Twenty years ago, Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle started a revolution in comics with Milestone Media, creating a new comic book universe set in the fictional city of Dakota that focused on minority characters, criminally under-represented in mainstream comic books at that time. Amazing artists and voices rose from Milestone including John Paul Leon, ChrisCross, Shawn Martinbrough, Tommy Lee Edwards, J.Scott.J, Matt Wayne, Prentis Rollins, J.H. Williams III, Humberto Ramos, John Rozum, Eric Battle, Joseph Illidge, Madeleine Blaustein, Jamal Igle, Chris Batista and Harvey Richards. Perhaps too ahead of it’s time, Milestone didn’t last, but their characters including Shadow Cabinet, Icon and Rocket, Blood Syndicate, Hardware, Xombi and Static are still beloved by hundreds of thousands of fans today.
A decade ago when I started the first incarnation of this site, I was put in touch with Charlotte Fullerton, a talented writer who writes for every cartoon you’ve enjoyed in recent memory. Unfortunately, she couldn’t contribute, but we remained “internet” friends in the crazy way that social media allows. Charlotte was married to Dwayne McDuffie, who passed away the same day as my father a few years ago. The difference is my father had been sick for some time and was 82. Dwayne deserved many, many more years.
I couldn’t have been prouder when Charlotte asked me last week if I would share news about The 20th Anniversary of Milestone Comics panel that’s taking place at San Diego Comic Con on Friday, July 19th.
If you’re going to San Diego and you’re one of the few people who are still going because you love comics, treat yourself to seeing and meeting these talented people. Full details after the jump.
“You don’t start none, there won’t be none.”Static #1 (1993)
