RETRO REVIEW: Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool #1-4

Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool #1-4
DC/Milestone; $2.50 each

Virgil Ovid Hawkins gained his powers as Static the same way the other “bang baby” denizens of Dakota did, when they were exposed to a mutagenic gas. The gas killed most of the people it was used on, but those who survived gained strange and unique powers. In Virgil’s case, it was the ability to control electricity.

Created by Milestone Comics founders Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, the character made his first appearance in June 1993’s Static #1. Initially written by McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III, and illustrated by John Paul Leon, the series depicted Virgil’s attempts to balance school work, after-school job, family life, and teenage relationships while fighting crime in Dakota.

Static ran 45 issues, ending in 1997 when DC stopped publishing it and the other Milestone titles.

In 2000, the animated series Static Shock debuted on the WB network, and in 2001 DC and Milestone revived the comic book incarnation of the character with Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool, a four-issue mini-series by McDuffie and Leon.

Immediately it was clear that neither creator had missed a beat with Virgil or his supporting cast. As the story opens, Virgil tries to enjoy his summer vacation while avoiding getting dragged back into the superhero game. He’s clearly experienced defeat (and more specifically, loss). Events swirl around him though as a huge number of his fellow bang babies have disappeared without a trace.

It wouldn’t be much of a Static Shock series if Virgil didn’t relent and become Static again, and he teams up with Hardware, the remaining members of Heroes, and the Shadow Cabinet, so plenty of great Milestone characters are represented. Although the success of cartoon series and the superb story and art of this mini-series weren’t enough to get a new ongoing Static Shock comic series up and running, this is definitely one any Static fan should check out.

– J.C. Vaughn