Milestone's (DC) Icon and Rocket

Looking forward to Aldis Hodge's Hawkman



Still believe he would've made an AWESOME Augustus Freeman IV......

Icon (and some scenes with his partner Rocket) in the classic Young Justice series.

What's missing from the actual vote that granted Icon membership into the Justice League was Green Arrow's frankness and honesty -

"The only reason Superman wants Icon in the League is because he thinks he's Kryptonian".

Whoever did Icon's voice over was SPOT ON.

To me personally - the Young Justice version of Justice League will go down as perhaps the most powerful of all time - with heavyweights such as Icon, Superman, Shazam, Wonder Woman, Captain Atom, Aquaman and John Jonzz - not to mention several Green Lanterns, Dr. Fate, Zatanna, Hawkgirl and Hawkman and many many others.

She's also in Season 4 of Young Justice, IIRC - with her son Amistad.

Icon and Rocket #8, December 1993. Dwayne McDuffie, Writer. M.D. Bright, Penciler. Mike Gustovich, Inker. J. Brown, painted color. Steve Dutro, letterer.




This issue starts off with a picture of our hero Icon patrolling the skies of Dakota (verse), on the way to his mansion and his eventual meeting with his partner Rocket. It is with this meeting that our mysterious nearly 200 - year old being will start to explain to Rocket his origins - now that she is FINALLY ready to listen to him and actually BELIEVE him.

As Rocket sits in his mansion she's chronicling everything in her personal journal. She recalls her fateful meeting with him - right after she, her boyfriend Noble and two other friends of theirs were attempting to rob him. They believed initially that he was the butler of the mansion rather than the OWNER. She recalls how she couldn't believe that Black people lived like this and all she wanted was a typewriter during their illegal entry.

She recalls how Augustus Freeman stumbled upon them and her boyfriend, Noble, subsequently shot him point blank in the chest.

That failed gunshot would turn ALL of their lives upside down as he quickly recovered with no scratch or injury on his chest - save for the hole in his shirt from the gunshot blast.

She recalled how after seeing this amazing feat he did not appear to be a typical rich Conservative African American lawyer - but something FAR MORE mysterious - especially after he took FLIGHT and chased down her and her friends as they tried to escape his estate.

She marveled at how AWESTRUCK she was to see a Black Man flying - and how her previous small world seemed to open up to new possibilities after witnessing this.

Rocket would eventually return to his mansion after promising - along with her friends - to never steal again NOR to tell ANYONE about what they witnessed. She immediately began to start envisioning Augustus Freeman as a superhero and saw her goal as to persuade him to use his powers for GOOD and to be an EXAMPLE.

Mr. Freeman would listen to her spiel with some doubt but she eventually convinced him to become a superhero. He would go on to design their costumes, right after she gave him detailed drawings of how they should look.

She recalls how the fabric of their costumes seemed to stay warm during cool or cold weather and cool during warm weather. Their costumes also appeared to be highly resistant to damage.

She recalls how Icon also gave her a special belt - one that he salvaged from his escape pod. This "belt" appears to be some kind of kinetic energy collector that can absorb blows, projectile damage and many forms of energy attacks. This belt can then store it, redirect it as the wearer chooses, and would eventually allow her the power of flight once she learns its full capabilities.

She recalls how she spent three weeks getting accustomed to it.

Raquel then recalls their first encounter with Dakota police. She recalls encountering Kevin Franklin, her first Bang Baby. Kevin's alter ego is the mutant Payback.

She recalls their meeting with The Blood Syndicate and how they'd eventually form a truce because of it. Rocket also recalls the many petty crimes they've stopped along the way and how it's making an impact on their city.

She FINALLY remembers that even with what they've done so far she still knows little about him. That is about to change as he reenters the room, without his signature green cape.

Rocket starts in with "So are you finally going to tell me about yourself"? Icon says that "I already have."

She then says "Are you really going to tell me again how you're a stranded alien that's been here for well over 150 years?"

