12 thoughts on “Brother man Creator Talks Out on Milestone Comics!”
I agree and amire Dawud’s stance throught out this whole ordeal. You should speak up when misinformation is served to the public. Protect your product.
Dawud speaks truly–Brotherman lived before Milestone drew breath. Brotherman was never part of the Milestone tribe, though I enjoyed both.
It was standard policy to get your ideas and tactics jacked back than if you were independent. Most followed the Borg rules of resistance is futile. You brothers stood your ground and blazed new markets previously ignored by most. I salute you. Todd Johnson – Tribe
The truth always survives, and rises to the top. Now that I know when the topic comes up, i can pass along the truth.
Here are some facts for you to pass along as well as ‘the truth.’
The article states:
“At the time of publication, Milestone did not even have product on the street…”
FACT: Milestone just celebrated it’s 20th year. Our books were out more than a YEAR BEORE the Black Enterprise cover story came out.
The article states:
“After digging deeper we find that one of the core members of Milestone Comics, Derrick Dingle is also the Senior Editor of Black Enterprise Magazine. We were jacked by our own brothers, our own Black Business Magazine – Black Enterprise and . . . well, I as far as DC there is no surprise there.”
FACT: B.E. did a profile on Denys Cowan & I in 1989 and the 1994 article was as much a follow up on that as it was the launch of Milestone.
FACT: Derek Dingle QUIT HIS JOB @ B.E.in the summer of 1991 when Milestone started.
FACT: We presented the business plan to DC and signed the deal in fall 1991.
FACT: 1992 was spent producing the books. The books were published in 1993.
The article states:
“I think I have been silent on this topic far too long regarding my family business, the original BIG CITY COMICS and DC’s Milestone Comics, creators of Static Shock, Hardware, Icon and Blood Syndicate.”
FACT: “DC’s Milestone Comics?” DC DOES NOT NOW OR HAS EVER OWNED MILESTONE.
The article states:
In late 1993 we received a phone call from BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine which stated that they wanted to do a cover story on Big City Comics and Brotherman.
FACT: Late 1993???? WE WERE IN THE STORES IN FEB. 1993.
Milestone has done a lot of incredible things but time travel is NOT one of them.
Lastly:
Milestone Comics NEVER missed a shipping date.
Even if we did time travel the sheer amount of planing,managing and professionaism that would be needed to somehow, steal a business, plan (who the fuck gives ANYONE that?? I’d give up my KID before I gave that up) strike a distribution deal, produce 48 fucking books, manage ALL that talent NEVER miss shipping, do comic book conventions, marketing, press AND deal with haters- SLEEP would be impossible and I do so love my sleep.
BUT…I will admit it is possible, if we were time travelers and warlocks.
Here are some facts for you to pass along as well as ‘the truth.’
The article states:
“At the time of publication, Milestone did not even have product on the street…”
FACT: Milestone just celebrated it’s 20th year. Our books were out more than a YEAR BEORE the Black Enterprise cover story came out.
The article states:
“After digging deeper we find that one of the core members of Milestone Comics, Derrick Dingle is also the Senior Editor of Black Enterprise Magazine. We were jacked by our own brothers, our own Black Business Magazine – Black Enterprise and . . . well, I as far as DC there is no surprise there.”
FACT: B.E. did a profile on Denys Cowan & I in 1989 and the 1994 article was as much a follow up on that as it was the launch of Milestone.
FACT: Derek Dingle QUIT HIS JOB @ B.E.in the summer of 1991 when Milestone started.
FACT: We presented the business plan to DC and signed the deal in fall 1991.
FACT: 1992 was spent producing the books. The books were published in 1993.
The article states:
“I think I have been silent on this topic far too long regarding my family business, the original BIG CITY COMICS and DC’s Milestone Comics, creators of Static Shock, Hardware, Icon and Blood Syndicate.”
FACT: “DC’s Milestone Comics?” DC DOES NOT NOW OR HAS EVER OWNED MILESTONE.
The article states:
In late 1993 we received a phone call from BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine which stated that they wanted to do a cover story on Big City Comics and Brotherman.
FACT: Late 1993???? WE WERE IN THE STORES IN FEB. 1993.
Milestone has done a lot of incredible things but time travel is NOT one of them.
