It may have only been the second movie released in the DC animated canon, but Justice League: The New Frontier still stands as one of the most unique of the films, from the alternate-world story line that brings together members of the League in a multi-year spanning arc, to the art based on the late Darwyn Cooke, who also co-wrote the movie, based on his series DC: The New Frontier.
Now, nearly a decade after it’s initial released, Warner Bros. has released the details on a commemorative edition. Coming to stores on October 3, the special edition will include a documentary on Cooke’s career and impact on the comic book industry along with his artwork featured on the box’s of the physical editions. Here is the full list of special features that will be included on both the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the release:
•Featurette – “Retro Action Cool: The Story of Darwyn Cooke” – A revealing look into the life and times of one of comics’ most brilliant figures, the late Darwyn Cooke.
•Featurette – “Super Heroes United! The Complete Justice League History” – A comprehensive look at nearly a half-century of Justice League chronology from the inception in the comics to vivid animated renditions in the late 2000s. The story is told with a myriad of interviews tracing the early days of DC Super Hero team ups during the Golden Age to the Silver Age rendition where the established heroes emerged and beyond. Interviews include such notables as Dan DiDio, Michael Uslan, Paul Levitz, Mark Waid, Denny O’Neil, Stan Lee and Marv Wolfman.
•Featurette – “The Legion of Doom: The Pathology of the DC Super Villain” – This 10-minute piece examines the early mythological archetypes of nemesis characters from a historical perspective and reveals how the tenants of this rich history were adapted and woven into the Justice League stories.
•Featurette – “Comic Book Commentary: Homage to the New Frontier” – This mini-documentary is a nod to the fans of the New Frontier comics, further expanding the themes contained in the source material and how these elements were truncated or evolved for inclusion in the film. It features vivid imagery culled from the pages of DC: The New Frontier, mixed with the commentary of Darwyn Cooke. This featurette is a treat for both fans and scholars of the medium.
•Sneak Peak: Gotham by Gaslight – A behind-the-scenes look at the next DC Universe Original Movie, inspired by the 1989 Elseworlds tale of Batman – at the turn of the 20th century – as first created as a graphic novel by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, with inks by P. Craig Russell.
•Audio Commentary I/The Filmmakers – Featuring Justice League: The New Frontier filmmakers Bruce Timm, Michael Goguen, David Bullock, Stan Berkowitz, Andrea Romano and Gregory Noveck.
•Audio Commentary II/Darwyn Cooke – Featuring award-winning writer/artist Darwyn Cooke
If you’ve never caught the original release and are curious what Lucy Lawless, Jeremy Sisto, and Kyle MacLachlan would sound like as Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman respectively, you’ll definitely want to check out. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
