A New Face At DC Comics

The world of comic books has long been dominated by white faces, both on the page and behind the scenes. And even when minority characters appeared, they were often outliers or small side characters.

Milestone Media is changing that.

This company places Black and diverse superheroes (including LGBTQ+ characters) at the center of the action. They’re actively working to carve out space for underrepresented characters and creators to flourish.

Creators like artist Kameron White. This young man recently participated in the Milestone Initiative Summit, hosted by Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Comics, and Ally. This Initiative was created to help amplify marginalized voices in comics, including support and mentorship to help new creators build their careers.

Kameron’s Comic Book Journey

Kameron’s been around comic books and art since he was a child.

“Growing up, I was into anime and animated series such as Sailor Moon, Digimon, Justice League, and Static Shock,” says Kameron. “My dad collected a lot of comic books and shared his love for them with me as a child.”

He’d copy what he saw from the comic books and manga. “I didn’t really know what I was doing at first,” says Kameron. Then he realized he was getting into a form of storytelling. “When I reached high school was when I knew this was what I wanted to continue to do.”

Kameron grew up when a lot of the representation for minority characters was either non-existent or stereotypical, painting the group in a negative light. He doesn’t want to see that continued and feels it’s extremely important for minority readers “to be able to see themselves and be celebrated in the world of comics. I make it a priority to make sure underrepresented groups are shown in [my] comics.”

Which brought him to his experience participating in the Milestone Initiative.

The Milestone Initiative

Participants in the Initiative, including Kameron, got to learn from some of the biggest icons in the comic book industry, making connections that will last a lifetime. Milestone’s website describes the Initiative, part of DC’s Talent Development Program, as “designed to identify, educate, spotlight, and empower the next generation of Black and diverse creators in our field so that the stories of the next century are truly reflective of the world around us.”

Kameron was blown away by the opportunity to participate. “Honestly, I’m still trying to pinch myself and can’t believe it’s real. I was ecstatic!” he says. “It felt amazing knowing that I was going through a program that was going to push me and others and create amazing stories.”

Kameron admits he was a little nervous and intimidated going in but he met so many like-minded creatives it helped put him at ease.

The artists of the group were given the opportunity to work with Tom Mandrake, an American comics artist famous for his work with DC Comics, and the Kubert School, a technical school focused on cartooning and graphic arts.

The Initiative helped them improve and build up their storytelling skills within comic art. Then, the artists were paired with writers to illustrate the stories the writers were working on.

“I was paired up with Jarred Lujan and our mentor, Clayton Henry, and Editor, Arianna Turturro, who helped Jarred and me as we worked on this story,” says Kameron.

Kameron and Jarred’s story is called “Often Imitated.” The story follows the hero, Hardware, coming face-to-face with an android that was designed to both copy and destroy him. Though Hardware is covered in heavy machinery and uses technology to defeat the android, the story truly showcases his humanity and how important that is to his hero status.

This story will debut in DC’s book New Talent Showcase: The Milestone Initiative, which will hit shelves June 6th.

For Kameron, the experience of attending the Initiative was game-changing. “Words cannot describe it,” he says. “During the seminar we were able to meet everyone and the cohorts in person. It was such a great and unforgettable experience, especially with getting in-depth lessons and talks from a multitude of creators and speakers, as well as now having a new family with my fellow cohorts.”

What’s Next for Kameron

He just finished working on a chapter for the comic series Hellbent. He’s also working on a graphic novel and an all-Indigenous Anthology that will feature Indigenous writers and artists.

He also says in the future, he’d love to work on a comic for Starfire, his favorite character.

In the meantime, he has this advice for fellow creators:

“Take your breaks and drink water!”