As god intended, well Darwyn Cooke anyway… the groundbreaking tale revolving the Justice League of America finally arrives on Blu-ray to Australian shores. Before getting to the crux of the review, it should be noted that Justice League New Frontier is based on the “Elseworlds” trade paperback by Darwyn Cooke which is set in a alternate universe with the Justice League forming during the Korean War.

Unlike the traditional cartoons such as Super Friends or Justice League Unlimited, Justice League New Frontier has specifically written with adults in mind, hence the M15+ rating. With that said, children can watch this movie, although parental guidance may be necessary.

Before the Justice League formed, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and the Flash were their own men and of course one woman. Darwyn cleverly retells the origins of these super heroes with a brilliant modern interpretation set during the Korean War.

For instance, Green Lantern was a pilot in Korean War and when he is shot down in enemy territory, he is forced to kill an enemy, even though the war has officially ended. From there, air force pilot Hal Jordan is summoned by Abin Sur, a dying alien who is a member of the Green Lantern Corps. With his dying words, Abin Sur gives Hal one of the universe’s most powerful weapons, a Green Lantern ring and from their, a hero is born. It’s not all about heroics but rather what makes each hero tick and what are their motivations for becoming super heroes which often conflicts with their personal lives.

It’s the attention to detail that makes Justice League New Frontier such a gripping tale, especially with all the other DC Universe references in the movie that do not just include the top five characters but the entire history such as the Justice Society of America, the world’s first super hero team.

As the story progresses, an alien race threatens the very planet and alone each of the super heroes are outnumbered, however combined, the Justice League is formed and their first missions is to defeat a threat from an alien world before mankind is annihilated. Justice League New Frontier is also a social commentary of the time which includes racism, politics and other elements of this era which brilliantly melds with these classic super heroes.

On Blu-ray, the video quality is outstanding with extremely sharp images and vibrant colours that almost makes it look like a comic book come to life. Match that with true Blu-ray sound and through our Z-5500 Logitech surround system, it was almost as if we were part of this momentous battle between good versus evil. The voice acting of the movie stars David Boreanaz, Miguel Ferrer, Neil Patrick Harris, Jeremy Sisto, Lucy Lawless, Brooke Shields, Kyle MacLachlan and Phil Morris who brilliant portray their characters from David Boreanaz as Superman and Lucy Lawless as Wonder Woman.

When it comes to special features, comic book lovers will enjoy “Super Heroes United!: The Complete Justice League History” which gives the viewer a great insight into the many different incarnations of the Justice League and their diverse history. Add some audio commentary and this nicely rounds out this perfect Blu-ray on the world’s most popular super hero team, the Justice League of America.

Special Features

Super Heroes United!: The Complete Justice League History
Audio Commentary Featuring the Talented Filmmakers of New Frontier
Audio Commentary Featuring Comic Book Writer and Artist Darwyn Cooke