Milestone Forever

In honor of Black History month let us celebrate the passing and rebrith of our greatest heroes. Icon and Rocket, Hardward, and Static. They are apart of the then revolutionary Milestone universe. A comic book continuity off mostly Black America characters. Milestone Forever issue 1 is out this month and is a end cap of sorts tying up the various plot threads put forth about these characters and their universe before Milestone comics imprint, under DC Comics but created by Milestone Media, was absolved in 1997. This part one of a two part story makes way for these characters and their universe to get a finalized story, some of the Milestone books were stopped mid-run when Milestone Media ended its comics division and deal with DC comics.

Milestone Media was formed by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle, all comic book authors and illustrators, in 1993 in hopes of creating a minority based comics line to ensue the imbalance of the contemporary american comic book forum. I mean I can count the various Black american male super heroes on my hand, and don't get me statered on their female counter-parts. Milestone had a good run filled with allocates and high praise. Static even went on to appear in a saturday morning cartoon series in 2000 for four seasons.

- Static, seen left front, along with the Justice League.

Currently Static can be seen as a team member of the Teen Titans.

- Static as he currently appears in the ongoing Teen Titans.

Icon, Hardware, and Rocket along with the Shadow Cabinet have also recently appeared in issues of the Justice League America.


- The Justice League, left, VS the Shadow Cabinet, right

I'm glad to see that the characters have been saved and used again in the DC universe continuity and hope they get their own place to shine. In the meantime we have Milestone forever, because they are the milestone in multiculturalism in comics. The book Heores featured one of the first openly gay lesbian duo's in comics, the German strong woman Donner and the Japanese speedster Biltzen.

- Donner, Blond at left, Blitzen, black suited figure with "speed lines"

Also the Character Wise Son is also one of the few Muslims in comics.



All of these various nuances formed the back bone of great story telling outside the parameters of the White male norm of that era, hell still current era, of comics. I cant wait to see where these characters may end up next.



- Pin up of The Blood Syndicate from Milestone Forever #1 by Ross Campbell.


- Pin up of Hardware from Milestone Forever #1 , By J.H. Williams III