Frontiersman #1: If A Robot Falls In The Forest

If you go to your local comic shop and grab an issue off the shelf, chances are that it is about a superhero saving the world. They often deal with some major event that threatens our very existence. Frontiersman #1 fits that bill, but here, there are no cosmic entities or threats to the multiverse. The force threatening the world in Patrick Kindlon and Marco Ferrari’s Frontiersman is climate change, and most importantly, humans. Frontiersman #1 answers the question: What if a Batman or Green Arrow type hero decided they wanted to be Captain Planet? The answer, of course, is Frontiersman. Kindlon has created an interesting character that goes behind the gimmick of the eco-friendly hero. There is sophistication and depth which is highlighted by his older age; his hero days are behind him. This leaves a lot of room for interesting storytelling. We see snips of flashbacks of the glory days fighting hordes of robots and various criminals, but we find Frontiersman retired and the earth is still in trouble. 

Ferrari’s art is gorgeous and captures the tranquil calm of the forest. The opening pages are a celebration of the deep woods and remind readers just how small we are compared to the earth. The perspective that Ferrari gives the reader makes the forests’ trees feel like the true giants that they are. You can sense the peace that can only be found in the woods. Ferrari illustrates a brilliant page where the Frontiersman and Deonte are sitting in his living room talking about the redwoods and suddenly they are surrounded by trees. The clever page reminds the reader why they are there: to save the forests. It is a small detail that sets the tone of the whole issue. It is clear that Frontiersman has a deep connection to nature and cares immensely despite his hero days being behind him. Despite his reluctance, it was no surprise that Frontiersman takes Deonte up on his offer to protest the deforestation of the aforementioned redwoods. 

I am excited to see more of the world of the Frontiersman. I was hooked during the opening pages when we see a robot dragging itself through the woods, showing an amazing contrast between man-made things and nature. I am interested to see what new foes and challenges the Frontiersman will face in the coming issues. When Frontiersman’s animal-headed club comes crashing down on it, I knew I was reading something incredibly cool. The opening pages have some of my favorite onomatopoeias that I have seen recently. Jim Campbell shines with the “CRAKD” of the club coming down of the robot or the “TURK” of its head being yanked off answers the age-old question: If a robot is crushed in the forest, does it make a sound?