Profiles in Black Cartooning: Milestone Comics

In celebration of Black History Month, CBLDF has partnered with Black Nerd Problems to spotlight Black comics creators and cartoonists who made significant contributions to free expression. Visit CBLDF.org throughout the month of February to learn more! The push for diversity is a discussion that has gained much traction in recent years. We are starting to see more artists of color taking more routes to promote and produce stories about Black characters and other characters of color. In return, there has also been resounding response from the readers as an audience that wanted more diversity in the comic books they’ve been buying for years on end. We are at a point where change is being made. However, that isn’t to say this is where the diversity movement started to snowball. No, diversity in the industry — especially pertaining to comic books and animation — has been a long process and need; one that really got started and taken to the forefront back in the 90’s. Lemme learn ya right quick about a time where Black artists assembled like the Avengers to create a publisher that would flourish with Black characters. That publishing company would debut in 1993 and come to be known as Milestone.

Milestone Comics specialized in peak Blackness. There was a need for diversity and these Black creators, writers, and artists came together to fill the void and create a solution to the problem. It almost feels like a real-life version of how The Avengers formed as these creators bande…