Milestone Media has announced the publisher’s first compendium of titles originally released throughout the ‘90s, including Static, Icon, Hardware, and more. The imprint from DC Comics which has been most known for its electrifying teenage superhero has an entire universe of thrilling stories.
More than 20 years ago, comic book fans were introduced to Virgil Hawkins, Raquel Ervin, Augustus Freeman IV, and Curtis Metcalf among others. Milestone’s titles explored life through diverse characters, providing a unique perspective that many readers couldn’t find in other mainstream publishers. From Static to Rocket to Hardware, the series followed a handful of Dakota citizens who were just beginning to embark on a journey to becoming heroes. Since their original ‘90s debut, Milestone’s titles have largely been unavailable in print, only accessible in digital format on DC Universe Infinite.
Next year, Milestone will release Milestone Compendium One, collecting the initial runs of Static, Hardware, Icon, Blood Syndicate, and Xombi. Fans will finally be able to return to the stories written by the founding creative team who pioneered the Dakotaverse, including the late Dwayne McDuffie, the late Robert L. Washington III, Ivan Velez Jr., and John Rozum, among others. Original series artists who created the look of iconic heroes such as Static and Rocket include Denys Cowan, the late John Paul Leon, and M.D. Bright. Compendium One will feature Blood Syndicate #1-12, Hardware #1-12, Icon #1-10, Static #1-8, and Xombi #0-11, along with Shadow Cabinet #0. The collection’s cover illustrated by original Milestone team member Denys Cowan has been revealed, as seen below.
MILESTONE COMPENDIUM ONE
Written by DWAYNE McDUFFIE, IVAN VELEZ JR., JOHN ROZUM, ROBERT L. WASHINGTON III, and others
Art by DENYS COWAN, JOHN PAUL LEON, M.D. BRIGHT, and others
Cover by DENYS COWAN
$59.99 US | 1,320 pages | 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″ | Softcover
ISBN: 978-1-77951-310-6
ON SALE 2/1/22
The groundbreaking comics imprint from the 1990s returns, restored and collected in a brand-new series of compendium editions! This inaugural volume features the first appearances of Static, Icon, Hardware, the Blood Syndicate, and Xombi, with epic stories and stunning art from Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr., John Rozum, Denys Cowan, John Paul Leon, and more. Milestone Compendium One collects Blood Syndicate #1-12, Hardware #1-12, Icon #1-10, Static #1-8, Xombi #0-11, and Shadow Cabinet #0.
Coinciding with the recent Milestone reboots of Static, Icon, and Hardware, there have been many new readers curious about how the Dakotaverse began. With the remixed Milestone, some fans might not be aware of altered story elements across the leading cast of superheroes. Such changes have only made the original titles from the ‘90s more endearing, as they archive the characters’ inception. Whereas Static: Season One follows a version of the Big Bang which took place at a Black Lives Matter peaceful protest, the same sequence of events played out in the midst of gang violence in Static.
After the Big Bang, teenagers received a variety of special abilities, qualifying them as meta-humans. Although many used their powers to cause havoc, a select few such as Virgil decided to use his gifts for good, becoming the teenage superhero Static. Similarly, the origin stories of Icon, Rocket, and Hardware looked different from the ongoing first season of Milestone titles. With the name of the announced collection referring to itself as the first, there are likely more volumes to come. Milestone Compendium One is currently available for preorder and releases on February 2, 2022.
