Marvel and DC brought in new writers, some specifically via the U.K. giving the new books an ‘edge’ which was lacking at the time. The fall out between Milestone and DC over a particular image in one of their most popular comics ‘Static Shock’ is well documented which ultimately led to the demise of the company, however there seems to be a re-emergence on the horizon, yes Milestone Media are back!
You must be thinking where is this leading now Wayne?
Well, because of them they’ve now inspired other creatives within the field to make their voices heard, and not just of the Superhero kind. There are a plethora of incredible Black Sci-Fi, historical and social commentary writers and illustrators making their way through. I’ve created a small pull list for your reading and visual pleasure. There are many, but I’ve decided on four books (graphic novels) that resonated with me the most.
Comix for grownups...
The graphic novel, or as people keep reminding me, comics for grown-ups, is a medium that has grown exponentially since the emergence of the M.C.U, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ever since then, people are beginning to take comic book nerdism seriously. With that emergence came other lesser well-known properties e.g. an opportunity to get the Hollywood treatment, however with that said, there is one aspect that has been a long time coming. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Black comic book writer/illustrator/executive! The most well-known of these creatives comes in the form of Milestone Media, created in the 90’s via DC Comics (Superman/Batman). The idea was to create comic books for an untapped and under-appreciated market, and for a while they were quite successful, but then readers tastes changed.