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Thursday, April 21, 2022

High Priced Comic Books--How The Silver Age Got Started: DC: The New Frontier #1

The late artist/writer Darwyn Cooke loved comic books-especially their history.  What many consider his penultimate work was the DC: The New Frontier #1 part of the mini-series from DC Comics.

Cooke begins his tale with the origin of Green Lantern and slowly and methodically presents the origin of each member of The Justice League Of America and the League’s eventual formation.

It’s fitting that both Hal Jordan’s and Barry Allen’s origins are chronicled first.

After all The Flash and Green Lantern were the first two superheroes to be re-launched by DC that began The Silver Age.

Cooke brings back the wonder and awe of the Silver Age DC characters with great origins retold, spectacular art, amazing color work and a real grasp of what made the books so great in the first place.

The first issue deals primarily with Green Lantern and Jonn J’ozz’s (Martian Manhunter) arrival on earth.

The story starts out on a deserted desert island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.  

Longtime DC fans will recognize the name The Losers- a ragtag group of military misfits who miraculously survive a shipwreck and find themselves on the island.

What they believe to be a safe haven is anything but as they discover the island is populated by dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts.

At the end of the first issue is a text piece about the United States attempts to stop and curtail any superhuman activities-including that of heroes.

Daryl Cook’s art shines.  It is some of the most innovative and well-designed sequence of layouts, character designs and compositions seen in modern comics.

While it reminds me a little bit of Warner Bros.’ various DC Comics animated TV shows and movies it is much more reminiscent of artist/writer Will Eisner’s work on The spirit.

It also harkens back to such artists as Alex Roth and Doug Wildey.

It’s an incredible mini-series lovingly done by a man who cherished old comic book art and stories.

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

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