The groundbreaking team at Milestone Comics infused Static, Hardware and their other creations with Afrocentric dynamism, paving the way for T’Challa’s mainstream success.
When Marvel Studios’ Black Panther was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews in 2018, I was skeptical. As a former comic-book nerd and current MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) aficionado, Black Panther always existed as an interesting background character who popped up at crucial moments, but his own titles never did well. After seeing the film, I was in awe. The storytelling, the visuals, the acting, the relatable Afrocentric themes made it, without question, one of the best superhero films ever produced. But as my mind returned to key scenes in Wakanda, images of other Black superheroes kept cropping up: Hardware, Static, Blood Syndicate, all characters from Milestone Comics. I suddenly knew why critics were labeling Black Panther as revolutionary. It all went back to the 1993 superhero narratives that introduced comic readers to Afrocentrism, what Algernon Austin defines as a “social movement that seeks to connect Black Americans culturally to Africa.”
The road to the Afrocentric mainstream starts with three people: Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, and Derek T. Dingle. In 1993, this trio of African American comic book writers and artists created Milestone Comics, a collection of original Black superheroes who would unapologetically operate within and speak to an African American system of values, norms, and beliefs. While some writers and artists had made sincere efforts to create interesting and well-rounded Black heroes like Black Panther, Storm, and Luke Cage, many of these protagonists were created by white men, denying the characters authentic and unique Black perspectives. Black superheroes were “Black in color only,” according to Todd Steven Burroughs; their racial identities were more novelty than defining traits. The Milestone founders were fed up with comics that were sterile and disingenuous. They believed that Black heroes written, drawn, and edited by a mostly Black team would lead to groundbreaking stories, but they needed funding and distribution to turn this dream into a practical livelihood.
Unlike contemporaneous Black-owned and operated comic book companies like ANIA, Milestone had struck “a ground-breaking deal with industry giant DC Comics whereby DC would print and distribute the Milestone titles without interfering with content or ownership rights,” says Jeffrey A. Brown in “Comic Book Masculinity and the New Black Superhero.” “This unique relationship allow[ed] Milestone to reach a much larger audience than any other African American comic book publisher [had] ever been able to.” Milestone found the backing needed to develop a readership and had the talent necessary to compete with heavyweights like Marvel. Yet to make characters resonate with diverse and discerning fanboys, they had to move beyond the novelty of simply giving traditional superhero archetypes dark complexions. McDuffie, who died in 2011, believed Milestone’s characters had to embody Black identity and epitomize the Black experience in an almost tangible way that no other major superhero publisher had even attempted.
In a 1994 interview with the Village Voice, McDuffie described how Milestone’s setting would allow its characters to stand apart from other superheroes of the era. “We’re doing superheroes,” McDuffie said, “but they’re going to live in a world that looks more like [the Black] world.” Milestone’s debut roster of Hardware, Icon, Static, and Blood Syndicate needed stories centered around Black identity, conflicts, and trials that young Black readers could easily relate to and which others, despite age or racial background, could empathize with and understand.
Hardware hit comic book stores in 1993. I bought the first issue when I was twelve. The story focused on Curtis Metcalf, a young African American engineering prodigy recruited, and later exploited, by a racist CEO to develop high-tech weaponry. Little does his oppressive mentor realize that Metcalf has formed the alter-ego of Hardware (a mix of Batman and Iron Man) to systematically destroy the company. It was a different superhero plot mixed with Denys Cowan’s edgy pencils and a perspective previously unknown to me, which made the narrative ever more alluring.
The first two pages of Hardware feature a set of wide and then long panels that flash between a young Metcalf and his caged pet parakeet. The bird escapes, eyes the backyard through a closed window, and tries to fly out, but “[. . .] inevitably,” the fictional Metcalf notes, “[he’d] crack his head on the windowpane.” Cowan employs an alternating close-up between the parakeet repeatedly hitting its head and Metcalf somberly scooping up the bird and caging it. “My bird made a common error,” Metcalf says. “He mistook being out of his cage for being free.” While Metcalf’s genius provides him with opportunities, his Blackness keeps him forever imprisoned.
