This is one of those projects I've been looking forward to ever since it was first rumored a couple of years ago. Cooke starts off his look at the Silver Age of DC in an unusual manner, starting with a story just after the end of World War II that serves as a final tale for several DC war characters and then jumping forward a little bit to the communist witchhunt of the '50s and the younger days of a man that will become known as Green Lantern. Those coming in expecting the spandex set may be a little disappointed, as only a couple of super-heroes make an appearance, and then only briefly, but I can't imagine anyone really being disappointed with this comic, which features some of the coolest weird war action seen in comics in decades, a very interesting look at the foundation of one of the Silver Age's greatest heroes and a sort of non-continuity, old school and yet too cool version of DC's history. Oh, and did I mention the spectacularly beautiful artwork?
For fans of DC's war comics or lesser known characters like The Losers and Rick Flagg, this book will be heaven. Cooke does a fantastic job of making these oddball wartime characters, like a Navajo flying ace, an army grunt with a dog or a navy man with a wooden leg, into well-realized soldiers that you come to care about quickly. He does this in no small part by telling the story from the point-of-view of John Cloud, whose Navajo heritage and military background combine for a down to earth and yet slightly mythical approach in the telling. The opening story is a tale of military action, but it's also a classic fable, the last stand of heroes, and it requires a little more theatrics, which is what Cloud's narration gives it.
This is also one of those stories that could really only take place in a super-hero universe. The action is pure military, with rescue missions, bazookas and hand grenades, but the opponents they face are of the more unusual variety, and it takes the story from the realm of Saving Private Ryan more into the realm of Weird War Tales. However, despite the more unusual aspects of the story, Cooke makes the first story about some of the classic war stuff, including brotherhood, sacrifice and honor. By the time Cloud's story is done, it's almost impossible not to wipe away a manly tear at the final tale of The Losers.
After the war ends, Cooke moves on to the segue between the Golden Age and the Silver Age. There's a fantastic little story of young Hal Jordan meeting a real-life flying ace hero that not only demonstrates Hal's personality from an early age but is just an effective tribute to that legendary airman. A brief action sequence, followed by two pages of fake newspaper, gives a sense of the death of the heroic age (and some of the heroes), and then Cooke moves on to Hal Jordan's time in the Korean War. Again, there are no super-powers in most of these sequences, and yet there's a definite feeling of heroism and adventure, as Cooke's work hearkens back to when it was courage and heart, more than powers, that defined heroes.
While much of the power in the story comes from the writing, I cannot stress enough how beautiful this book is. Cooke has done some of the best work in his career on these pages, and whether it's the evocative, perfectly-timed stories of Hal coming into the bar or Ace Morgan performing a daredevil rescue or the beautiful splash page moments like John Cloud's last fight or the brutal battle between Batman and Superman, the artwork really draws the reader in. Cooke's designs for the wartime characters, especially the craggy Rick Flagg, are beautiful and use some very nice iconic shortcuts (the various helmets and headgear) to make clear who they are, and his depiction of the period, whether it's '50s technology like the Korean War planes or the believable interior of the bar on Edwards Air Force Base, helps to bring the setting to vivid life. In addition, Dave Stewart, who is always a great colorist, has also done some of his finest work on this series, with a palette that perfectly conveys both the moonlit alleys of Gotham City and the bright, sunny killing fields of the skies above Korea.
Every single person working on this book has gone above and beyond in crafting a fascinating tale of a DC Universe that we don't see very often. Well, at least on the creative side. I hate to even mention anything that might put someone off the book, because I firmly believe it's worth every penny, but the price tag on this book is pretty high. And when I'm paying close to seven dollars an issue for a book, I expect a large page count (which this one, at 64 pages, has), a great story and art (which it has in spades) and a spine (which this doesn't have.) On the one hand, this book does lay flat, which lets the reader see all the great art, but given the price, it sure seems like a spine and nicer cover stock would have been called for. An unfortunate marketing misstep which should in no way discourage anyone from picking up the book.