Lastly:
Milestone Comics NEVER missed a shipping date.
Even if we did time travel the sheer amount of planing,managing and professionaism that would be needed to somehow, steal a business, plan (who the fuck gives ANYONE that?? I’d give up my KID before I gave that up) strike a distribution deal, produce 48 fucking books, manage ALL that talent NEVER miss shipping, do comic book conventions, marketing, press AND deal with haters- SLEEP would be impossible and I do so love my sleep.
BUT…I will admit it is possible, if we were time travelers and warlocks.
Milestone was planned long before1993. Character designs, stories and artwork were created before 1993, which is why the first Milestone issues were able to go through printing and hit shelves in February of 1993. Milestone’s business plan was in motion before 1993 too. The Black Enterprise story was published in 94′ the art I worked on is in the background on the cover photo, behind the photo of Denys, Dwayne and Derek. Brotherman published first true, but it’s existence had no impact on Milestone’s business plan (which came from an idea years before 1989) and there really wasn’t any relation between the two companies beyond mutual public awareness.
Over and above the fact that they stole nothing, I’m trying to figure out exactly what you’re claiming Milestone stole from you.
The idea of making a black superhero? No, there’d been plenty of those by that point, albeit not as many actually by black people.
Is Brother Man in some way similar to any of Milestone’s characters? Doesn’t seem to be the case.
Basically, it seems like the only thing similar is you both thought “Hey, let’s us black guys make comics about black people”. That’s not really anything you can say someone stole; that’s like claiming someone else stole the idea of opening a shoe store. What exactly did you invent that someone could steal?
Did Spike Lee steal from you as well when he started “Comics By Spike” with Dark Horse in the summer of 1993? Or any of the other startups who chose to call the Milestone folks some very unpleasant names back in at the time, as opposed to 20 years later?
Or was it just that a bunch of people saw there was an underserved market and set out to find a way to service it? And one was far more successful than the others?
You did not invent the idea of being a black guy and making comics. George Herriman beat you to it by about eight decades.
What!! MOTU aka Michael Davis one of the founders of Milestone speaks with detailed facts and all the rats scatter? No one says “oh wow we were mislead, our bad”. No one apologizes? You people are so willing to take a chunk out of people who took it on the chin to create something truly great….why? Because they were successful? You morons didn’t deserve Milestone.
I wanted to reserve my two cents but daefox’s “rats scatter” comment compelled me. Sometimes “facts” are only half facts.
Here’s some examples-
Brotherman sold mostly through black expos and black bookstores. In the 1990’s they were opening these new markets. How many comics do you think DC sold through these markets prior to Brotherman and other black publishers opening them up?
2-If you look at an issue of Black Enterprise today, you will see the Derek Dingle still works there- yes today.
3- Milestone (through wikipedia) suggests their deal with DC involved only “printing and distribution.” Almost every artist who works on comic books can say their deal with their parent company involves printing and distribution-(distribution usually includes marketing).
this may seem minor today but back in the day black bookstores would favor products that were “black-owned.” So it had value to be black-woned for those markets.
Also remember that IMage had just left Marvel and Creator-owned was all the rage in the mainstream markets as well. Nobody wanted to be a company man back then.
What’s done is done but I was around running a black bookstore while all of this was going down. Business was business. You’re not going to launch a product and not be aware of what is already happening in the market.
Therefore to the spectators, it would be foolish to take sides and especially foolish to call one side “rats.” Facts are not always facts. Just sayin.
John,
Derek returned to BE after Milestone stopped publishing monthly. He was not employed there while President of Milestone. Your ‘STILL works there, yes today’ comment implies he worked at both during the time Milestone was publishing monthly he most certainly did not.
Milestone attended Black Expo’s, DC Comics did not. Our Black Expo sales although wonderful to have were a fraction of the overall sales Milestone generated. We attended Black Expo’s because it made sense to be there as it would make sense for any black company with a line of black product to be.
Suggesting we were at Black Expos because we followed BM is true in part-they were before Milestone but there have always been black comics at Black Expo’s BM was not the first-they followed others. Those others were created and published by variety of folk often done just to sell at Black Expos.
