RIP Dwayne McDuffie (1962-2011)

Just got back from a long lunch meeting to hear some very shocking and unsettling news about the far too early passing of acclaimed storyteller Dwayne McDuffie.

The famed renaissance man of comics and animation has been entertaining us and challenging the standards of racial equality through all mediums he touches for over the past two decades.

Most known by readers for his pioneering of Milestone Comics creations in the 90's-- symbolized by authentic, uplifting and ambitious characterizations of colored/ethnic heroes that were pushed forward to the front & center of stories versus the long-held use of people of color only in ancillary/sidekick roles-- more so than not were highly stereotyped archetypes.

We have come so far since then in the world of comics-- even having some of McDuffie's most popular Milestone creations eventually brought into the DC Universe continuity and stand toe-to toe in panel-time, dialogue and significance with Superman, Batman and Wonder-Woman-- in one of the more purposeful, creative Justice League of America arcs released in the last 3 years, titled JLA: When World's Collide.

More recently, McDuffie has taken on major screenwriting duties for two of Grant Morrison's books that were translated to animated flicks: Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths- easily one of my favorite adaptations to date and the much hyped release today of All-Star Superman.  Here is some footage of Dwayne in a Q&A session at the LA premiere taken just last week.



On a final note, if there was no Hardware-- I probably wouldn't be loving the modernized version of Mr. Terrific so much despite him pretty much being the same damn character...just saying.  And why can't anyone besides McDuffie or Tony Bedard breakdown some ill scribework on GL John Stewart?


This post was written by:
big O