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JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER Gets Massawyrm All Reminiscence-y Like!!


Hola all. Massawyrm here. It's hard to believe that it was almost a decade and a half ago that I first began walking box after box of my vast comic book collection across the parking lot to my neighbor's (and good friend Bob) apartment to rid myself of the lifelong addiction we all know as comic books. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was the right one. Afterall, it was the early to mid 90's. Comic books sucked. Rob Liefeld was king. Image comics couldn't get a book out on time if their lives had depended on it. And dealers were busy gouging the fuck out of little kids in a speculators gold rush that required you to own 5 different copies of the new X-men series (4 covers with one giant fold out.) If it wasn't multiple covers it was embossed covers. Or stunts. They loved their stunts. Sometimes it was a Superhero coming out of the closet with AIDS (Northstar from Alpha Flight.) Other times it was the death of one of our greatest heroes (don't worry, he'll be back soon enough. After we've sold like 3 Million copies.) My final straw was a little less flashy. And a little hard to believe looking back at it. While I got equally fucked by both the death of Superman and the coming out of Northstar, the straw that broke the camels back on my addiction was the revelation that Cable was Scott Sommers son. I know, I know. Stupid. But at the time it really pissed me off. It was bad enough that Cable had been part of the killing of the New Mutants title and their transformation into just another X-Clone title, but I swore to a friend that if he turned out to be the son of Scott Sommers and Madelyn Pryor, I would give him my collection. Guess what? He got my comics. But as it turns out, I didn't miss much. Spidey turning out to be a clone. Superman coming back as some strange energy blaster thingy. Spawn turning out not to have a limited amount of time on this Earth. All the suck that was to follow isn't a part of my mythology. It's the story beyond the point I ceased to care. So a couple years ago when a friend slid a copy of the first Ultimates trade paperback into my hands, I rolled my eyes. I'd heard about this little stunt. Resetting the Marvel universe and "getting back to basics." Bullshit. It was just another way to sell another copy of titles like the X-men, Spider-Man and the Avengers. But my buddy, he just shook his head, smiled and tapped his finger on the cover of the book. That's when he gave me that look like he was about to recommend really good pot. You know the look I'm talking about. The slow head nod. The queer, dopey smile. The utterance of the word "Dude," followed by the appropriate pause. This was clearly something different. And it was. The Ultimates changed the very way I looked at comic book characters and adaptations in general. It was a revelation. Like a computer that hasn't had a clean install in years, untold eons of crap and minutia builds up and weighs down the story of a character, keeping it from being as pure and precise as it should be. And the way Mark Millar handled these classic characters…well, he wasn't just updating them to give them a new look and modern sensibilities. This was a man who not only deeply understood, but deeply cared about, each and every single one of these characters. And he made them cool again. By taking them back to who they were. Tony Stark was dying again. The Hulk was a menace again. And Captain America, oh dear god, he was awesome again – while at the same time being a man who had been frozen in ice so long that he was a product of another era entirely. Everything was as it should be, without the years of futzing or big twists or comic selling publicity stunts. Every single Avenger present and accounted for was exactly as they should be, their souls completely intact. And it was after putting down the first six issues that I really understood what it was to adapt a much beloved character into another medium and still be able to breath new life into them. Who gives a shit if Spider-Man has organic web-shooters if they get it right about him being a lonely teenage boy who just wants to do the right thing – and have a little fun doing it? Who cares if Wolverine isn't 5'3" and was never a member of Alpha Flight if he's still fucking Wolverine and gets to put his claws through a few assholes? Who cares about any of the details of issue two-fifty-whatever if we can see the heroes we love in one more, great story? The reason for such a long preamble is this. If you've ever picked up the Ultimates, or one of the titles like it, and experienced that sheer, childlike glee of seeing all your favorites brought to life once more, and you HAVEN'T READ Justice League: The New Frontier…then I'm here to tell you that you are in for one hell of a fucking treat. Because this is a complete reinvention of the entire DC Universe – without changing a thing. It's a big giant reset button that takes you back to 1962 – with all the characters as intact as they should be, but with modern interpretations of those characters and stories. The Batman is a frightening loner. Superman is a big cheesy Red State patriot blinded by his own love for his country. And the Martian Manhunter is just trying to fit in. Every character, every last one of them, is here in their true archetypal form. Even the cameos, from the Blackhawk Squadron to Jimmy Olsen, are perfect. Hell, Jimmy Olsen is on screen for mere seconds and they nail him like you haven't seen him in the comics since you were a kid. Not that this thing is particularly kid friendly. That's the other side of this awesome little coin. The Justice League? They just grew up with you. The New Frontier opens with a monologue chronicling the history of man and the ultimate conclusion that we need to be wiped out. Then the speaker raises a revolver to his temple and blows his own fucking head off. That's how it begins. The situations our heroes then proceed to find themselves in are not always clean, neat and Hayes Code friendly. This movie is PG-13 and means it. It does not play nice. That's not to say that they try to insert these characters into decidedly un-DC situations. Just that the material is a lot darker than one would expect from the Silver Age setting. One thing is for sure, this isn't the fucking Super Friends. This is something else. Something awesome. To say that I love this is an understatement. I adore the ever-loving shit out of it. It's one of those things you can't entirely fathom until you've experienced it. I'm sure there are a number of you DC readers out there nodding along as you've already read The New Frontier. You don't need convincing. You know how awesome our heroes are when stripped down to their bare essentials. This is what you've read, brought to life and not sanitized one bit. And the animation is just cool as all get out. It's an inventive mix of Silver Age styling with modern animation sensibilities. I watched this sucker projected in HD on Harry's bigass screen and there were only, at MOST, half a dozen moments where it was clear the movement had been done with computers – looking a bit on the cheap end for a split second at a time. But every other moment is inspired gold. Not at all the typical hack job, Saturday morning bullshit we've seen on a few recent animated comic endeavors. Coughultimatescough. In fact, if anything, this should be the very model for any future animated comic book adaptations. It's a film that would have felt perfect in a theatrical release – but instead proves to be a killer surprise on DVD. These adaptations have never been this good. Oh, and Jeremy Sisto fucking owns all as the Batman. Everyone else is incredibly good here, especially Miguel Ferrer as Martian Manhunter, Neil Patrick Harris as The Flash and Keith David as the Centre. They weren't playing around with the casting here. Everyone hits all the right notes. But Sisto owns. His Batman is about as awesome as they come. The long and the short of it is that if you ever have been any kind of a comic book fan, this movie needs to be on your radar in a big way. It is THAT film, that special rare direct to video treat that will make its way slowly through the hands of all your friends as you foist your copy on them while giving them that look. You know the look I'm talking about. The one like you're about to recommend really good pot. Needless to say, this comes Highly Recommended. Dude. Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em. Massawyrm
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Readers Talkback
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  • February 21, 2008 9:36 AM CST