Mr. Freeman then says that since she still doesn't trust his story and since it still seems so incredible to her that he was going to finally offer her concrete proof. He removes a trap door to his cellar and they both proceed down a flight of stairs.

As they descend, he tells her how his interstellar cruise liner was on its way to a resort planet. He recalls how something happened and the ship began to malfunction. He recalls the plasma fires onboard, more than likely from the engines. He recalls how many passengers died during that incident. Along with the humanoid being that he met from The Blood Syndicate, "DMZ", they successfully saved dozen of lives before the liner broke apart in space. He refers to DMZ as a sort of Interstellar Patrol officer onboard the star liner.

He remembers that the call went out to abandon ship. Many different alien forms of life moved about frantically around him as he made his way to an escape pod.

As his escape pod blasted into the unknown he recalls how that life pod would make its way to the first planet with intelligent sentient life - Earth. Icon finishes this incredible beginning with telling Rocket that this is where he's been up to this point.

Rocket - being a closet "Gilligan's Island" fan, starts in with the familiar song beginning -



"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale".................................

Icon proceeds with Rocket into a VAST underground cellar and they approach a solid concrete slab which functions as a door. This slab appears to be very heavy and massive in size but Icon lifts it with little effort.

The slab locks in place with a loud "thud" once Icon lifts it to a certain height. He then utters something in an alien tongue - perhaps from his alien Terminian language? This phrase activates his escape pod and it hums to life, emitting a very bright light.

He warns Rocket of the bright light so as to protect her vision.

Rocket - in her signature honest dialogue - then exclaims how she NOW understands how a Black Man can be a Conservative Republican, saying in disbelief as she witnesses for the first time his alien life pod -

"You're from outer space!"

This life pod is unlike anything she's ever seen - even on TV. It's cylindrical in nature, with four metallic arms that appear to serve as balancers of some sort. The pod appears to be around 10-12 feet tall and about 6 feet wide. It has a window view, facing out. Right above the window appears to be metallic shingles, perhaps retracted. Maybe this shingling protected the craft from entry into Earth's atmosphere?

The seating inside is plush and comfortable, with dials, buttons and alien circuitry within arms reach. The outer hull, right below the window, appears to house sensors and other technology.

To the rear of this vessel appears to be a radar dish of some sort.

As she stares in amazement, Icon lifts her into the seat of the pod. He then explains how the pod's faster than light drive was damaged during the landing and he doesn't believe it can be repaired - at least right now.

He goes on to explain that the vessel's power supply is very low and how he activates it only for emergencies to preserve what is left.

He reminds Raquel that he's revealing this to her to earn her trust. He then asks her to proceed with any questions she may have.

She then mentions his form BEFORE the pod changed his DNA - and how did he look prior to the transformation. Icon tells her "Kermit the frog, but with a better profile."

Rocket slaps him on his shoulder in disbelief - to which Icon sternly reminds her that he's serious. He then calmly tells her that in his previous Terminian culture physical appearance doesn't matter at all - and this is evidenced by the myriad forms of life that was on his escape pod.

He tells her that Earth is VERY primitive in that regard.

Rocket urges him to continue with his story - before he was transformed into a human being by the escape pod. He tells her that his race is a member of The Cooperative - which is an association of over ten thousand planets throughout the galaxy. This includes nearly the same amount of alien races.

He goes on to say that his previous society was utopian in nature but still had complaints from time to time. Mr. Freeman then explains that the technology on his Terminian home world allowed them to create unlimited matter which basically eliminated ALL needs. Still, he exclaims - there were complaints and disputes from time to time.

He states that the majority of his people were philosophers, explorers, scientists or artists. Mr. Freeman says that his profession was much less common in that he was charged with settling disputes.

Rocket - being ever attentive to his story - exclaims that he was a lawyer, with excitement in her voice. He tells her that he was a mediator. He defines this job as being one to find common ground for the betterment of BOTH parties and to be fair in the process.

His voice trails off, as if he's distracted. Rocket asks him if anything's wrong.

Icon then states that he wants to go home.

