Characters like cocky inventor genius Hardware, omniscient Machiavellian manipulator Dharma and energy-absorbing strongman Third Rail didn’t have to stand in for all black, Indian or Asian people when they appeared. The multiplicity of ethnically diverse heroes and villains in the fictional city of Dakota meant that a broader range of storytelling possibility was available, too.

Milestone wasn’t just ethnically multicultural, either. Donner and Blitzen from the Heroes title were the first openly lesbian couple I can remember seeing in superhero comics and several comics featured other gay and transgender characters in their stories.

But, that’s all gone now. Things haven’t gotten better since Milestone published its last comics in 1996. Even while they’re becoming blockbuster summer tentpole movies, superhero comics present an even more lonesome landscape for those looking for characters of color.

If Milestone’s new to you, then you can go here and here to learn more. For those who remember, someone has to mourn when a universe fades and I’m electing me. Forthwith, a very personal remembrance of my favorite Milestone Media moments. Spoilers ahead…

Read more: http://techland.com/2010/03/05/the-end-of-an-era-memories-of-milestone-comics/#ixzz0hLax7HzM

McDuffie represents something of an ideal. Not only is he a self-described “proto-nerd” who made it to the promised land of professional comics writing, but he’s also transformed his career at least twice over. Whether he’s been a freelance writer, editor-in-chief or an animated series producer, the sharp edge of a black intellectual tradition always pokes through his work.

Race, Sci-Fi, and Comics: A Talk with Dwayne McDuffie…

Once again citing “fair use,” DC Comics has chosen to remove several key quotations from MILESTONE FOREVER, and once again I was given no time to rewrite the offending sections. Following are the quotes that should have been in the issue, including the final quotation, summing up the whole project.

From the end of the last HARDWARE story, “Escape:

“Sometimes I suspect that we build our traps ourselves, then we back into them, pretending amazement the while.”

—Neil Gaiman

And from the final panel of the book, the Dharma story “Metafictions”:

“Never think you’ve seen the last of anything.”

—Eudora Welty

Finally, the postscript to the whole project, pointed at me, rather than Dharma:

“And although I knew no one man could do much about it, I felt responsible. All our work had been very little, no great change had been made. And it was all my fault. I’d been so fascinated by the motion, that I’d forgotten to measure what it was bringing forth. I’d been asleep, dreaming.”

—Ralph Ellison

Comic Book Resources has an exclusive preview of the story of my life –I mean, the last Milestone Story, on sale Wednesday, March 3rd.

From the solicitation:

MILESTONE FOREVER #2 (OF 2) (Comic – On Sale March 03, 2010)

Written by DWAYNE MCDUFFIE; Art by JOHN PAUL LEON, DENYS COWAN, PRENTIS ROLLINS, CHRISCROSS, and ROB STULL; Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU

You’ve read Dwayne McDuffie’s JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA arc, “When Worlds Collide”! Now find out what pushed Dharma into madness and how Dakota came to the DCU. Witness the triumphant return of some of Milestone’s original creative teams as they give you a story that no one else could!…

And now, let’s try it in English. This is the final story of the old Milestone continuity, including the last Hardware story, with art by Milestone Founder Denys Cowan, the last adventure of Static Shock, with art by Chris Cross, and the final decision of Dharma, concerning the fate of the entire Dakota Universe, with art by John Paul Leon. There are major ramifications for the DCU as well, one hopes.

This is as personal a story as anything I’ve ever written, and is likely to be my final word on Milestone’s relationship with DC Comics, and multicultural comics relationship with the medium as a whole.

My guess is the cover will once again be altered from the image above into stupid 90’s graphitti, so before you give up, ask your local comics dealer if he’s carrying it.

…And people seem to like it.

Following are links to some reviews of my new movie JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS:

…Crisis feels like the perfect Justice League movie; it manages to mix large scale spectacle and smart writing that, although this could never be described as a character-based piece, still manages to have enough character to keep everyone from devolving into generic superheroes; writer Dwayne McDuffie shows off an economy learned from years of working on the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited shows, managing to sketch each member with just a few words, but make them believable despite everything.