Yes-Milestone-did follow BM but ‘fellow as in ‘after them’ not follow as in ‘jacked’ their idea.
I agree with you often ‘facts are not always facts’ but in this case my facts come with documented evidence that can easily be proven. What people have been doing is ‘connecting the dots’ with theory and assumptions.
That’s fine until the theory becomes repeated to a point those who continue to swear by and speak of it as fact are asked to prove it and REALLY swear by it.
I appreciated and respected the manner in which you wrote your post. You suggested what ‘could have’ happened instead of what you ‘swore you KNEW’ happened.
Those who continue to call us out right lairs and thieves may be asked to prove those words. Prove with evidence not theory and assumptions. On that day they will learn that payback is a bitch and so’s my lawyer.
…John. You answered well and from your perspective, which I appreciate. Here’s why the word “rats” came out. You ask 100 black comic fans if they loved Milestone and chances are 100 of them will say yes and rain down praises and extoll virtues. I have seen the Brotherman post all over the internet during the last week and the thing that killed me was how many people were willing to immediately believe that it was true. No fact checking. No use of their own common sense regarding timelines. No waiting to hear the other side of the story. NO BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. Just a lot of jumping on the bandwagon and cheers from the throng in the coliseum. “Thanks for setting the record straight!!!”, “It’s a shame how some brothers get down in order to succeed”, “Ghettostone, Crackstone, DC Stone” etc.
Really?
This is the “love” that people had for Milestone? To immediately believe the assertion that they were liars and thieves? That Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, Derek Dingle, Christopher Priest and (Lord have mercy) Dwayne McDuffie were thieves…..Think about that for a sec. Let it sink in. Some one basically accused Dwayne McDuffie of being a thief…after his death….when he could no longer defend himself to the world…AND PEOPLE JUMPED ON THAT BANDWAGON!! (I’m actually pissed of just writing it)
Then of course, Michael Davis steps in (because that’s who he is) and refutes the information, with actual proof (dates, timelines, work schedules, release dates). Do we see apologies from these “fans”? Do we see any “my bad”‘s? No. Because these people love to destroy the best of us, love to tear down those who reached too high…and when someone shines a light on them they run. They cover themselves in silence.
I agree and amire Dawud’s stance throught out this whole ordeal. You should speak up when misinformation is served to the public. Protect your product.
Dawud speaks truly–Brotherman lived before Milestone drew breath. Brotherman was never part of the Milestone tribe, though I enjoyed both.
It was standard policy to get your ideas and tactics jacked back than if you were independent. Most followed the Borg rules of resistance is futile. You brothers stood your ground and blazed new markets previously ignored by most. I salute you. Todd Johnson – Tribe
The truth always survives, and rises to the top. Now that I know when the topic comes up, i can pass along the truth.
Here are some facts for you to pass along as well as ‘the truth.’
The article states:
“At the time of publication, Milestone did not even have product on the street…”
FACT: Milestone just celebrated it’s 20th year. Our books were out more than a YEAR BEORE the Black Enterprise cover story came out.
The article states:
“After digging deeper we find that one of the core members of Milestone Comics, Derrick Dingle is also the Senior Editor of Black Enterprise Magazine. We were jacked by our own brothers, our own Black Business Magazine – Black Enterprise and . . . well, I as far as DC there is no surprise there.”
FACT: B.E. did a profile on Denys Cowan & I in 1989 and the 1994 article was as much a follow up on that as it was the launch of Milestone.
FACT: Derek Dingle QUIT HIS JOB @ B.E.in the summer of 1991 when Milestone started.
FACT: We presented the business plan to DC and signed the deal in fall 1991.
FACT: 1992 was spent producing the books. The books were published in 1993.
The article states:
“I think I have been silent on this topic far too long regarding my family business, the original BIG CITY COMICS and DC’s Milestone Comics, creators of Static Shock, Hardware, Icon and Blood Syndicate.”
FACT: “DC’s Milestone Comics?” DC DOES NOT NOW OR HAS EVER OWNED MILESTONE.
The article states:
In late 1993 we received a phone call from BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine which stated that they wanted to do a cover story on Big City Comics and Brotherman.
FACT: Late 1993???? WE WERE IN THE STORES IN FEB. 1993.
Milestone has done a lot of incredible things but time travel is NOT one of them.