The story NOW shifts back to Raquel Ervin's apartment, with her boyfriend Noble knocking at its door. Her mother answers, irritated with Noble's loud knocking. He asks her if she's seen her daughter.

She says no - and that she's late for work and in a hurry.

Noble asks her to let her daughter know that the father of her child stopped by, which floors Ms. Ervin. She stands still outside of their apartment, frozen with a shocked look.

Back at Icon's mansion, he's continuing with his unbelievable story which keeps Rocket captivated. He goes on to explain Rocket's belt and how it works. Icon calls her belt "an inertia-winder", and it's purpose is to protect the wearer from rapid acceleration or deceleration. Rocket, to this point, has found other uses for it to a credit to her brightness.

Mr. Freeman goes on to tell her that this particular belt is unique in its design and that an associate did extra work on it and gave it to him.

Icon tells her that he will now shut the pod down to preserve power and that he'll tell her the rest of his incredible story in the study.



He goes on to tell her that during the Harlem Renaissance he met and married his wife, Estelle Freeman.They'd both live as expatriates in France during the 1930s.

He fought with the Allies during WW 2. Afterwards he and his wife would return to the United States.

After his wife's passing in 1977, he moved his law practice to Dakota. His wife appeared to live 80 years, according to her gravestone. She passed due to natural causes.

He exclaims that he arrived at the name "Augustus Freeman the 4th", by faking his own death several times. He did this to hide his identity, returning each time as his "own son".

Rocket, in excitement, exclaims that his ENTIRE LIFE spans the African American experience. She marvels at what he's seen and experienced - as well as what he's learned.

As she's finishing up this vivid entry in her journal she's distracted by a bright light few feet from her. In a blast of fiery brimstone a large figure appears.

She thinks it's Icon but it's someone or something far more sinister.

The being that appears is the terrifying and dangerous Bang Baby known as Holocaust.

The Bang Baby known as "Holocaust", eventually has a name change during his run in the Milestone (DC) comic series - to "Pyre".





I don't know if this was because of his potentially controversial former name but I personally like the name change.

Dude is a POWERHOUSE and dangerous - with perhaps Icon being the only one to stop him in the Dakotaverse. He's feared by Blood Syndicate and many others in the Dakotaverse.

Another actor I'd love to see play Augustus Freeman IV - Icon:



The Incomparable Denzel Washington.

He has the breadth of experience, depth and charisma to play such a complex character as Icon - ALL facets of Icon.

And YES - Denzel passes as a 40 year old even now, lol.

Get this done, WB / DC Cinematic Universe.

Touching video about Dwayne McDuffie (RIP).

He did work on Icon and Rocket, Hardware, some Blood Syndicate issues as well as Static and others.

He also wrote extensively for Justice League Unlimited animated series and Ben 10.





His DVD credits include Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and All-Star Superman, and I'm sure many others I cannot recall atm.





RIP, Dwayne. I can imagine the STORYTELLING in Heaven is OFF THE CHAIN right now - with Stan Lee, Jack Kirby AND Dwayne up there.

Icon and Rocket #9 - Dwayne McDuffie (RIP), writer. M.D. Bright, penciler. Mike Gustovich, inker. James Brown, painted color. J. Scott J, color assistant. Steve Dutro, letterer. Matt Wayne, editor.



This issue begins The Shadow War series, which introduces us to several new characters in Milestone's (DC) Universe, including the being known as "Dharma". Dharma resides on "Shadowspire", a shadowy realm that serves as his base of operations. He is a mysterious figure who is responsible for forming The Shadow Cabinet. He is also able to foretell the future - with DEEP knowledge of The Big Bang and the events leading up to it.

He and Icon will eventually cross paths several times - in the Icon and Rocket comics and in other Milestone (DC) Comics.

Dharma begins this issue with The Blood Syndicate, Static, Hardware and Icon and Rocket on his mind - and how each character will play into his plans.

He seems to be in a measure of fear over how Icon will play into his plans. He also recalls how Icon encountered The Bang Baby know as Payback, and promised him that he would get to the bottom of what happened at the Big Bang.

