Absolute DC:The New Frontier-9/10
Story:
To put it bluntly, I adore this book. I adore the art. I adore the story. I adore the characters. I think that Darwyn Cooke adores them, too. No, I know that Darwyn Cooke adores them, too. Why? Simple, because Darwyn Cooke used the utmost care when he used them in this book.
If you're not familiar with the book, I'll give you a brief lesson. The New Frontier is in reference to John F. Kennedy's famous speech, in which he called the 1960's, well, the "New Frontier." The story weaves DC's silver age into our American silver age, and it works like Peanut Butter and Chocolate. The story follows the characters that you would associate with the Justice League (but they're not the Justice League...yet), but focuses most on the characters of Hal Jordan (Green lantern), Barry Allen (The Flash), and John Jones (Martian Manhunter). Against the backdrop of the 1950's.
The story follows the characters on their individual journeys until their paths intersect to combat a mysterious force known as "The Centre." The story is solid, and it is worth a read based on it alone, but what makes this book special is the sense of atmosphere that's present in the every page. Just about every silver age DC character is in this book, from Rick Flagg to Adam Strange, and the giant-sized roster never feels forced. Cooke intertwines each within the fibers of the book, and they all serve a purpose in the context of the story.
This is only one part of the atmosphere that I'm referring to. The other major component comes from an unexpected place; our own history. The book feels authentic, with pop culture references galore and enough Americana to decorate mom's kitchen, and the somewhat Kirby-esque retro art style accents that authenticity even further. All in all, if you're a DC fan, or a history buff, pick this book up; you won't be disappointed.
Format:
I love these Absolute Editions. No matter how many I get, they always feel special. There's a certain feeling that comes with an Absolute Edition; it's like Christmas morning whenever one arrives. The format just works. It should be completely in appealing to me; it should feel clunky and cumbersome, but it doesn't. It feels hefty, but it feels like something that you're proud to display; almost like a coffee table book.
The oversized format works particularly well with heavily visual books like this one, and it's like watching something in a movie theater compared to on TV. In the case of Absolute Editions, bigger is better and colors are brighter, and it's a wonder to behold. Cooke's artwork shines on every page, and the heavy cardboard slipcover with wraparound artwork makes for a beautiful display piece. On top of all of the above, this thing is loaded with extras. Annotations to guide you through all of the little Easter eggs and shed some light on some of the story aspects that you might otherwise be unfamiliar with at the back of the book, an in-depth behind the scenes feature, a full cover gallery, a gallery of concept art and sketches, a full gallery of the New Frontier line of action figures from DC Direct, as well as concept art for each of the figures, and an introduction by former DC editor Paul Levitz.
