Michael Davis talks about why he’s not in Milestone 2.0

In the last few weeks there’s been a bit of online speculation about why Michael Davis, one of the original Milestone Comics founders, along with Denys Cowan, Derek Dingle and Dwayne McDuffie, and co-creator of Static Shock, is not involved with the new Milestone 2.0, which is being run by Cowan, Dingle and Reggie Hudlin. Davis has alluded to the matter, but at last broke it down in his online column—it’s long and you should read the whole thing, but I’ve extracted a few of the key points—Davis had always intended to be part of Milestone 2.0, and had planned the announcement for several panels and events, he says, but it didn’t happen at those times. And then….

Why didn’t any of this happen? Why was I part of Milestone 2.0 and now I’m not? Why did the Milestone announcement take 4 years? The simple and sad answer is people change. Deals change and ultimately the company changed and that changed my involvement.

When the post article came out, I broke down and cried. Although I should have known how it would affect me, it still didn’t stop me from dying a bit inside. My world felt just like a weather report, 40 degrees outside but with the wind chill factor it feels like minus 2.

The Post story and the dozens of stories since read like I’m simply not involved and I am not. Yes, simply put that’s what it is except it’s not simple at all. Simplicity went out the door when there was no statement from Milestone 2.0 about me. Hey, don’t EVEN look at me, that statement was supposed to come from them.

And then:

Bottom line, in the four years since Milestone 2.0 came to be, the focus has changed.

Those changes have made it impossible for me to be a part of Milestone 2.0 at this time.

Although it’s a bit hard to parse, it seems there are no hard feelings among the principals, and

Milestone 2.0 is in three capable hands. What they are about to do will change the game just like the original Milestone did almost 22 years ago. Also just like the original Milestone a great deal of the talent that will work on the new universe came out of my studio mentor program.

Davis promises the rest of the story at Comicmix in a few days, so stay tuned.