Though I don’t want my Friday post to become the Friday Memorial Link, I couldn’t let this week pass without noting the sad and sudden death of animation and comics writer Dwayne McDuffie. Judging by what I’ve seen on Twitter, the whole internet is mourning for him, and with good reason. McDuffie’s impact on the world of animation alone was huge. He played a major role in making the animated version of the DC Comics universe the powerhouse that it is today as a producer, writer, and story editor on the amazing Justice League TV series and writer of the direct-to-DVD movies Crisis on Two Earths and All-Star Superman, the latter of which was just released this week. McDuffie story edited Static Shock, the series based on the character he co-created with artist John Paul Leon. He also produced and story edited on the Ben 10 series.
In celebration of Dwayne Mc Duffie’s life and work, I’m sending you over to The World’s Finest, a treasure trove of all things DC animated. Check out their sections on Justice League and Static Shock for all the episode guides, images, and behind the scenes goodies you could ever need, including some interviews with McDuffie himself.
One more link that I can’t resist sharing: McDuffie was well known and respected in the world of comics for insisting that characters who were not caucasian males be treated as real characters and not stereotypes or representatives of an entire group of people. During his time as an editor at Marvel Comics, McDuffie noticed that a not insignificant percentage of Marvel’s African-American superheroes were following a particular pattern. In response, he submitted a bitingly humorous “pitch” that got his point across loud and clear.
