Creator Corner: Evan Narcisse on Milestone 30th Anniversary Special

2023-03-30

Thirty years ago, Milestone Media dropped into comic shops. Their books were almost unrecognizable next to the other comics being published at the time. They were politically charged, radically motivated, and bursting with boundless creative energy. Founded by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, Milestone Media changed the game and delivered iconic characters like Static, Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Rocket, and, yeah, Icon. If you want to understand the context...

Thirty years ago, Milestone Media dropped into comic shops. Their books were almost unrecognizable next to the other comics being published at the time. They were politically charged, radically motivated, and bursting with boundless creative energy. Founded by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, Milestone Media changed the game and delivered iconic characters like Static, Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Rocket, and, yeah, Icon.

If you want to understand the context surrounding Milestone's creation and its profound impact on the industry, you need to check out the documentary Milestone Generations, currently streaming on HBO Max. Our guest this week, Evan Narcisse, worked extensively on the film. He's also been cranking out rad comics like Wildstorm vs. Waller and the short story "Universal Beings," which appeared in DC Comics' recent Milestone 30th Anniversary Special.

"Universal Beings" is a magnificent tale, a catastrophic tiny epic that smashes the original Milestone Universe from 1993, with the updated version dominating comic shops today. Inspired by the classic multiversal comic "Flash of Two Worlds," Narcisse's story allows him to confront contemporary notions of progress while supplying a kickass superhero adventure. What would 1993's Static think of 2023's Static, and vice versa? The conversation is thematically charged like all good Milestone books.

Narcisse also takes a moment to celebrate the genius of Dwayne McDuffie and all the eclectic voices that pulled Milestone out of nothingness and gifted the world the Dakotaverse, an unparalleled comics arena. In addition to relaunching these classic characters, DC Comics recently published two massive compendiums collecting the nineties Milestone stories. They are worth your attention.

Also, be sure to follow Evan Narcisse on Twitter.

Before Evan Narcisse joins the show, Lisa suffers through Brad's long-winded review of his 2023 WonderCon experience. You're paying attention if you can sense a little jealousy in that last sentence. Or is that envy? You'll have to listen to next week's podcast to answer that last question. Just know this, Brad had an amazing time in Anaheim, filled with all manner of creator interactions, panels, and comics purchasing.

The WonderCon Review ends at the 21:56 minute mark.

If you want to hear a more immediate review of WonderCon Day 1, check out The Geekly Grind podcast. And while you're at it, follow our friend Lance's adventures at Comic Book Keepers.