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A Six-Issue Miniseries |
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March, 2004 |
Chapter 1 shows the final adventures of The Losers on Dinosaur Island. Chapter 2 tells about how the Congressional HUAC forced most masked superheroes to retire. "Heavy Traffic in Mig Alley" Colonel Ace Morgan and Airman Hal Jordan (someday to be Green Lantern) pal around in Seoul '53 in a snapshot. In narration, Ace Morgan reports on Hal Jordan's fitness for duty. Hal is "the most naturally gifted flyer" Ace has ever seen, but "the issue is his refusal to use lethal force during enemy engagements." Hal puts himself in danger, luring MIGs to his buddies, but won't kill... |
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One day both are flying in a squad over North Korea. The war is officially over, but MIGs come after them. Hal Jordan, reluctant to shoot, gets shot up. As his jet disintegrates, he ejects but is knocked unconscious. Ace makes a snap decision. He ejects out of his own perfectly good airplane, dives through the air, and yanks Hal's ripcord, saving his life.  Hal drifts away to be rescued in Chapter 4. A radio reports notes that Ace was evac'd by a Naval unit. This selfless act shows Ace Morgan is a hero in the true sense of the word: one who risks his life to save another. |
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April 2004 |
Chapter 4 shows the arrival of the the Martian Manhunter on Earth. Superman and Wonder Woman argue about civilian casualties in Vietnam. John Jones (the Manhunter), now a police detective, runs into Batman trashing a cult. "Fun City" Hal Jordan and Ace Morgan watch a boxing match in Las Vegas. Ted "Wildcat" Grant defeats the up-and-coming Cassius Clay, his final victory. Also in the audience are Selina (Catwoman) Kyle, Oliver (Green Arrow) Queen (also Ace's cousin), Lois Lane, Dinah Drake, and other heroes. They're caught flatfooted when Captain Cold explodes onto the scene. But when CC threatens Iris West, a new guy called the Flash zooms in and dunks him in a pool, where he freezes like an iceberg - and makes it snow in the desert. Ace and Hal Jordan drive WAY too fast Nellis Air Force Base, where they admire a B-47 prototype jet customized to seat four. Ace explains, "The TV show wants me to fly cross-country and pick up the three other guests as part of the publicity." Hal calls Ace "Pappy", and says, "You'll be famous as Uncle Milty." They breeze about that Flash guy, but Hal is still down in the dumps from his Korean War experience, especially having to kill a soldier at close range. |
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"Pappy, do you ever think about the men you killed?" Ace says, "Not often, Hal... You know I'm not one of these flag-waving simpletons, but I do believe a free world is worth fighting for. The men I've killed... I like to think of them as soldiers who believed in what they were fighting for. Honorable men. You understand?" Time to go. Ace promises to introduce Hal to Carol Ferris of Ferris Aircraft. Hal is thrilled! Then the jet's ready. Hal salutes. "You knock 'em dead in New York, Mr. Hero. Happy landings!" Ace salutes with a grin. "Happy landings, kid."  |
Comment A longer blurb appeared on the DC Comics website. "Set at the dawn of the Silver Age, THE NEW FRONTIER focuses on the pre-JLA adventures of Hal Jordan, Barry Allen, J'onn J'onzz, and Oliver Queen, plus the Suicide Squad, Challengers of the Unknown, and many others! Darwyn Cooke, writer/artist of last summer's best-selling CATWOMAN: SELINA'S BIG SCORE, chronicles the changing face of the DCU as it moves from postwar optimism to Cold War dread to a New Frontier of heroic adventure." |
On to Book 3 with a Challengers cover! |
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