DC’s “Infinite Frontier” #0 is the latest addition to their history of ‘universe-defining’ one-shots that usually come before or after huge events, and set the course for the company for the next couple of years. This is the first of its kind in five years, following just a few months shy of the fifth anniversary of “DC Universe Rebirth” #1, which brought Wally West back to the DC Universe, teased “Doomsday Clock,” and hinted at the return of legacy to DC. While some of that legacy is still not realized (there hasn’t been a JSA book, for instance), this feels like the logical followup to that: with its past returned, now DC can focus its attention on pushing stories forward.
Be warned that spoilers follow.
Written by Joshua Williamson, James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, Brian Micheal Bendis, Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Joelle Jones, Tim Sheridan, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Geoff Johns, and Geoffrey ThorneCover by Dan Jurgens and Mikel Janin
Penciled by John Timms, Jorge Jimenez, Alitha Martinez, Joelle Jones, Stephen Byrne, Rafa Sandoval, Jamal Igle, Alex Maleev, Todd Nauck, Dexter Soy, Howard Porter, and John Romita Jr
Inked by John Timms, Jorge Jimenez, Mark Morales, Joelle Jones, Stephen Byrne, Jordi Tarragona, Jamal Igle, Alex Maleev, Todd Nauck, Dexteer Soy, Howard Porter, and Klaus Janson
Colored by Alex Sinclair, Tomeu Morey, Emilo Lopez, Jordie Bellaire, Stephen Byrne, Alejandro Sanchez, Hi-Fi, Alex Sinclair, and Brad Anderson
Lettered by Troy PeteriThe next phase of the DC Universe begins here! Dark Knights: Death Metal presented the darkest threats of the Multiverse. DC Future State revealed what may lie ahead. Now it’s time to look into the Infinite Frontier of the current-day DC Universe.
In Gotham City, The Joker jolts citizens awake with an attack even the Dark Knight never expected. In Brazil, a young woman discovers her destiny and her connection to the Amazons. In Belle Reve, Amanda Waller plots an invasion of Arkham Asylum. In the far reaches of space, Mongul dreams of galactic domination, while the Green Lantern Corps hosts a summit of its greatest enemies. At the Hall of Justice, the League joins forces with Black Adam. Beyond the mortal world, Wonder Woman settles into a new role in the godsphere. And somewhere in the DC Universe-it’s the return of Stargirl, in an all-new tale written by Geoff Johns!
This oversized, all-star issue kicks off the next great era of storytelling and excitement as top writers and artists reveal what’s next for the World’s Greatest Heroes and opens the door to some of the greatest stories of 2021.
With titles like this, there will always be a certain degree of course correction. “Infinite Frontier” #0 seems to be cataloging and tweaking every major mistake that DC has made since ‘Rebirth’ began and addressing it in one way or another. Bane, the big bad of Tom King’s much maligned “Batman” run, is taken off the table. Wally West, who King made a murderer in “Heroes in Crisis,” is not only redeemed, but given the mantle of ‘the Flash,’ the main Flash of the DCU, again. Roy Harper, unceremoniously killed – noticing a pattern yet? – by King, is resurrected. The “Infinite Frontier” status quo seems as much a rejection of the Tom King-ing of the DC Universe than anything else, even if there is likely far more in play than just wiping out some unpopular decisions.
And while retroactive continuity, or retconning, is widely derided by comic book fans, it is usually only considered a problem when the decisions are unpopular. When missteps are smoothed over like they are here, readers tend to be more okay with editorial undoing the work of previous creators. That is a credit to Joshua Williamson, who wrote thee framing sequence for this story, as well as a number of the key stories within as well. Williamson doesn’t just simply wave a hand and remove past actions, but instead references the mistakes of the past and gives in-story reasons, or at the very least teases, for why these changes are here.
It’s easy to use the categories of ‘fixes’ and ‘teases’ to look at the issue, even if that is overly reductive. James Tynion IV writes a beautiful sequence between Alan Scott and his kids where he comes out to them, which falls into both categories. James Robinson had made the Earth-2 Scott gay during the New 52, but this shows DC ready to double down on that decision, and manages to do so in a way that somewhat smooths over the obvious questions and allows the reader to simply feel good about the characters.
Continued belowIn the teases category, we get glimpses at a number of new series and status quos across DC’s biggest books, whether it is the ascension of Black Adam to the Justice League, the questions surrounding Jonathan Kent’s future, a Diana-less Themyscira, or the collecting of the Green Lanterns into one big title. Most of these are both written and illustrated by the team on the new titles, and so they act as perfect appetizers before the main courses come in the next few months. Of these, some are quite short, such as the “Teen Titans Academy” and “Wonder Girl” pieces, which don’t give too much in ways of story, but rather just establishes a tone for the ongoings to pick up when they begin.
Others, however, seem to lay out multiple plotlines in one piece. The “Wonder Woman” creative team gives both Hippoylta and Nubia new roles, while James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez remake Gotham in their pages, and incorporate new ideas, potential ‘Future State’ scenarios, and the status quo of their run from the last year. These two stories do a lot of heavy lifting for establishing what those books will be doing this year.
Most fall somewhere in between the two-three page teases and the world building, however. The Superman and Justice League pieces feel like inessential, though good, preambles to their respective books. The Superman story deserves a little mention however, as Jamal Igle takes center stage and absolutely kills it. Igle doesn’t get enough work, and he’s an absolute beast. His Jon Kent is so full of hope and mystery, and really sells the script’s indecision about the young man.
DC has been slowly upping its artistic game over the past half decade or so, and this book is proof positive of it. There is nothing in this book, unless you’re really down on modern day John Romita Jr, that is anything less than high quality art, and in varying styles. John Timms, Jorge Jimenez, Alex Maleev, David Marquez, Joelle Jones, Alitha Martinez, Dexter Soy – these are all quite different artists, but all of whom do exceptional work here. DC used to have a ‘house style’ that felt like a less refined version of some of the superstar artists of the era. As of late, however, DC has been both bringing in established talent, highlighting young artists, and, perhaps most impressively, giving some of their former fill-in talent the chance to grow and establish themselves into something impressive. Rafa Sandoval, Bruno Redondo, and John Timms were perfectly cromulent DC artists just a few years ago, but have developed their own styles over the past few years, and grown into impressive ways.
It looks like ‘Infinite Frontier,’ the status quo, will be the best looking at DC in some time, and also one of the more artistically diverse. Dexter Soy’s “Green Lantern” title will look totally unlike the Lantern books in recent memory, for instance. Gleb Melnikov on “Robin” looks to be a revelation. We all know how great David Marquez is. This book simply reinforced the reality of just how good DC looks in 2021, visually.
Those good vibes go well beyond just the visuals, however. Every story in this book, even the darkest ones, offer some ray of hope for these characters and their titles. DC, to me, has always been about presenting a world that is more dangerous, but also more hopeful than the one we currently live in. Stan Lee used to call Marvel ‘the world outside your window;’ at its best, DC is the world of your dreams. Some are nightmares, some are wish fulfillment, but all their comics take our world and amplify it a little bit. “Infinite Frontier” #0, in that sense, is a sleep study that gives us potential dreams for the next year or so of DC Comics. And, when the world looks the way it does outside our windows in 2021, I’m ready for a nap.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – A stellar, hopeful, exciting shot across the bow.