Lastly:
Milestone Comics NEVER missed a shipping date.
Even if we did time travel the sheer amount of planing,managing and professionaism that would be needed to somehow, steal a business, plan (who the fuck gives ANYONE that?? I’d give up my KID before I gave that up) strike a distribution deal, produce 48 fucking books, manage ALL that talent NEVER miss shipping, do comic book conventions, marketing, press AND deal with haters- SLEEP would be impossible and I do so love my sleep.
BUT…I will admit it is possible, if we were time travelers and warlocks.
Here are some facts for you to pass along as well as ‘the truth.’
The article states:
“At the time of publication, Milestone did not even have product on the street…”
FACT: Milestone just celebrated it’s 20th year. Our books were out more than a YEAR BEORE the Black Enterprise cover story came out.
The article states:
“After digging deeper we find that one of the core members of Milestone Comics, Derrick Dingle is also the Senior Editor of Black Enterprise Magazine. We were jacked by our own brothers, our own Black Business Magazine – Black Enterprise and . . . well, I as far as DC there is no surprise there.”
FACT: B.E. did a profile on Denys Cowan & I in 1989 and the 1994 article was as much a follow up on that as it was the launch of Milestone.
FACT: Derek Dingle QUIT HIS JOB @ B.E.in the summer of 1991 when Milestone started.
FACT: We presented the business plan to DC and signed the deal in fall 1991.
FACT: 1992 was spent producing the books. The books were published in 1993.
The article states:
“I think I have been silent on this topic far too long regarding my family business, the original BIG CITY COMICS and DC’s Milestone Comics, creators of Static Shock, Hardware, Icon and Blood Syndicate.”
FACT: “DC’s Milestone Comics?” DC DOES NOT NOW OR HAS EVER OWNED MILESTONE.
The article states:
In late 1993 we received a phone call from BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine which stated that they wanted to do a cover story on Big City Comics and Brotherman.
FACT: Late 1993???? WE WERE IN THE STORES IN FEB. 1993.
Milestone has done a lot of incredible things but time travel is NOT one of them.
Lastly:
Milestone Comics NEVER missed a shipping date.
Even if we did time travel the sheer amount of planing,managing and professionaism that would be needed to somehow, steal a business, plan (who the fuck gives ANYONE that?? I’d give up my KID before I gave that up) strike a distribution deal, produce 48 fucking books, manage ALL that talent NEVER miss shipping, do comic book conventions, marketing, press AND deal with haters- SLEEP would be impossible and I do so love my sleep.
BUT…I will admit it is possible, if we were time travelers and warlocks.
Milestone was planned long before1993. Character designs, stories and artwork were created before 1993, which is why the first Milestone issues were able to go through printing and hit shelves in February of 1993. Milestone’s business plan was in motion before 1993 too. The Black Enterprise story was published in 94′ the art I worked on is in the background on the cover photo, behind the photo of Denys, Dwayne and Derek. Brotherman published first true, but it’s existence had no impact on Milestone’s business plan (which came from an idea years before 1989) and there really wasn’t any relation between the two companies beyond mutual public awareness.
Over and above the fact that they stole nothing, I’m trying to figure out exactly what you’re claiming Milestone stole from you.
The idea of making a black superhero? No, there’d been plenty of those by that point, albeit not as many actually by black people.
Is Brother Man in some way similar to any of Milestone’s characters? Doesn’t seem to be the case.
Basically, it seems like the only thing similar is you both thought “Hey, let’s us black guys make comics about black people”. That’s not really anything you can say someone stole; that’s like claiming someone else stole the idea of opening a shoe store. What exactly did you invent that someone could steal?
Did Spike Lee steal from you as well when he started “Comics By Spike” with Dark Horse in the summer of 1993? Or any of the other startups who chose to call the Milestone folks some very unpleasant names back in at the time, as opposed to 20 years later?
Or was it just that a bunch of people saw there was an underserved market and set out to find a way to service it? And one was far more successful than the others?
You did not invent the idea of being a black guy and making comics. George Herriman beat you to it by about eight decades.
