Justice League Book Club Week 24: Milestone Returns

Vroom · June 15, 2021, 9:47pm

Greetings, League! This week sees the publishing return of Milestone Media characters, starting with Virgil Hawkins, aka Static, in Static: Season One #1.

While this is a return to form for Milestone, characters from that side of the DC pantheon have shared adventures with the Justice League and other franchises in the core/main DC Universe. We’ll be taking a look at one of those more notable adventures down below, so read on for all of the the sweet deets!

Read

“Welcome to Sundown Town”, consisting of:

Discussion Questions:

Dwayne McDuffie wrote this arc of Justice League of America, but in addition to comics, he was also a noteworthy TV writer, with Static Shock and Justice League Unlimited among his most well-known credits in the medium. Have you read his work on Justice League of America and/or seen his TV work?
What was your favorite moment in this meeting of DC and Milestone heroes?
Were you previously aware of the Milestone imprint, or are you taking your first step into a larger world via this week’s selections?
Anything else that comes to your mind.

Bonus Read

Static: Season One #1 is a brand-new mini-series whose issues will have simultaneous, day and date DCUI, digital and print releases (as will the other upcoming Milestone Returns titles, Icon and Rocket: Season One and Hardware: Season One). If you’ve read Static comics before, you know the drill. If you haven’t, that’s great too, just click the link at the top of this paragraph to get started. Once you’ve entered the great world of Milestone, you won’t want to leave!

ALSO: This Saturday will see a Watch-Along of Static Shock, season 3, episodes 6 and 7: “A League of Their Own”, parts 1 and 2. You can find all of the details for the Watch-Along in this thread.

That’s the happs for this week, League! If you’re a seasoned Milestone fan, you’ll find something to enjoy here, while if you’re brand-new to Milestone, you’ll find a great adventure and the introduction to a brand-new, read it on DCUI as it debuts, Milestone series as well. Either way, I hope you enjoy and have fun!

Take care League, and keep your static on the rise!

Vroom · June 18, 2021, 9:25pm

A few days tardy, but better late than never!

While there are no brand new Justice League-related comics in stores this week, readers do have the following Brand New to DC Universe Infinite books to look forward to:

Dark Nights: Death Metal-The Last Stories of the DC Universe one-shot

The last battle against the Batman Who Laughs is at hand…the final fight for everything in the universe. And while the night is usually darkest just before the dawn, what would be the last thing you’d do if you weren’t sure the dawn would ever arrive? Join our heroes in their waning hours as we show their journeys through what could be their final moments…heroes that have fought a million times before, but are keenly aware this could be their endgame. These are the stolen moments detailing the last stories of the DC Universe.

DC Connect #14

Don’t miss the first issue of I Am Batman written by Academy Award-winner John Ridley with art by Olivier Coipel. The Dark Knight faces off with Bigby Wolf in Batman vs. Bigby: A Wolf in Gotham. Worlds will collide in the 6-issue crossover with the world of Fables written by Bill Willingham with art by Brian Level. Interest in the Suicide Squad will be at an all-time high after the release of The Suicide Squad movie written and directed by James Gunn. Be sure to stock up on Suicide Squad: King Shark which features the breakout character from the film and Harley Quinn: The Animated Series The Eat. Bang. Kill Tour which spins out of the animated series now on HBO Max. The Joker by James Tynion IV and Guillem March, The Other History of the DC Universe by John Ridley and Giuesppe Camuncoli and Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell will be available as collections for the first time. The original Milestone titles from the 90’s including Static, Hardware, Icon and Blood Syndicate, Xombi and more are collected in the Milestone Compendium featuring the work of Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, John Paul Leon, CHRISCROSS and other legendary writers and artists.

The Flash #767

“Endless Winter” chapter two! As the world’s heroes rush to stop the freezing conditions running rampant across the globe, the Fastest Man Alive speeds directly into Black Adam. With the planet losing hope, the Flash and Kahndaq’s ruler must find a way to work together, while a story from Black Adam’s past reveals his connection to the threat that now returns to end the world with freezing ice and fearsome frost.

Superman: Endless Winter Special

“Endless Winter” chapter three! Superman finds himself at the center of an epic battle as the Frost King’s hordes of ice monsters come to life. Is this frozen onslaught too much for the Man of Steel, or can he stop it before it rampages across the chilling wasteland the world is becoming and reaches civilization? The answer to this question comes from an unlikely source close to Clark Kent’s earthly roots!

Who’s Who 1987 Update #3

More all-new art and facts from the Green Lantern Corps to Lion-Mane, including Katma Tui, Lady Shiva, Lex Luthor, the Hybrid, John Constantine, the Jihad, Iron Munro, and…the Justice League!

Are you checking out any of these new to DCUI books this week? Sound off below on what’s hitting your geek spot!

ajm08g · June 21, 2021, 2:12am

Well hello there Justice League Book Club Tally-Ho.

