Today, DC, Milestone Media and WarnerMedia, in collaboration with Ally, announced their joint plans for The Milestone Initiative Talent Development Program, set to begin Tuesday March 15th. The program creates access and opportunity for Black and diverse storytellers in the field of comics.
This program will run for 10 weeks and will offer participants “opportunities to learn from industry experts and sharpen their storytelling skills to become part of the upcoming generation of great comic book writers and artists. WarnerMedia Access will provide the participants with training in equity and inclusion so it will be instilled in them as they hone their creative mindset. The immersive training program will be comprised of a virtual technical course through the prestigious Kubert School and an in-person seminar at DC’s offices in Burbank, CA.”
And, as a reminder, here’s Milestone’s mission statement for The Milestone Initiative:
“The mission for The Milestone Initiative – to empower the next generation of Black and diverse comic book creators – will be supported across a multi-pronged marketing campaign from WarnerMedia and Ally. Building off the historic storytelling rooted in the Milestone comics, WarnerMedia’s brand studios and Ally have united to create brand storytelling that uses the full might of the WarnerMedia ecosystem – including its advertising inventory – to focus on the pertinent topic of representation and diversity in media.”
“This is a monumental day for Milestone and the broader comic book community. We’ve always believed in the importance of sharing underrepresented stories, so we’re thrilled for new creative voices to join us in our mission. Mentorship has always been a critical aspect of our comic book world, and Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan and I are excited to share the tricks of the trade and learn a thing or two from our new peers!” – Milestone partner, Reggie Hudlin
For even more details of the program and its curriculum, follow this link to the DC Comics website announcement
Blood Syndicate: Season One – Wise Son, Tech-9, and Fade Return, But Who Will Rule Paris Island?
(Blood Syndicate: Season One #1 Main Cover by Dexter Soy)
Six-Issue Limited Series Debuts in Comic Book Shops and Participating Digital Platforms
Tuesday, May 10
Explore the History of the Blood Syndicate on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE
Anxious Milestone fans will have their patience rewarded soon, as DC and Milestone Media confirmed plans today to launch Blood Syndicate: Season One on Tuesday, May 10 in comic book shops and participating digital platforms.
Initially confirmed by Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan and Milestone partner Reggie Hudlin during DC FanDome 2021, this six-issue limited series is written by Geoffrey Thorne (Future State: Green Lantern, Green Lantern), with art by Milestone legend CHRISCROSS and Juan Castro. “Making Blood Syndicate the fourth pillar of this new Dakotaverse was just a matter of time,” said Hudlin. “Holocaust’s recruitment of ‘Bang Babies’ in Static Season One was a big hint that we’d eventually address the impact of the ‘Big Bang’ on Paris Island. Landing Geoffrey Thorne and CHRISCROSS as writer and artists for the series was pretty much the icing on the cake; they’re the perfect team for telling this story.”
(Blood Syndicate: Season One Character designs by CHRISCROSS/Wil Quintana)
This new incarnation reunites original Blood Syndicate members Tech-9, Wise Son and Fade—and returns them to Paris Island, Dakota’s densest and most impoverished borough, and the one hit hardest by the sickness, death, superpowers, and social upheavals of the Big Bang. Both Wise Son and Tech-9 have returned from their military tours in Afghanistan to a Dakota that’s far different from the one they left. While Icon and Rocket have been cleaning up the streets of drug traffic, other “Bang Babies” have been forming rival gang factions. At the same time, Holocaust has been doing some recruiting of his own, gathering a super-powered army to rule Paris Island with an iron fist. As he gains more and more influence, who’s looking out for the people when the other Dakota heroes aren’t around? And what secrets are Wise Son and Tech-9 hiding from their time overseas? When the battle lines get drawn through their neighborhoods, who of the many superpowered individuals on Paris Island will rise up to fight back for their turf—and who will fight for a chance at power far beyond the block?
Blood Syndicate: Season One #1 arrives in comic book shops and participating digital retailers Tuesday, May 10, 2022. The debut issue features a main cover by Dexter Soy, with an “OG” (old school) variant cover by CHRISCROSS, a “new school” variant by breakout artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey (Static Season One), and a 1-in-25 ratio variant cover by Juliet Nneka. Check local comic book shops for details and pre-ordering.
The DC UNIVERSE INFINITE digital subscription service features a free-to-read copy of the original Blood Syndicate #1; an annual subscription to the service provides access to the full run of the original series, as well as complete runs of series featuring Milestone heroes, including Static, Static Shock! (from DC’s The New 52), Icon, and Hardware. In celebration of Black History Month, the platform also includes a wide selection of titles celebrating DC’s Black Super Heroes. For more information and a free trial, check out the website at www.dcuniverseinfinite.com.
Every year I make a list of the ten best things I did that year. I think everyone should do it. It’s a great way to count your blessings. I do it with my whole family and we all share our favorite moments with each other. It’s fun and can surprise you…sometimes you realize a bad year wasn’t as bad as you thought. And recounting your favorite moments makes focus more on making sure you have more of those in the year to come.
