Justice League: The New Frontier (DVD/Warner
Premiere/Warner Home Video/Animated)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: A Film: A
Everything
Darwyn Cook has touched in the last four years has turned to gold. The
long-time writer, artist, and animator had done solid work in comics and
animation before 2004 saw his popularity explode with the release of his New
Frontier mini-series for DC Comics. This
edgy, but ultimately upbeat re-imagining of the origins and early years of some
DC's biggest characters took the comic book industry by storm. With Cook's natural ties to animation and the
mega-talented Bruce Timm (Batman: the
Animated Series, Justice League,
Justice League Unlimited), no one
was shocked when an animated New
Frontier project was announced.
What
will shock some people not yet acquainted with the prodigious talents of both Timm
and Cook is how well New Frontier
translates to the animated film genre. This
two disc DVD marks another groundbreaking release for DC animation. Credited twice (as producer and story
contributor), Cook, writer Stan Berkowitz, and director David Bullock capture
all of the wonder and edginess of the comic book version of New Frontier while instilling it with
that special dynamism fans have come to expect from Warner's DC DVD releases. Dealing expertly with mature subject matter
like suicide, political paranoia, and the wars in Korea and French Indochina,
this PG-13 feature is not for young children.
The
story details the origins and early careers of Green Lantern and the Martian
Manhunter, and also features Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash in pivotal
rolls. Numerous other DC heroes and
villains also make appearances, and the climax features an amazing battle
against a world threatening foe. The
creators chose all new voice talent for the characters in New Frontier, moving further away from the amazing work on the
previous Justice League television
shows. The casting decisions were
excellent, with notables including Kyle MacLachlan really shining as Superman,
and Lucy Lawless providing excellent vocals for Wonder Woman.
The
anamorphically enhanced picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound on this DVD set are
up to the usual high standards of Warner's other animated releases. In addition to the main feature, disc one includes
a sneak peak at DC Universe's Batman
Gotham Knight and a host of audio commentaries from the New Frontier's various creators. The second disc of this set features further
of extras including a documentary on super villains, a piece on the comic book
version of New Frontier, and three
bonus Justice League episodes (Dark Heart, To Another Shore, and Task
Force X).
At
its core New Frontier is about hope, and the story closes with the inspiring,
titular words of President John F. Kennedy. This set signals another step forward for DC
and Warner, proving again that their properties can be marketed toward an
older, more sophisticated audience, and cementing Darwyn Cook along side Alex
Ross as one of the most important creators in comics today.
- Scott R. Pyle