It was impossible for me, a white youth, to directly relate to this, but I understood the message, and I realized the Black perspective was complicated, compelling, and yet taboo in school, on television, and in the comics I read. It was a completely new way of seeing and questioning the world. I couldn’t wait for Hardware #2, but when I returned to the store a month later to buy it, there were no copies of it, or any Milestone Comics, on the racks.
“Don’t carry them,” the shop’s owner told me. “No interest.” The store didn’t want to sell comics about Black superheroes created by Black artists; as the Milestone creative team explained in the recent HBO Max documentary Milestone Generations, shop owners thought the titles were only for Black readers and therefore difficult to sell.
Undeterred by inconsistent placement and advertising, Milestone continued to mine stories rooted in Black culture and racial divides. At first, this seemed to go over well with critics, readers, and DC supervisors, leading McDuffie and his team to explore other aspects of the Black experience. Milestone Generations filmmakers break down how McDuffie committed to writing about sexuality in the 25th issue of Static, Milestone’s most popular title. DC advised McDuffie and his team to be more subtle, especially where cover art was concerned, but Milestone argued to keep the issue intact.
DC and Milestone reached a compromise, but just before publication, McDuffie inserted an editorial about the conflict in the issue’s opening pages. “Static is a fun comic, but it’s never shied away from topics like gang violence, homophobia, and racism. It’s not about to start now,” he wrote defiantly. DC viewed the move as an example of Milestone’s contempt and took steps to weaken the imprint financially toward the goal of its eventual closure. Over the course of three years, Milestone was absorbed into DC’s offices where the creative team fragmented. Milestone was no more, but it had succeeded in cultivating its key selling point: making Afrocentrist points of view relatable to all readers instead of distant and obscure.
While the Milestone brand withered, its influence survived. Some members of the imprint’s original creative team went on to produce an animated version of Static, titled Static Shock. Since the show was aimed at a wider and more family-friendly demographic, many of the themes and arguments that made Milestone so popular were abandoned, but the show found viewers and maintained them for four seasons. More importantly, producer and director Reginald Hudlin took notice of the show. He had originally been sought by Cowan in the early ‘90s to help launch Milestone, but Hudlin’s quick rise in the film industry prevented his involvement. He did, however, keep tabs on Milestone’s titles and worked their themes into his own stories when he became lead writer for Marvel Comics’ Black Panther comic book series in 2005. Hudlin wanted King T’Challa/Black Panther “to represent the fulfillment of the potential of the motherland” by making him into a “cosmopolitan [. . .] steeped in tradition.” His Afrocentric version of Black Panther resonated with audiences, leading to a 62 issue stretch that provided the narrative inspiration for the 2018 film.
Screenwriter and director Ryan Coogler had those same themes in mind when he developed Black Panther, the film, which starred the late Chadwick Boseman in the title role. It brilliantly blends Afrofuturistic imagery and settings with modern-day conflicts, effectively exploring what it means to be Black in the modern western world. The difficulties that both T’Challa/Black Panther and his rival Killmonger face in balancing this duality is unique to the Black experience yet easy for wider audiences to appreciate. The approach sounds academic and intense, but, like the Milestone stories before it, the movie stays true to its superhero roots by remaining riveting, visually stunning, funny, and simple to follow.
Like McDuffie, Coogler was committed to uncomfortable but thought-provoking topics in addressing contemporary racial strife. Toward the end of the film, Killmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan) utters his last words: “Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships because they knew death was better than bondage.” The young auteur believed the line would be removed for being too controversial, but Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige supported it. “It was one of the best lines we ever read,” Feige said. “Keep it and build more of the movie around it.” The lines point to the enduring impact of slavery on Black identity, a theme rooted in Milestone’s DNA. Once upon a time, highlighting such ideas was understood to be forbidden in tentpole franchises like Black Panther and Static Shock. Now, the success of these characters, on page and on screen, suggests that wide, diverse audiences are ready and eager to take on large, thorny questions regarding race.
Building off of Black Panther’s undeniable momentum, Milestone returned in 2020 as the rebranded Milestone Media, dedicated to re-introducing its classic characters through multiple platforms. To ensure that this Afrocentric style of storytelling remains viable for the long term, Milestone’s executive team, which now included Hudlin, launched the Milestone Initiative, a developmental program dedicated to supporting the careers of young artists and writers of color.
