passing. A shame he'll never finish his adaptation of the 'Parker' series with IDW. Another great series he did.
I believe there is very much a place for stories like Watchmen, The Boys, and Zack Snyder’s DC films-but only if we ALSO have these kinds of heroes. The idealists. The ones who, even if we can’t ever be as pure as them, we want to follow the example of. If we don’t have the hope to counteract the cynicism, we become lost. Cynicism tells how things are, but hope shows us what they could be. And I don’t mean that these heroes shouldn’t be flawed-it’s important that we see ourselves in them. But we need examples to inspire us to get out of bed each day and do our best. One reason I loved WW84-despite everything-is that she represented the spirit of the Reeve-era superhero. And I needed that. So by all means, let’s have more superhero deconstructionist stories. It’s good to question them. But we need people who, unrealistic or no, don’t kill. People who somehow find a way to be heroes without corrupting their soul. No matter whether that’s “realistic” or not, that idealism is important to hold on to.
I like this comment 👍. Very nice overall... though putting the Snyderverse next to The Boys? C'mon
Realism is overrated. Especially those visions of realism.
cooks art style SCREAMS CLASSIC, to me at least
The great animated film, Justice League: The New Frontier, makes me want to read this.
Vincent Franklin Also check out Golden Age another awesome DC graphic novel set in the post WW2 era.
anthony perdue I've heard of it, but never read it.
I'll check it out!
I saw JL: The New Frontier before I read the books. I had to go and get the collected trade paperbacks and the DVD of New Frontier.
I've been reading comics for more than 25 years. The New Frontier is the single best comic series published by DC in this century.
Ahhh, DC: The New Frontier, or as I like to refer to it - Better Than Watchmen
dmore454
While I think watchmen is a necessary book to have, I completely agree with you.
Watchmen with cartoon and superficial characters
Watchmen but hopeful and actualy useful
@@matheus31218 imagine thinking Rorschach is deep.
Bruh the art here is so damn good. I wish just every comic looked like this.
I am proud to own both the Comic and the Underrated Animated Movie.
Now that's how you do super heroes, also like to note the fact that you used *[The Midnight's- Vampires]* for the outro, gives you a thumbs up from me.
I wish comics were like this.
Excellent documentary. I had seen the animated film and found it to be remarkable, it even inspired me to do a couple of images for DeviantArt. It shows this work made an impression for you to put in the research and effort into such an elaborate and well done vid. Fantastic commentary, deserves lots of praise.
the New Frontiers and Marvels are Peak Nostalgic Super Hero Myhtos of Storytelling!
The "War and Peace" of DC
One of my favorite DC stories. It is honestly Cooke's Magnum opus and highlights his sheer talent
I only just now discovered your channel. You've made a committed fan.
Man how the hell does this have only 503 views
The people want trailer reactions! Not analyses of great comic books!
Matt Draper 20K now and growin 💪🏾 keep doin ya thing, Matt. Big fan of ya videos!
@@MattDraper i prefer the latter
109K now
@@thenoirknight5729 hell yeah
Would not have heard about this without you. Thanks!
There's just something about this book in how it manages to be historical and political, yet reinforces the nature of superheroes as how they are. That speech by Cooke at 6:00 is just so moving to me. I wish the live-action films were able to do the same instead of embracing the cynicism and deconstruction of Watchmen without recontructing.
Great video man! I watched it before and thanks to you I'm currently reading the mini series!
I bought this comic thanks to your video.. can't wait to read it(once I get off work😑).keep up the great work bro.
Glad I could point you in the direction of this comic! I hope you enjoy it!
This book is one of the best comics of all time.
Me personally I would rank this on the top 10 list alongside Alex Ross's Kingdome Come. I love the art style and blend of real world history with the characters of the DC Universe. If you have not read this book you owe it to yourself to give this a chance.
DC at it's finest.
Happy New Year Matt Draper.
New Frontier is one of those books where I could tell it was a masterpiece but I feel like I didn't... "get it"
This video really makes me wanna jump back in and try again
The New Frontier film is a great film, though it was a bit brutal, maybe because it was intended to a much older audience.
