| Genre: | Superhero |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Startmo: | September |
| Startyr: | 2020 |
| Main Char Team: | Earth-M (Milestone Universe) |
| Endyr: | 2023 |
| Endmo: | November |
Milestone Returns or Earth-M is a relaunch of American comic books published by DC Comics that began in September 2020.[1] The line features reimagined versions of the fictional characters and shared universe of Milestone Media by Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, Derek T. Dingle and Dwayne McDuffie.[2]
In a January 2015 interview, writer Reginald Hudlin discussed a relaunch of Milestone Media Group, along with surviving co-founders Denys Cowan and Derek Dingle.[3] The following July, DC Comics announced the creation of "Earth-M" within their multiverse, which would be home to the earlier Milestone characters as well as new ones, and that one or two Earth M imprint titles would be published annually, as well as miniseries and one-shots. No further developments took place until October 2017, when it was announced that Milestone would be returning in 2018 with five titles, including Milestone (featuring Icon and Rocket), a new Static series, Duo (based on the character Xombi), and two other new titles: Earth-M and Love Army.[4] [5] Charlotte Fullerton, Dwayne McDuffie's widow who inherited his 50% share in the original Milestone Media company, sued in August 2017 over being excluded from the revived company despite the new Milestone taking over the original's Milestone IPs.[6]
In 2020, Earth-M was retitled as Milestone Returns, with the initial issue being published in September.[7] An extended version was published in February 2021.[8] The issues are available in print, digitally, and on DC Universe Infinite since April 2021.
Milestone Returns is set in Earth-M, which is officially non-canon to the DC Universe. According to Dark Crisis: Big Bang, it is designated as Earth-93 in the Multiverse.[9]
In Earth-M, famous characters like Static, Icon, Rocket, Hardware and several others have new origin stories related to the Big Bang, the event that happened in the city of Dakota.[10] While they still do not know each other, the enigmatic Dharma prepares them in secret for a war to come.[11]
| Title | Issue(s) | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Colorist(s) | Premiere date | Finale date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prelude | |||||||
| Milestone Returns |
| Reginald Hudlin Greg Pak | Ryan Benjamin Denys Cowan Scott Hanna Don Ho Jim Lee Jimmy Palmiotti Khoi Pham Bill Sienkiewicz | Hi-Fi Alex Sinclair Chris Sotomayor | September 13, 2020 | ||
| Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition | Reginald Hudlin | ChrisCross Denys Cowan Nikolas Draper-Ivey Bill Sienkiewicz Juan Castro | Nikolas Draper-Ivey Wil Quintana Chris Sotomayor | February 24, 2021 | [12] | ||
Year 1 | |||||||
| Static Season One |
| Vita Ayala | ChrisCross | Nikolas Draper-Ivey | June 15, 2021 | March 1, 2022 | [13] [14] |
| Icon and Rocket: Season One | Reginald Hudlin | Doug Braithwaite Andrew Currie Scott Hanna | Brad Anderson | July 27, 2021 | March 22, 2022 | ||
| Hardware Season One | Brandon Thomas | Denys Cowan Bill Sienkiewicz | Chris Sotomayor | August 10, 2021 | May 31, 2022 | ||
Year 2 | |||||||
| Blood Syndicate Season One |
| Geoffrey Thorne | Juan Castro ChrisCross | Wil Quintana | May 10, 2022 | October 25, 2022 | [15] [16] [17] |
| Duo | Greg Pak | Scott Hanna Khoi Pham | Chris Sotomayor | May 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | [18] [19] | |
| Milestones in History |
| Steve Barnes Pat Charles Amy Chu Melody Cooper Tananarive Due Karyn Parsons Alice Randall Touré | Eric Battle Francesco Francavilla Mike Gustovich Ray-Anthony Height Don Hudson Jamal Yseem Igle Arvell Jones Jose Marzan Jr. Maria Laura Sanapo Dominike "Domo" Stanton Ron Wilson | Michael Atiyeh Dan Brown Andrew Dalhouse Eva de la Cruz Francesco Francavilla Hi-Fi Emilio Lopez Chris Sotomayor | June 21, 2022 | [20] | |
Year 3 | |||||||
| Static: Shadows of Dakota |
| Vita Ayala | ChrisCross | Nikolas Draper-Ivey | February 7, 2023 | November 28, 2023 | [21] |
| Icon vs. Hardware |
| Leon Chills Reginald Hudlin | Denys Cowan Yasmin Flores Montanez | John Floyd Chris Sotomayor | February 14, 2023 | November 7, 2023 | [22] |
| Milestone 30th Anniversary Special |
| Nikolas Draper-Ivey Evan Narcisse Geoffrey Thorne Stephanie Williams | Juan Castro ChrisCross Nikolas Draper-Ivey Anthony Fowler Jr. Sean Damien Hill Atagun Ilhan Yasmin Flores Montanez Norm Rapmund Dexter Vines | Nikolas Draper-Ivey Romulo Fajardo Jr. Noelle Giddings Wil Quintana Chris Sotomayor | March 21, 2023 | ||
| New Talent Showcase: The Milestone Initiative | Ashley Allen Julio Anta Greg Burnham Natham Cayanan Jordan Clark Cheryl Lynn Eaton Morgan Hampton Jarred A. Lujan Jarod Rhys Pratt Jerome Rhett Dorado Quick Zipporah Smith | Tiahn Ankum Anthony Fowler Jr. Wade von Grawbadger Scott Hanna Daimon Hampton Atagun Ilhan John Livesay Gregory Maldonado Jose Marzan Jr. Yasmin Flores Montanez Petterson Oliveria Roberto Poggi Andrea Rosales Lucas Silveira Marcus Smith Charles Stewart III Le Beau Underwood Dexter Vines Kameron White Walden Wong | Michael Atiyeh Andrew Dalhouse Nick Filardi Luis Guerrero Alex Guimarães Hi-Fi Chris Sotomayor Bryan Valenza | June 6, 2023 | [23] | ||
| Static Team-Up: Anansi | Evan Narcisse | Jose Marzan, Jr. Charles Stewart III | Luis Guerrero | June 13, 2023 | [24] | ||
| Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static: Season One |
| 200 | February 1, 2022 | ||
| Icon and Rocket: Season One |
| 192 | June 28, 2022 | ||
| Hardware: Season One |
| October 4, 2022 | |||
| Blood Syndicate: Season One |
| 152 | April 11, 2023 | ||
| Duo |
| 186 | April 25, 2023 | ||
| Static: Shadows of Dakota |
| 200 | February 6, 2024 | ||
| Icon vs. Hardware |
| 192 | February 6, 2024 |