    First?

    by Billy Batts

    But I didn't read the article. New Frontier rules!!!

  • February 21, 2008 9:37 AM CST

    FIRST

    by DAfRk3iN

  • February 21, 2008 9:42 AM CST

    third

    by DonnieDorko

    turd

  • February 21, 2008 9:43 AM CST

    Pot Reference...

    by Gungan Slayer

    CLASSIC. Looking forward to New Frontier!

  • February 21, 2008 9:43 AM CST

    "Sisto owns all as Batman"? News to us Kevin Conroy fans...

    by SpyGuy

    I'm not saying Sisto won't be great as Bats, but you have to be pretty fucking amazing to top Kevin Conroy.

  • February 21, 2008 9:44 AM CST

    i think mikey likes it

    by Bouncy X

    but thats cool to see someone so loving it. i'm not a big comic fan, hell i think the only true comic i ever read was the first 20 odd issues of Spiderman 2099 but i have bought the Bruce Timm animated shows (batman, superman, justice league) and since he's involved here then its likely worthy. and if massawyrm loves it this much then it must be good. i usually wait for these things to hit tv but it'll probably be a while before this does so i'll be brave and give it a go blindly.

  • February 21, 2008 9:50 AM CST

    okay okay I'll buy it!

    by Datascream

    I just finished the first book of The New Frontier. But I can't find anyone with the second book. I was even looking for the complete set, but I'm still searching for it. Hopefully I'll get it in my hands before I watch the movie.

  • February 21, 2008 9:53 AM CST

    Thought you were on about a comic there dude!

    by FILMFUNK

    but i kept readin and im glad i did i'll get this and watch the fuck out of it with my kid who Loves Superheroes age 3. He gets to watch most of the movies though his mum ticks me off for letting him watch Spiderman coz Wilem Dafoe scares the piss out of him but his favourites are the animated Batman and Original Donner Superman movie so he should luv this, Oh and I'm partial myself but haven't read a comic in a very long time! my faves were Thor and Punisher but it all went wrong! good to be getting sum supers back through my kid though.

  • February 21, 2008 10:03 AM CST

    Love the new avatar, Massy!

    by superduper3000

    Now there's some ADD-inspired modern art for ya! Don't hold back on the next batch, and keep 'em coming! Oh yeah, Batman rocks...sorry, but he always has, always will...yeah, I'm a nerd...

    http://tinyurl.com/2prjg2

  • February 21, 2008 10:05 AM CST

    Right on, SpyGuy

    by TheNothing

    I always hear Conroy's voice when I'm reading the comics.

  • February 21, 2008 10:14 AM CST

    You described my experience to a T

    by DonnyUnitas

    except once I left comics in the mid-90s, I never went back. I never did touch the "Ultimates" series, but I shall check it out... after I watch JL: New Frontier. Thanks.

  • February 21, 2008 10:34 AM CST

    DonnyUnitas, you've a got a treat ahead of you...

    by raw_bean

    ...in the Ultimates. If you like it, there's a lot to enjoy in the other Ultimate Marvel Universe books, too.

    I haven't read or seen New Frontier - I'm not a big DC fan. But all the glowing reviews and in particular this comparison to the Ultimates may just make me check it out, on DVD first and in book form after if it's really as awesome as everyone says.

  • February 21, 2008 10:40 AM CST

    Awesome!

    by elpresidente

    I saw this online last week and it really blew me away. I'll definitely buy it. I haven't read a comic book in over a decade but this movie made me want to get back into them. And Sisto does indeed rock as Batman. It's so different, but it is spot on right.

  • February 21, 2008 10:44 AM CST

    Massa only accidentally watched this . . .

    by Nice Marmot

    . . . he thought he was popping in his pre-screener of 28 Dresses.

  • February 21, 2008 10:45 AM CST

    The Ultimates, it's sequel, and Iron Man were all CRAP

    by Squashua

    Marvel doesn't know how to produce a proper cartoon. They only time they did it right was with X-Men Evolution, and that was using the same team that did Batman the Animated Series.

  • February 21, 2008 10:47 AM CST

    THE ULTIMATES revolutionized comics for you?

    by JonQuixote

    Wow. Now I don't know what to think about this.