Dharma also seems concerned with how Icon managed to form a TRUCE with The Blood Syndicate - which was evidently NOT in Dharma's plans. He acknowledges that the path that Icon is on will lead him to the TRUTH of The Big Bang one day - but seems at this time not too concerned with this.

Dharma mentions Icon's partner, Rocket, and how intuitive a person she is. He mentions how only SHE will fully understand his role and the hows and whys behind his purpose. He speaks of an "upcoming battle" and how she will understand the stakes involved with it - including her unborn child.

He notes how it was Rocket's vision that created Icon. He also notes how this upcoming battle is BECAUSE of her unborn child's safety and future.

Dharma seems BURDENED by the events that have happened, and what's to come.

The issue fast forwards to the dangerous bang baby Holocaust's (Pyre) encounter with Rocket. He is looking for her NOT to fight her bu to RECRUIT her for The Star Chamber - a group of super-powered beings that will eventually engage The Shadow Cabinet for the fate of the world.

Rocket recognizes Pyre immediately - as an EXTREMELY dangerous and powerful bang baby. He's bad enough news that even The Blood Syndicate fears him and don't want him around.

Pyre goes on to tell Rocket that The Star Chamber is trying to save the world - and they need HER help.

The issue then shifts to Icon flying above the skies of Dakotaverse. He is thinking about The Big Bang and how much of a tragedy is was and the hundreds of youth that lost their lives because of it.

He recalls how the "official word" on the street is that it was gang violence that caused the deaths. Icon has come to find out that some survivors of this horrific event noted the strange glowing gas that bestowed upon some of them strange and unique powers. This gas also cursed some of the survivors with hideous disfigurement.

He notes how incredible a story it seems - even more so because he's realizing that it is the truth.

Icon continues on to Mayor Jefferson's office. She greets him warmly and offers her P.R. department to take pictures of the two of them together. Icon tells her that he's not here for that and wishes to discuss The events with the Big Bang.

Mayor Jefferson has a worried look on her face with Icon's questions regarding the Big Bang - falling back on what she has already told him about the event.

Icon - using his skills learned as a lawyer - presses her on her story based off of what he's learned on his own thus far. He starts off with the fact that no Police Officers were present during the event. She seems stunned by this disclosure and offers to let him speak with the Commissioner about his findings - only for both of them to be interrupted by a loud BOOM and crumbling wall behind them as the armored foe known as "Onslaught" enters the room.

Onslaught - with his armor's weapons blazing - makes his entry quite clear - that he is there to silence ANYONE asking too many questions about The Big Bang.

The scene then shifts back to Pyre and Rocket. She still doesn't trust his intentions and threatens to turn him into the police. He, in turn, asks her to listen. He tells her about the many friends of his that died the night of the Big Bang - and how he's determined to get retribution for them. He tells them that the FUTURE is at stake - her baby included - and not to be petty.

She seems shocked and bothered by the fact that everyone is seemingly finding out about her pregnancy.

The scene, ironically - shifts to her apartment - with her mom and her boyfriend Noble. Noble already informed Rocket's mom of her pregnancy a few issues ago and now we get her reaction to it, which revolves around shock, anger and livid to list a few adjectives.

Rocket's mom goes up beside Noble's head with an open-handed slap, causing him to recoil in fear. Rocket's grandmother calms down both Rocket's mom and Noble, asking her to let him talk. Noble goes on to tell her that he has 200 dollars to offer Rocket if she chooses to get an abortion.

This tense scene shifts yet again - this time back to City Hall and Onslaught and Icon's coming battle. The human inside the HUGE set of armor opens fire on Icon with his cannons, telling him that he's not there to hurt the Mayor but to hurt HIM.......

Icon takes a full blast from Onslaught's huge cannons, striking him directly in the chest and knocking him out. Onslaught goes on to warn Mayor Jefferson of what happens when people like Icon asks too many questions. She tells him to leave her son out of this - seemingly hiding a deep secret about her son's involvement in the Big Bang.