Black Panther was made to help both African American characters and audiences connect to and celebrate their African origins, but this should not be regarded as a divisive storytelling tool. Rather, it unites readers by encouraging them to empathize and engage with a perspective long under-recognized. Milestone laid the foundation to make Black superheroes, and Black identity, universally relatable and normal, so that one day characters like Hardware and T’Challa can just be superheroes—no modifiers necessary.
My latest documentary, SIDNEY, had a glowing premiere at Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month! It felt amazing to honor Mr. Poitier after years of hard work with my collaborator, Oprah Winfrey.
*One of the most highly anticipated events at the Hollywood Bowl every other summer is the all-star “Black Movie Music Night” where multiple singers and musicians perform classic songs from African American motion pictures complete with scenes from the films shown on a big screen above the stage.
Oscar-nominated film and television producer/director/writer Reginald Hudlin, who masterminded “Black Movie Music Night at The Bowl” speaks to Los Angeles-based music journalist A. Scott Galloway about what attendees have instore this Wed. Aug. 24., highlights of past shows, his relationship with musical director Marcus Miller.
Hudlin ascended from shooting music videos for the likes of Heavy D The Boyz to directing the 1990 urban breakthrough film “House Party” to President of Entertainment for BET to producing films such as the Thurgood Marshall biopic “Marshall” (starring Chadwick Boseman) and so much more.
Here, he shares stories about the origin of his love for movie music, his film “Boomerang” at 30, memories of Hollywood Bowl concerts he’s attended, plus thoughts on the ‘Black Moses’ of music and film Isaac Hayes and ‘The Black Godfather’ Clarence Avant on whom he directed the award-winning documentary. Enjoy.
Galloway: Do the words “Rainy Day in Centerville” mean anything to you?
Hudlin: Woooo! You’re hittin’ it on multiple levels! First of all, I am a real music aficionado to the point of snobbery, right. I’m a huge Minnie Riperton fan AND a huge Ramsey Lewis fan. So, I loved that Ramsey album The Piano Player (Cadet/Chess – 1970) where he does a bunch of the songs that were also on Minnie’s first album, Come to My Garden (GRT – 1970). But I had never heard Minnie’s first album. I thought her first album was Perfect Angel (Epic – 1974), So when I’m dating this young lady, Chrisette, who later became my wife, we get into this whole debate about Minnie Riperton’s first album. I’m like, ‘Oh, no, you’re not gonna hip ME to some music?! I GOT this arena!’ We had already bonded on deep cuts by folks like Miriam Makeba. We’re already in the cut! So, we go to Tower Records, she pulls the CD out and plays it for me. These are songs I had heard Ramsey do instrumentally (“Whenever, Wherever,” “Close Your Eyes and Remember” and “A Rainy Day in Centerville”) but I’d never heard her vocal versions. So, I’m like, ‘O.K., you’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re charming but, WHOA – you just hipped me to some music that I didn’t know and needed to know!’ I’m not going to exaggerate and say that’s one of the reasons I married my wife. However…
I was born in Centerville, Illinois! So, from my birth to my marriage…everything goes through that record. It’s a perfect, no-skip album. You just put that on!
Galloway: Charles Stepney, who produced and orchestrated both of those Ramsey and Minnie LPs, is being celebrated this Thursday (Aug. 18) with a concert in Millennium Park featuring a NEW version of the band Rotary Connection (222) which launched Minnie back in the `60s.
Hudlin: That’s long overdue! Charles Stepney is one of the greatest to ever do it.
Galloway: Now, I know you wrote a few songs for the cartoon “Bebe’s Kids,” but did you ever play an instrument, sing or have musical aspirations?
Hudlin: I play the stereo! (laughs) It’s funny, I was once on the tour bus with Parliament-Funkadelic where I got to meet and hang out with one of my heroes, Bernie Worrell (piano, keyboard and synthesizer wizard). Brother Foley (multi-instrumentalist), the one who brought me on the bus and is a great musician as well, told Bernie, ‘You know Reggie plays, too!” I’m like, “NO-NO-NO!! Do Not Embarrass Me Like That!” Bernie’s like, ‘I knew it! I could tell!!” (laughter)
No brother, I don’t play a thing. But music is the thing that inspires me in everything else I do. I feel like music is the ultimate expressive artform. Everyone else is trying to get to where music is, whether you’re a painter, a filmmaker, a poet, whatever. You’re trying to match the emotional impact that music has. That’s why I love doing this show. It celebrates this great music that has been done over all these decades and its impact on music.
