DC reveals revised Milestone relaunch plans

There's a change of plans in DC's long-simmering relaunch of the Milestone superheroes - with the first series, Static, delayed by two months. In addition, the creative teams for Static and a second new Milestone series are no longer confirmed, with revised details scheduled to be announced later this year.

In the stead of the delayed Static title, DC is digitally re-releasing the 2020 MIlestone Returns #0 one-shot that was previously only available for a few days as part of DC Fandome Hall of Heroes.

This new 'Infinite Edition' of Milestone Returns #0 will include 24 pages of "completely new material" by Reginald Hudlin, Denys Cowan, Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Bill Sienkiewicz, and more.

"This added content includes a retelling of the events of the Big Bang, the police-brutality protest that unleashed a sudden wave of superpowers in the city of Dakota," reads DC's description of Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0. "This $4.99 'director's cut' also features content introducing the full new creative teams behind Static, Icon & Rocket, and Hardware, the digital-first series spawned by this new Big Bang, along with a reveal of their issue #1 covers."

Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0 goes on sale digitally February 26, with a print edition planned for May 25.

The Milestone titles - working under the branding of 'Earth-M' - are now scheduled to launch later this year in what DC calls 'Milestone Mondays.' The current, revised details are:

Static

Milestone's flagship hero Static will return a six-part limited series. Originally announced years ago to be written by Reginald Hudlin and artist Kyle Baker, at present the creative team is unconfirmed by DC.

"In this monthly miniseries (20 pages per issue), bullied nerd Virgil is gifted with incredible electromagnetic powers in the wake of the Big Bang," reads DC's description of the book. "Now he finds himself caught between an over-militarized police response to Black kids getting special abilities and some of those kids who are using those powers in dangerous and destructive ways. But when the bullies who terrorized him before the Big Bang show up with powers of their own, can Static be the hero that Dakota needs?"

Originally announced to debut in February 2021, the Static limited series is now scheduled to go on sale on April 12 digitally, with no print edition announced.

Icon & Rocket

MIlestone's key tag team return in the second-planned limited series for 'Earth-M', Icon & Rocket. The series, which is six issues like Static, was originally announced as by Hudlin and artist Denys Cowan, but DC now says the creative team will be re-announced later.

"What happens when superheroes actually make a difference?" reads DC's description. "When Raquel Ervin broke into the home of a wealthy Black lawyer, she didn't expect to learn that he was a nearly omnipotent alien, lost in despair of ever returning home—and he didn't expect that she would inspire him to emerge from the shadows and become a force for change on the planet he's trapped on.

"What starts out as a simple request to stop the drug trafficking in her neighborhood turns into a mission to eliminate the drug trade worldwide. However, this act of heroism has unexpected consequences, making the pair the two most wanted criminals in the world when actually stopping crime leads to the collapse of the global economy!"

Icon & Rocket #1 (of 6) goes on sale June 21 digitally, with a print edition not announced at this time.

Hardware

Cowan and frequent collaborator Bill Sienkiewicz are confirmed to be relaunching the Hardware series, in a six-issue format like the previous two.

"All his life, young prodigy Curtis Metcalf was told he was special, and that he would save the world. But it turns out that Alva Industries wanted his beautiful mind for something a lot less noble than that—and his technology has made him the fall guy for the tragedy of the Big Bang," reads DC's description. "But Curtis is smart enough to not go out like that—and smart enough to steal his inventions back from Alva and start the process of remaking the world his way."

Hardware #1 (of 6) goes on sale on August 23 digitally, with no print edition announced.

Milestone's heroes are part of a dynamic tapestry of black superheroes that changed the face of comic books.