The inaugural class of DC's Milestone Initiative Talent Development Program has officially graduated, and several of its members are already doing work for DC.
The Milestone Initiative program aims to "identify, educate, spotlight, and empower" the next generation of Black and diverse creators in the comic book industry. It's a collaboration between DC, parent company WarnerMedia, Milestone Media, and Ally, a digital financial services company.
Inaugural participants were announced in March before they attended a one-week in-person training summit at DC's Burbank, California offices, and then completed an eight-week virtual course with the Kubert School. And for graduates Lucas Silveira, Julio Anta, and Atagun Ilhan, as well as others, the Milestone Initiative has led to immediate work at DC.
"The Milestone Initiative has definitely changed my life and has given me amazing opportunities. I met an incredible group of talented artists and writers who also participated in the Initiative and the training program," Silveira tells Newsarama.
"Getting the chance to come to California to work with the other writers and artists and see the DC headquarters was an unforgettable experience. It was such a thrill getting hands-on training from DC editors. and some of the most talented pros in the industry, and I'm incredibly thankful for the entire experience."
Silveira's art appears in Batman: Urban Legends #22, in the story 'Utility,' which is written by Yedoye Travis. The issue hits stands in December and is the penultimate chapter of the long-running series before it ends in January. Silveira's art can be seen in the gallery below, alongside the main cover art by Jamal Campbell.
"This experience has given me the opportunity to work on comic books professionally for the first time," Silveira says. "The collaboration was a huge part of my experience. I learned a lot working alongside my editors at DC, David Wielgosz and Jessica Berbey. they were super insightful and very kind. There was definitely pressure working on a Batman story as my first professional project but I was so thrilled for the opportunity."
Similarly, writer Julio Anta penned the story 'Survivor's Guilt' for Batman: Urban Legends #21, which will be available November 8. In addition to Anta's script, the story features art by Miguel Mendonça, colors by Roman Stevens, and letters by Becca Carey.
Anta describes the experience as "incredible" and adds, "These guys have worked on the biggest characters at DC with some of biggest creators in the world. It was humbling to say the least!"
"Put simply, the Milestone Initiative broadened my perspective. I’ve dreamed of writing for DC for quite some time but participating in the Milestone Initiative made that real for me," Anta tells Newsarama. "It gave me confidence and showed me that there is a place for my brand of storytelling and perspective at DC. More than technical skills, I think that sort of investment from a company like DC has helped me grow immensely as a creator."
Artist Atagun Ilhan echoes Silveira and Anta's sentiments about the Milestone Initiative Talent Development Program, describing it as a "watershed moment" that "elevated me as an artist, person, and collaborator to the greatest extent. Furthermore, I made so many amazing, kind friends so It was a truly remarkable experience. "
Ilhan is working as the guest artist on Poison Ivy for issues #7 and #8, which go on sale in December and January, respectively. DC announced in August that the series was expanded from six issues to 12, and Ilhan kicks off the second arc with writer G. Willow Wilson.
"My previous works were mostly creator-owned projects that are published on Kickstarter or indie publishers, so, in comparison, the levels and expectations [at DC] are very different," Ilhan says. "There are many people in the pipeline relying on your professionalism, and a huge audience expecting an A-quality book. Your drawings and storytelling must be flawless as some of the readers focus on characters, others on the art style, but one thing for certain is that you can only deliver those by telling a great story.
"It almost feels like you are under the spotlight, so it's a moment to shine your skills! Along with many other things, I'd say it is very challenging yet at the same time very rewarding."
Ilhan's art for Poison Ivy #7 can be seen below, alongside the main cover art by Jessica Fong.
For each of these creators, their desire to get into comics started early. For Ilhan, growing up with artist parents meant he started drawing at two years old, and comics felt like a natural way to tell stories through art.
"Sometimes I draw 10 hours a day and It doesn't even bother me a tad," Ilhan says.
If he could work on any DC or Milestone title, Ilhan says he'd love to take on Harley Quinn, Batman, and Static. "I love madness, heavy-hearted stories, and high-octane action," he explains.
Silveira tells us he grew up reading comics in Brazil: "My dad found a book shop that sold old comic books. Me and my older brother would pick up as many as we could. My brother loved Batman and I wanted to be just like him so I picked up every comic book with Robin that I could find. That's when I knew that creating comics is something I wanted to do for a living."
So, it's no surprise that Silveira wants to someday work on a Tim Drake-Robin comic. He says the superhero has always been his favorite, and Silveira credits Tim as "the reason why I started loving comic books."
Anta says he's been reading western comics and manga for as long as he can recall - but despite having several ideas for comics over the years, he didn't dive into the industry until recently. His debut comic, Home, followed a young boy separated from his mother at the border between the United States and Mexico during the family separation crisis in 2018. Image Comics published the five-issue series, which was illustrated by Anna Wieszczyk, in 2021.
"It was my anger during that era that fueled my desire to make comics - to write a story that inverted the western superhero mythos and gave super-human powers to a migrant child and cast the state as the villain," Anta explains. "Everything I've ever done in comics and ever will - including working at DC - has its roots in Home and my desire to simply tell the truth with my work. That was my intention then, and it's again my intention with this new Renee Montoya story [in Batman: Urban Legends #21]."
As for where he's going, Anta says he'd love to do more work on Batman comics. "It’s the largest stage in comics, and for good reason. Between Batman, his rogues' gallery, the Bat family, and Gotham City, there’s no shortage of interesting pockets to find stories in. I'd venture to say that every story imaginable can be told within the boundaries of Gotham. It's both the best and worst of humanity. What better place is there to tell stories than that?"
Someday, these creators could have credits on some of the best DC Comics stories of all time.
