New Frontier - The Ballad of John Henry

[espanolbot]

More evidence that Darwyn Cooke is awesome.




Later,




Eventually,





What happened to him next,





title: new frontier
creator: darwyn cooke
publisher: dc

Comments

[nezchan]

I tell you, there is not a thing I don't like about New Frontiers.

Although what really grabbed me was the whole J'onn J'onzz storyline. That was some brilliant work right there.

[espanolbot]

The thing with J'onn is that he was actually live in this time period, and was a black guy for a while too. :)

Actually if anyone could post the storyline where he meets Clark Kent through various disguises in his life it'd be great. ^^

[cmdr_zoom]

Note that that's J'onn there on the left in the very last panel. Being burned to death isn't something he has to imagine very hard.

[sarno001]

Yep, I'm going to cry. Thanks.

[neuhallidae]

This story always gives me an extra punch in the gut, it being set local and all.

[promethea4]

Same here.

[jlbarnett]

I just looked around for this and saw Cooke's interview, where he said John Henry couldn't win. It's to bad he couldn't stay around long enough to retire when the Freedom Riders showed up, so no one could use his fighting to discredit their non-violence.

[zordboy]

Wow. That was awful. Thanks for this. Off to add "New Frontier" to my "Books to never, ever read" list. Phew. Narrow escape there.

[jelly_ace]

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to read it? Was this too depressing?

[pyrotwilight]

Waaaaay too depressing. So much for me picking it up too.

[jelly_ace]

And here I thought New Frontier was a feel-good comic.

For me, I'm more interested in this comic because of this. It's kind of a reminder there are still some things superheroes can't fight against.

[aegof]

It is the feel-goodest comic.

People read supercomics for all sorts of reasons, but some of 'em are kinda silly, I think.

[grazzt]

"And here I thought New Frontier was a feel-good comic"

I'd say it is, actually. It presents a world with problems, then shows a number of people willing to fight those problems. Some of them fail, like poor John Henry, and some of them have moments of weakness where they lose their will to fight. But in the end, they all do, because the world is worth fighting for.

The epilogue to New Frontier is one of the most inspiring things I've ever read, in particular. JFK's "New Frontier" speech, set to images of superheroes and the various people who would be inspired by them.

[espanolbot]

Was just about to post that actually. :)

[grazzt]

Oh don't let me spoiling it stop you.

[ninjapeps]

you're missing out on one of the best books ever written.

[cmic]

There is nothing I don't like about this. Every time I read the first part, I can just hear Henry Belafonte tearing through the song (anyone who hasn't heard it -- do yourself a favor and listen), I pause looking at that little girl, and I wish we had more journalists like Edward R. Murrow or Bill Moyers.

And soaking up Darwyn Cooke art is never a bad thing. Thanks.

[neuhallidae]

Is that supposed to be Murrow? I kept thinking it was, then I was like "Naaah...."

[cmic]

Or someone very Murrow-like, don't you think?

[neuhallidae]

Oh, yes, the resemblance is definitely there.

[shadur]

Today, on "Anvils that need to be dropped"...

IIRC, at least half the book is that way. Don't pick it up if you don't like thinking difficult thoughts.

[espanolbot]

To me, New Frontier is proof that you can have a mature comic without resorting to tons of gore or a character wandering around with no underpants on.

Yes, I like New Frontier more than Watchmen.

[okkult3000]

People who don't read New Frontier can't get into Heaven. I'm sorry, but it's true.