  • February 21, 2008 10:47 AM CST

    And by "Ultimates", I mean the cartoon, not the comic book.

    by Squashua

    The comic series is fine, unless you're referring to the current Loeb run (Ultimates 3), which I hear is markedly awful. I haven't read it yet b/c I'm waiting for the trade, but I am apprehensive.

  • February 21, 2008 10:48 AM CST

    And by cartoon, I mean "Ultimate Avengers"

    by Squashua

    Finally got the name right. That thing was an unadulterated turd.

  • February 21, 2008 10:52 AM CST

    Oh, and Ultimate Spider-Man has technological web-shooters

    by Squashua

    It was the mainstream "Earth-616" Spider-Man who was altered to have organic ones.

  • February 21, 2008 10:54 AM CST

    Squashua

    by McDee

    not anymore. Marvel pressed the "Deal with Mephisto" reset button.

  • February 21, 2008 10:56 AM CST

    Conroy owns as Batman

    by johnnykool

    All others are wannabes. Get a clue before you type garbage like "Sisto owns as Batman."

  • February 21, 2008 11:01 AM CST

    How much does WB pay for viral campaigns these days, anyways?

    by Snookeroo

    No reason...just wonderin'.

  • February 21, 2008 11:09 AM CST

    Um...

    by Hellboy

    Any good actor with a deep voice can play Batman. Sisto's pretty amazing in this. I like Kevin Conroy's version. I'm used to it. It was time for a change.

  • February 21, 2008 11:10 AM CST

    Superman a chessy Red Patriot ? sigh.

    by Se7en

    "Superman is a big cheesy Red State patriot blinded by his own love for his country." .sigh. THANK GOD for Grant Morrison on All-Star.

  • February 21, 2008 11:10 AM CST

    Good to see your interest in New Frontier

    by The Great One

    Definitely grab the DC: New Frontier trades when you get a chance. The story's on par with Watchmen, IMHO, and you'll get a better feel of the times when you read the Losers and John Henry sub plots. I had similar misgivings about 90's comics and had to pick my stories where possible, though I wound up liking the Reign of the Supemen/Return of Superman storyline a good bit (which led me to dislike the Superman/Doomsday movie, but that's another post.) BTW, have any of you guys reviewed the Doctor Strange animated movie? I rather liked it a good bit myself (much better than the other Marvel offerings) but I don't recall seeing a piece on it. In any case, if not check it out when you get the chance. Anyways, take care.

  • February 21, 2008 11:11 AM CST

    Cool article but..

    by Aethyrr

    ..the childish references to drug and all that ruined it for me. Grow up, would ya?

  • February 21, 2008 11:14 AM CST

    Conroy is the definitive Batman voice

    by BLWiseass

    But who knows, maybe Sisto won't be terribly distracting. Lets wait and see before we decide.

  • February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

    Aethyrr, he can't grow up too much

    by systemsbroom

    because if he did, he wouldn't be talking about how great superhero cartoons are.

  • February 21, 2008 11:18 AM CST

    New Frontier isn't a reset, but it is a special vision

    by crankyoldguy

    And it's great. A friend who works at Warners was able to get my a screener. Yes Sisto "owns" Batman (on this, but no Conroy is still THE all-time Batman and that includes any live-action films, too). The other voice talents nail their parts as well. I liked the treatment of a young, green Green Lantern, too. My little boy, five (like the guy with the three-year-old) is a super-hero nut like his dad and did ask why they look different than Justice League/JLU and I explained this is when they were a lot younger. "Oh, okay," he said. And did he like it? "Can we watch it again?" "Sure we can." Bottom line is some of you out there in AICN-land will love it, some will not (have to wonder, though, if you out and out hate it). I'm looking forward to the next Batman video release - maybe Conroy on one voice, Sisto on another and...?

  • February 21, 2008 11:18 AM CST

    New Frontier isn't a reset, but it is a special vision

    by crankyoldguy

    And it's great. A friend who works at Warners was able to get my a screener. Yes Sisto "owns" Batman (on this, but no Conroy is still THE all-time Batman and that includes any live-action films, too). The other voice talents nail their parts as well. I liked the treatment of a young, green Green Lantern, too. My little boy, five (like the guy with the three-year-old) is a super-hero nut like his dad and did ask why they look different than Justice League/JLU and I explained this is when they were a lot younger. "Oh, okay," he said. And did he like it? "Can we watch it again?" "Sure we can." Bottom line is some of you out there in AICN-land will love it, some will not (have to wonder, though, if you out and out hate it). I'm looking forward to the next Batman video release - maybe Conroy on one voice, Sisto on another and...?

  • February 21, 2008 11:28 AM CST

    but about Ultimates...

    by crankyoldguy

    Despite the wretched, let's kill off Cap - really kill him off move last year (Quesada crapola at work), I much prefer Brubaker's work on the 'regular' cap. Ultimates is supposedly more 'real,' right? And while it's an interesting read at times (and this comes from someone who only buys them as collections now, not as monthly titles), I can't muster the passion I had for the Lee-Kirby FF run, Lee-Romita Spider-Man, Kirby/Steranko Caps, Lee-Kirby Thor. Yeah, an ancient one here, though I loved certain runs in '70s and '80s as well, such as Byrne on FF and Cap (plus all Englehart stories), and so on. I liked most of the JMS Spider-Man run (except the children of Gwen -ugh!). But I've checked out ultimate in our local libraries, which have graphic novels so I don't have the buy 'em all. Now on the DC front, I'd say that in recent years, some of the titles are so much better than Marvel. JSA by Johns, the recent JSA revival, Dini on Batman and the entire Green Lantern rebirth-on. It's all made me love comics again, rediscovering them through the eyes of my little boy and through middle-agey perspectives, too. But outside of Ultimate Spider-Man (at least the first few years), I'm left cold by it all. And especially the "younger" FF in their Ultimate title. Another ugh.