The writing is classic McDuffie; plenty of fun humor, great ensemble interaction, some ideological clashes, a bit of satire and some overwritten—but nonetheless snappy—dialogue (”We’re not the same. We both looked into the abyss, but when it stared back… You blinked.”) to complement the action scenes.

if you like comics and super-hero movies you can’t go wrong with DC’s latest animated film, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. It’s a terrific translation of classic comics stories to film with a contemporary flavor.

If you’re a fan of the Justice League, “Crisis” is a must-see if only to watch them all kick some you-know-what…

If you love action, if you love adventure, and if you enjoy superheroes, this is probably the best or at least one of the best team comics-based movies you’ll ever see.  It’s the best of all the DC Universe films to date, and very likely one of the best animated longjohns movies I’ve ever experienced. It’s that good. Cudos to Dwayne McDuffie, who wrote an incredible script.

…if you watch Justice League Crisis on two Earths you’ll know its a cut above the rest. From start to finish, this is truly a masterpiece.

The DC/Warner Bros. team couldn’t have picked a better author for the “Crisis On Two Earths” script than comics veteran Dwayne McDuffie, and his knowledge of the DC Universe and love for the characters shines in the film…. One of the strongest animated features from DC or Marvel to hit shelves thus far, “Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths” is not only an enjoyable film, but it’s a strong film from start to finish. It also stands heads and shoulders above many of its animated peers by finding the right combination of nostalgic, superhero fun with a sense of urgency and genuine danger for its heroes.

The animation is impressive, fluid and detailed, with a scale that seems to stretch far beyond the small screen. There’s a lot of action in this too, ranging from intimate one-on-one fights to major conflicts between dozens of characters. Both are handled equally well, and with a playful sense of humor that screenwriter Dwayne McDuffie (a former writer for the Justice League TV series) infuses in the film from the very first scene. There are also pop-culture references abound, from Air Force One to Star Wars to Watchmen. Whether you’re a longtime comic-book reader, a fan of the television series or completely new to the Justice League franchise, there’s something in this for everyone.

What’s great about Dwayne McDuffie’s script is how it makes DC’s otherwise indecipherable multiverse concept accessible to people who aren’t as familiar with the comics. McDuffie and directors Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu make sure to include a litany of great Easter eggs throughout the film, with one of the final moments stealing the show. I can tell you after watching it multiple times that it was well worth the wait, and is a film that fans and non-fans alike will highly enjoy.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a great addition to the growing DC animated feature film stable. A strong, proper superhero yarn wrapped up in great action, tons of cameos, beautiful animation and a pleasing selection of voices to listen to, it really is a must see for all long time DC comic book fans the world over!

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is just phenomenal.

I absolutely LOVED this movie. Dwayne McDuffie did an amazing job with the script. You don’t need to know anything about the Multiverse or the Crime Syndicate to enjoy the movie. It is full of action and comedy…. There isn’t a second when you are not either laughing or sitting on the edge of your seat.

I show up as #7 on Mania.com’s “10 Most Influential African Americans In Sci Fi.” Obviously, this is a very controversial list, omitting many important behind the scenes creators for mostly actors, but I’m aggressively laying claim to anything that puts me in the same zip code as the great Octavia Butler.

I loved Crisis on Two Earths, and my kneejerk reaction is that it’s far and away my favorite of DC’s direct-to-video movies since the current line launched in 2007. Easily its greatest strength is Dwayne McDuffie stepping in as writer, really. He has a knack for melding the sprawling and cosmic with smaller character moments, and McDuffie is a sharp

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enough writer to ensure that a scene with a few characters standing around talking can be every bit as engaging as a couple dozen superheroes lunging at each other. I’ll admit that while Crisis on Two Earthshad me hooked from word one, it felt at first to me like it was going to be just a few episodes of Justice Leaguestitched together, but the more the movie went along, the more I found myself enthralled with its scope…with its philosophical bent…with its sharp characterization. McDuffie’s written a script that’s colossal in scope and sets the stakes extremely high, and yet it’s not unrelentingly bleak or grim like DC’s comics frequently are these days. The tone he strikes is exceptionally effective, and the splashes of humor throughout are brilliant.

Adam Tyner at DVDTalk.com has more…

Click for more…

http://www.newsarama.com/common/media/video/player.php?aid=33556