Daily Sketch Challenge - DWAYNE MCDUFFIE TRIBUTE

On Tuesday February 22, 2011, comic writer, animation producer and respected industry veteran Dwayne McDuffie died complications from emergency heart surgery performed the previous evening.

In 1993, McDuffie co-founded Milestone Media along with creators Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle. The company's mission statement involved expanding the role of minorities in comics both on the page and off, and they launched (through DC Comics) a line of superheroes that included Static, Icon and Xombi – all of which McDuffie had a hand in creating.

Over the years, the writer contributed to scores of notable comic book launches and series, always with a keen eye on character, regardless of race. In 2000, his character, Static, made the leap totelevision in the Saturday morning cartoon Static Shock. In 2003, an episode of the show dealing with gun violence earned the writer the Humanitas Prize.

For today's DSC, we pay tribute to Dwayne McDuffie by paying homage to his creation, Static.

Static: 15-30 minute sketch