Minet Library - last due date 2/7/11

Didn't get really get on with this. Maybe I don't know enough of the
relevant background (I'm more of a Marvel Zombie, never feeling that close to
the Distinguished Competition). But... I found the writing a bit
disjointed and rather ponderous. The art has its moments, but
honestly not really enough (and it also has its low points).

Will try to pick up volume 2, just to see if it improves. ( )

QUADRINHOS: http://www.planocritico.com/category/quadrinhos/ ( )

1st Read: [3/5]

2nd Read:
And here i thought it would work better on a reread... This is just frustrating.
Essentially its a reboot of the entire DC universe and really doesn't have time for an actual storyline.
Most of the plot threads you can untangle from the mess focus on the most uninteresting of the DC pantheon.
At times it reads like a cheap immitation of Watchmen. Its dark, incorporating real world politics, which are never explored enough to be interesting but are still in-your-face enough to take any joy out of the story.

The art is somhow still confusing in places despite being quite simplistic. For some reason the Martian Man-Hunter got an upgrade and looks genuinely cool; but that actually seems out of place since every other character is so 1950's it feels like a parody at times.

The Wonder Woman stuff had potential but is too short to matter. Bat-Man and the Martian are probably the best part but i soooo.... don't care about anything happening here.

I don't remember what happens in the sequel but i am not looking forward to that reread. ( )

This is one of my favorite Silver Age DC story ever. Cooke is obviously a huge fan of this period, and it comes through in his writing. He also does such a fantastic job of incorporating real-world history into his version of the DC Universe. Seeing the impact on McCarthyism and the fear created during the Red Scare on the world and life of the Superhero is powerful, especially seeing what became of the Justice Society of America members. The other beautiful thing about New Frontier is the way Darwyn looks at the lives of these heroes outside of their adventures. We see Hal Jordan at his lowest before he gained the mantle of the Green Lantern, we see Ted "Wildcat" Grant fighting one of his final bouts in the ring against Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali), we see the Challengers of the Unknown before they were a group (and the connections between Ace Morgan, Hal Jordan, Rick Flagg, and King Faraday was absolute genius). This is such a fantastic read. ( )

Great art, fun story.