DC Comics and Milestone Media have announced Milestones In History today a new 96-page anthology chronicling real-world heroes across Black History. Out on June 14th, the collection features a treasure trove of creators. That’s not all, the anthology also serves as a springboard into the next phase of this new iteration of the Dakotaverse. The anthology will feature an ending that will serve as the catalyst for the first big “event” in Milestone, something most fans will never see coming.
The stories in the anthology will pair well-known comic book artists with writers from the fields of entertainment, literature, and social activism. The anthology embraces the Milestone universe with these stories being told through the eyes of the heroes of Dakota
“Denys and I have been wanting to do a book like Milestones in History for a long time,” said producer/writer and Milestone co-owner Reggie Hudlin. “Some of our favorite comic books have been about the real-life superheroes of the Black community throughout history, and with all of the amazing writers, artists, and scholars we know, we knew we could create a book that would be history making in itself.”
Here’s a rundown of stories and the creators behind them:
Russian Poet and novelist Alexander Pushkin, written by New York Times bestselling author Alice Randall, with art by Don Hudson, José Marzan Jr., and Andrew Dalhouse
Carthaginian general and statesman Hannibal Barca, by award-winning writer Steven Barnes, with art by Ron Wilson and Mike Gustovich
Musical icon Prince, written by journalist and culture critic Touré and art by Ray Anthony-Height
The Three Musketeers author Alexandre Dumas, by bestselling author and pioneer of Black Horror fiction Tananarive Due, with art by Jamal Igle and Chris Sotomayor
Eugene Bullard, the first Black American military pilot, by Pat Charles and Arvell Jones
Black American female pilot Bessie Coleman and astronaut Mae Jemison, written by Melody Cooper, with art by Domo Stanton and Emilio Lopez
Dancer, educator, and social activist Katherine Dunham, by actor and author Karyn Parsons (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
“Lucy,” the early hominid fossil (Australopithecus) discovered in Africa by Donald Johanson, Mary Leakey, and Yves Coppens, written by Alice Randall
Milestone has been on a roll of late recently announcing the class of the Milestone Initiative program that identities, develops, and mentors aspiring comic book professionals of color.
For more on this news, read the official press release below.
Following the DC FanDome announcement by Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan and producer/writer/co-owner Reggie Hudlin, DC and Milestone Media today announced new details on their groundbreaking anthology, Milestones In History.
Debuting in comic book shops and participating digital platforms on Tuesday, June 14 (just in time for Juneteenth), this 96-page non-fiction one-shot spotlights real world icons from Black history across the ages. These stories will combine well-known comic book artists with writers from the fields of entertainment, literature, and social activism. The anthology embraces the Milestone universe with these stories being told through the eyes of the heroes of Dakota.
“Denys and I have been wanting to do a book like Milestones in History for a long time,” said Hudlin. “Some of our favorite comic books have been about the real-life superheroes of the Black community throughout history, and with all of the amazing writers, artists, and scholars we know, we knew we could create a book that would be history making in itself.”
Featured history-making subjects and storytellers for Milestones In History include:
Russian Poet and novelist Alexander Pushkin, written by New York Times bestselling author Alice Randall, with art by Don Hudson, José Marzan Jr., and Andrew Dalhouse
Carthaginian general and statesman Hannibal Barca, by award-winning writer Steven Barnes, with art by Ron Wilson and Mike Gustovich
Musical icon Prince, written by journalist and culture critic Touré and art by Ray Anthony-Height
The Three Musketeers author Alexandre Dumas, by bestselling author and pioneer of Black Horror fiction Tananarive Due, with art by Jamal Igle and Chris Sotomayor
Eugene Bullard, the first Black American military pilot, by Pat Charles and Arvell Jones
Black American female pilot Bessie Coleman and astronaut Mae Jemison, written by Melody Cooper, with art by Domo Stanton and Emilio Lopez
Dancer, educator, and social activist Katherine Dunham, by actor and author Karyn Parsons (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
“Lucy,” the early hominid fossil (Australopithecus) discovered in Africa by Donald Johanson, Mary Leakey, and Yves Coppens, written by Alice Randall
More than just an anthology, Milestone In History also serves as a springboard into the next phase of this new iteration of the Dakotaverse; the book features an ending that will serve as the catalyst for the first big “event” in Milestone, something most fans will never see coming.For the latest information on the heroes of Milestone, visit the DC website at www.dccomics.com and follow @DCComics and @thedcnation on social media. The DC UNIVERSE INFINITE Digital Subscription service features issues of classic Milestone comics, as well as some of the Season One issues of Static, Hardware, and Icon and Rocket. To sign up for a free trial, visit the website at www.dcuniverseinfinite.com.
