CBR: CCI: Creators and Fans Honor Dwayne McDuffie

[CBR News]

During the annual Black Panel at Comic-Con International, entertainment luminaries discussed Dwayne McDuffie's legacy, encouraging aspiring creators to follow in his footsteps.


Full article here.

[Jabare]

RIP Maestro, man was a remarkable talent that was a true trail blazer in the comic industry.

[saidestroyer]

The world is a sadder place without hime. But it's a good place because he was here.

[CMBMOOL]

As an African American Comic book reader, let me say that I will never forget you and your work. As it was because of McDuffie that I grew to love the Justice League animated series, as well as the Static Shock animated series.

[AgPhoenix]

This sounds like it was quite an amazing time and I wish I could've been there. Here's to hoping that NYCC has a tribute to this pioneer.

[Karl O'Neill]

Great to see stuff like this. Mcduffie, you will be remembered.

[Mr MajestiK]

The vacuum Maestro McDuffie's passing will never be filled.

[akhan41]

From: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emeyesee/

I hate moments like this, because I have so much to say that I don't know what to say.

For those of you that were around for the tumultuous founding of Emeyesee, you will remember that I had a love / hate relationship with Dwayne McDuffie.

The love came from the fact that really, Dwayne McDuffie was the reason Emeyesee existed. He took the first shot at tackling the under representation of people of color in the comic book industry by founding Milestone Media Inc. My letter appeared in “The Company Line” in their third month of publication. I founded Emeyesee after the minorities in comics panel at the Wizardworld convention in Chicago that same year.

And... it blew up in my face.

Those of you reading this already know that Emeyesee has never lived up to its promise. The problem, as I always saw it, was simple: me. While I feel like I have great ideas and a lot of enthusiasm, I'm a very angry person – it's what's held me back my whole life. It's cost me jobs, friends, relationships with family members – no matter how good you are at anything, if you're angry, people don't want to have anything to do with you. That's just a reality of life. My proof? Dwayne McDuffie.

See, Dwayne McDuffie wasn't an angry person. From all accounts, he was very generous with his creativity, a help to everyone he dealt with, and as a result, a success. Dwayne McDuffie got so much further, IMO, that someone in his position would normally get. There are a lot of talented writers. But he was talented and Black, with can make things more difficult. He never worked on X-Men or any of the hot books of the day. And yet, because he was intelligent, and so many people liked him, he was able to found his own Black comic book company. And get it national, mainstream distribution. What have any of the rest of us done?

Dwayne McDuffie did not scare white people. A former mentor of mine told me that the reason Bill Duke never reached his full potential was because of an altercation he had with a white writer on “Good Times.” Fantastic director, but a tall, dark Black man – any hint of anger, and you're scary to white people. Dwayne McDuffie didn't have that problem, and for it he got to make his own cartoon, AND work with the characters he loved as a child. Dwayne McDuffie, a Black man, achieved so much more than any Caucasian at his level. He was a respected professional whose skin color didn't keep him from anything – instead, it gave him an angle to achieve more. Without any hint of anger, his character shone through and made him a success in life, again, something very few of his peers could say.

Something that I can't say at all.

McDuffie and I got into it when he was on Emeyesee – well, we didn't get into it so much as when I made an immature comment about Tony Isabella, he took offense on behalf of his friend, and decided he wanted no part of Emeyesee. No matter how good the idea might have been, McDuffie knew what I didn't: that nothing good could come of this angry forum. And he was right. Ask yourself, when was the last time you posted to this forum? Or even wanted to?

Dwayne McDuffie was a role model I wish I had chosen to follow. I might have gotten to know him better – a good friend of mine is friends with Michael Davis. And from all accounts, McDuffie was more than willing to teach. I wish I'd had the chance to apologize to him. But I guess it's too late.

I didn't know that McDuffie had died on February 21st, 2011, while I myself was in the hospital. Someone might have mentioned it to me, but it didn't register until Arlontus told me about his tribute panel at the San Diego Comicon this year. I didn't fully realize it until now, but the world truly lost a gentle giant. And for me, I lost my chance to learn from the best.

