Milestone forever review and spoilers

I’ve talked a bit about Milestone and how much I loved it, so I particularly happy to see Milestone Forever come in last week. The deluxe format mini series is designed to wrap up story lines of the imprint that were never resolved due their cancellation and best of all it is being overseen by the creators themselves. Dwayne McDuffie, John Paul Leon and Mark D Bright are handing the writing and art work chores and gives us a look back into Dakota before it all comes to an end. This leads to the incorporation of the Milestone character in the main DCU. They lead off with the story of Blood Syndicate’s battle for leadership between Holocaust and Wise Son. I’m really hoping that this series does well enough that a launch of a least one title starring these characters. This is doubtful but one can hope that Static will have his own title in addition to appearing in Teen Titans. Icon my favorite would be too much to even hope for. So I’m going to try to convince you to give this series a try even though I know it will be a tough sell.

We start our story with Dharma the kind of overseer of the Milestone universe pondering it’s fate and looking though the vast number of heroes within hoping to find the one that will save it. Dharma has had a hand in the creation of many of these heroes because he has seen the destruction of their universe coming and in fact he believes that he is the cause of it. He can see the fates of others but he can not see his own so he hopes one of these heroes is the chosen one to stop the chain of events that destroys everything.

He first sets his gazed upon young Raquel Ervin also known as Rocket the partner of Icon. Man is it good to see her again, since she was my favorite among the heroes of the Dakota. It seems her grandmother has just passed and since she had a great influence on her, the young Raquel is going to visit her grave. She is so distraught that she is in full superhero uniform and doesn’t care if her secret identity is revealed. Fortunately her friend Flashback from the Blood Syndicate shows up to stop her and mostly befriended. Flashback is able to lift Raquel spirits and convinces her to fly away with her for a talk but Raquel knows something is wrong with the world and somehow senses her universes impending doom.

Meanwhile Holocaust who is one really bad guy who controls fire is threatening the Mayor of the Dakota that if she doesn’t stay out of his way and the gang of villains he was assembled he will kill her. The fact the Mayor is his mother has no bearing on this and he almost goes though with his threat right there. Icon shows up to prevent this and there is a stand off but Holocaust leaves promising that this will be the last time they meet before he kills them. Things are coming to a head. Holocaust wants control of the Blood Syndicate that are sometimes heroes but mostly a glorified gang.

Back at Flashback’s home Raquel has convinced her friend that she must give up her drug habit and sets about destroying all her drug pipes. That is the difference between Milestone and most mainstream comics. The characters have real problems like Flashback drug habit and Raquel’s teen pregnancy that resulted in her child. Holocaust shows up to reclaim the wayward Flashback and trap Rocket in a wall of flame. Flashback gives in to the bully and follows him to the showdown that he has set up.

Icon seeking Holocaust’s new gang finds them in an abandoned building. Holocaust claims he is the new leader of this Blood Syndicate and prepares to destroy Icon. Our would-be Superman isn’t stupid and has not come alone bring plenty of backup in the form of Hardware (an Ironman type of hero), and the familiar Static. Surprise Rocket has escaped her deathtrap and is ready to rumble. It is at this moment that Harm one of Holocaust’s recruits reveals himself to be a cop and attempts to arrest the rest of his gang. A fight breaks out of course which even looks like it will pit friend against friend as Rocket prepares to take down Flashback. Before that can happen Wise Son shows up.

Wise Son is the real leader of the Blood Syndicate and he has brought reinforcements in the form of the real Syndicate such as the alien DMZ and the water creature Aquamaria, super strong Brickhouse just to name a few. Of course the worst character of the milestone universe is there too in all his glory Dogg. Guess what he is? A talking Dog who is a gang member. They can’t all be gems like Static I guess. Wise Son tells everyone to step off; he and Holocaust must settle this. The two show down as Holocaust attempts to burn Wise Son to a crisp but since Wise Sons’ power is nothing can hurt him Hollocuast fails and ends up destroying himself with his own fire. There is a moment at the end where Icon attempts to suggest that a team should be formed a la the Justice League of this world but the heroes are too set in there ways and refuse. Much to Static disappointment but he is consoled by Rocket “that you never know what the future may bring.”

Dharma knows what the future brings and it is Armageddon, he realizes that though Raquel is destined for great things she is not the hero he is looking for to stop him. He can no longer see his path and what choice he will make that causes the destruction of this universe. He vows to continue his search for the hero who can stop him next issue. Will it be Icon or Static or perhaps a member of the yet to be seen Shadow cabinet? This issue was a pleasant trip back in time, and while I wasn’t as up on the Blood Syndicate story lines as I was Icon’s and Static, I was an enjoyable read that I can recommend to everyone. Try it out; this may be your last chance to see some of these heroes since Dan Didio doesn’t seem as committed to any of them outside of Static.