DC’s Milestone authors Reginald Hudlin and Leon Chills dive into the conclusion of Icon & Rocket Season One and the heroes’ futures.
The DC Comics imprint Milestone Media has recently returned to the forefront of the genre, with the debut of several “season one” titles featuring characters introduced when the company was first founded in the ’90s. Of the new titles introduced so far, Icon & Rocket has remained a favorite of many, with its exploration of worldwide politics coupled with pulse-pounding action drawing in new and established audiences.
CBR recently had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion with the writers of the series, Reginald Hudlin and Leon Chills. While Chills is something of a newcomer to the Dakota-verse depicted in the comics, Hudlin is a veteran of the company and is one of the original founders. Both co-writers had much to share about the future of the titular characters after the end of the Icon & Rocket Season One miniseries, as well as their overall place in the shared universe. They also spoke about the role that their guest stars will play in the future of the Milestone Universe.
Milestone was originally founded by a number of African-American creators during a time when there was very little representation in comic book characters. Icon was one of the first heroes created by the publisher as a powerful answer to DC’s Superman and has, in many ways, served as Milestone’s flagship hero. Although DC’s Man of Steel is often associated with his love interest, Lois Lane, Icon is not commonly known for having a significant relationship in his life outside of his platonic partnership with his sidekick, Rocket. Icon & Rocket Season One has made an effort to change that, with the introduction of Xiomara, a superpowered character reminiscent of Wonder Woman who clearly has eyes for Icon — and vice versa.
“It was important for me to give Icon a romantic side,” Hudlin revealed during the discussion. “When I was writing Black Panther [for Marvel Comics], I was the one who introduced his marriage to [the X-Men’s] Storm. In my future story, I even introduced their children. I’m a big believer in Black love and Black family. In a universe of Black superpowered characters and other characters of color, there will definitely be more of that in the books to come.”
Although the statement from Hudlin indicates that romance is in the air for Icon and Xiomara, this new character is much more than a simple love interest. She and her mysterious organization of superpowered operatives stand out as one of the most intriguing elements of Icon & Rocket Season One. “Xiomara is a mystery,” Hudlin expanded. “We’re still discovering the extent of her powers because she isn’t ready to share everything just yet. She is clearly a person who holds her cards very tightly. I personally love Xiomara and her whole squad. We’re definitely going to be seeing more of them in the future.”
Chills chimed in to tease about another character who debuted during the course of Icon & Rocket Season One, a size-changing hero who plays a major role as the story reaches its epic conclusion. “It was very exciting to introduce Little Bit,” the writer added. “She’s another hero in Xiomara’s crew… There are definitely more. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but the colors of Xiomara’s costume are based on the Brazilian flag, and Little Bit’s are based on the Nigerian flag.”
In addition to confirming that the costume variations were “a good thing to point out,” Hudlin spoke more about the new characters created for the series. “We just wanted to create some fun new characters,” the writer noted. “We thought it was a logical thing to introduce a group of amazing, empowered women who are out to make a difference in the world. Women are of great importance in all fields, from politics to science, and so much change is led by Black women. So in a world of superpowered individuals, it only makes sense that there would be an amazing team of empowered Black women leading the way.”
Milestone’s most popular hero, Static, makes an appearance as the story comes to a close, with the final issue of Icon & Rocket Season One taking place after the conclusion of his own self-titled season one series. “I wanted to establish that Static and Rocket go to the same high school,” Hudlin said when asked about the guest appearance. “They have a very fun dynamic, and I thought they should at least be friends in a fun and relatable way.” “In Issue #5,” Chills added, “we took a pause from the action to dive into the personal lives of the characters, and we definitely wanted Static and Rocket to interact with one another.”
When asked about whether the heroes would be returning the favor and appearing in other Milestone comics, Hudlin confirmed that the duo would definitely be doing so. “We wanted to really establish who Icon and Rocket were before we introduced Static in Issues #5-6,” he added. “We didn’t want to rush anything, but yes. You will definitely be seeing more interplay between the Milestone characters in the next season of books.”
Hudlin also revealed that writing the next story arc for Icon and Rocket is on his “action list.” “We’ve done a pretty extensive outline that we’re all excited about in terms of what the next arc is going to cover,” the writer revealed. “We’re going to try to make it an event. It feels really big, and we’re going to take these characters to unexpected places pretty quickly. We don’t want to simply recreate the stories that were told in the past. In the second season of all the Milestone books, these characters will be starting new and interesting journeys.”
Icon & Rocket Season One #6 is written by Reginald Hudlin and Leon Chills, with art by Doug Braithwaite and Andrew Currie. The issue is on sale March 22 from DC Comics.
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.
