10 Reasons Why 'The New Frontier' Will Always Be DC's Greatest Graphic Novel

Darwyn Cooke may have passed, but his work will captivate for lifetimes to come.

by Ewan Paterson
DC The New Frontier Darwyn Cooke
DC Comics

Darwyn Cooke was by all definitions of the word, a legend. In his decades-spanning career, the creator gave birth to some truly remarkable creations, including Batman: Ego, Parker: The Hunter, and countless animated efforts. Cooke's untimely passing has left an irreplaceable hole in the comic book medium, but let us not forget just how magnificently his genre-defining works have resonated with countless fans world-over.

The writer/artist's unique and bold style of story-telling was inextricably linked with childlike wonder and nuance, creating works that transcended the usual tropes of the medium whilst at the same time embracing them wholeheartedly. He was, quite simply, a visionary, and no other tale best exemplifies his talent than DC: The New Frontier.

Set during the Golden and Silver Ages of the DC Comics Universe, The New Frontier revisited a neglected part of the company's history and infused it with erudite social-commentary and complex thematic elements, all while maintaining the era's quintessential Sci-Fi particulars. Cooke nailed the zeitgeist of early '60s America, and the text itself offers invaluable analysis of JFK's promised 'New Frontier' - all while telling an amazing superhero caper in its own right. It is without a doubt the best origin story the Justice League has ever received, and one every comic fan should read without question.

When I first came across The New Frontier, I was completely blown away by just how effortlessly Cooke weaved complex themes into the inherent zaniness of DC's Silver Age.

To me, his magnum-opus encapsulates the pure joy of embracing the comic book medium. It's intelligent, gorgeous, and enthralling from start to finish, and my personal favourite tale of costumes and capes ever to exist.

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Content Producer/Presenter

WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well. In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.