THE GRIO:
Reggie Hudlin partners with DC for return of Milestone Comics in 2021
EXCLUSIVE: The iconic comic company, created to bring more representation for African Americans, is back in a major way.
August 22, 2020
The DC FanDome Hall of Heroes kicked off with a bang when a surprise panel announced the return of Milestone Comics to DC publishing in 2021. Even more exciting was the announcement that beloved producer Reggie Hudlin has signed on as a partner.
Moderator Marc Bernardin and DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee were joined by Hudlin, Milestone partner/producer, and Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan, along with Phil LaMarr, the iconic voice of the Static Shock animated series.
The panelists discussed the origins and history of this groundbreaking imprint, as well as the indelible impact and legacy of Milestone co-founder, Dwayne McDuffie. Hudlin also discussed plans to create multimedia opportunities spotlighting Milestone characters, including feature films, animated movies and podcasts.
Milestone Comics was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African American artists and writers who felt that minorities were significantly underrepresented in American comics.
“I was a big fan of Milestone before I became a partner. Like everyone else, I’ve been dying for the return of these characters. Milestone was cutting edge back when it first debuted, but the characters and stories are more relevant today than ever before,” Hudlin told theGrio exclusively.
“We’re thrilled to announce the comics will be returning in February and we’ve made sure that the stories are just as timely and provocative as fans have come to expect from Milestone.”
Milestone co-founder, Denys Cowan, echoed his sentiments.
“DC, Reggie Hudlin, and I are really looking forward to showing all the Milestone fans what we’ve been cooking up for you! We are all very excited about the new books, some new characters and old favorites from the Dakota Universe! Milestone Forever,” Cowan said.
Milestone’s return to publishing will be led by an all-new Static Shock digital comic series scheduled for February 2021. Future offerings will include a Static Shock original graphic novel written by Hudlin with art by Kyle Baker, plus the return of Milestone heroes Icon and Rocket, also written by Hudlin with art by Cowan and more to be announced.
Blerds and newbies alike will have plenty of opportunities to rediscover Milestone before the big reveal. Beginning in September through February 2021, DC will digitize classic stories from the Milestone library and make them available for purchase at several digital retailers.
During DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse on Sept. 12, fans will have a chance to be introduced to these characters and stories. Milestone Returns #0, a 17-page sampler, will be available to read free for 24 hours.
Written by Reggie Hudlin with Greg Pak and cover by Denys Cowan and Chris Sotomayor, the sampler will introduce and re-introduce fans to Milestone characters such as Static Shock, Icon, Rocket, Duo and others.
The sampler features art by an incredible lineup of Talent, including Cowan, Jim Lee, Ryan Benjamin, Khoi Pham, Scott Hanna, Bill Sienkiewicz, Don Ho, Alex Sinclair and Deron Bennett.