Galloway: What are your first powerful memories of music as it was interwoven with film or television?
Hudlin: There are so many cases of great music and great movies coming together. Like the “James Bond Theme” (composed by Monty Norman who recently passed away July 11 at 94 years-old). We were a music-heavy household. Listening to film scores is something me and my older brothers did – like “You Only Live Twice” or “Goldfinger” (both scored by John Barry). That was kind of our way into classical music. In between our James Brown and Earth, Wind & Fire, we listened to those scores with our fingers pointed up to be the Walther PPK (gun), acting the whole thing out! Then when Isaac Hayes’ Shaft hit, that took it to the next level because you had all these amazing Black artists who were already making music that felt cinematic. All of a sudden, Isaac and Marvin Gaye (“Trouble Man”) had this bigger canvas on which to stretch out. The thing about that music of the `70s, they were doing some of their best work for movies. Curtis Mayfield’s score for “Superfly” is like an opera, each song telling the whole story of the movie. Listen to Luis Bonfa’s score for the Brazilian film “Black Orpheus” with all of it history of Bossa Nova.
So, when I would go to the Hollywood Bowl’s “Movie Night” and they played films on a big screen with the orchestra accompanying, I loved that. I wanted to do that with my favorite music and movies. That’s how I came up with the idea.
Galloway: People truly look forward to your “Black Movie Music Night” every two years. Was it a challenge to convince The Bowl to try it?
Hudlin: I’d been wanting to do it for a number of years. Then 7 years ago when I was nominated for an Oscar for producing “Django Unchained,” some people from The Academy (of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) invited me to become more involved. I told them my idea for the Black Movie Music night and they said, “That sounds great.” So, I pitched it to The Bowl and they said, “That sounds great.” So, we started putting the show together. And it’s a complicated program – very big and very ambitious. No one knew quite what it was because there hadn’t been anything quite like it. Through sheer force of will, we had to make something happen. So, the show went on and within the first two songs, the audience went crazy! By intermission, I see the head of The Academy and she was like, “This is the best show ever!” After the show, the Bowl was like, “We love this! Can’t wait to do it again.” Suddenly, it went from a one-time-only event to a semi-annual event. Then the Academy said we should consider you for some other shows. And that’s how I ended up producing The Oscars.
The moral of that story is to do what you believe in. I did it for art’s sake. I created the show because I wanted to see THAT SHOW. When I sat down to start programming the music for the first one, I came up with a list of songs. Just off the top of my head – no research – I stopped at 120 songs. I went to The Bowl and asked, “How many songs can I fit into one show?” They said, “About 12.” I was like “12?!?!” So, every year we do the show, we work our way through that list.
Reginald Hudlin, show host Craig Robinson and Marcus Miller
Galloway: I’ve been to the first three and enjoyed every one. One highlight was when we were all so devastated behind Prince’s death, you came back from intermission and had the orchestra play “Venus de Milo” from “Under the Cherry Moon.” It was a piece above and beyond appropriate for the Hollywood Bowl as it represented a pop superstar but a composition of his written for orchestra (arranged by Clare Fischer).
Hudlin: Prince is special to me. I try to honor him every year. He’s made so much great music and so much great music for movies. In the few times we got to meet, we talked about movies and music. He loved both art forms so much. “Venus de Milo” is such a beautiful piece that speaks to his breadth of talent and taste.
Galloway: I also loved when you had Gladys Knight perform not one but three songs from the “Claudine” soundtrack penned by Curtis Mayfield.
Hudlin: I remember watching Gladys’ total professionalism in rehearsal. During a break, I asked her about the making of that album. She told me incredible stories about being on the road with Curtis and how they recorded the songs. Then the night of the show, I’m at the lip of the stage in the wings, I feel someone on my back. I turn around and it’s “Babyface,” fanning out just like me! Then someone else tapped me on the shoulder and says, “Gladys performing these three songs all in one show may never happen again.” That was a moment in history.