  • February 21, 2008 11:36 AM CST

    Kevin Conroy

    by BrooseTheScharuk

    People must have pretty indelible sentimental attachment to Kevin Conroy's Batman voice work. I wasn't that young when BTAS was airing, so it doesn't have that warm & fuzzy factor for me that we attach to things from our childhood. I think he was competent enough, for sure, but -- ultimately -- sounded like a cartoon voice actor affecting "intensity". When he had to really stretch himself in terms of expressing emotion, you could hear his limitations. A voice-over performer, more than an actor. Way more tolerable than -- say -- Casey Kasem, mind you, but still in the same general league. There's a difference between "I associate Kevin Conroy's voice so thoroughly with Batman that I hear it when reading the comics" and "Kevin Conroy is an incredibly capable and talented voice actor whose work as Batman is untouchable". Being imprinted on your brain during childhood due to massive exposure doesn't make someone especially talented. Just familiar. Like family. Or home. Bring on Sisto's Batman: I can't wait to hear what an actual actor -- who's done more than soaps and Saturday morning -- does with The Batman. It's Billy from Six Feet Under! That alone is enough for me.

  • February 21, 2008 11:49 AM CST

    beak

    by SaluteYourShorts

    http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6830

  • February 21, 2008 11:58 AM CST

    I do loves me some Sisto

    by Charlie Murphy

    not to sound faggy but the man does great work. i can not wait to see this movie on tuesday.

  • February 21, 2008 12:42 PM CST

    the coming out of Northstar

    by jasper Stillwell

    Having a openly gay hero finally in place within a mythology which is overwhelmingly heterosexual?... it 'really fucked you over'? You muppet.

  • February 21, 2008 12:54 PM CST

    Anyone remember where the comic where Spawn....

    by Han Cholo

    was rewritten in an issue where he wasn't killed by Chapel? I saw that and I thought it was the stupidest thing. I think I stopped reading by that time already but that was just BAD. I figure it was because of the litigation between Liefeld and McFarlane but it really fucked with his origin and made a few of the earlier issues moot. Now I just buy comics that look awesome like anything done by Travis Charest. If you haven't seen his work, go and buy X-Men/WIldcats: The Golden Age. The art in there will knock you on your ass!!

  • February 21, 2008 1:09 PM CST

    Can't relate

    by Sithdan

    I never smoked pot, nor did my friends, so I can't really relate to your review.

  • February 21, 2008 1:20 PM CST

    The word is reminiscent.

    by pip1345

    You don't need to add the "y" to reminisce because reminiscent already exists.

  • February 21, 2008 1:21 PM CST

    Said it before, syaing it again:

    by robertplant

    This movie sucks my balls. Suuuuucks em. Then it tongues my ass a bit and I smack it in the mouth. It fucking blows balls. The animation style is SHIT. Fuck this old-school style that we've been forced to sit through since Burton's Batman spawned TAS. Check out Marvel's site and watch the 3 Iron Man shorts if you want to see where Superhero Animation should be at right now. It's 2008! Transformers the movie (animated) had better animation than New Front-ear!

  • February 21, 2008 1:41 PM CST

    Kyle Maclachlan as Superman

    by Aquatarkusman

    I want to see him making verbal notes to "Lois" on a microcassette recorder and drinking lots of coffee.

  • February 21, 2008 1:44 PM CST

    Gotta learn to smoke pot so I can fully appreciate the analogy..

    by Yotz Von Frelnik

    In any case I'm swayed now. On the DVD, not the pot. Welll... no, just the DVD.

  • February 21, 2008 2:10 PM CST

    Here's dumb costume design at work (Link)

    by JDanielP

    http://www.comingsoon.net/imageGallery/The_Dark_Knight_Toy_Fair/The_Dark_Knight_Toy_Fair_28.jpg

  • February 21, 2008 2:12 PM CST

    Kevin Conroy is an incredibly capable and talented voice actor w

    by Jobacca

    There I said it. And I was an adult when TAS aired. Sisto isnt fit to drain Conroys spit valve!

  • February 21, 2008 2:12 PM CST

    Speaking of Spawn....

    by drewlicious

    What exactly are they doing with that character? I'm not a big fan but I flipped through the Armageddon collection and when I got to the end I was wondering if they officially ended it or what? Also, why isn't when God appears as a bad guy in stories like this he is shallow and conceited? I just think if you're going to set him up as a big bad you should at least make him interesting. That's one of the things I didn't like about Preacher, he wasn't even drawn in an interesting fashion. Geez, if you're going to do blasphemy swing for the fences.

  • February 21, 2008 2:33 PM CST

    jasper Stillwell

    by Massawyrm 1

    See, that's what you get for reading into that too much. I got fucked over because the issue made mainstream news and the new fangled MONTHLY price guides priced it at $30 just after it hit stands. My comic shop pulled my copy from subscription to put it on the wall to make $30 instead of $1.25. That's how I got fucked. Didn't care that he was gay.

