- Dwayne McDuffie
-
Dwayne McDuffie Born Dwayne Glenn McDuffie
February 20, 1962
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.Died February 21, 2011 (aged 49)
Burbank, California, U.S.Nationality American Area(s) Writer, Producer, editor Notable works Comics: Milestone Media, Static
TV: Justice League Unlimited, Ben 10: Alien Force, Ben 10: Ultimate AlienNotable collaborations Charlotte Fullerton (wife; 2009-2011) Official website Dwayne Glenn McDuffie[1] (February 20, 1962 – February 21, 2011) was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone Media.
Contents
Biography
Early life and career
Dwayne McDuffie was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Edna McDuffie Gardner.[1] He attended The Roeper School and went on to the University of Michigan,[2] graduating with a bachelor's degree in English, then earning a master's degree in physics.[1] He then moved to New York to attend film school at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.[1] While McDuffie was working as a copy editor at the business magazine Investment Dealers' Digest,[1] a friend got him an interview for an assistant editor position at Marvel Comics.
Marvel and Milestone
Going on staff at Marvel as editor Bob Budiansky's assistant on special projects,[3] McDuffie helped develop the company's first superhero trading cards.[1] He also scripted stories for Marvel. His first major work was Damage Control, a miniseries about the company that shows up between issues and tidies up the mess left by the latest round of superhero/supervillain battles.
After becoming an editor at Marvel, McDuffie submitted a spoof proposal for a comic entitled Teenage Negro Ninja Thrashers in response to Marvel's treatment of its black characters.[4] Becoming a freelancer in 1990, McDuffie wrote for dozens of various comics titles for Marvel, DC Comics, and Archie Comics. In addition, he wrote Monster in My Pocket for Harvey Comics editor Sid Jacobson, whom he cites on his website as having taught him everything he knows.[citation needed] In early 1991, he divorced his first wife, Patricia D. Younger, in Seminole County, Florida.[5]
In the early 1990s,[1] wanting to express a multicultural sensibility that he felt was missing in comic books, McDuffie and three partners[1] founded Milestone Media, which The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Ohio, described in 2000 as "the industry's most successful minority-owned-and operated comic company."[6] McDuffie explained:
If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race or that sex, and they can't be interesting because everything they do has to represent an entire block of people. You know, Superman isn't all white people and neither is Lex Luthor. We knew we had to present a range of characters within each ethnic group, which means that we couldn't do just one book. We had to do a series of books and we had to present a view of the world that's wider than the world we've seen before.[7]
Milestone, whose characters include the African-American Static, Icon, and Hardware; the Asian-American Xombi, and the multi-ethnic superhero group the Blood Syndicate, which include black, Asian and Latino men and women, debuted its titles in 1993 through a distribution deal with DC Comics.[1] Serving as editor-in-chief, McDuffie created or co-created many characters, including Static.
Television and video games
After Milestone had ceased publishing new comics, Static was developed into an animated series Static Shock. McDuffie was hired to write and story-edit on the series, writing 11 episodes.
His other television writing credits included Teen Titans and What's New, Scooby-Doo?.
McDuffie was hired as a staff writer for the animated series Justice League and was promoted to story editor and producer as the series became Justice League Unlimited. During the entire run of the animated series, McDuffie wrote, produced, or story-edited 69 out of the 91 episodes.
McDuffie also wrote the story for the video game Justice League Heroes.
McDuffie was hired to help revamp and story-edit Cartoon Network's popular animated Ben 10 franchise with Ben 10: Alien Force, continuing the adventures of the ten-year-old title character into his mid and late teenage years. During the run of the series, McDuffie wrote episodes 1-3, 14, 25-28, 45 and 46 and/or story-edited all forty-six episodes. McDuffie also produced and story edited for the second sequel series Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, which premiered April 23. 2010. He wrote episodes 1, 10, 11, 16, 30 and 39.
McDuffie wrote a number of direct-to-DVD animated films featuring DC Comics characters.[8] His final animated project was scripting the direct-to-DVD adaptation of All-Star Superman,[9] which was released one day after his death.[8]
Return to comics
After his popular work in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, McDuffie returned to writing comic books. He wrote the Marvel miniseries Beyond!.
