By d. emerson eddy — Milestone Media was an important step in the right direction for comics as a whole, with a group of Black creators coming together to carve out a space for their voices and their stories, a space to promote diversity across the medium, utilizing a partnership with a large publisher like DC Comics. I was a bit late to the party, partially because one of the comic shops I regularly frequented then didn't carry any of the line, which I think is fairly telling of a problem in the industry. It wasn't until about a year into the Milestone publishing venture that I read an issue during the crossover with the Superman titles, “Worlds Collide”. I loved it, and I searched out more. Hardware and Icon were my early favorites, but Xombi, Wise Son, and Shadow Cabinet were probably my all time faves. I wanted to spotlight here, though, the book that started it all: Hardware #1, from Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Jimmy Palmiotti, Noelle Giddings, and Janice Chiang.

We're introduced in the first issue to Curtis Metcalf, the titular Hardware and a genius inventor. Seeing a type of armored hero would make it easy to classify Hardware as a “black Iron Man”, but I think that ultimately does the character a disservice. What I found particularly intriguing about these early foundational Milestone titles is that they took archetypes that comics readers in general were familiar with and then built on them in ways that many of us wouldn't necessarily be. Here we see Curt discover how he's been being used by his mentor and benefactor, how he's been reduced to a “cog in the machine”, and we get a new perspective on how the system works. Something that's encapsulated right at the beginning with a very impressive allegory for systemic oppression. We're shown Curt as a kid with a bird, which, when loose from its birdcage, still struggles against the invisible pane of a window, still unable to be free. There's an impressive depth and maturity to the story that works on the level of an entertaining superhero tale, but also as social commentary and more. It's wonderful layered storytelling.

Especially when you consider the sheer calibre of visual storytelling on display here too from Denys Cowan, Jimmy Palmiotti, Noelle Giddings, and Janice Chiang. Cowan is an absolute master and the flow and pacing of the story here is flawless. The action sequences themselves are very exciting, giving an interesting juxtaposition to McDuffie's narration working through Curt's character insights and beliefs, again reinforcing the multiple levels to this story. Palmiotti keeps the lines here clean, very different from what you'd see from Bill Sienkiewicz over Cowan, giving an impression here of restrained rage. That it's more deliberate and focused. Giddings' colours alternate through a purple, black, and red colour palette beautifully, giving a striking appearance to the story. And Chiang's letters put the finishing touches on nicely with a unique look to Hardware's word balloons and his technology's HUD, emphasizing the technological aspect of the story.

In a just world, Milestone Media's comics would still be being published today. They should have celebrated a 25th anniversary a couple of years ago and we should have been reading Hardware #325 soon. Unfortunately, the world isn't just. The original line-up ended in 1997. There were conflicts with DC Comics over story content. Through the years a couple more attempts were made to integrate the Dakotaverse into the DC Universe proper, but to no avail. McDuffie sadly passed away in 2011, the world losing an important voice and wonderful human being way too early. Differences in agreement between the Milestone partners and DC Comics have prevented the comics from appearing digitally and for the few collections that ever existed to fall out of print. We, however, owe it for the legacy of Milestone Media not to be forgotten and search local comic shops' back issues for their stories.

The lessons and story that began in Hardware #1 from McDuffie, Cowan, Palmiotti, Giddings, and Chiang are just as relevant today as they were 27 years ago. They remind us that there is much that we can learn from these comics, something that we should have learned all those years ago, and to never stop fighting for these stories to be told and these voices to be heard.

Hardware #1
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciller: Denys Cowan
Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti
Colorist: Noelle Giddings
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Publisher: DC Comics / Milestone Media
Release Date: February 25, 1993
Price: Not available digitally.

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.