RIP Mr Cooke your art and stories will carry on
I just bought this book, solely on your piece here. Amazing. Ok, back to Darecember!
This is the best comic book I've read since Kingdom Come came out in 1996.
So my love for the comic obviously extends to the DC animated film. However, rewatching it... I do feel a little let down. The problem is that there is just so much to love about The New Frontier, and it should've all been kept in. This was basically the exact opposite of the problem with Superman/Batman Apocalypse, in that they cut stuff out to make a 75 minute film. They did not fit in everything from the comic, and this hurts it if you've read and loved the comic. The original source just looks so much better, and you find the omissions lacking. There are so many changes that it's hard to count, and I won't even attempt it. But the entire Challengers of the Unknown element from the story is excised, they're not anybody in the film. And you lose a lot of the richness, that worldbuilding that made the comic so fresh and interesting and enjoyable.
Also, some of the musical choices and odd pauses during dramatic scenes felt off to me. For example, there's a big scene where Barry Allen stops Captain Cold's scheme at a banquet by tying his cold bombs to a balloon. They detonate up in the atmosphere and produce snow, which falls on the people at the banquet. Here's the actual lines of narrative in the comic:
"Then something magical happens. Cold's bombs detonate high in the evening sky."
"And for a few minutes, it's snowing in the desert. The other folks, they can't see me, but I'm there, vibrating just out of their vision."
"I'm there with them, and it's something to see."
Now, it's this rather magical and awe-inspiring sight in the comic. We're there with Barry, enjoying this light snowfall in the aftermath of a superhero struggle, and we're meant to savor the moment. It's touching and rather mellow. The Flash is enjoying the spectacle along with everyone else.
But in the film, the same scene ends with Barry speeding off while heroic peppy music plays dramatically. It just ruins the whole tone that the comic was going for, IMO.
So yeah, these things do bother me. The overall plot with the Center does get covered, but it just feels so bare-boned and perfunctory, rather then majestic and layered. The ending with Kennedy's New Frontier speech is done fairly well, and it is poignant, but then they don't even bother animating the last scene, where the newly formed Justice League arrives to battle Starro, their first official encounter. It's just a static image, and we don't get Jimmy Olsen's excited utterance of "Miss Lane! Here they come now... it's going to be okay!" That exuberant line, denoting newfound confidence and optimism for the future, made the scene for me and to have it missing was a disappointment.
Ultimately, that's how DC The New Frontier feels like, a disappointment. The comic is great, and the film adaptation is pretty okay because of that, but it's a shadow of what could've been.
I love the art work. I’m gonna have to buy this. Great video.
I bought the DVD a few years ago, based upon this DC Comics miniseries. It is a masterpiece of classic-style comic book animation and artwork. Highly recommended. I wish more DC artists did artwork like Darwyn Cooke (and also like David Mazzucchelli, who did the artwork for "Batman: Year One").
i remember watching new frontier as a kid and it was so awesome and it still is to this day
My favorite dc graphic novels
Watchmen
Kingdom come
The Dark knight returns
The new frontier
Flashpoint
Graphic novels???
This needs to be made a live action movie it’s the quintessential justice league book
Todd Howard I think it already has been
Oh you mean live action xD my mistake
Mior Akif Mior Farid yes I do
Todd Howard apologies :)
Mior Akif Mior Farid it’s alright
This story was such a masterpiece and I love the comic so much. The movie was beautiful too, I only wish that DC would create additional scenes to the movie to fill in for subplots they cut, for a story this good it'd be a beautiful opportunity to make it even more polished.
Watching it here today on the anniversary of his death. Might reread it today too. Gone, but living on through the great material he left behind.
This book is so wonderful it made me want to read all of Darwyn Cooke's stuff.
The animated film was great. This book looks to be even better. I better go pick it up.
while he will be missed cook will NEVER be forgotten
His art style is truly brilliant, so is his writing.