People come to this event with their families which is so nice. For young people who don’t hear music with these kinds of lush arrangements, it’s so important. We showcase movie music for every generation. People often tell me when they’re on their way home, they’re talking about the next movies they’re going to be watching as a family over the next several nights.
Galloway: You mentioned Babyface who I understand will be participating this year because you will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Boomerang” (1992) which you directed and the soundtrack for which was released on LaFace Records (the Arista Records subsidiary helmed by Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds in the `90s.) Did (film star) Eddie Murphy personally bring that story idea to you?
Hudlin: Yeah. He saw “House Party,” got really excited and wanted to work with us (Reginald & Warrington Hudlin – The Hudlin Brothers). He sent that script over and I thought, “Wow! This will enable us to do that movie we’ve all been waiting for – a Black Romantic Comedy. We worked on it together to really make it reflect young Black professionals and their lifestyle. People still talk about this movie 30 years later.
The cast consisted of people I had great admiration for. Because it was an Eddie Murphy movie, they were all like, “Yeah, sure, I’ll do it!” I always wanted to surround Eddie with the kind of cast that he deserved – everyone firing on all cylinders. We were able to give “Boomerang” the dream cast. Technically, it was a job but it was so much fun…every day.
Galloway: I MUST ask you what it was like to work with a few of these great entertainers, beginning with Geoffrey Holder who played “Nasty Nelson.”
Hudlin: Just a legend – an honor. He embraced the role, knew exactly what to do and was just so much fun.
Galloway: Eartha Kitt who played “Lady Eloise”
Hudlin: Awesome! When Eartha and Grace Jones (who played “Strange’”) met, Eartha said, “You’re doing me but you’re doing it all wrong, darling!” She then started to teach Grace how to purr and growl in her Eartha Kitt style. Grace was gracious and completely went along with it. It was a historic moment with these two international singing/acting legends.
Galloway: John Witherspoon who played “Mr. Jackson” in his mushroom ensemble who delivered the instant hood classic line for sex: “BANG-BANG-BANG!!!”
Hudlin: There is probably no actor I worked with more than Witherspoon…movies, television, all kinds of stuff. He’s a legend, beloved by everyone and so missed.
Galloway: Finally, my Leo sister who celebrated her 56th birthday yesterday, Halle Berry, who played “Angela”: the ‘straightest’ role amongst all the craziness. You got Halle early in her career. She went on to win an Oscar and play so many memorable roles afterward. When you were working with Halle, did you have an inkling that 30 years later this pretty face would still be around and so grandly?
Hudlin: There was no doubt she was a movie star even though she was not yet famous at that time. But just from her part in Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever,” you’re like, ‘Wow, who’s that?!’ Then you meet her, she’s charismatic, beautiful, charming. She’s a person you want to be around. That’s that movie star quality. All of the crew people on the set fell in love with her in a way that was beyond her beauty. They were enamored by her spirit. So, no surprise for her to become who she is. She has clearly shown how versatile she is. I just saw “Bruised,” her directorial debut – another amazing turn for her. I would love to do more romantic comedy with her but she has proven that she can do anything. That’s the mark of a truly talented actress.
Galloway: What can we expect in your 30th-anniversary salute to “Boomerang” as part of this year’s “Black Movie Music Night?”
Hudlin: It’s tricky because you could do a whole night of “Boomerang” songs but we’ve got several other things on the plate, too. We’re going to celebrate the career of Sidney Poitier. We’re going to tip our hats to several movies of the past as well as movies of today. It will be a very eclectic program featuring Lalah Hathaway, Charlie Wilson and Babyface. We’ve never had Kid ‘N Play on the show so they’re going to bring some “House Party” action. We’ve never had Jennifer Holliday. We’ve never had Eric Benét. We’ve never had Warren G. We’ve never had Macy Gray. So, we’ve got a lot of great new faces as well as reoccurring favorites. That’s the right mix.
Galloway: Being a Chicago native, do you remember the first concert you attended at the Bowl or a couple that were most memorable?