In 2007, McDuffie wrote several issues of Firestorm for DC Comics, starting in January through to its cancellation. Later that year, he became the regular writer on Fantastic Four, scripting issues #542-553 (cover-dated Dec. 2006 March 2008).[10] As well, he wrote Justice League of America vol. 2, writing virtually every issue from #13-34 (Nov. 2007 - Aug. 2009).[11] He was fired from that series following a Lying in the Gutters compilation of his frank answers to fans about the creative process.[12]
He married comic book and animation-TV writer Charlotte Fullerton in 2009.[1]
McDuffie wrote Milestone Forever for DC Comics, a two-issue, squarebound miniseries chronicling the final adventures of his Milestone characters before a catastrophic event that fuses their continuity with the continuity of the DC Universe.
Death
On February 21, 2011, one day after his 49th birthday, McDuffie died at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, of complications from emergency heart surgery.[13] He lived at the time in nearby Sherman Oaks, California.[1] He was survived by his wife and his mother.[13][8]
Awards
- In 1996, McDuffie won the Golden Apple Award from his alma mater the Roeper School for the "use of popular art to promote and advance human worth and dignity."
- In 2003, McDuffie and co-writer Alan Burnett were awarded the Humanitas Prize in Children's Animation for the "Jimmy" episode of Static Shock, about gun violence.[1]
- In both 2003 and 2004, McDuffie was nominated, with other Static Shock creators, for daytime Emmy awards.
- In 2005, he was nominated for the Writers Guild of America award in animation, with Rich Fogel and John Ridley for the "Starcrossed" episode of Justice League.
- In 2008, McDuffie was voted 'Favorite Breakout Talent' in the Wizard Fan Awards in Wizard Magazine.
- In 2009, McDuffie won Comic Con International's Inkpot Award.
Filmography
- Justice League: Doom
- All-Star Superman (2011)
- Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010)
- Ben 10: Alien Force (2008-2010)
- Ben 10: Ultimate Alien (2010–2011)
- Justice League (2002-2006)
- Static Shock (2000-2004)
- Teen Titans (2004)
- What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002)
Bibliography
Regular writer
- "Overture" (in Marvel Comics Presents #19, Marvel Comics, May 1989)
- Damage Control (4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, May-Aug. 1989)
- Captain Marvel Giant-Sized Special (one-shot, Marvel Comics, Nov. 1989)
- The Sensational She-Hulk in Ceremony (2-issue miniseries, Marvel Comics, 1989)
- Giant Size Special Captain Marvel (one-shot, Marvel Comics, Nov. 1989)
- Avengers Spotlight #26-29 (Marvel Comics, Dec. 1989 - Feb. 1990)[14]
- Damage Control vol. 2 (4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, Dec. 1989 - Feb. 1990)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: Children Special #1-3 (Marvel Comics [Canada], 1990)
- Deathlok #1-4 (4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, July-Oct. 1990)
- The Road to Hell (with co-author Matt Wayne and art by Colin MacNeil, in Toxic! #30-31, 1991)
- Monster in My Pocket #1-4 (Harvey Comics, May-Sept. 1991)
- Damage Control vol. 3 (4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, June 1991-September 1991)
- Prince: Alter Ego (one-shot, DC Comics [Piranha Music, 1991)
- Deathlok vol. 2, #1-5, #11-16, annual #1 (Marvel Comics, July-Nov. 1991, May-Oct. 1992
- Prince: Three Chains of Gold (one-shot, DC Comics [Piranha Music, 1992)
- Double Dragon #1-4 (Marvel Comics, July-Oct. 1991)
- "Rest and Sweet Glory" (in Marvel Comics Presents #113-118, Marvel Comics, 1992)
- The Demon #26-29 (DC Comics, Aug.-Nov.1992)
- Back to the Future: Forward to the Future #1-3 (Harvey Comics, Oct. 1992 - Jan. 1993)
- Blood Syndicate #1-4 (Milestone Comics, April-July 1993)