RIP Dwayne McDuffie

-Khan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emeyesee/

[Kid Kamikaze10]

From: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emeyesee/

I hate moments like this, because I have so much to say that I don't know what to say.

For those of you that were around for the tumultuous founding of Emeyesee, you will remember that I had a love / hate relationship with Dwayne McDuffie.

The love came from the fact that really, Dwayne McDuffie was the reason Emeyesee existed. He took the first shot at tackling the under representation of people of color in the comic book industry by founding Milestone Media Inc. My letter appeared in “The Company Line” in their third month of publication. I founded Emeyesee after the minorities in comics panel at the Wizardworld convention in Chicago that same year.

And... it blew up in my face.

Those of you reading this already know that Emeyesee has never lived up to its promise. The problem, as I always saw it, was simple: me. While I feel like I have great ideas and a lot of enthusiasm, I'm a very angry person – it's what's held me back my whole life. It's cost me jobs, friends, relationships with family members – no matter how good you are at anything, if you're angry, people don't want to have anything to do with you. That's just a reality of life. My proof? Dwayne McDuffie.

See, Dwayne McDuffie wasn't an angry person. From all accounts, he was very generous with his creativity, a help to everyone he dealt with, and as a result, a success. Dwayne McDuffie got so much further, IMO, that someone in his position would normally get. There are a lot of talented writers. But he was talented and Black, with can make things more difficult. He never worked on X-Men or any of the hot books of the day. And yet, because he was intelligent, and so many people liked him, he was able to found his own Black comic book company. And get it national, mainstream distribution. What have any of the rest of us done?

Dwayne McDuffie did not scare white people. A former mentor of mine told me that the reason Bill Duke never reached his full potential was because of an altercation he had with a white writer on “Good Times.” Fantastic director, but a tall, dark Black man – any hint of anger, and you're scary to white people. Dwayne McDuffie didn't have that problem, and for it he got to make his own cartoon, AND work with the characters he loved as a child. Dwayne McDuffie, a Black man, achieved so much more than any Caucasian at his level. He was a respected professional whose skin color didn't keep him from anything – instead, it gave him an angle to achieve more. Without any hint of anger, his character shone through and made him a success in life, again, something very few of his peers could say.

Something that I can't say at all.

McDuffie and I got into it when he was on Emeyesee – well, we didn't get into it so much as when I made an immature comment about Tony Isabella, he took offense on behalf of his friend, and decided he wanted no part of Emeyesee. No matter how good the idea might have been, McDuffie knew what I didn't: that nothing good could come of this angry forum. And he was right. Ask yourself, when was the last time you posted to this forum? Or even wanted to?

Dwayne McDuffie was a role model I wish I had chosen to follow. I might have gotten to know him better – a good friend of mine is friends with Michael Davis. And from all accounts, McDuffie was more than willing to teach. I wish I'd had the chance to apologize to him. But I guess it's too late.

I didn't know that McDuffie had died on February 21st, 2011, while I myself was in the hospital. Someone might have mentioned it to me, but it didn't register until Arlontus told me about his tribute panel at the San Diego Comicon this year. I didn't fully realize it until now, but the world truly lost a gentle giant. And for me, I lost my chance to learn from the best.

RIP Dwayne McDuffie

-Khan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emeyesee/

I may not have done accomplished nearly as much as you have already, but I feel your pain. I pretty much burned my bridge with McDuffie because of my own anger. Mine was also very misguided, and though I apologized afterwards, the damage was pretty much done.

My altercation with him as well as his death taught me the damage misplaced anger can do, and how much of an effect it can have on my own life, even if it probably didn't mean much to him.

Now, I'm an aspiring black writer, I've been looking towards his previous work, especially the overall Milestone line, for guidance, but it's just not the same.


I had a dream one day that I would be able to meet the Maestro in person, thank him, then apologize once more, in person. Try to redeem myself in his eyes through honesty and through my work.


I'm never going to have that chance, and when I first faced that truth, it hurt far worse than I can describe.


So yeah, don't give up. And remember him for the good he did in this world. And strive to do the same, if not more. I think that would be way more powerful than any apology (though those help as well).


Or at least, that's what I tell myself.