Warning! Spoilers for Static: Season One #1
The debut issue of Static’s new series is a very promising beginning for Milestone Comics’ rebooted Dakotaverse, which is premiering throughout the summer. After a long hiatus from the DC Universe, Virgil Hawkins finally returns to his own self-titled series, Static: Season One.
Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0 set the stage for the new take on the city of Dakota, featuring the origin stories for superheroes such as Static, Icon, Rocket, and Hardware. Virgil’s journey to become Static continues in Static: Season One #1 written by Vita Ayala (Livewire, Children of the Atom) with art by fresh talent Nikolas Draper-Ivey, and Milestone alumni ChrisCross. Each series’ first season is six issues long, making it more approachable for newcomers and fans of the original ‘90s Dakotaverse alike. The revamped Milestone is setting a cinematic tone for its interconnected universe, as seen in a trailer commemorating the three titles, and the first issue of Static is delivering on the promise.
The new Dakotaverse kicks off when police disperse an experimental tear gas developed by the mysterious Alva Industries on a crowd of protestors, an event that comes to be known as the Big Bang. Many of Dakota’s youth die, but those who survive are given powers. Now, teenager Virgil Hawkins is secretly learning about his sudden ability to control and generate electricity, while living under his family’s roof. However, it isn’t long before he has to reveal his abilities and test out the extent of his powers, when racist high school bully Francis Stone shows up at his door during dinner. Threatened by the fire-centric Bang Baby, the Hawkins family watches as Virgil fights the self-proclaimed Hotstreak. Before he has even taken the name “Static” or worn Draper-Ivey’s extremely cool redesigned costume that is teased, Virgil already possesses a superhero’s self-sacrificial spirit. Writer Vita Ayala proves that their version of Virgil doesn’t need to wear the lightning bolt emblem right away in order to tell a captivating story.
Draper-Ivey brings his compelling visual style to his first monthly title, and it’s a perfect fit for a superhero who is overflowing with untapped potential. His exciting depiction of action with anime inspiration isn’t like anything else in mainstream comics, as he captures Virgil’s eagerness to do the right thing and embrace his new identity. Ayala has created a story that feels authentic to the characters, and true to Milestone as it was originally conceived by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle. Together, the creative team has brought new life to Static, while incorporating a strong influence from the animated Static Shock that is certain to get fans of the DC Animated Universe onboard. Immediately based on the first pages alone of Static: Season One #1, there is a sense that this is what the show might be like if created in 2021 and taken to the next level.
Just as the original comics and the show alike explored mature themes, the first season is guaranteed to delve deeper into important issues, particularly those facing the younger generation. Ever since Static’s inception, he has been full of potential to become one of the DC Universe’s most iconic heroes, and with the Dakotaverse’s revamp, the gears are in motion. Static is back, and the renaissance of Milestone Comics is just beginning.