- Hardware #1-8,10-19, 25, 29-32 (DC Comics [Milestone], April 1993 - Oct. 1995)
- Icon #1-10,13,15-17,19-31,34-36,38-42 (DC Comics [Milestone], May 1993 - Feb.1997)
- Static #1-4 (DC Comics [Milestone], June-Sept. 1993)
- Shadow Cabinet #0 (co-author, DC Comics [Milestone], Jan. 1994)
- Captain Marvel (one-shot, Marvel Comics, February 1994)
- Worlds Collide (one-shot, DC Comics [Milestone], July 1994)
- X-O Manowar #17,19-21 (Acclaim Comics, Feb.-June 1998)
- Sins of Youth: Kid Flash/Impulse (one-shot, DC Comics, May 2000)
- Static Shock! Rebirth of the Cool #1-4 (DC Comics [Milestone], Jan.-Sept. 2001)
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #156-158, #164-167 (DC Comics, Aug.-Oct. 2002, April-July 2003)
- Fantastic Four Special (one-shot, Marvel Comics, Feb. 2006)
- Beyond! (6-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, July-Dec. 2006)
- Fantastic Four #542-553 (Marvel Comics)
- Justice League of America #13-33 (DC Comics, 2007–2009)
Fill-in writer
- "Fall Guy" (co-author, in Solo Avengers #13, Marvel Comics, Dec. 1988)
- Clive Barker's Hellraiser #2 (Marvel Comics [Epic], 1989)
- St. George #8 (Marvel Comics [Epic], Aug. 1989)
- Iron Man #251-252 (Marvel Comics, Dec. 1989 - Jan.1990)
- Power Pack #55 (Marvel Comics, April 1990)
- Avengers Annual #19 (Marvel Comics, 1990)
- Avengers West Coast Annual #5 (Marvel Comics, 1990)
- Iron Man Annual #11 (Marvel Comics, 1990)
- "Test Run" (co-author, in Marvel Comics Presents #62, Marvel Comics, Nov. 1990)
- "Shadow of a Doubt" (co-author, in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3, #4, Marvel Comics, Dec.1990)
- "Cupid's Arrow" (in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3, #9, Marvel Comics, April 1992)[15]
- "Not to Touch the Earth" (co-author, in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3, #11, Marvel Comics, Oct. 1992)
- "Cupid's Error" (co-author, in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3, #12, Marvel Comics, Jan.1993)
- Clive Barker's Hellraiser #7-10, 15 (Marvel Comics [Epic], 1991-1992)
- Hardware #25 (DC Comics [Milestone], March 1995)
- "Communications Error." JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant #1 (DC Comics, Feb.1993)
- Static #14 (DC Comics [Milestone], Aug. 1994)
- Blood Syndicate #35 (DC Comics [Milestone], Feb. 1996)
- Impulse #60 (DC Comics, May 2000)
- "Never Say Die." Batman: Gotham Knights #27 (DC Comics, May 2002)
Editor
- Freddy Kreuger's A Nightmare on Elm Street #1-2 (Marvel Comics, Oct.-Nov. 1989)
- Blood Syndicate #1-30 (DC Comics [Milestone], April 1993 - Sept. 1995)
- Hardware #1-10 (DC Comics [Milestone], April 1993 - Dec. 1993)
- Icon #1-8 (DC Comics [Milestone], May-Dec. 1993)
- Static #1-28 (DC Comics [Milestone], June 1993 - Oct. 1995)
- Static #30 (DC Comics [Milestone], Dec. 1995)
- Shadow Cabinet #0 (DC Comics [Milestone], Jan. 1994)
- Xombi #0 (DC Comics [Milestone], Jan. 1994)
- Frank (2-issue miniseries, Harvey Comics, March-May 1994)
- "The Call" (in Superman: The Man of Steel #34, DC Comics, June 1994)
- Kobalt #1-10 (DC Comics [Milestone], June 1994 - March 1995)
- Shadow Cabinet #1-17 (DC Comics [Milestone], June 1994 - Oct. 1995)
- Xombi #1-16 (DC Comics [Milestone], June 1994 - Sept. 1995)
- Worlds Collide (one-shot, DC Comics [Milestone], July 1994)
- Deathwish #1-4 (4-issue limited series, DC Comics [Milestone], Dec. 1994 - March 1995)
- My Name is Holocaust #1 (limited series, DC Comics [Milestone], May 1995)
- Kobalt #14 (DC Comics [Milestone], Aug. 1995)
- Static Shock! Rebirth of the Cool #1-4 (DC Comics [Milestone], Jan.-Sept. 2001)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Fox, Margalit. "Dwayne McDuffie, Comic-Book Writer, Dies at 49", The New York Times, February 23, 2011. WebCitation archive. Print edition February 24, 2011, p. B12.
