Comics have a diversity problem. Despite the best efforts of both Marvel and DC to include characters of varying races in their roster of superheroes, comics are still overwhelmingly white. Former Invisible Woman, Jessica Alba, recently claimed that Marvel movies were still "quite Caucasian." And while her heart is in the right place, the movies only exist to adapt the comics. If one is looking to change the monochromatic nature of the MCU, changing the race of established characters on screen is only a superficial fix. Comics need to work on fostering inclusion from the ground up.
Unfortunately, the industry did a better job of handling Black characters in the 90s than in modernity. Although characters like Miles Morales exist, he's probably the only new Black character that has made a lasting impact in the last decade. Whereas in the 90s, Spawn was one of the most popular books in the industry, and Milestone Comics was creating a revolution at DC. Milestone, the brainchild of legendary writer Dwayne McDuffie, was an imprint that focused on predominately Black characters. The label was responsible for creating a host of Black characters with unique backstories and perspectives.
Aside from the character Static, who has since become the face of Milestone, most of the characters from the imprint have been forgotten. Moreover, Milestone itself has seemingly been lost to time in the minds of many fans. Well, DC Comics, HBOMax, and Ally are looking to remedy the Milestone-specific amnesia that has claimed comic fans. HBOMax unveiled a trailer for a new documentary about Milestone comics narrated by Method Man that releases on July 29th.