The new frontier is one of my all time favorite comic stories of all time. It's classic DC but it's also brilliant social and political commentary
I bought the absolute version of this epic...definitely worth the buck!!!
This is how I wanted the movies to be like ever since man of steel came out.Let's hope there moving in a similar direction.
This movie uses my favorite Superman and Wonder Woman costumes.
I love the Fliesher Superman design. I do agree that the Wonder Woman design is awesome aswell
It's the comic book the guy is talking about.
Finally read it and is great
I would love a continuation of this reality either in comic’s or as an animated tv series,
I just finished it and loved it. However, I'm still having trouble with coming to terms with Hal Jordan calling Carol a "rich bitch" to her face as they embrace for a kiss 2 pages later. I was loving his arc all the way until that came out of nowhere. Carol had a right to be angry at him since he literally stole her prototype plane and was about to run off without telling her. Any thoughts on this?
I personally thought it was Hal finally standing up and having the courage to give his honest thoughts. Tensions are high for the world and he can’t stand idly as things go to the crapper.
So he just says his peace both good and bad, having the will to be completely honest with the woman he loves before he goes off to possibly die. His frustrations, his dreams (how he wants to be the pilot who will save everyone even if it kills him) and his love.
Carol might be salty and she has a right to be, but that is overshadowed by the image of a brave man who will face the odds stacked against him.
Seeing the willpower that the ring itself sees.
This is probably one of the few comics I’m willing to look for myself
It would be nice if the DCEU could just make Elseworlds movies with the same cast. It doesn't matter if audiences are confused, just have them accept it's a different universe. If Zack Snyder adapted Watchmen into a coherent film, I think that someone could definitely do the same with A New Frontier movie.
Yes! We have seen them do this with Wonder Woman 1984 and Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn. They are also doing Elseworld films with Joker and The Batman
Is John Henry Steel? I know that it’s Henry Irons in the comics
Thank You for this video 😀
Kudos to Darwyn Cooke.
This. This is my dream justice league movie.. Green Lantern as the heart of the movie. And the familliar justice league environment I and many had known and loved. While this new frontier has superman, batman, wonder woman, green lantern, the flash, martian manhunter, aquaman, green arrow, steel and even plastic man in the end. Now that's the justice league i love. But i know damn well this aint happening. Wasted opportunity
Just finished reading the omnibus. Thanks for the recommendation!
Best DC animated movie I have watched.
I’ve always wanted to read this but I’ve had trouble finding back issues. Guess I need to start searching again.
I wouldn't say Darwyn Cooke captures the look of old school comics, back then the color pallet was more saturated and, Darwyn Cooke.art style is more simplified than 50s comics.
+MR UPLOAD I think some of the colors of New Frontier are fairly saturated, but overall I'd say his art is evocative of it, if not a specific recreation. Hope you enjoyed the video!
Imagine the story of The New Frontier but for Marvel or any superhero universe. Like hot damn, only my imagination can dream.
That not work.
@@mayotango1317it already did it’s called The Marvels drawn by Alex Ross
@@0li-0li28 That was more like 22 Short Films About Springfield that DC New Frontier.
@@mayotango1317 It’s reminiscent in the sense that both are about the beginnings of the classical superhero age and how they come into contact with irl politics/society, The Marvels just has an added protagonist civilian POV on top it
I remember watching the adaptation and laughed when one of the soldiers said:"Son of a bitch."
Woo gonna have see if there available in book form thankyou !
thank you
Great! This look interesting, I watched the animated movie, and now I want to read the book 😃😃😃. Great video!
I would love to see the DCEU do something like this
It would be really hard to beat the animated adaptation though.
It would be awesome to see. From what I've heard, some things in JL Part 3 seem similar to The New Frontier. Mainly the whole final alien battle thing and the potential sacrifice
i never read the book but the movie is probably the best JL movie ever made.
Great video!
One of the best scenes was heroes and Non-powered humans(like US military forces) were united against a common threat(aliens).
That was very interesting thankyou !