What!! MOTU aka Michael Davis one of the founders of Milestone speaks with detailed facts and all the rats scatter? No one says “oh wow we were mislead, our bad”. No one apologizes? You people are so willing to take a chunk out of people who took it on the chin to create something truly great….why? Because they were successful? You morons didn’t deserve Milestone.
I wanted to reserve my two cents but daefox’s “rats scatter” comment compelled me. Sometimes “facts” are only half facts.
Here’s some examples-
Brotherman sold mostly through black expos and black bookstores. In the 1990’s they were opening these new markets. How many comics do you think DC sold through these markets prior to Brotherman and other black publishers opening them up?
2-If you look at an issue of Black Enterprise today, you will see the Derek Dingle still works there- yes today.
3- Milestone (through wikipedia) suggests their deal with DC involved only “printing and distribution.” Almost every artist who works on comic books can say their deal with their parent company involves printing and distribution-(distribution usually includes marketing).
this may seem minor today but back in the day black bookstores would favor products that were “black-owned.” So it had value to be black-woned for those markets.
Also remember that IMage had just left Marvel and Creator-owned was all the rage in the mainstream markets as well. Nobody wanted to be a company man back then.
What’s done is done but I was around running a black bookstore while all of this was going down. Business was business. You’re not going to launch a product and not be aware of what is already happening in the market.
Therefore to the spectators, it would be foolish to take sides and especially foolish to call one side “rats.” Facts are not always facts. Just sayin.
John,
Derek returned to BE after Milestone stopped publishing monthly. He was not employed there while President of Milestone. Your ‘STILL works there, yes today’ comment implies he worked at both during the time Milestone was publishing monthly he most certainly did not.
Milestone attended Black Expo’s, DC Comics did not. Our Black Expo sales although wonderful to have were a fraction of the overall sales Milestone generated. We attended Black Expo’s because it made sense to be there as it would make sense for any black company with a line of black product to be.
Suggesting we were at Black Expos because we followed BM is true in part-they were before Milestone but there have always been black comics at Black Expo’s BM was not the first-they followed others. Those others were created and published by variety of folk often done just to sell at Black Expos.
Yes-Milestone-did follow BM but ‘fellow as in ‘after them’ not follow as in ‘jacked’ their idea.
I agree with you often ‘facts are not always facts’ but in this case my facts come with documented evidence that can easily be proven. What people have been doing is ‘connecting the dots’ with theory and assumptions.
That’s fine until the theory becomes repeated to a point those who continue to swear by and speak of it as fact are asked to prove it and REALLY swear by it.
I appreciated and respected the manner in which you wrote your post. You suggested what ‘could have’ happened instead of what you ‘swore you KNEW’ happened.
Those who continue to call us out right lairs and thieves may be asked to prove those words. Prove with evidence not theory and assumptions. On that day they will learn that payback is a bitch and so’s my lawyer.
…John. You answered well and from your perspective, which I appreciate. Here’s why the word “rats” came out. You ask 100 black comic fans if they loved Milestone and chances are 100 of them will say yes and rain down praises and extoll virtues. I have seen the Brotherman post all over the internet during the last week and the thing that killed me was how many people were willing to immediately believe that it was true. No fact checking. No use of their own common sense regarding timelines. No waiting to hear the other side of the story. NO BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. Just a lot of jumping on the bandwagon and cheers from the throng in the coliseum. “Thanks for setting the record straight!!!”, “It’s a shame how some brothers get down in order to succeed”, “Ghettostone, Crackstone, DC Stone” etc.
Really?
This is the “love” that people had for Milestone? To immediately believe the assertion that they were liars and thieves? That Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, Derek Dingle, Christopher Priest and (Lord have mercy) Dwayne McDuffie were thieves…..Think about that for a sec. Let it sink in. Some one basically accused Dwayne McDuffie of being a thief…after his death….when he could no longer defend himself to the world…AND PEOPLE JUMPED ON THAT BANDWAGON!! (I’m actually pissed of just writing it)
Then of course, Michael Davis steps in (because that’s who he is) and refutes the information, with actual proof (dates, timelines, work schedules, release dates). Do we see apologies from these “fans”? Do we see any “my bad”‘s? No. Because these people love to destroy the best of us, love to tear down those who reached too high…and when someone shines a light on them they run. They cover themselves in silence.
Those my friend are rats.