Static returns in what looks to be the great start to a new series!
One of the most anticipated comics to arrive in 2021 was the revival of a brand new Static series. Ever since Static officially joined the DC Universe years ago, his appearance in comics has been somewhat here and there. His first official appearance was Pre-52 when he was a member of the Teen Titans. Later on he was to receive his own comic series but that fell through when the DC Universe rebooted into the New 52. The Static Shock title of 2011 did not do well with sales and ended up being cancelled after it’s 8th comic.
As Static is the most popular character of Milestone and one beloved by a majority of fans, I was surprised it took this long to get another title series going, but in the end, it was worth the wait.
Static Season One begins with Virgil Hawkins looking back on the events of Milestone Returns #0, a prelude to Static Season One #1, and thinks about how everything has changed since that day of receiving his new found powers. Writer Vita Ayala changes Virgil and the lives of Dakota City to fit with more modern day issues with the citizens of Dakota gaining their powers during a Black Lives Matters protest, we even have a podcast detailing the events with officials blaming what happened on the protestors. Some iterations of Static’s character have had to deal with the issues of being a black person in America, so the slight change in how he got his powers does not feel forced.
Getting superpowers and just deciding to do good with them clearly isn’t the case here in the first issue. The aftermath of the protest has some lasting effects on Virgil, physically and mentally. The tear gas at the protest has left a scarred memory in his mind. His powers have left an annoying buzzing noise in his head. He feels that he has frightened his friends with what he did to his bully and his family are beginning to treat him differently ever since. He tries his best to keep calm and act like everything was the same as before, but there’s too much on his plate now, and he, and the readers, feel that he’s close to overloading.
The most interesting part of this comic was Virgil and his actions against his bully Francis Stone, who eventually dons the name Hotstreak. Aayla treats Virgil as a somewhat typical nerd; he’s into Dungeons and Dragons, has trouble asking his crush out, and he’s also a science and sci-fi geek. After acquiring his new powers in what is known to everyone in Dakota City as the Big Banng, our hero uses his abilities to fight back against Francis. While we the readers don’t see what happens during this fight, we rely on Virgil to provide us the details, and what he tells us is ruthless; Virgil manages to have Francis cowering in fear and begging for Virgil to stop hurting him but Virgil, who has had to suffer years of abuse never eases on him. Virgil is a character who has never known power before and when he finally has it, he uses it to inflict pain for his own musings. This was a huge move on Ayala’s part to have our main character seek revenge in the first issue, even though Virgil believes he might have had a more moral high ground to begin with.
It doesn’t end there though, Virgil’s actions cause Francis to seek his own revenge and bring the fight to him on his front lawn. Using his intellect and martial arts training, Virgil fights back once again, but not without Francis using his powers of fire to destroy Virgil’s home.
Normally with superhero comics, they tend to have the main character(s) become a hero in the first issue, and I think that’s what makes the reader want to come back for more. You want to see what factors will lead him to becoming the superhero known as Static.
Static Season One is filled with exciting action sequences, spectacular artwork and excellent coloring that set the tone of the story and will leave you wanting to know what happens next. A very great start to the new Static series.