  • February 21, 2008 2:34 PM CST

    I haven't seen the movie yet, and I'm sure Sisto does a nice job

    by rbatty024

    and all as Batman, but Kevin Conroy will always be the voice of Batman for me. Whenever I read a comic book that's the voice I hear. I don't think anyone will ever beat his voice acting talent. I'm glad to see this one's getting good reviews (I'll definitely pick it up) but, once again, I can't imagine it being any better than Mask of the Phantasm. That is the pinnacle of not only animated superhero films but superhero films in general.

  • February 21, 2008 2:46 PM CST

    Loeb is overrated....

    by Jobacca

    Jeph Loeb is a great writer. He can write page after page of Batman and Superman dialogue and it sounds great. What he cant do,however,is write a story with a beginning middle and end. Great writer but a horrbile storyteller. His books might actually be OK if either DC or Marvel stil had editors who edited instead of sucking the cocks of the superstar talent. Why can Jim Lee turn in a book a year late. BECAUSE HES JIM LEE!!! Why can Frank Miller write a Batman book that pisses on his own legacy and the legacy of the character itself. BECAUSE HES THE GODDAMN FRANK MILLER PUNK!!!!!

  • February 21, 2008 3:09 PM CST

    Thanks, Massawyrm

    by Neil Peart

    As a semi-reluctant comic book geek who grew up during the Silver Age I was really on the fence about this one but now I'll be picking up the DVD on Tuesday.

  • February 21, 2008 3:12 PM CST

    The 90's rocked, comicwise...dude!...

    by Kid Z

    ...Sandman, Sandman Mystery Theatre, Preacher, The Invisibles, Grant Morrison's take on Doom Patrol, John Constantine Hellblazer, JLA (again with Morrison writing), Shade, Starman, Scud the Disposable Assassin, Eddy Current... I could go on and on! You were too busy being a Marvel Zombie to notice, Massawyrm.

  • February 21, 2008 3:17 PM CST

    Hopefully it will show Marvel how it's done.

    by DEX

    The Ultimates, Vol. 1 & 2 = one the best comics of all time. The Ultimate Avengers DVD = a piece of crap. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that, with New Frontier, DC will show Marvel how to properly adapt a comic!

  • February 21, 2008 3:17 PM CST

    geez massa, you missed out on alot of good stuff

    by bacci40

    as kid z noted, the 90s had some great comics, you just had to dodge all the fan boi stuff...marvel and the speculators almost destroyed an entire industry...i still remember watching the home shopping club when they bought into the hype, and tried their hand at the speculator market...funniest thing i have ever seen

  • February 21, 2008 3:19 PM CST

    oh, and new frontier was very good....but

    by bacci40

    they cut way too much out from the series itself...i think it wouldve worked better had they chosen to do this in 2 movies rather than one

  • February 21, 2008 3:21 PM CST

    Sisto does a GREAT job!

    by Brians Life

    I agree that Conroy is sort of iconic as Bats now, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see another take. Jeremy Sisto nails Batman. He's got a gravely voice...I can't explain it perfectly...his best line...Hmmmm...probably...

    "It took a 300 thousand dollar sliver of meteor to stop the one in Metropolis. For you all I need is a penny for a book of matches."

  • February 21, 2008 3:21 PM CST

    No

    by Spaz_Monkey

  • February 21, 2008 3:22 PM CST

    Rob Liefield....

    by Brians Life

    ...you still see him sitting in his own booth at Conventions chargin' 40 bucks for a sketch. Sad bastard.

  • February 21, 2008 3:24 PM CST

    True, if you looked, 90's comics were good.

    by Brians Life

    ...DC, Marvel and Image were sucking hard though. Man, I can remember all the hype around Image Comics. Than I got my first issues of Savage Dragon, Wetworks (2 years later), WildCats and that dumb Liefield book....TERRIBLE!!! But there were alot of Indy books at the time that were DOPE!

  • February 21, 2008 3:24 PM CST

    Saturday Night is gonna be AWESOME

    by Spaz_Monkey

    They're having the big premier of New Frontier at WonderCon. All kinds of geeks, fanboys (me included) and comic creators will be able to watch Darwyn Cooke's vision on the big screen! If you haven't read the book yet, do it before you see the movie. In order to fit the mandated 75-minute run time, much of the book had to be edited down, if not out completely. But trust me on this, you'll be reading the single best book of this decade.

  • February 21, 2008 3:27 PM CST

    All this hype for some shitty DVD cartoon

    by skywalkerfamily

    that sucks ass and you forget about after you've seen it.

  • February 21, 2008 3:31 PM CST

    Great review

    by hallmitchell

    The writing on this website has been so red hot lately. Another great review.

  • February 21, 2008 3:32 PM CST

    Massawyrm : How would you fix comics?

    by hallmitchell

    Just wondering on your thought on the industry right now!

  • February 21, 2008 3:34 PM CST

    Wow!

    by MikeTheSpike

    An AICN review that is, in fact, 90% autobiography? Who'd have thought?!

  • February 21, 2008 4:01 PM CST

    This was horrid...

    by poeticwarriorII

    it's a watch it and dump it kinda thing. The animation was mediocre and the story wasn't any different than 90% of the crap that's already out there. Why this is getting so much hype is beyond me. It must be time to buy more blu-ray players or some shit.

  • February 21, 2008 4:19 PM CST

    Comics didn't suck in the 90's

    by The Funketeer

    I refuse to listen to comics criticism from anyone who gave up on comics in the 90s. Sorry, but you were never really a fan. There were tons of great comics made in the 90s, you just weren't reading them. Rob Liefeld and the Image crowd were not the only people publishing back then. They also aren't responsible for killing the market. Store owners and speculators who artificially drove up the prices and stupid consumers who created a demand for variant covers and embossed foil logos did.