- ^ "About Me", DwayneMcDuffie.com (official site). WebCitation archive
- ^ "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel Comics cover-dated June 1990.
- ^ Cronin, Brian (2008-02-18). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #138". Comic Book Resources. http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/01/17/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-138/. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ "Public Record: Divorce Orders", Orlando Sentinel, January 13, 1991. WebCitation archive.
- ^ As quoted in Fox, The New York Times
- ^ "The Landmark of Milestone", DwayneMcDuffie.com. WebCitation archive
- ^ a b c Phegley, Kiel (February 22, 2011). "Milestone Creator Dwayne McDuffie has Died". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=30969. Retrieved February 22, 2011..WebCitation archive (requires scrolldown)
- ^ Cavna, Michael. "A Top Talent Remembered: RIP, Comics/Animation Force Dwayne McDuffie", The Washington Post, February 22, 2011. WebCitation archive.
- ^ "McDuffie, Dwayne" at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators]. WebCitation archive.
- ^ Justice League of America (DC, 2006 series) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Parkin, J. K. "Dwayne McDuffie Fired from Justice League", "Robot 6" (column), Comic Book Resources, May 28, 2009. WebCitation archive.
- ^ a b McLellan, Dennis. "Dwayne McDuffie dies at 49; comic book and animation writer", Los Angeles Times, February 24, 2011. WebCitation archive.
- ^ Acts of Vengeance story
- ^ Avengers West Coast/Hercules story
External links
- Dwayne McDuffie at the Internet Movie Database
- Dwayne McDuffie at the Grand Comics Database
- Dwayne McDuffie at the Comic Book DB
Preceded by
Danny FingerothIron Man writer
1989–1990Succeeded by
John ByrnePreceded by
NoneDeathlok writer
1990–1992Succeeded by
Gregory WrightPreceded by
NoneBlood Syndicate writer/editor
1993 (writer)
(editor)Succeeded by
Ivan Velez Jr. (writer)
Matt Wayne (editor)Preceded by
NoneHardware writer/editor
1993–1994 (writer)
1993 (editor)Succeeded by
Adam Blaustein (writer)
Matt Wayne (editor)Preceded by
NoneIcon writer
1993–1997Succeeded by
NonePreceded by
NoneStatic writer/editor
1993 (writer)
(editor)Succeeded by
Robert L. Washington III (writer)
Jacqueline Ching (editor)Preceded by
NoneShadow Cabinet writer/editor
1994
(with Robert L. Washington III) (writer)
(editor)Succeeded by
Robert L. Washington III (writer)
None (editor)Preceded by
NoneXombi writer/editor
1994 (writer)
(editor)Succeeded by
John Rozum (writer)
Jacqueline Ching (editor)Preceded by
Adam Blaustein & Yves FezzaniHardware writer
1995Succeeded by
John RozumPreceded by
Brian AugustynX-O Manowar (vol 2) writer
1998Succeeded by
NonePreceded by
Mark D. Bright (writer)
Matt Wayne (editor)
(in 1997)Static Shock! Rebirth of the Cool writer/editor
2001Succeeded by
NonePreceded by
Mike BaronBatman: Legends of the Dark Knight writer
2002Succeeded by
John OstranderPreceded by
John ArcudiBatman: Legends of the Dark Knight writer
2003Succeeded by
Tom PeyerPreceded by
Stuart MooreFirestorm writer
2007Succeeded by
N/APreceded by
J. Michael StraczynskiFantastic Four writer
2007-2008Succeeded by
Mark MillarPreceded by
Brad MeltzerJustice League of America writer
2007—2009Succeeded by
Len WeinMilestone Media Founders Dwayne McDuffie • Denys CowanComic books Blood Syndicate • Hardware • Heroes • Icon • Kobalt • Shadow Cabinet • Static • Wise Son: The White Wolf • Worlds Collide • XombiRelated articles Categories:- 1962 births
- 2011 deaths
- American comics writers
- Comic book editors
- People from Detroit, Michigan
- African American writers
- African American comics creators
- American television producers
- Tisch School of the Arts alumni
- University of Michigan alumni
- Writers from California
- Writers from Michigan
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.