Milestone, one of the most coveted imprints of DC Comics, returns spring 2018. Moderator and VP of Creative Affairs at DC Entertainment Dan Evans announced five titles today during an all-star panel featuring many Milestone co-founders and new members of the creative team. Confirmed for release are: Milestone #1 (featuring Icon & Rocket), Static Shock, Love Army, Duo, and Earth M.
In attendance were Reginald Hudlin, Denys Cowan, Kyle Baker, Greg Pak, Alice Randall, Derek T Dingle and Jim Lee, all of whom are working on the new lineup. Hudlin also announced Milestone will reissue the classic lines over time and said he’d be "talking to DC executives about what other mediums they might appear” in as well.
“I’m happy to help bring this vision back. It’s been a long time coming, 25 years,” said Jim Lee.
The new books will take place in Earth-M, inspired by Geoff Johns, and will not connect with the rest of the DC Universe. It’s called Earth-M because not everything takes place in Dakota.
“We are reviving some of our favorite characters from the Dakota Universe, but we are not limited to that,” Hudlin said. “Let’s go back to the original format of Milestone, being its own characters in its own world. That will give us the freedom to really provide storytelling, do shocking stuff, not worrying about making sure we line up with the broader continuity of what’s happening in the DC Universe.”
The new titles won’t hold onto the past. When Dingle approached Cowan about reforming Milestone, they spoke about the importance of being original and breaking barriers.
“The spirit of Milestone was to constantly be doing new and innovative things. It wasn’t just that we have superheroes of color, but we also had gay characters before anyone else was doing that,” Hudlin said. “We were always on the cutting edge. The same way Milestone reflected the times that it was in [back then], we are going to reflect the times we are in now. Milestone is the first wave of a line of books that reflect where we are right this second…”
“And where we are going to go in the future,” Cowan said, finishing Hudlin’s sentence.
Milestone #1 Featuring Icon & Rocket
Story By Reginald Hudlin & Denys Cowan
Art By Ken Lashley
“This is a reset. So no previous knowledge required. Pick this up and go from there.” When asked to tease the story, Hudlin would only say, “It’s a story that Superman would never do.”
Static Shock
Story By Reginald Hudlin & Denys Cowan
Art By Kyle Baker
“I’ve written 140 pages of it so far, so we are way down the road on that,” said Hudlin. “This is all starting from scratch. You will see characters you know and love, you’ll see some new characters as well.” One of those characters is named Amber, a white girl with blonde hair.
“Usually in a black neighborhood, there is a white family who can’t afford to move out,” he added. “And what if one of them caught that same thing that everyone else is catching...We are going to have fun with Amber.”
Hudlin wouldn’t say any more about Static Shock story, except: "I’m from St. Louis. You know what’s in St Louis? Ferguson.”
Duo
Story By Reginald Hudlin & Denys Cowan
Written By Greg Pak
Cover Art By Jim Lee
“When those nanobots consume the body of Kelly, who is our heroes’ wife and fellow scientist, in order to heal his body it also transfers over her consciousness so this is a invulnerable person in this new body but he gradually learns that his wife is in his head. The two of them share this body. That should be awesome? Maybe?” Pak asked the audience.
“It starts off as a sweet romantic story, and it morphs into something possibly more horrific. what is identity? Who controls free-will and decision making. Things like that...images of duality, minds within minds,” Jim Lee said.
Love Army
Story By Reginald Hudlin
Concept Art By Ryan Benjamin
Love Army is a book of all new characters. “I just love books about kick-ass women,” Hudlin said. “I don’t want to say too much about the concept but they are all over the world and they are super strong and they are a secret organization.”
Earth M
Written by Reginald Hudlin & Alice Randall
Art By Denys Cowan & Bill Sienkiewicz
“What is crime?” Randall said describing the series. “It’s dark, it’s edgy and it really explores the concept of who a vigilante is,” Hudlin added.
"The book is shocking. We have found out how far they [DC] will go,” Hudlin joked before describing Earth M any further. “It’s a bold new character that I think you will love. This is just the tip of a really broad range of characters we’re coming out with.”
The panel closed with a guest appearance from Robert Kirkman, who previewed a few minutes of a new AMC documentary, The Secret History Of Comics. The episode focused on the rise and importance of Milestone in the 1990s.
“I know you guys have been waiting. We’ve announced it, we’ve gone back to the woodshed. It’s been freakishly complicated. A lot of times I just didn't want to compromise,” Hudlin said. “We are so excited that starting next year you’ll get to see what we’ve been working on for the last couple of years. Wait until you see what the second wave will be.”
Are you ready for Milestone Media’s relaunch? Let us know in the comments.
