Remembering The Legend Dwayne McDuffie
This week's writing
Comics legend Dwayne McDuffie was born on February 20, 1962. He died on February 21, 2011. In his far-too-short life, McDuffie left a creative mark that still resonates. Writer Gail Simone posted on social media, “It is still difficult for me to talk about Dwayne McDuffie. For years after his passing, if I saw his name, I would cry, couldn’t help it. People know his talent, but he is still vastly underrepresented for what he did for comics and animation, and supporting new creators. No one like him. He is not replaceable.”
McDuffie, a Detroit native, started work at Marvel Comics in the late 1980s. His first major work was Damage Control, which he co-created with Ernie Colon and pitched as “a sitcom within the Marvel Universe” about a behind-the-scenes organization that cleans up the collateral damage superheroes leave after their fights.
Annoyed with Marvel’s stereotypical treatment of its Black characters, McDuffie submitted a spoof proposal for a series called Teenage Negro Ninja Thrashers — a direct broadside at the early ‘90s Black superheroes who all seemed to ride skateboards and speak in cliche “hood” slang. There even was a Marvel character with the absurd name “Night Thrasher.”
McDuffie eventually co-founded the minority-owned-and-operated comic book company Milestone Media, which launched titles featuring complex characters who weren’t simply a collection of dated stereotypes and tropes. Perhaps the most famous is Static, who’d get his own TV series, but I loved Icon, who McDuffie co-created with artist Mark D. Bright (also gone too soon).
McDuffie later wrote for the Justice League series on Cartoon Network. He was promoted to story editor when the series became Justice League Unlimited. McDuffie wrote, produced, or edited 69 of the 91 total episodes. His work on Justice League was revelatory and arguably stands as the best single Justice League “run” in any media.
He wrote the classic Cadmus story arc that challenged viewers with the idea that humanity might have reason to distrust an all-powerful group of super beings and would resort to working with outright criminals as a “defense” against the Justice League.
The Cadmus arc contained one of my favorite moments from the series: Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) is running for president, and The Question (Jeffrey Combs) fears that Superman might kill the rogue commander in chief, setting off a war. He reasons that if he kills Luthor before Superman does, he can prevent armageddon. The plan backfires, of course, and a maniacal Luthor tells Question that his entire presidential campaign is just a long con intended to provoke Superman: “Do you know how much power I’d have to give up to be president?” is such an epic line. (Watch below.)
Luthor later tells Batman (Kevin Conroy) that his overall goal isn’t just killing Superman but ruining his reputation so that when he does kill Superman, they’ll build “statues in my honor.” McDuffie’s understanding of Luthor would likely influence James Gunn’s version in 2025’s Superman.
The final battle between the Justice League and a Luthor/Brainiac hybrid monstrosity ends with the Flash (Michael Rosenbaum) saving the day. It’s a wonderful spotlight for the youngest and often underestimated League member. (Watch below.)
And McDuffie also wrote one of the best Batman stories ever. No debate. McDuffie movingly demonstrated in just five minutes how compassion is Batman’s driving motivation, not petty vengeance. (Watch below.)
Thanks for everything, Mr. McDuffie.
Valentine’s Day has passed and there’s not another major holiday until Administrative Professionals Day, but while we trudge through winter, my readers still deserve 40 percent off the usual annual paid subscriber rate. That’s just $30 a year. Thanks to all who have upgraded to paid subscriber status recently.
Last Saturday, I wrote about Trump’s strange relationship with white evangelicals for Public Notice
Monday, I wrote about why Democrats should spend every day until midterms and beyond calling out the corrupt Supreme Court.
Trump nominated a straight-up white nationalist for a prominent position that involves dealing with people who aren’t whiny racists.
Jesse Jackson died on Tuesday. His impact was immeasurable.
Trump supporter Kelsey Grammer played a very MAGA character in Transformers: Age of Extinction. Does he realize he was the bad guy?
That’s it for this week. See you on Monday.
Thanks for highlighting Mr. McDuffie's work. I know what I will be watching for the rest of this February. Thank you also for highlighting Mr. McDuffie's life -- school for gifted children, then a degree in English, then a Master's in Physics, then the Tisch School for the Arts. It's always difficult to be a change agent, as Mr. McDuffie was, but as I read about his schooling and career, I thought about how he was able to thrive in the arts and how sad it is that respect for the arts, and thus stories about humanity, is diminished these days.
I never knew this...what a great impact in a far-too-short life!