Spoilers ahead for Icon and Rocket: Season One #1!
Milestone’s Icon combines the best of Superman and the Martian Manhunter into one great hero. In Icon and Rocket: Season One #1, on sale now in print and digital, readers are reintroduced to Milestone’s most powerful hero, and learn he shares much in common with both the Man of Steel and J’onn J’onnzz.
Icon was one of the initial stars from Milestone Media upon the imprint’s launch in 1993. Milestone Media was an imprint of DC Comics, unique for its time in that the creators would retain all rights to their characters, not DC; Milestone stressed diverse characters beyond what was appearing in mainstream superhero comics at the time. Legends Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Mark Bright and others helped lay the foundation for the imprint; some of Milestone’s other titles included Static (which was adapted into a popular cartoon) and The Blood Syndicate. Milestone is now in the midst of a comeback, with some of the original creators involved; the characters are being introduced to a new generation of readers, and much like the originals, the new Milestones are grounded in the real world, tackling social issues such as racism and police brutality.
Icon and Rocket #1, written by Reginald Hudlin, with art by Doug Braithwaite, inks by Scott Hanna and Andrew Currie, colors by Brad Anderson and letters by Andworld Design, opens with Icon’s origin. An extraterrestrial, Icon was traveling back to his home planet when his ship, which was carrying others of his kind, was sabotaged; he was the only survivor. His escape pod crash landed on a plantation in the American South in the 1840s, and was found by two married slaves. As they touched the escape pod, it scanned their genetic information and modified Icon, altering him to resemble a small, African-American baby. He was then raised by the couple, and has survived to the present day, passing himself off as human.
Icon’s origin is a mashup of Superman and the Martian Manhunter. Like Superman, he came to Earth and was found by a kindly couple and raised as a human; like the Martian Manhunter, Icon was fully-grown when he came to Earth, and assumed human form so he could pass undetected among them until a time he could return home. While passing as a human, the Martian Manhunter still did good deeds, and there are hints here that Icon has as well. Icon also shares one other thing in common with Superman and the Martian Manhunter: he is a great hero, one with strongly defined morals—and immensely powerful.
Icon is one of Milestone’s greatest heroes, and he shares a good deal in common with Superman and the Martian Manhunter, especially in terms of their origin.