The Legacy of Milestone Media

Earlier this week it was announced that Milestone Media is being revived as Milestone Media 2.0 by three of its co-founders, Reginald Hudlin, Denys Cowan, and Derek Dingle. The announcement comes almost exactly four years after the death of the fourth co-founder, comics and cartoon legend, Dwayne McDuffie.

This is wonderful news as Milestone's unique storytelling voice has been sorely missed from comics.

When most people look at Milestone's impact on the industry, they are quick to note that the company was a minority owned publisher that produced original minority superheroes such as Static Shock, Icon, Rocket and Hardware. Many people believe Milestone's legacy was primarily in terms of racial progress. While that's true, that's far from the whole story.

Long before terms like "intersectionality" and "social justice" became buzzwords on Tumblr, these were edicts Milestone lived by when they published their titles in a less progressive climate back in the nineties. Milestone featured exceptional heroines and other superheroes of color such as Blitzen and Iron Butterfly. The publisher also introduced prominent LGBTQ protagonists such as Gear and Marissa Rahms.

Milestone understood that comic book fans come from all walks of life and we're all deserving of a champion who represents us properly. In terms of the genre and fandom, there's a place for everyone. Hudlin, Cowan and Dingle are three of the most talented storytellers in the industry. Whatever they have planned, it will be spectacular. McDuffie will no doubt be proud.