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TITLE: Justice League: The New Frontier

DVD INFO: Widescreen, 75 minutes, Rated: PG-13 - Violent Content/Images

DISTRIBUTED BY: Warner Video

RELEASE DATE: March 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Comprehensive Documentary “Super Heroes United! The Complete Justice League History
• Exclusive Sneak Peek at DC Universe’s: Batman Gothic Knight
• Audio Commentary 1: Featuring the Talented Filmmakers of New Frontier, included Executive Producer Bruce Timm, Supervising Producer Mike Goguen, Voice Director Andrewa Romano, Director David Bullock, Screenwriter Stan Berkowitz and DC Comics Senior Vice President/Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck
• Audio Commentary 2: Featuring Comic Book Writer and Artist Darwyn Cooke

Since I was a child, I have always been a big fan of the “Justice League” comic book series. I actually grew up reading Justice League, Justice Society and Legion of Super Heroes comic books from the 70’s and 80’s and even up to the 90’s.

For me, it was the comic to get because all the major DC Super Heroes were featured. You had Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Green Arrow and many others. So, when you bought these comic books, it was a bang for your .25 or .65 cents (depending when you started reading comic books) unlike the several dollar per issue cost that they are now.

As for “Justice League: The New Frontier”, this animated film is based on Darwyn Cooke’s award-winning graphic novel featuring the Justice League during the Cold War. The heroes under government suspicion, the end of the Korean war and the heroes created with a look that looked unique for that era (despite it being created in several years ago).

This animated film continues DC’s continued work to feature our heroes but not cookie cutter as in Saturday’s morning cartoons. From the Justice League Unlimited series that was on the Cartoon Network to the last DVD release of “Superman Doomsday”, “Justice League: The New Frontier” continues animation for adults.

The film centers around the super heroes as Superman is loyal to the government (despite the government not trusting the heroes); Wonder Woman as the Amazon blood thirsty fighter; Batman as the dark knight that is labeled as an anti-hero, thus being a good guy, is looked at as an enemy due to media portrayal. The Flash as the latest new Hero with super speed who is just emerging onto the scene and the series introduces Hal Jordan (aka the Green Lantern) and how he becomes the one of Earth’s heroes and Martian Manhunter, brought to this world but disliked because he is an alien.

Needless to say that each hero has their storyline tied together but the main heroes focused on are Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and the Flash. Hal Jordan as the risk taker, Martian Manhunter aka Jon Jonzz trying to assimilate into American culture via trying too be human and the Flash who feels his power of super speed is not so important.

You do also see a few cameos by other heroes such as the Blackhawks, Adam Strange, John Henry and more.

But all unite together to take on the toughest enemy Earth has ever faced but can the heroes work together despite their differences and will the US government work with them.

All in all, “Justice League: The New Frontier” is a refreshing animated film, something different, that DC fans will just enjoy. It’s unique and something that many people familiar to original comic book series may not be accustomed to but moreso, to watch something that is for mature audiences. For example, Hal Jordan having to fight for his life and having to kill and have the blood of the enemy splatter all over him after shooting him with a gun. Again, this is not for the kiddies.

As for the DVD, the special features are simply awesome.

For one, the featurette on “Super Heroes United! The Complete Justice League History” is probably a documentary that I would have bought the DVD just for it. Interviews with past and present DC Justice League writers and history on each heroes and overall, pretty cool featurette on the Justice League. Simply awesome.

The exclusive sneak peak to “Batman Gothic Knight” left me giddy as DC chose to work with Japanese anime creators to create the upcoming Batman animated release.

I have listened to Darwyn Cooke’s audio commentary as he talked about the film, the differences between the film and the graphic novel. Actually pretty cool to hear the original creator of the graphic novel chime in on the animated series.

As for the animation, I felt that the animation in correlation with the era this animated film takes place worked quite well. The voice acting is superb with voice acting by well known actors and actresses David Boreanaz (”Bones”, “Angel”), Brooke Shields, Lucy Lawless, Kyra Sedgwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Jeremy Sisto and Kyle Maclachlan. Just awesome!

 

All in all, I am very pleased with this animated DVD. I do know that there were several releases with the TARGET version having a PC downloadable version and WAL-MART coming with a bonus DVD and possibly the Blu-Ray coming with more features. But whichever version you do end up getting, you won’t be disappointed with this film.

Again, this covers the Justice League in the late 60’s with John F. Kennedy and the paranoia that blanketed the United States at that time but having been based on a well written (and award winning) graphic novel, the animated film version despite being condensed to 75 minutes still works quite well. I’m very happy with this DVD and I hope a second film will be considered for release.

The Justice League is one of the most popular comic book super hero teams of all time and although not based on the modern version of the team, still…this film is pretty good and I highly recommend purchasing this DVD.

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