Michael Davis (comics creator)

Michael Davis (born April 29, 1958)[2] is an American comics artist, writer, and one of the co-founders of Milestone Media.

Michael Davis
BornApril 29, 1958
United States
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Artist, writer
Notable works
Milestone Media
AwardsInkpot Award (2013)[1]

Career

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Davis entered the comics industry in the late 1980s through authoring an advice column for the Comic Buyer's Guide. Around this time he also founded Bad Boy Studios to mentor younger creators.[3] In 1989, he collaborated as an artist with Tim Conrad on the series Etc. for DC Comics' Piranha Press.[3]

In 1992, Davis co-founded Milestone Media, a company focused on creating black superheroes, founding it alongside Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, and Derek T. Dingle. Davis contributed to the creation of characters including Hardware, Static Shock, Icon, and the Blood Syndicate,[3] but focused more on the business side of the venture, with Dingle.[4][5]

After leaving Milestone in 1994, he launched Motown Machine Works, where he was joined by Cowan.[4] He served as president/CEO of Motown Animation & Filmworks but left in 1996.[4] He was also President of Animation for Magic Johnson Entertainment.[6] In 2006 he created The Guardian Line comic for Urban Ministries.[7] He has written regular columns for the website ComicMix[8] and "From the Edge" for Bleeding Cool.[3][6] Davis was inducted into The Harvey Awards Hall Of Fame.[9]

The Black Panel

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Michael Davis started the Black Panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 1997. The Black Panel is a mix of Black and often non-Black entertainment industry movers, shakers, and newcomers. Comics are an essential part but far from being the only component of the panel. Black content from all areas of the entertainment arena is fair game in the dialogue. Black culture is youth culture in America, and the Black Panel attempts to bring insight, information, and access to its vast, diverse audience.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Inkpot Award
  2. ^ "CBGXtra.com -- Forums". 2007-09-27. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  3. ^ a b c d "UPDATE: Milestone Co-Founder Michael Davis Not Dead, Social Media Was Hacked". CBR. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  4. ^ a b c Farrell, Paul (2019-04-29). "Michael Davis Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  5. ^ "Black History Month: Surveying the Superhero Landscape". www.villagevoice.com. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  6. ^ a b Johnston, Rich (2021-02-06). "DC Comics Erases Michael Davis From Black History Month?". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 2021-02-06. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  7. ^ "An Interview With "Guardian Line" Creator Michael Davis". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  8. ^ "ComicMix – Truth, justice, and the comics". www.comicmix.com. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  9. ^ "Announcing the 2020 Harvey Awards Winners".
  10. ^ "The Black Panel Online". The Black Panel Online. Retrieved 2022-09-06.