  • February 21, 2008 4:51 PM CST

    Gotta agree with the common sentiment in this tb--90s Comics Rul

    by Le Vicious Fishus

    I became a comic collector in the mid 90s when I was an English Lit grad student. Ever heard of a little something called THE SANDMAN? Neil Gaiman became the fucking John Milton of the medium. Hell, THE INVISIBLES (at least vol 1) arguably contained some of the most imaginative and entertaining comic book writing of all time (not to mention Morrison's work in ZENITH Phase IV).

    Comics didn't suck in the 90s. Comics fucking grew UP in the 90s. I'll go so far as to state that the 90s were the BEST decade EVER for comics. But then, I never got into the Marvel or Image scene...

    At any rate, I call bullshit. Sorry, Mass.

  • February 21, 2008 4:54 PM CST

    90s Comics Ruled n/t

    by Le Vicious Fishus

  • February 21, 2008 5:04 PM CST

    Comics are the best they've ever been

    by messi

    and i'm not talking just the fact we've got brilliant stuff from vertigo and indie publishers. But goddamn Green lantern, green lantern corps, captain america, immortal iron fist, daredevil, ultimate spidey, ultimate x-men, new avengers, The Punsiher MAX. even the non best comics are still pretty good. gotta agree with brian K Vaughn. this is the real golden age.

  • February 21, 2008 5:13 PM CST

    BraneRobot...Honestly....

    by Brians Life

    If you thought that NEW FRONTIER (the book) was boring, I've gotta assume you just didn't get it....either that or you're 13.

  • February 21, 2008 5:16 PM CST

    Funketeer and Le Vicious...you're right. Messi?

    by Brians Life

    DC, Marvel and Image sucked in the 90's...for the most part. Also I was 10 in 1990, so I had no idea there was such a thing as INDIE comics.

    I've gotta kinda agree with MESSI...I think we're in a new golden age of comics, though that MAY be due simply to the fact that so many are now being published. You've got to wade through the shit more now that you would've had to in the Marvel 70's or the DC 80's.

  • February 21, 2008 5:42 PM CST

    How's it play for a fan of Justice League Unlimited?

    by Drath

    Because THAT owned. Is this really great or is this just a revelation to pathetic Marvel fans who still think Super Friends was the last thing done with the DC heroes en masse?

  • February 21, 2008 5:48 PM CST

    FUCK LIEFELD! FUCK HIM UP HIS STUPID ASS!

    by DOGSOUP

    I'm still bitter after 15 years.

  • February 21, 2008 5:57 PM CST

    Drat: New Frontier comic = solid / Movie = ?

    by Le Vicious Fishus

    If the movie follows the comic's story line, it'll be damned good (assuming what I hear about the voice talent and animation are on target). Not having seen it yet, I can't say whether they pull it off or not. The NF comic itself is nothing earth shattering (though the Centre plotline could have been with a little adjustment), but it's still way above average. My guess is a fan of JLU will (potentially) be very pleased.

  • February 21, 2008 6:11 PM CST

    Thanks for the response

    by jasper Stillwell

    ..,reading too much into it? Maybe. I'd put that down to misreading how that was expressed. My hat is off. My mistake.

  • February 21, 2008 6:33 PM CST

    Star Wars comics in the 90's were great

    by skywalkerfamily

    Dark Empire! Now, they're just gasping for breath.

  • February 21, 2008 6:45 PM CST

    Hey, BraneRobot

    by Neil Peart

    How exactly is NF "left-wing"? I'm not picking a fight but genuinely curious.

  • February 21, 2008 6:54 PM CST

    I want a whole cartoon of that old Batman

    by Crimson Dynamo

    He rocked. I like the part with him scanning microfiche with that vacuum-tube powered batcomputer

  • February 21, 2008 7:04 PM CST

    Neil...

    by Dave Bowman

    Maybe he means the nonsense of military pilot "Airman" Hal Jordan being unwilling to shoot down his opponents? I had trouble getting past that one myself.

  • February 21, 2008 7:28 PM CST

    Dead right about comics, Massa

    by Larry of Arabia

    I stopped caring at the same time you did. Enough "events" more "stories."

  • February 21, 2008 7:35 PM CST

    Way to piss on my child hood, Massa....

    by The Dum Guy

    I'm not serious, but that time in comics (early to mid '90s) is when I started to read them and thats what got me into the genre, and.... I still have a copy of Archie Meets the Punisher somewhere, now that would be a must-see-movie.

  • February 21, 2008 7:43 PM CST

    Let me clarify a little...

    by Larry of Arabia

    I should say that I didn't like mainstream comics. Superhero stuff was at a low point.

  • February 21, 2008 7:45 PM CST

    Marvel wins the animation war...until Batman

    by robertplant

    Marvel wins as of now. If you haven't seen these, watch 'em. I promise it's not link to one of my shitty youtube videos. http://tinyurl.com/2qpxy5 Until Batmanime hits...make my animation Marvel.

  • February 21, 2008 7:54 PM CST

    Batman VS Aliens was good

    by skywalkerfamily

    That whole Aliens line after the second movie was great.

  • February 21, 2008 8:04 PM CST

    robertplant

    by bacci40

    did you read the comic? the movie was trying to capture cook's style...

  • February 21, 2008 8:09 PM CST

    I'll be renting this

    by The Funketeer

    but after the Death of Superman DVD, I'm not hopeful. Not only did the animation in that one suck, they managed to screw up what was a pretty simple story.

