History YMMV / DCTheNewFrontier

** In some fans' eyes, NiceGuy, BadassNormal AcePilot "Ace" Morgan is more notable and impressive in this story as a formidable yet supportive friend of a few main cast members than he is as the star of his own long-running series (although his team does have a subplot in the comic version of the story), ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown''.

** John Wilson aka "John Henry" is a new character [[note]]He has some similarities to John Henry Irons aka Steel, but the actual Irons is seen as a kid by the end, implied to have been inspired by him[[/note]] but who [[spoiler:dies without interacting with the other leads]], but the RealismInducedHorror of his backstory and his fearsome war against [[TheKlan the Klan]] make him a very popular character.

** John Wilson is a new character who [[spoiler:dies without interacting with the other leads]], but the RealismInducedHorror of his backstory and his fearsome war against [[TheKlan the Klan]] make him a very popular character.

** In some fans' eyes, NiceGuy, BadassNormal AcePilot "Ace" Morgan is more notable and impressive in this story as a formidable yet supportive friend of a few main cast members than he is as the star of his own long-running series (although his team does have a subplot in the comic version of the story). ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown''.

** Adam Strange (at least in the comic, as in the film he's DemotedToExtra). He doesn't get much prominence until the last issue of the story, but his status as TheCassandra and the way he nonetheless does some useful planning for the heroes while retaining his main-timeline combat skills make him a character the fans enjoy.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: While John Henry's story is still meaningfully referenced in the film and would have been hard to include without an R-rating, many fans are mad it is reduced to a news story and a shot of his gravestone at the end instead of being shown in its entirety.

** In some fans' eyes, NiceGuy, BadassNormal AcePilot "Ace" Morgan is more notable and impressive in this story as a formidable yet supportive friend of a few main cast members than he is as the star of his own long-running series. ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown''.

** John Wilson is a new character who [[spoiler:dies without interacting with the other leads]], but the RealismInducedHorror of his backstory and his fearsome war against TheKlan make him a very popular character.

* HilariousInHindsight: A special issue where Batman and Superman duke it out has a moment where Batman calls Supes a "motherless alien." Superman is very pissed off by this. What, no "[[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Save Martha]]"?
* MisaimedFandom: The cartoonish art style and hopeful ending are held up as a superior alternative to darker and adult-oriented comics that flooded the market from the 80s onwards. This is overlooking the fact that ''The New Frontier'' was intended to be a deconstruction of America's idealised image of the 1950s, showing bigotry, rape, distrust, ignorance and senseless conformity as commonplace.

* CantUnhearIt: Jeremy Sisto as Batman. His soft yet imposing voice likely contributed to Christian Bale's bat-voice being seen as over the top, especially since the animated version of ''The New Frontier'' came out several months before ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.

* TheWoobie: Poor Martian Manhunter.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: By and large, the movie spends more time on Hal Jordan's evolution into the Green Lantern than any other hero. The Flash is already an established hero and simply rises to a new challenge outside his sphere of Central City while Martian Manhunter is offered some character development in his interactions with Faraday. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are all established heroes and are adapting to the new normal of the post-Korean era. However Hal's character arc is told from beginning to end, from his beginnings as an ex-fighter pilot traumatized by what he had to do during the war, transition to a test pilot with a stigma of being a coward clouding his career, and finally stepping up and becoming the Green Lantern, landing the final blow against the Center once and for all.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: In a story full of superheroes, it's nice to see ordinary men like Rick Flagg and John Henry being idolised by their sons. Just goes to show that anyone can be somebody's hero.

** Robin only appears briefly, and is just used as a plot device for Batman to tell Superman about his new LighterAndSofter style.

* SocietyMarchesOn: In the Silver Age Green Lantern books, Hal used to call his sidekick Tom "Pieface," a slur for Asians. He uses the name exactly once in ''New Frontier'', and Tom immediately snaps at him and grabs him by the front of his shirt.
-->'''Tom''': What did you call me, white-bread? Do I look like a pastry to you or something? The name's '''''Tom, got it?'''''
-->'''Hal''': Whoa...'''''Tom''''. I got it. I got it.

* CrowningMomentofHeartwarming: In a story full of superheroes, it's nice to see ordinary men like Rick Flagg and John Henry being idolised by their sons. Just goes to show that anyone can be somebody's hero.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: [[spoiler:Hal throws Dinosaur Island into space.]]
* NightmareFuel: Everything about the Center. From the way it enters minds and drives people insane, to the hideous mutant abominations it wields as foot soldiers, to its apocalyptic true form.
* TearJerker: [[spoiler: As the two remaining members of Task Force X blow up a spaceship full of nuclear warheads, they share a passionate kiss]]
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Several examples:

** It appears Aquaman [[NeverLiveItDown still hasn't escaped how]] ''SuperFriends'' [[NeverLiveItDown forever ruined his reputation]], because he only makes a brief appearance at the end.
* TheWoobie: Poor MartianManhunter.

** Despite all the buildup as a major character, Superman is quickly knocked out by the Center is missing until the end.

** It appears Aquaman [[NeverLiveItDown still hasn't escaped how]] SuperFriends [[NeverLiveItDown forever ruined his reputation]], because he only makes a brief appearance at the end.

* NightmareFuel: Everything about the Center. From the way it enters minds and drives people insane, to the hideous mutant abominations it wields as foot soldiers, to its apocalyptic true form.