About the ‘new’ MILESTONE

[Johnrevenge]

I do wonder if we'll also see other milestone characters like Shadow Cabinet, the Blood Syndicate or Xombi.

[PCN24454]

I mostly remember Static from the tv show, but I enjoyed reading Blood Syndicate.

[Riv86672]

Gee I could say the same for most of DC and marvel's rosters.

You could. I think you'd be wrong (as i assume you think i'm wrong), but you could def. say it.

Rocket Raccoon was completely forgettable as was Squirrel Girl.

The difference is, i couldnt name two other characters outside Static, Icon/Rocket, and Hardware to even make a point like that, as i've actually forgotten them.

How did that work out???

A lot better than its worked out for the Milestone characters.

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

I think skyvolt's sarcasm flew over your head. Most of any company's characters are unknown or forgetttable to the casual audience unless or until they "break out" in some outside media, and even then....

Booster Gold appeared was featured in episodes of JLU and Smallville. How many who only took a casual interest in those shows actually remember him?

CoIE actually said that history changed so that the boy who would have become Kamandi instead grew up to be the post-Crisis version of Tommy Tomorrow. How many fans actually remember Tommy Tomorrow nowadays?

So you forgot a bunch of Milestone characters? So did a lot of people. They also forgot the likes of Squirrel Girl, Rocket Raccoon, Vibe, Kamandi, and scores more DC and Marvel characters until such time as somebody decided to give them a push again in either comics or outside again after years or decades on the fringes and in obscurity, and those are companies that have been in continuous publication. Milestone hasn't published anything in ages, but at least they got a Static cartoon made, which led to DC wanting to grab him to put in the Teen Titans, which in turn led to Milestone insisting they also use some of their other characters, which is how Icon, Rocket, etc., made appearances in JLofA comics or cameos in the Young Justice cartoon.

Who remembers Dark Horse's Barb Wire, even though she had a movie in the 90s? How many even remember DH's other "Comics Greatest Heroes" characters? Or that the Ultraverse was ever a thing, let alone any of its characters, or that there was a cartoon AND a one-season syndicated live-action TV show starring some of those characters?

[Hypestyle]

looking forward to good new stuff coming out as well as vintage stuff released.

[Sacred Knight]

Just an FYI

Icon was NOT about him-it was about Rocket.

McDuffie said that himself. It was a story of her journey.

The first teen mother super heroine and eventual successor to Icon.

Interesting. Personally I liked it more for Icon, but looking back I can see this, I had just never heard it outright stated.

[skyvolt2000]

Interesting. Personally I liked it more for Icon, but looking back I can see this, I had just never heard it outright stated.

I want to say it was on his old website.

Someone interviewed him and those nuggets came out.

Gears being gay on the show but it couldn't be stated out right. It was hinted if you saw the hints-I man not sure what he meant by that.

One of the Static comics (maybe 3) inspired or became Static Shock episodes.

[Riv86672]

I think skyvolt's sarcasm flew over your head. Most of any company's characters are unknown or forgetttable to the casual audience unless or until they "break out" in some outside media, and even then....

Booster Gold appeared was featured in episodes of JLU and Smallville. How many who only took a casual interest in those shows actually remember him?

CoIE actually said that history changed so that the boy who would have become Kamandi instead grew up to be the post-Crisis version of Tommy Tomorrow. How many fans actually remember Tommy Tomorrow nowadays?

So you forgot a bunch of Milestone characters? So did a lot of people. They also forgot the likes of Squirrel Girl, Rocket Raccoon, Vibe, Kamandi, and scores more DC and Marvel characters until such time as somebody decided to give them a push again in either comics or outside again after years or decades on the fringes and in obscurity, and those are companies that have been in continuous publication. Milestone hasn't published anything in ages, but at least they got a Static cartoon made, which led to DC wanting to grab him to put in the Teen Titans, which in turn led to Milestone insisting they also use some of their other characters, which is how Icon, Rocket, etc., made appearances in JLofA comics or cameos in the Young Justice cartoon.

Who remembers Dark Horse's Barb Wire, even though she had a movie in the 90s? How many even remember DH's other "Comics Greatest Heroes" characters? Or that the Ultraverse was ever a thing, let alone any of its characters, or that there was a cartoon AND a one-season syndicated live-action TV show starring some of those characters?

I think you’re giving his post too much credit, and imagining depth that wasnt there, i but respect your right to interpret it as you choose to.

[EmeraldGladiator]

Won't mind if the Blood Syndicate and Hardware are just major visiting characters initially but I hope the Blood Syndicate gets it's own ongoing soon as well. I also want the Static reprints way more than download versions. Really excited for Icon, like the characters and loved M.D. Bright drawing them, hopefully they can get him back on board.