During Onslaught's conversation with the Mayor, Icon recuperates....much to his shock and awe. Icon sneaks up behind him and gets a solid strike on his armor, shattering its frame in several places and knocking him out of the room and onto the street below. Icon lets Mayor Jefferson know that as soon as he's done with Onslaught he'll be back - to continue his fact-finding mission about the Big Bang.

As Icon proceeds after Onslaught he makes mention of how powerful his weapons are and he notes that he'll have to replace some of the protective shielding in his suit that was damaged. He promises to end the conflict with him as quickly as possible - using his Positron blasts through his hands to try to strike down Onslaught. Icon's initial blasts miss - obliterating a large truck right behind Onslaught. The resulting blast knocks him forward, making him bring to bear a large projectile-type gun that he intends on using on Icon.

The scene shifts again - back to Rocket and Holocaust (Pyre)'s conversation. He is still trying to recruit Rocket to his Star Chamber group of super-powered beings. He claims that their foes - The Shadow Cabinet - are trying to destroy the world by using some huge bomb to set off a chain-reaction.

As Pyre tries once again to get a commitment from Rocket the scene shifts to the super-powered beings of The Shadow Cabinet, Agents Donner and Blitzen. Donner has near-Icon level super strength and invulnerability. Agent Blitzen has super speed and quickness. They are both surveying Rocket - with their intent to recruit her before Pyre does but they realize that they're too late.

Rocket shakes Holocaust's (Pyre) hand and agrees to join up with him and his Star Chamber crew. Agent Donner moves in, trying to change Rocket's mind. Holocaust doesn't take too kindly to the interruption and immediately blasts Donner with a fiery cone of energy.

Agent Donner - unfazed by the fiery inferno engulfing her, tells her partner Agent Blitzen to immediately leave and find Icon as fast as she can.

Donner - still unharmed by Pyre's fiery blasts, strikes the bridge surface they're on, splintering it into many sections and knocking them all off balance and into the water below.

Back to Icon and Onslaught's fight - Icon is using his powers of flight, speed and quickness to dodge the high-tech targeting of the weapon systems belonging to Onslaught. As he lands behind a large truck, he laments how pointless the fight is and that he wishes to end it immediately so he can get back to Mayor Jefferson.



Icon makes use of his several ton shield and uses the large truck to end Onslaught - and the battle. Onslaught - after Icon removes the truck to survey the damage - is now a part of the wall behind him and knocked out unconscious. His armor - already cracked by Icon's previous blow - is now completely damaged beyond repair.

Agent Blitzen shows up, marveling Icon's work against Onslaught. She introduces herself and immediately fills Icon in on the situation back at the bridge with Agent Donner, his partner Rocket and the dangerous Bang Baby Pyre. He seems confused - at least up until Blitzen tells him of Rocket's decision to join with Pyre and The Star Chamber.

The scene shifts back to Rocket and Holocaust (Pyre) in the water. Agent Donner is crawling up on dry land and as she tries to gain her footing Pyre blasts her again - this time channeling his fire into a cone around her head. His goal is to suck the air from around her head - choking her unconscious in the process. This is successful, and Donner falls to the ground.

When Agent Donner regains consciousness, Pyre and Rocket are already gone. Icon and Agent Blitzen are calling to her and she immediately tells them what happened.

Icon - without a formal offer from either of them - agrees to join their cause in the coming battle against Pyre and his Star Chamber. He realizes that he has no choice, with Rocket now set against him in a bad choice of her youth.

The "Shadow War" series continues in "Xombi", issue #0.

I don’t even get on the forums any more , but when I heard the news just had to jump on here and congratulate you bro. Championing these two for 11 years and you finally get (I hope) what you’ve been asking for congratulations man, happy for you!

What news is that? Just curious....you hear or see something?

Nothing confirmed but a picture of icon was data mined from dcuo. Looks like the milestone comics pics of him. He may be making an appearance.

Although this thread is fairly odd all in its own, it's a bit cruel to be teasing the OP with, well, nonsense.