Here’s my list:
1. THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
Back in 2008 I attended Obama’s inauguration. It was awesome, and it was freezing! I was happy to see him re-elected but didn’t feel compelled to freeze again in 2012. But this year was a whole other thing! Neither cold weather or threats of domestic terrorists could keep me away from the Biden-Harris administration taking their rightful place and saving our nation. And we had good seats.
2. THE EMMY AWARDS
Producing the Oscars was awesome. But producing the Emmys is fun. It was so much fun last year working with Jimmy Kimmel, and it was so much fun this year working with Cedric The Entertainer. Here are some clips from the show:
3. THE RETURN OF MILESTONE
I’m so proud of all the amazing things we have in the works at Milestone Media! Three comic book series – Static, Icon and Rocket, and Hardware!
We will double that number to six series next year!
We have two movies in the works – an animated feature and a live action Static feature film!
A giant omnibus reprinting of the classic Milestone books.
A Black History month special issue like none other!
Murals featuring our characters on walls across the country!
And more to come!
4. HONORING OUR KINGS
I got a phone call from the perfect person to collaborate with on a dream project. Oprah Winfrey wanted to do a Father’s Day special celebrating every kind of Black Dad. As a Black Dad, who had an awesome Black Dad, with so many friends who are awesome Black Dads, it was a dream come true. And if that wasn’t enough, my man Sterling K. Brown is the co-host? Yes!
5. FRIDAY NIGHT VIBES WITH TIFFANY
I had so much fun working with Tiffany Haddish and Deon Cole on our weekly talk show FRIDAY NIGHT VIBES! The range of guests we had on the show was incredible!
6. NAACP IMAGE AWARDS
I’ve been producing this show for nine years now and it keeps getting better. It was also one of the most successful awards shows of the year.
7. COOL FUTURE PROJECTS I CAN’T TALK ABOUT YET
These photos are clues, but they haven’t been officially announced yet. But you’ll probably see one or two of them next year!
8. COOL PROJECTS IN THE WORKS
Sometimes you announce a project, but it’s actually been the works for several years. But even though you finally do an announcement, it still could be years before it is seen! Here’s MUSCLE with Vin Diesel starring and F. Gary Gray directing, and the documentary NUMBER ONE ON THE CALL SHEET with Jamie Foxx and Kevin Hart producing and me directing.
9. TALKING TO PEOPLE
People ask me to talk. A lot. I get invited to appear on podcasts, give commentary on television shows, talk to people in every kind of school. Here’s some of the places I talked this year:
Paul Scheer gives me a call and says he wants to interview me in a comic bookstore. That’s an easy yes for me. Then I do a second interview talking Black Panther. So, I’m on two Marvel series this year. Little did I know I would end up as the alias of the Black Panther on the main promotion of the show!
Cornell Brooks and I know each other from when he headed up the NAACP. He’s now teaching the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where I’ve lectured before. Happy to do it again and the students were great!
Will Haygood, a major writer, says his alma mater, Miami University, where he teaches, wants to give the Freedom Summer of ’64 Award. I gladly accept and we have a great time talking with each other and with the audience!
10. FAMILY TIME DURING PANDEMIC
This has been a very tough year for our family. Even with all the career success, that means nothing in the face of health challenges and death among our family and friends. In tough times like these, family is everything. Fortunately, I’ve got a great one. My children are back in classrooms and doing well. My wife continues to be a pillar of strength, always there for both our immediate family and so many people around us who need a helping hand. Even the isolation of covid had an unexpected benefit. My daughter told me that because we were all together at home every day, she finally figured out what I do for a living.
My takeaway from the year is GRATITUDE. I’m grateful for every bit of good fortune, every positive element in my life. I have seen people who have it all lose what is most important to them, nothing is promised. Thank you to everyone this year and throughout my life who has sent any good vibes my way. They are appreciated.
DC Comics and Milestone Media revealed more details about the anthology they plan to release this coming February during Black History Month, which was initially announced during DC FanDome last month.
Milestones in History will feature Hardware, Icon, Static and more narrating stories “Black trailblazers from across human history,” including Hannibal, the Queen of Sheba, Alexandre Dumas and more.
The 96-page prestige one-shot will cost $9.99 and arrives Feb. 15.
Here’s the full solicitation:
Celebrate Black History Month the Milestone way, as the superpowered citizens of Dakota (including Static, Icon, Rocket, Hardware, and more) narrate the true stories of Black trailblazers from across human history! Witness the military campaigns of Hannibal and the Queen of Sheba, the literary accomplishments of Alexandre Dumas, the World War One dogfights of Eugene Bullard against the legendary Red Baron, and many, many more, all written and drawn by a who’s who of comics and literary talent! On sale February 15th, this 96 page anthology honors Black History from around the world in a beautiful, prestige format book.
Written by REGINALD HUDLIN, ALICE RANDALL, TOURÉ, MICHAEL HARRIOT, and more Art by VARIOUS Cover by CHRISCROSS Variant cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE $9.99 US | 96 pages | Prestige Format | One-shot