Hudlin: I don’t remember the very first one but I’ve been to so many – from Earth Wind & Fire to Björk to The Count Basie Orchestra to that one-time-only concert with Marcus Miller, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Cindy Blackman (MegaNova). The Hollywood Bowl is my favorite music venue. So, I’m very happy to be back there and happen to be doing a show.
Galloway: You and Marcus Miller, Musical Director for “Black Movie Music Night,” go back quite a way. One thing of many he did was compose the score for “Boomerang” then turn the main theme into a vocal song featuring Raphael Saadiq for his album M2 [M-Squared] (3 Deuces/Telarc – 2001). Talk to me about your relationship with Marcus as a film scorer.
Hudlin: Marcus is a genius yet he’s so humble. He’s not a guy out there always gassing himself up. He’s universally respected. No matter what genre of music, people know Marcus Miller as quality. No matter what style of music, you know Marcus will nail it. I really rely on him during these shows. He was the perfect choice for a show like this.
Galloway: Do you feel like music is still optimized in today’s moviemaking the way it was in the past? For example, my favorite song of 2019 was “Collide” by Earthgang & Tiana Major9 from the movie “Queen & Slim.” Yet it was BURIED as the SECOND end credits song. I would never have discovered it had I not been the kind of moviegoer who sits through the credits to the end of a film. It just doesn’t feel like people leave movie theaters humming theme songs anymore.
Hudlin: It’s really unfortunate to look up and feel like the golden age of the movie soundtrack has passed… It’s not a priority for record labels anymore. I think the nature of record labels has changed. That great partnership when they could work with an artist or group of artists supporting both in terms of providing music for a film and the cross-promotional support for a film with a soundtrack album. I don’t know all the reasons why that’s not there anymore. But I lament its passing.
Galloway: As a Leo growing up with the pride that my birthday falls on Count Basie’s (Aug. 21) and one day after Isaac Hayes’ (Aug. 20) – I strongly believe that Isaac’s 1972 Oscar and Grammy wins for “Theme from ‘Shaft’” plus performing on both telecasts was the catalyst if not the height of Black Movie Music.
Hudlin: The older I get, the deeper I get into his music. The “Shaft” score, “Three Tough Guys” as well as the theme from the television show “The Men” prove he was a brilliant musician with a great sense of score and scale. Tragically, I never got to work with him
Galloway: My final inquiry into your amazing filmography is in regard to Clarence Avant and your documentary “The Black Godfather.” Can you speak to the impact of his singularly influential life?
Hudlin: When I directed that documentary, I also created a mandala visually depicting how Clarence Avant is connected to everything as he is the center of the hub. There are so many generations of artists, executives and politicians – so many people in so many fields – who owe their success to Clarence. For too long, he was this missing piece of Black History…mainly because he honestly believed in the phrase, “Real bad boys move in silence.” It was his daughter, Nicole, who finally convinced him to tell his story. I was honored for the opportunity. Clarence actually said, “I like Reggie. Let’s have him do it.” The effect of the movie just keeps going… It has been viewed so many times and so many people come up to me from every walk of life saying, “Man, that movie changed the way I think.” I’m very proud of the work and that his last gift to us continues to have an impact.
Galloway: No one I know has spoken to him since the tragic murder of his wife, Jacqueline, last December. The shooter was later sentenced to 150 years in prison. Do you have any idea how Mr. Avant is holding up?
Hudlin: I have not spoken to him…but I’ve talked with his daughter and people around him. All I can say is he’s a strong man.
When DC Comics announced the Milestone Generations documentary, I just assumed it would be an episodic series. After all, previous documentary attempts like Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comicsor SYFY Wire‘s Behind the Panel only just scratched the surface about Milestone Media, the groundbreaking publisher created to foster greater representation. So I was taken by surprise to discover that Milestone Generations was just a single film. In spite of the runtime at less than an hour, it’s not only a superb and earnest examination of the company and its shared universe of characters but also the creators and innovators responsible.
Co-founded in 1993 by Denys Cowan, Dwayne McDuffie, Michael T. Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, Milestone and its shared universe known as the Dakotaverse was often seen for years as a “failed experiment” after it ceased publishing comics due to the infamous comic speculators implosion of the ’90s and various other factors. However, like most things ahead of their time, Milestone’s creations have garnered a greater appreciation and audience over time that eventually culminated in its long-awaited recent revitalization.
