Of all the superheroes whose costumes get praised as being among the best in comic books, Static is an understated contender who seldom gets brought up, but one cosplay shows why he absolutely should. It has certainly been fascinating and impressive to see how Static's costume has continued to evolve over the years. When he originally debuted in Milestone Comics in 1993, Static sported a simplified all-black bodysuit reminiscent of Spider-Man's design, but with the inclusion of lightning bolts trimmed around the torso and back area. He'd often wear this with a long trench coat and a black mask with a matching baseball cap with a white X on it.Static's costume received a major upgrade when he was moved to the DC Universe, specifically the DC Animated Universe, with launch of the animated series Static Shock. For anyone doubting the iconic nature of Static's current costume, look no further than cosplayer @swaggycosplayer, whose amazing Static outfit was shared on Twitter by cosplay photographer DTJAAAAM. This cosplay was spotted at Ohio's Ohayocon giving passersby a look at what Static could look like in live action, which is especially apropos in lieu of recent attempts to bring Static to the big screen. This wicked cosplay goes to show exactly what makes Static's modern outfit so great and why it should get more credit for being among the best.
What Makes Static's Costume So Awesome
When Static Shock debuted in 2000, Static's look was updated, with his mask becoming white, now sporting a matching white shirt with a yellow lightning bolt logo on his chest, yellow goggles, black pants, and a white and blue color schemed coat. Across the show's four seasons, Static aka Virgil Hawkins would make minor alterations to his costume (i.e. his mask and shirt would become black, with the rest of his suit becoming a darker shade), but the show's iteration has become so iconic that it clearly became a source of inspiration for Static's modern look in his current run for DC Comics.
Static's current suit is one of the few comic book costumes that could actually work as well in live action as it does in both comic books and animation. Comic book suits are always difficult to nail in live action form, more often than not, without looking silly in real life. It's why Wolverine made his big screen debut in a leather suit rather than pointy ears and why Superman in his underwear always seems like a sensitive topic. Static's costume, on the other hand, is breathtaking enough to stand out, but simple enough and modern enough to be duplicated in 2023 in a way that allows the comic-to-real-life transition to seem seamless.
There are a small handful of heroes who fit that same bill. Spider-Man, Batman, and Wonder Woman are some that may spring to mind, but this cosplay is a reminder Static's costume is impressive enough that he should be mentioned in that same company more frequently than he is today.
Source: DTJAAAAM