  • February 21, 2008 8:11 PM CST

    i bought into the image thing for a bit

    by bacci40

    until i realized that it wasnt creative freedom that they wanted...just a larger paycheck...i still remember liefield running around hollywood, crowing about how all his comics were being made into movies...even the ones he hadnt written yet...knowing the guy was gonna get screwed, cuz he was young and dumb...and it still pisses me off that evanier once had mcfarland on the kirby panel at comic con...the toddler, who ripped off a bunch of artist and writers (including gaiman) who took over his series for a bit. mcfarland, who really never gave a shit about the genre and was always looking for a quick buck so that he could buy a hockey team and a toy company...cant believe that i once stood in line for hours for that guys autograph...what a tool i was

  • February 21, 2008 8:13 PM CST

    Green Lantern versus Aliens

    by messi

    what a sweet idea that was for a comic. I watched the pretty mediocre aliens vs predator requiem and how everyone was getting owned and thought of the comic and the concept.

  • February 21, 2008 8:25 PM CST

    Scooby Doo VS Predator

    by skywalkerfamily

    Man, I'd pay to see that.

  • February 21, 2008 8:35 PM CST

    "Red State patriot blinded by his own love for his country"

    by Immortal_Fish

    "Red State patriot blinded by his own love for his country"

    ...

    "I'm proud to be a part of this academy, proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch." -- George Clooney.

    Remember, kids -- Wyrm is the conservative of this bunch.

  • February 21, 2008 8:46 PM CST

    Why do all comics have the title "New Frontier"?

    by skywalkerfamily

    I's getting old.

  • February 21, 2008 8:53 PM CST

    Tht Ultimates suck.

    by Nivek666

    Anyone who likes that character butchering shit dont know ass from a comic book. It tries to be hip, but like typical modern marvel dreck is just as lifeless as Image titles. It's hollow, empty writing and dead eyed art that fucks up a character like the Hulk by having him eat people and threaten rape. Wow, thats fucking innovative.

  • February 21, 2008 8:55 PM CST

    the ant bully is about communists...

    by teddanson37

    i don't mess with DC much. Except for batman. But this looks fun. I picked up the trade last week and it's good so far. Some of it I'm a bit lost in with all the challengers and dinosaur island stuff. It's better than the usual crap DC shells out.

  • February 21, 2008 9:07 PM CST

    Sweet. I can not wait/!

    by kirttrik

    Sweeter.

  • February 21, 2008 9:18 PM CST

    jasper Stillwell, re: "the coming out of Northstar"

    by Immortal_Fish

    "Having a openly gay hero finally in place within a mythology which is overwhelmingly heterosexual?... it 'really fucked you over'? You muppet."

    Do you remember the period of time in question? Were you even born? Do you remember the general public opinion of that particular time in snapshot as contrasted to this moment in time which you posted such malaise? If nothing else, can you not admire the social progression made in such regard betwixt the time periods of then and now?

    If so, then it isn't that difficult a concept to grasp. That was then. This is now. Get used to it, before the Obamanationtrainacide runs you down.

    And BTW -- it is you who are the muppet.

  • February 21, 2008 9:19 PM CST

    Wolverine's bone claws

    by kafka07

    Shiny cover after shiny cover. Really terrible time for comics.

  • February 21, 2008 9:35 PM CST

    I had the same damn reaction...

    by Anti-fanboy

    The New Frontier was a thing of beauty. I truly loved it. And I quit the comic book scene at the same time, btw. There were some great comics in the 90's, like Madman and Hellboy... but for me, Marvel and DC mostly turned into over-commercialized, generic shit, with new artists aping Liefeld, a poor man's Art Adams, or Jim Lee. There were great exceptions, like Adam Hughes, but they also fucked over the sense of continuity, and all of the heroes turned into brooding, posturing anti-hero caricatures. I couldn't care less about your average Image comic. Bone was a huge exception. But Perelman really fucked things up badly at Marvel, and for the industry in general, before their '97 bankruptcy.

  • February 21, 2008 9:58 PM CST

    Re: left wingnuttiness

    by greyspecter

    I think the left wing comment was due to GL's pacifism, as well as the McCarthyistic overtones of the government cracking down on capes, the hyper-feminist Wonder Woman, the sterotypical unquestioning of military and CIA people, the xenophobia that America is portrayed to have, that sort of thing.

    The art was interesting, the story was more novelish, not as much comic book-ish. Alan Moore pulls off that novel feel in comics, not many others can.

  • February 21, 2008 10:52 PM CST

    TWO WORDS:

    by DOGSOUP

    Valiant Comics. XO Maowar, Archer and Armstrong, Turok, Harbinger,Magnus Robo....ok he was lame as shit. What kind of guy fights robots in a mini skirt?

  • February 21, 2008 11:38 PM CST

    Nivek666

    by messi

    How does it feel to be a boring cunt.

  • February 22, 2008 1:05 AM CST

    Just watched this today.

    by Juggernaut125

    And I'm watching it again now... I like it. A lot. Sisto's ok. I wouldn't say 'he owns'. But he's passable. N.P.Harris as Barry Allen is fantastic. As is Miguel's John Jones. And wow, what a story.

  • February 22, 2008 1:23 AM CST

    Re: The Ultimates, it's sequel, and Iron Man were all CRAP

    by Droogie Alex

    The reason Most Marvel animation sucks these day is due to fact that all animation productions are controlled by hack "writter" and would be producer; Craig Kyle, and his lack of real production skills or talent.