What distinguishes Milestone Generations from the previous documentary projects that I mentioned is that it spotlights underappreciated innovations of the company. For instance, the documentary sheds light on the 100-color process to depict a variety of skin tones through interviews with Milestone color editor and artist Jason Scott Jones and artist Noelle Giddings.
Since his tragic passing, Dwayne McDuffie is often seen as the “Stan Lee of Milestone.” Given his extraordinary creative outlet and larger than live presence (both figuratively and literally) the epithet is understandable. However, it’s one that does a disservice not only to McDuffie but the countless others involved in Milestone. Case in point, some may be unaware that Jim Owlsey aka Christopher Priest was originally supposed to be Milestone’s Editor-in-Chief but bowed out for personal reasons. The documentary properly acknowledges Priest for coming up with the Milestone logo but glosses over Priest’s importance to Milestone’s creative direction. Given the runtime, there’s only so much information the piece can include so it’s completely understandable. In an old online column, McDuffie credits some of Priest’s specific contributions:
He was integral to the backstory of our universe’s origin myth, supplementing my notion of a “Stonewall-like civil uprising” (by drawing on the urban legends about chemicals added to Tahitian Treat soda to sterilize poor blacks). He titled the book Blood Syndicate (I was calling it “Bang Babies”) and replaced all the code names I came up with for those characters with good ones. In Icon, he forced me to give Rocket powers, even though I was sure the book would be better if she didn’t. I was wrong, he was right. Mark that down in your calendars, folks, you may never hear me say that again. Most importantly, Priest gave me a copy of his self-written editorial handbook. With his unique combination of intelligence, wit and self-aware prickishness, he described the job better than anyone else ever has. Over the years, I’ve referred to it often. I still think he should publish it.
While the documentary thankfully never falls into the trap of becoming ‘The Dwayne McDuffie” it still manages to properly pay tribute to the late/great creator through interviews with his friends and colleagues like former Milestone editor Matt Wayne and most especially his widow Charlotte “Fullerton” McDuffie. Though she appears only briefly, seeing McDuffie’s mother Edna Gardner on camera for the first time to talk about her son alongside longtime friend Robin Chaplik is guaranteed to pull at the heartstrings.
Without a doubt, the documentary’s primary focus (and rightfully so) is the people responsible for the creation of Milestone. By putting the creators at the forefront, the actual Milestone characters and stories are only discussed in a fairly generalized or abstract sense. It’s fine for those who already know the characters, but I’m not completely sure a non-comic reader would have a better understanding of the uniqueness of the Milestone characters after watching the documentary. Take Augustus Freeman better known as the superhero Icon. On the surface, he may simply appear to be a “black Superman pastiche” but what sets him apart and often puts him into conflict with others are his conservative views and beliefs. At the time when Milestone first launched (and probably even more so today), to be black and a conservative was incongruous so to depict one of your main heroes with conservative leanings was a rather bold choice. It’s a testament to McDuffie and others that despite holding opposing political views that they could still portray a character like Icon as a hero. Milestone, in a far cry from my chief criticism of today’s comics and media in general, really sought to see things from different points of view and in doing so tried to bring people closer together.
Any minor quibbles or complaints I have only speak to my desire for a followup project for an even deeper dive. The sky is the limit regarding potential topics of Milestone’s history that didn’t make the final cut in this documentary such as transgender creator Maddie Blaustein, the earlier attempts to branch in media outside of comics like the ill-fated M.A.N.T.I.S. television series, or the development of the Static Shock cartoon.
It also needs to be noted that Milestone helped break in quite a number of big time comic talents into the industry like Humberto Ramos, J.H. Williams, and most especially John Paul Leon, yet another creator we lost just last year. The Milestone Initiative program, whose inaugural class is highlighted in the documentary, was created to nurture similar potential new talent so if this new generation is anything like the original, we can expect big things.
Praise all around to director Justice A. Whitaker and story producer Evan Narcisse and everyone involved in the production of this Milestone Generations documentary.