You can't datamine DCUO. I get the feeling you have absolutely no idea what Datamining is, what it's purpose is or how it's done. The only thing saved on your Console/PC that could be Datamined in any way are your Settings Preferences. Also when new Episodes release, there's a reason there's a download requirement. Because the aforementioned data to be mined literally doesn't exist within the game data yet.

Where exactly did you get this information from?

Trykz - Place this poster on ignore. I suspect that he / she is from a banned account from a few months ago - but on another computer and profile.

Great thread! I love seeing people talking about their favorite characters and extending the knowledge on them to other people

This! I’ve always enjoyed these threads. I had never heard of the duo, or even knew they made someone as strong as super man. Dope story.

Ah ok. Thanks.

I'll try to "Entertain and Educate" you in reference to your "Fairly Odd" comment -

@Talks2muchsense - What is so "odd" about this thread? The lack of comic panels? The narration?

I had a previous thread that I suspect YOU (as Hunted2468 or Hunted1357 - now banned accounts) posted in. That previous Icon and Rocket thread evidently had too many panels from the comics in it - I guess infringing upon some copyright issues by the amount of panels.

This was AFTER I had asked Mepps and several other senior posters on here about the CONTENT of the thread when Hunted first questioned me about it.

Initially - they had NO ISSUES with it. Thus - I continued on with what I was doing.

Fast forward to several months ago? I guess my thread got the attention of "Warner Brothers" and I had to stop what I was doing.

Mepps stated that I could not continue in that PREVIOUS Icon and Rocket thread but I could start a NEW one - with no more than TWO panels from each comic posted.

He said nothing about me NARRATING the rest of each comic, which is what I'm doing.

Call it a Labor of Love.

This is a COMIC BOOK VIDEO game, DC Universe Online. One that is fun, to ME, and rather engaging AND filled with NOSTALGIA - despite its faults. Icon IS a part of DC Universe and I plan on continue promoting him - until God calls me home.

Icon and Rocket are some great characters, but strictly speaking I don't think they're DC, DC just has a publishing deal with Milestone, but they're separate companies.

But yet they've been featured on Young Justice. Not only Icon and Rocket, but also Static, Pyre and even Rocket's young son Amistad.

Icon even joined The Justice League in Young Justice - with none other than Green Arrow's famous quote of "The only reason that Superman wants Icon in the League is that he thinks he's Kryptonian".





Icon is a VERY SERIOUS, thoughtful and POWERFUL Character - quite the departure from what we see in MOST MEDIA nowadays.

Perhaps this is why some are trying to bury him?

They've (Milestone) have ALSO been featured in ACTUAL JUSTICE LEAGUE Comics:



Featured on this cover is none other than Icon, Jason Rusch Firestorm, Dr. Light, Vixen and John Stewart GL.

This series spanned SEVERAL comic issues - and featured SIMPLY INCREDIBLE feats, not ONLY by Icon but ALSO Superman....with both he and Hal Jordan GL actually MOVING EARTH out of the way of a shadow imitation of Earth.



Icon gave Superman perhaps his most STRONGEST Punch EVER -





"You've got a gift for understatement. THAT'S ABOUT AS HARD AS I'VE EVER BEEN HIT.................." Above Panel.

ALL in this same series - during their fight with Star Breaker AND the previous confrontation with Shade - who produced shadow duplicates of both the Justice League AND Icon's Shadow cabinet.




Incredible Stuff. The Star Breaker series started with Icon's Shadow Cabinet first meeting Superman's Justice League - starting with Justice League #28:





They ARE (Milestone) (or WERE) in the same DC Universe, back in 2009. Sadly, one of the most talented writers of Milestone (DC) Comics characters, Dwayne McDuffie - passed just two years later, in 2011.












Much of Dwayne's vision for I personally believe to be AN INTEGRATED DC Universe - with BOTH Milestone (DC) and regular DC Characters is seemingly paused - with SOME people I speak with actually thinking that they SHOULD NOT be integrated.

I disagree.

Folks fought for.....DIED FOR....Integration in REAL LIFE. Why are we keeping COMIC BOOK characters separate?

I personally won't sit by idly and not say or type something.

#Good Trouble