DC: The New Frontier #3-6

DC: The New Frontier #3-6

Originally released in 2004

Written by Darwyn Cooke

Art by Darwyn Cooke

The series takes a darker turn, focusing on the negatives of life in America during the fifties.  Racism, discrimination, and paranoia run rampant - a man known as John Henry is nearly killed by the KKK as his family dies, and surviving the experience causes him to become a vigilante.  Hal Jordan is considered a potential Communist sympathizer for feeling guilt over killing a North Korean during the Korean War.  J'onn J'onzz sees the growing distrust in America towards anything different, and wants to go home.  The government is attempting to arrest the Flash for seemingly no reason other than they aren't controlling him.

Adam Strange, a lesser-known DC hero who travels between Earth and the world of Rann uncontrollably, has been institutionalized.  Even Wonder Woman, a trusted government agent, is effectively cast out for her views on the Vietnam War.  It's not a pleasant time, and that's before it's discovered that a sentient island that's been on Earth since prehistoric times is plotting to kill humanity and move on to other worlds.

There are some signs of optimism, but they're few and far between.  A team known as the Challengers Of The Unknown have been set up (by my understanding, they're a Jack Kirby creation, and precursors to the Fantastic Four), and after terrifying a child that he had intended to rescue, Batman has softened his image and found a sidekick in the form of Dick Grayson.

After John Henry is murdered (asking a little girl to hide him, only for the little girl to tell the KKK where he is), J'onn J'onzz decides to sneak on-board an experimental rocket to Mars in order to return to his homeworld, only to be captured while saving a government agent named King Faraday.  The two of them strike up an odd friendship while J'onn is in captivity.

Meanwhile, Hal Jordan was prevented from flying that experimental rocket, only to discover a different way to fly, receiving a Green Lantern Ring from Abin Sur and becoming Earth's Green Lantern.  Darwyn Cooke's art shines as we see Hal flying around, narrating his thoughts and trying to go to space before the cloudy forms of the Guardians of the Universe prevent him from going there just yet.

Throughout the story, we see Hal Jordan's trauma, frustration, and sense of loss, making his ascension as the Green Lantern feel that much more triumphant.  Cooke's narration does a good job of putting readers into Hal's head and sharing his sense of whimsy as he flies around the desert.

The various conflicts are set aside when the aforementioned sentient island, known as the Centre, makes its move.  It's here that Superman is set up as a leader among the superheroes, and he vows to do better to prevent oppression in all of its forms, even within America.  It's doesn't fully address the problems brought up by John Henry's fate or Martian Manhunter's concerns, but given who it's coming from, it offers hope for the future of this Earth.

The threat of the Centre is somewhat undermined by the fact that the world's magic-based heroes (the Spectre, Doctor Fate, Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, the Phantom Stranger, and Zatanna) choose to stay out of the conflict, feeling that they represent the old ways and that their involvement could do more harm than good.  Considering that the rest of Earth's heroes are being brought together, it's an odd choice.

The last issue is largely one big battle against the Centre, and building up to the formation of the Justice League.  Aquaman gets the short end of the stick here, making a brief cameo before saving some crashed pilots off-screen using dolphins, and Batman's main role is gathering intelligence, as he stays out of any direct conflict.

The story kind of falls into the trap of raising big questions and confronting major issues only to offer no real solutions to them. However, it does end effectively with a feeling of hope and optimism towards the coming future, with the effective inclusion of a speech by John F. Kennedy.  This comic was well-written, and it's got me wanting to see what else Darwyn Cooke has worked on.