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Review: New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident #1

Al Mega

Milestone Didn’t Just Come Back It Kicked the Door Off the Hinges

Let’s get this out of the way early: New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident #1 is not a casual read. This is a power move. A statement. A full-on declaration that Milestone Media is no longer “adjacent” to DC it is essential to DC. This one-shot doesn’t tiptoe around continuity. It grabs it by the collar, flips the table, and says, “Nah, we’re doing this right.” Dakota City is finally woven into the DNA of the DC Universe, not as a footnote, but as a pressure point that exposes how power, fear, and control really work in this world. And yeah… it hits HARD.

One of the smartest, boldest choices in this issue is reframing the legendary Big Bang as Operation: Big Bang a calculated, government-backed experiment fueled by corporate greed. Edwin Alva’s involvement turns the origin of the Bang Babies into something far more chilling: a sanctioned violation of an entire community.

This revelation instantly connects Milestone to the Supermen Project and locks Dakota City into DC’s long, uncomfortable history of unethical power plays. It’s clean. It’s sharp. And it finally makes the universe feel cohesive instead of stitched together.

Beacon (Amistad Ervin) is the emotional engine that drives this issue, and wow what a choice. As Rocket’s son and Static’s student, Beacon represents legacy, hope, and the terrifying fragility of history. His future is literally erasing itself, and that ticking clock gives the story urgency without ever feeling gimmicky. Beacon isn’t just traveling through time he’s fighting to preserve meaning. His journey turns this comic into something deeper than continuity repair. This is about remembering who lit the fire in the first place.

This issue redefines Milestone’s icons in the most powerful way possible:

Icon stands tall as resilience incarnate a man who has survived centuries of injustice and still refuses to break. Hardware is righteous fury with a brain systemic oppression met with precision and purpose. Static? Static is the spark. The catalyst. The reason the Milestone age exists at all. These aren’t just costumes and powers anymore. These are ideas. Movements. Symbols that hit way closer to real life than most cape books dare to.

Lex Luthor sitting in the Oval Office is already terrifying but seeing him turn Dakota City into a classified threat? That’s next-level chilling. Sending Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad into a living neighborhood turns the comic into a brutal reminder of what happens when fear becomes policy. The clash between the Suicide Squad and the Blood Syndicate is raw, uncomfortable, and intentionally messy. No glory. No clean wins. Just consequences. Captain Atom stepping in only escalates the tension, making it crystal clear: once the machine starts moving, it does not care who gets crushed.

When Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman finally appear, you expect salvation. What you get instead is compromise. Negotiation. Damage control. Dakota City survives but the heroes pay the price. Their powers are effectively outlawed. The D.E.O. moves in. The community is “protected” under surveillance. Peace is achieved, but it’s the kind of peace that leaves scars. And that choice? That’s bold storytelling. The reference to Langston Hughes’ Harlem is absolutely perfect. The dream of Dakota’s heroic golden age isn’t destroyed it’s deferred. Delayed. Boxed in by systems that fear what they can’t control. Beacon’s final message to Virgil Hawkins drives the point home: Static was the spark. And the world still needs that fire.

This book is split into three acts with a prelude and epilogue, and somehow it never feels disjointed. Each creative team brings their own flavor while staying locked into the same emotional and thematic rhythm. The art balances intimacy and scale beautifully quiet moments hit just as hard as the explosive ones. This is a collaboration in the truest sense of the word. New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident #1 is a landmark comic. It fixes history without erasing it. It connects Milestone and DC with intention. And it sets the stage for stories that actually matter. This isn’t nostalgia bait. This is forward motion. Milestone is home. Dakota City is central. And the spark is ready to burn again.

Comic Crusaders stamp of approval. MUST READ. WEPA. 🔥🖤💛

Publisher:
DC Comics

Creative Dream Team:
Joseph P. Illidge, Valentine De Landro, Stephanie Williams, Morgan Hampton, Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Fico Ossio, Edwin Galmon

Comic Crusaders Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Straight fire)

Check out the preview below:

An Untold Conflict That Redefines Dakota’s Place in DC History.

Author Profile

Al Mega
I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!
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