  • February 22, 2008 1:52 AM CST

    Marvel Ultimate Alliance animations!!!

    by ZeroCorpse

    The animation in the beginning of Marvel Ultimate Alliance was incredible-- Why don't they use THAT for the Marvel animated features?

    For that matter, they should also hire the guy who played Dr. Doom in Ultimate Alliance to reprise the role, should they ever use Doom in anything ever again. He was perfect.

  • February 22, 2008 3:01 AM CST

    Immortal_Fish

    by jasper Stillwell

    Wow, what a response? Was I ever born? What kind of post is that? Yes I was 'around' at the time. I've been collecting comics since 1969. I am very aware of the time period, the market issues, the public response and more importantly the political/social/cultural signifigance of implementing a gay storyline into a mainstream title. I'm not naive enough to ignore that it was a undoubtedly a commercial impulse that brought this story to life but comics are a commercial medium and so much of what this site is about is finding worth in commercial settings. This gesture had worth in the long run. Anyway if you look at my post above you will perhaps be aware that what I was objecting to was more over an expression which promoted an ambiguous reading and I actually appreciated a bit of direct comment from Massa about that. As regards the matter of "social progression", on a site that regularly features homophobic commentary in the talkbacks to highlight these issues and clear up such ambiguities I can't see as being a bad thing. That's a bit like saying "...it's all ok 'cause we're all not racist now we're aware of the problem". Hope that isn't too "difficult a concept to grasp" for you.

  • February 22, 2008 3:43 AM CST

    re: me/ NF "supposed to look like the comic"

    by robertplant

    Yeah I bought the first 2. They bored the fuck out of me. I love Bruce Timm's style. Always have, always will. Cooke is influenced directly by Bruce Timm, who created Batman: The Animated Series. New Frontier is inspired by Bruce Timm, and the movie is inspired by the Bruce Timm inspired comic. Cooke's artwork is far less derivative in print/illustration than the movie is. You can argue that the movie looks like Cooke's work but it looks equally like Bruce Timm's stuff. There's a big difference between the comic art and the movie art. Get me? They could have done much better and still done the look of the comic justice. The story still...drumroll...sucks my balls.

  • February 22, 2008 4:16 AM CST

    "they put it on the wall"

    by Napoleon Park

    If you leave a comic in your hold bag for more than a week after it comes out you're saving too many titles. Direct sales comic shops don't stay in business by filling hold bags for customers who don't pick their stuff up in a timely fashion.

  • February 22, 2008 4:53 AM CST

    I just read New Frontier...

    by ZeroCorpse

    And I have to say it works better as a comic book... However, I'm VERY impressed with how well they translated it to animation. This is, perhaps, the most loyal adaptation of source material I've ever seen. They drop very little of the book, and alter even less.

    At first I was confused by the premise of the book, but having read elsewhere that it is considered to be Earth-21 (and not Earth One, the mainstream DC Universe), and that it is meant to take place in a pre-Crisis multiverse, it's a little easier to deal with in terms of continuity. It's not canon for the current DC Universe (Earth One), and the revised, ret-conned origins and backgrounds from other media still stands. It's just a one-off that happens to be very well written and true to the Golden and Silver Age comics.

    It's a good read. I'm not normally into DC (I just can't deal with their broken continuity and constant retcons in their main universe) but I know their stuff well enough to appreciate the history and loyalty to the original works this presented.

    Yeah, Marvel has multiple dimensions, too-- But they don't make a habit of destroying any of them so they can merge a few of them together. Multiverse-shattering stuff doesn't happen so often in Marvel, and major retcons are rare (which is why Joephisto's fuckarow with Spider-Man pisses me off so much).

  • February 22, 2008 5:17 AM CST

    Where's the JUMPER review?!?

    by Kragmose

    Please please rip it apart. Old style.

  • February 22, 2008 5:50 AM CST

    Messi

    by Nivek666

    If your into steaming fecal sandwiches like Ultimates, I guess everyone would be a boring cunt in your educated and schooled comic fan eyes.

  • February 22, 2008 10:12 AM CST

    Dude, I can totally relate

    by Rupee88

    We must be about the same age because I gave up on comics about the same time and then realized later on that there are still a FEW great artists/storytellers out there. Ultimates was one of those..Walking Dead another...Young Avengers (go figure) still another. They are few and far between, but they are out there. Comics can still be fun, just very rarely these days. I'll check out the JL: NF just on your recommendation.

  • February 22, 2008 11:20 AM CST

    Superfriends was good

    by Sithdan

    I have fond memories of watching Superfriends every Saturday morning. Looking back on it now on DVD, these shows conveyed a sort of naive innocence that most cartoons lack nowadays. They're fun to watch and serve as a time capsule of the era.

  • February 22, 2008 7:37 PM CST

    just watched this and it is sure sucky

    by Rupee88

    maybe the comic book was better but the video is just godawful tough to watch...terrible pacing, lackluster animation...HORRIBLE voice acting...bad editing. Just a train wreck.

  • February 23, 2008 8:52 AM CST

    Wyrm, your description of 90s comics is just wrong...

    by lethargic_lad

    ...what you're actually describing is the decline of the superhero comic, perhaps you should have started picking up one of the many other comics like Sandman, Fropm Hell or Preacher. Of course, superhero comics have now come full circle and there are some very good titles out there: The latest Captain America (particularly the Winter Soldier arc), Millar's Wolverine run, John's Green Lantern etc. And the many many non hero books like Y The Last Man, Loveless, DMZ, Losers, Ex-Machina and The Walking Dead.