It was a lot of fun reading through this version of the League and meeting up with the Shadow Cabinet.

Yes, I had watched Static as it was airing and good to catch back up with it again during the watch-along yesterday.

There are a few that came to mind.

Meeting of DC and Milestone heroes Moments

Seeing them across from all the DC heroes was quite the moment for sure.

Nice to see Donner being a fan of Wonder Woman… Too bad the autograph was not what she expected.

It was funny seeing Vixen react to Iota.

Run, Wally, Run! And sorry Blitzen in having to learn the hard way…

And how fun it was seeing both teams fight against their shadows!

I had heard about Milestone before, and happy to be taking those steps into their world.

Other Thoughts

Blitzen’s honesty if pretty funny.

Ah, classic Batman. Thank you Zatanna for letting Jason know it’s all good and for getting the door.

Woah those shadows though…

Great strategy on Twilight’s part!

And Flash’s battle with his shadow was cool.

Way to go Superman in destroying that shadow Moon!

It’s also nice knowing that Zatanna has a bunch of spells already prepared, and makes a good point here.

At some point I will make it to reading through the death metal series, as I am still making my way through Rebirth and the Who’s Who looks really interesting.

Vroom · June 22, 2021, 5:42am

Sup, w’sup, @ajm08g!

I’ll reply in greater depth tomorrow (Tuesday), as it’s late Monday now, but your mention of Rebirth has me curious. Where are you at in it, ATM?

I’m sure you’ve read Action and Superman, yes?

Vroom · June 22, 2021, 5:21pm

@ajm08g As usual, awesome highlights. This was my favorite:

I got chills of excitement from that scene when I read this story as it was coming out, but they ran down my spine once more upon this re-read of it. Love the Milestone characters!

Also, Dark Nights: Death Metal just might be making an appearance in the club at some point after the whole kit and kaboodle is on DCUI. So, mark your calendar!

Indeed it is! Resource titles are always fun to beef one’s mental sponge/brain up on.

ajm08g · June 22, 2021, 5:35pm

I’ve been going from series to series so I have read almost up to the first annuals in some series.

The series that I have read so far include…

These

Nightwing up to No. 9
Detective Comics up to No. 942
Superman up to No. 11
Justice League up to No. 7
Action up to No. 966
Aquaman up to No. 9
Green Lanterns up to No. 8
Cyborg up to No. 5
The Flash up to No. 9
Suicide Squad up to No. 4
Titans up to No. 6
Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps up to No. 7
Harley Quinn up to No. 7
Batman up to No. 8

And right now getting back into Wonder Woman which before I started my reading through each of the series again I think I stopped around No. 10 or 11.

And still plenty more I will be taking in as time allows for it, and where the list I found to go through all of them goes.

I see more Suicide Squad and soon to be Deathstroke and Teen Titans on the horizon after Wonder Woman.

And I may also pop back up in older JLBC threads I have bookmarked as I get to those.

Vroom · June 22, 2021, 5:47pm

What are your thoughts on Nightwing? That’s my least favorite Rebirth title, and by a longshot.

BTW, the current run of Nightwing? One of the absolute best Infinite Frontier books. A+, and then some.

Excellente and muchas gracias! I look forward to it, senor.

ajm08g · June 22, 2021, 6:39pm

So far I like it… Probably No. 9 is my favorite of the series so far since Superman guest starred in it.

Although…

Nightwing Spoilers

When Nightwing left Barbara all by herself to go off and do a mission with Talon instead… I was about to show up to Nightwing’s doorstep like so…

Or, from our reading, how like Icon “surprised” the rest of the League and punched Superman I would have surprised Nightwing in some way that got the point across and say you don’t do that to Barbara!

I’ve found with almost any comic series I read I end up liking it. Reading comics is something I’ve always wanted to do, but before DCU/DCUI I had not been able to do so. I would put other series before it and some below it, but it has my interest in seeing where the story is going.

Just like our League story this time, I might eventually go back through the whole series, and I may have read No. 29 to also learn more about the villains of the story.

I also have to know why Batman died.
I think one of the Crisis events happened around this time that’s also on my list to read so I’ll get that full story later.

Vroom · June 22, 2021, 6:42pm

No kidding? So, you’re basically new(ish) to comics then? I had no idea. I hope you’re enjoying the ride so far.

It did happen during a Crisis, but I shan’t say which one until you’re ready for it. Or just want to know, in any event.

ajm08g · June 22, 2021, 6:47pm

Yup, it has been a very fun ride for sure and there is plenty I’m looking forward to as well as I see the notification for next week.

That’s also why I kind of show up at the end of the week to post my thoughts in each week so I get the full experience of reading it first and then seeing what everyone else would also say.

Vroom · June 22, 2021, 6:50pm

Oh, yeah. Week 25 is a fun ride! Can’t wait to read your thoughts.

Cool beans. Anyone can reply at any time for any week. I quite like your EOTW plan. It’s likely what I’d do, were I a non-founding member.