If you don't mind me saying so, this is probably my most favorite graphic novel of all time to page through....whenever I'm on the crapper.
Justin Bailey It's where I get my best reading done.
Zz Batson Yeah I thought that was awesome! It was really cool going back to the island and seeing the aftermath of New Frontier. Overall, I've been loving Superman Rebirth.
Zz Batson Thank you! I really love Jon, too. I like the movie. Basically, it's exactly the same as the comic. If you like the comic, you'll like the movie, but it won't add much to the story.
I own a copy of the DVD feature of this DC Comics miniseries. It is fantastic!!! Highly recommended. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
the New frontier was the Kennedy administration of the early 1960s
Is the entire miniseries in an omnibus? I’d love to read this!
you need more subscribers
Is this a good starting point for DC?
Yes and no. It’s very self contained and you don’t need to read anything beforehand, but it’s also an alternate universe so this story doesn’t continue anywhere else. But if you’re interested in DC, this can be a fun introduction to the characters and the style of DC Comics in general.
I don't think it's that great of a starting point....this story is the core of heroism and the idea of hope however the way it's presented is a light hearted throwback to the overall comics in the decades that went by....it is presented in a very child like manner and for first impressions basis this would go really bad...I know because one of the first ones I and my friends dug into was this and they found it really absurd and uninteresting and so did but I kept looking at other stuff and the dc portrayed in this story is not necessarily the best....in short it's very cheesy and stuck to the american way , way more than it should...makes itt kinda sour and cringy to read at times.
@@thunderbird7936 look for nihilistic soap operas, then 🤣🤣🤣
Have you seen the animated film adaptation? If so, is it worth a watch? I haven't seen it yet and I've been thinking about it for a while.
+Evan Vaughn I've seen it and I think it's pretty good! It is a pretty faithful adaptation of the comic but doesn't add anything new. So I'd say if you enjoy the comic, give it a watch, but don't expect to like it more than the source material.
The animated film was remarkable, very well done.
I quite enjoyed the animated film. It's worth a watch!
He could have led comics back a new golden age
But he died, and all we're left with is superheroes who are more interested in their own mental dramas than fighting evil or helping people. It's pretty obvious to me we've learnt nothing from the 90s.
@@MutantsInDisguise yup. 100%
You should do Kingdom Come and The NAIL
Lore of The New Frontier - DC Comics at Its Finest momentum 100
Should do a cartoon of that area justice league would be awesome
For its story, I like New Frontier. Just by the sheer number of characters, it can feel overwhelming. Many of them just get a brief overview or snapshot, and they don't get enough of an in depth look.
It touched on many issues of those times but didn't feel like it was preaching a one sided ideology, allowing for the reader to form their own opinions about order, vigilantism, when to and not to trust, and balance to achieve harmony.
One thing I thought the story could have done a better job with is the importance of compromise and learning to live with those compromises to maintain harmony, and whether or not we can even have freedom and harmony at the same time.
That is sometimes a problem for comic writers trying to deal with political issues, creating a balanced view for all readers. Cooke did a decent job with it I think, but it may be more due that the book was set in the 50s. Issues of the 50s seem more like a history lessons than current events of today. That historical setting probably led to less polarization.
The ART of New Frontier is AMAZING. While the story may have had some flaws, the art design does not. It accurately captures the transition of golden to atomic to silver age styles. I think it builds a great sense of nostalgia for that style.
Nice job
The New Frontier was brilliant.
On the surface it was "How the Silver Age started" because too much 'retro' focus had been the "Golden Age" while modern readers and especially established Comic Book artists had their roots in said Silver or Bronze age. It had dual meanings because it was released during the post 9/11 - PresiDon't Dubya years with increasing division between Americans over left/right media idealism and hyper patriotism calling people who doubted the government's ways some kind of 'traitor' or 'subversive'. And it had a message despite seeming dark and changing times.
Such a Beautiful art style and a complex story as well.. Where can i get these Books? I want to read them, and don't take that lightly when I say "I wanna Read."