Straight From the Donut Hole: A New Look on The New Frontier Vol. 1

Darwyn Cooke, a name I had never heard before, but now a title I will not soon forget. The New Frontier (if you are as ignorant a comic reader as I and have yet to read this beautiful work, or at least seen the sweet animated film) is a story of Cold War America and how the DC super hero population lived in that time of America’s confusion.

Im not writing to summarize the book to you readers, but merely to express my own thoughts on how KICK ASS this story was!! Also the reason I am writing this article on only volume one is because I personally want to see if I change my views after finishing the final volume.

Lets begin, First off I love the character introductions that Darwyn makes for these already beloved DC heroes. The epic landing of the martian, the news report of a police scientist being struck by lightning and leaving only with bruises. A masked man who has the intelligence and spirit of the devil himself, the Alien that wears our flag, a goddess who fights with our steel, and a pilot who so often finds failure…

Who are those heroes? (if you don’t know stop reading now because I hate you) The true beauty of this story is that we already know these famous paragons, but what we so often ignore is their humanity. So often when reading a super hero comic we are put under the impression that “hey these are supes, they save the world everyday” but this story shows that they are more than just masked crusaders devoted to saving the world. They are people like you and me, who use their gifts to provide for our country in anyway that they can. But in the era of Red fear, we as normal human beings became scared of such power and resented it in our ignorance.

It’s that point that makes me love this book, that mankind is so quick to love and hate. When the people believed there were no longer threats that called for superhero answers they banished them, but when it came to situations that we didn’t want to deal with we embraced them with open arms. And its not only that but it shows how scared we are of something different, something that isn’t of our everyday must be wrong…

And it’s the role of our favorite Martian that shows us what America needs to know, that change will come and it must be accepted. As Jon Jonzz studies our culture and becomes Jon Jones police detective, he knows that showing his true form would do nothing but scare the people who don’t want to understand. So he does what is necessary to help the world the way he can and leave us all feeling safe and sound. Its his uncanny wisdom that has caused me to fall in love with this character, his truthful judgment and pristine spirit that he lives by no matter what the situation.

I thank this book for further helping my compassion in the world of comic books and its events. For now that I have this new perspective on the “Green Man from Mars” his death is that much more of a loss to me. As I learned to love this character, I instantly felt sorrow for his death. In the dramatic Irony of watching him embrace hope for our world and that omnipotent knowledge of his death that the future will bring him that really had this book it home to me…

So what did you guys feel reading the New Frontier? Well don’t be shy let me know. So until my next reflection of comics from the past, This is your Donut Dork peacing out…