Milestones in History shines a light on historic Black figures – and some superheroes

by Samantha Puc | Games Radar

This anthology from DC and Milestone Media is packed with great information and great heroes

Prince rocks a Superman shirt in DC’s Milestones in History (Image credit: DC)

DC and Milestone Media will publish the one-shot anthology Milestones in History on June 21, and DC has finally revealed details about the creators involved and the stories they’re telling.

For this collection, Milestone Media is steering away from superhero stories and instead focusing on real-life moments in Black history throughout the world. Milestone partner Reggie Hudlin says this is very intentional.

“In developing Milestones In History with DC, it was important that this not be another book about the commonly known names in American Black history, as important as they are,” Hudlin says in a statement. “Our goal with this anthology has always been to identify great storytellers from different backgrounds to celebrate Black history beyond the borders of America, and beyond the confines of slavery and oppression. While Black History is certainly all of that, it really is so much more.”

However, Milestone heroes Rocket, Static, Icon, Hardware, and more will narrate each tale. The 96-page Milestones in History will feature the following creators and stories, among others.

Writer Alice Randall will team up with artist Eric Battle for ‘Born in Africa – Mother of the World,’ which chronicles the historic discovery of ‘Lucy,’ a collection of fossilized bones discovered in Ethiopia. Milestone’s Rocket will narrate this story.

Randall will also team up with artists Don Hudson and Jose Marzan Jr. for ‘The Brilliant Black Russians: Pushkin and His Family of Genius.’ As implied by the title, this story follows the life of Russian novelist and poet Alexandra Pushkin.
Static and Rocket discuss the competing origins of the Queen of Sheba in ‘The Many Queens of Sheba,’ written by Amy Chu and illustrated by Maria Laura Sanapo.
Steven Barnes, Ron Wilson, and Mike Gustovich team up for ‘You Will Follow a Great Man,’ which chronicles the history of military commander and statesman Hannibal Barca.

‘The Dumas Legacy,’ narrated by Icon and Rocket, follows the family history of The Three Musketeers writer Alexandre Dumas. This short will be written by Tananarive Due and illustrated by Jamal Yaseem Igle and Chris Sotomayor.

Eugene Bullard was the first Black American to fly in combat and the only Black American pilot in World War I. Writer Pat Charles and artist Arvell Jones tell his story in ‘Ace.’
Writer Karyn Parsons and artist Franceso Francavilla explore the life of dancer, activist, and anthropologist Katharine Dunham in ‘Spirit Step.’
‘Controversy,’ by writer and activist Touré and artist Ray-Anthony Height, looks at the life and career of musical icon Prince.
In ‘The Sky’s the Limit,’ writer Melody Cooper and artist Domo Stanton follow the life of stunt pilot Bessie Coleman, who was the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license, and also former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison – the first Black woman to travel to space.

The heroes of the Dakotaverse will introduce DC and Milestone Media’s Milestones in History anthology, in a short comic by Reggie Hudlin and artist Janhoy Lindsay. And in ‘Things to Come,’ by Reggie Hudlin and Leon Chills, with art by Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan, readers will be treated to a teaser for what’s to come for the Milestone superheroes.

Milestones in History will be available June 21.