[lemonpeace]

Thinking about it, Static is pretty safe to do, and even Icon & Rocket is relatively safe but the personality of Hardware, the lives and themes explored with the Blood Syndicate, those are gonna be the real test of Milestone's vision.

Take Hardware: Hardware is a icon of Afrofuturism, a concept fresh in the cultural zeitgeist in thisbday and age where people are more aware of this "niche", aka white people are acknowledging the validity of black/BIPOC art and narrative, and are looking to invest in that cultural currency to mine compelling mainstrem content. that could be great, but there is still very much is that kneejerk to "gentrify" it a bit; especially in comics. I don't want Hardware turned into Cyborg, and I don't want the Blood Syndicate turned into The Runaways. That also means they may need to really start scouting and investing in fresh voices, particularly voices of color. I respect hudlin for his passion for Milestone, but this negro here is not a revolutionary, ya know? he's not exactly an exciting voice for me. I could see Priest doing something but, while I love his Deathstroke, I don't see him wanting to nor do I personally think his Hardware would be particularly compelling. plus he's just one guy. I'm curious what kind of stories are they gonna be telling with these characters. is this like a Young Animals? more a Black Label? like a Vertigo or Wonder Comics?

[vasir12]

I agree. As much as I'm hyped for Milestone Hudlin as a writer doesn't excite me. I feel like this project shouldn't be kept as insular as the panel made it seem. It was the same creators as the original. Not "bad" per se, but fresh voices in the comic industry are needed around the board.

[scribbleMind]

As far as what makes so and so characters special. I agree that Icon is about Rocket (because it is). In some way it irks me that the idea of "black superman" is so important that Icon gets so much attention and art by comparison to Rocket when Rocket is the heart and soul of that book. That said, a superpowered black conservative that eventually comes around to something more of a moderate certainly isn't anything that has been done before or will likely ever be done again. It just comes down to the fact that for individuals who haven't read Icon, black Superman is an easy concept to understand and rally behind.

I just love Hardware so much, just as a representation of black rage and the struggle of trying to harness that rage into something good. I think he has the best evolution of all the milestone heroes, and easily the best villain / villain-hero dynamic. Black rage has been a topic tackled before in comics, but never has it been so central to a character and handled so well.

Static is "black Spider-man" but unlike a "black Superman" I believe a relatable black spider-man was sorely needed. The way Static handled issues of race, drugs, sex, and adolescence was mature, succinct, and relatable, and never in a way where the book felt like it was talking down to you or put you in PSA hell. It seems so hard for so many writers to tackle the same subjects and have it come off as natural. I also enjoyed his evolution, because he had to study and practice to use his powers effectively. You really see the effort he put forth in being Static. It wasn't just, "I'm a human magnet, zapity zap zap zap!" He learned the science. In Return of the Cool when he leaps above his role as "black spider-man" to something more like "black Captain America" because everyone recognizes his intelligence, experience, and overall goodness it feels SO earned. Also, the fact that Static has been depicted as someone who retires, REALLY retires, and only does superheroics when he absolutely has to also makes him more interesting. It's something other superheroes can never do and says a lot about his character. You have Rocket who is that person who is down to be a superhero for as long as she can, and then you have Static who will always always step up when people need him, but really cherishes his personal relationships above being a superhero.

[skyvolt2000]

I agree. As much as I'm hyped for Milestone Hudlin as a writer doesn't excite me. I feel like this project shouldn't be kept as insular as the panel made it seem. It was the same creators as the original. Not "bad" per se, but fresh voices in the comic industry are needed around the board.

Other than Deny Cowans-no one else from the original Milestone in terms of creative teams are there.

Where is Matt Wayne? His name is all over those book just as much as McDuffie.

I think maybe 5-7 of them are still active.

I'm curious what kind of stories are they gonna be telling with these characters. is this like a Young Animals? more a Black Label? like a Vertigo or Wonder Comics?

Well the original run followed Vertigo path-have a beginning, middle and end.

[dswynne]

Never cared much for Icon, he always came off as our of touch which was probably the point of his character, being a black conservative.

Static was much more interesting character.

Funny how you would consider "Black conservative" as being "out of touch", when the character came up during a time when freed Black supported the Republican Party, and would continue to support them en masse until the 1960s. LOL.

[Anthony W]

Fun fact. Icon was one of Clarence Thomas' (Yes, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas) favorite characters and he quoted the character on multiple occasions. Dwayne McDuffie was quite liberal

That ladies and gentlemen is what we call talent