The Milestone Universe might be about to have its ownJustice League Dakota, featuring Static, Icon, Rocket, and Hardware. Although technically a part of the broader DC Universe, the Dakotaverse has focused on itself with interconnected storylines and characters.
Since the 90s’, Milestone Media has had their own cinematic universe in the form of comics. Thoughtfully constructed by the team of writers and artists, the city of Dakota has always had compelling world-building. Similar to Marvel’s version of New York City, superheroes like Static and Icon coexist with very different ongoing stories and personal lives. However, major components of each title overlap, such as the Big Bang which gave birth to an army of super-powered villains referred to as “bang babies.” There have been occasions when Dakota’s protectors have teamed up, and it seems like the rebooted Milestone is ramping up to a new crossover.
During DC FanDome, it was announced by Denys Cowan and Reginald Hudlin that the Dakotaverse cast of superheroes will share stories in the near future. At the moment, characters are already crossing over into each other’s issues, as inventor Curtis Metcalf AKA Hardware provided Virgil Hawkins with his first costume to wear as Static. With such an interaction occurring this early on in Static: Season One, readers have reason to look forward to the day when all the Milestone heroes share a panel. The Milestone portion of DC FanDome went onto announce that an animated Dakotaverse team-up movie is in the works, with a teaser image illustrated by comic book artist, Bill Sienkiewicz.
As Static: Season One, Icon and Rocket: Season One, and Hardware: Season One are setting the stage for potential adaptations, there’s a strong chance that they will tease what fans can expect in the animated film. Since each series is beginning with a six-issue first season, a crossover could come soon after their season finales as a climatic event. With Virgil already knowing Curtis Metcalf, it’s just a matter of time until he meets Raquel Ervin AKA Rocket, who seems to attend his high school. Once Icon has joined the picture, the potential Justice League Dakota will finally be assembled.
The last time that the Dakota heroes were united was in Milestone Forever which released in 2010, opening the door for them to join the DC Universe. However, the Dakotaverse has surprisingly never had an official team involving Static and Icon among others. Since the Milestone titles are only beginning, there is still potential for a more expansive roster. Recently, Static’s friend Daisy discovered she has powers of her own from the Big Bang. As Static has also introduced Richie, it might be in the cards for him to eventually become his animated counterpart’s alter ego, Gear. Whether or not the team refers to itself as the Justice League Dakota, Static is certain to have some ideas for a name.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Static: Season One #3, on sale now.
With DC’s recent announcement of a new series for the superhero team known as the Blood Syndicate, now seems a prudent time to go over the origins of this team and how they might be shaping up in the current Dakotaverse. Much like Static, these groups of metahumans were affected by the “Big Bang” transforming them into uniquely powered individuals. Some of them would band together to try and fight for their city, but a rotating roster and lack of a cohesive vision for what the group stood for led to the team’s eventual disintegration.
Hopefully, this time around the Blood Syndicate will be formed with a more unified front.
Debuting in Blood Syndicate #1 (by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez, Jr., Denys Cowan) the Blood Syndicate was actually the first real case of unity between Dakota’s many street gangs. Or rather, what remained of them. The initial “Big Bang” killed a great many instead of mutating them and the survivors of this event coalesced their numbers to create a new street gang that would watch out for people like them. They would be a more violent brand of hero, willing to kill whoever got in their way. Though this was usually criminals.
Eventually, the team would disband due to infighting and quite a few deaths among their members. The fact that the team never had an idea of what they were fighting for also lent to its dissolution, especially considering it held more volatile members like Holocaust who would eventually become a villain. Holocaust was also recently shown in the new Static series and was already trying to organize the new metahuman population of Dakota City, but the military intervened before serious progress could be made.
Regardless of interference, in Static: Season One #3 (by Vita Ayala, Nikolas Draper-Ivey, ChrisCross, Will Quintana, AndWorld Design) Holocaust managed to assemble his own gang shortly after. It is never stated that this is the Blood Syndicate and given Holocaust’s more villainous portrayal, it doesn’t seem likely that this group he assembled is the titular team. That does not mean it isn’t possible though. Holocaust only managed to assemble this gang within a day of the military raid, and they may not have settled on a name yet.
If that is the case, then fans may have to anticipate a more villainous version of the group. Most likely this would lead to a redemption arc of sorts as its main cast pulls away from whatever Holocaust has in mind. But there is a more positive alternative to this.
Holocaust has already proven willing to sell out his fellow Bang Babies if the pressure is on, leaving them to deal with possible incarceration while he escaped. It’s possible that those Bang Babies who know this have heard of his new gang and realize that it is merely a tool for him to seize control of the city. The new Blood Syndicate might be formed as a response to that, a more positive group of heroes for Bang Babies to join and protect Dakota City with their new powers instead of oppressing it.
