Potential Energy in a Static Shock
Static, a.k.a. Virgil Hawkins, could be the single most underutilized Comics icon to not actually be used in the DCU. Right now, there is no everyday type hero in the DCU that the average human being can get down with (and actually relate to). On the real, he is to DC what Spider-Man is to MARVEL. His replay value could be significant in the DCU if his integration in to current continuity actually occurred. His everyman type story is real and can be grown and cultivated to make him a solid chracter with lasting effects on the DCU. Just like Spider-Man, Static’s struggles our the same as ours. His perspective, as a young adult lends to the type of evolution of failure and triumph that could be told in a way that makes you actually take the DCU seriously. Static Loves Frieda? Sure. Boy Becomes Hero, Hero Becomes Man? No doubt.
When you take it all in, the character that is Static can surpass some of these other “heroes” and give us that next-level format we need from Comics today. Especially in this post-crisis era. If DC had their eyes on the prize, they’d look to resurrect Static and drop him into the mix for the long haul. Get a solid writer on it that understands the human element and the heroism that makes a Comics character real. If no one is willing to step up, then I’d emplore DC to let ME craft his new hustle. It’s an investment in Comics history — an atomic bomb waiting to go off in the DCU that makes it all worthwhile. Some say that you can’t approach these big houses with a new capes story and have any hope of them actually getting down with it. What about a character whose flavor has stamina with the potential energy to embody the iconic values that works so well for someone like Spider-Man? The DCU needs a static shock to jumpstart the pulse of the DCU in a way that has been ignored for far too long.
Bahlactus has spoken.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I agree Bahlactus. Static has the potential to be a great relaunch for DC, especially with all the stuff going on with multiple universes and such again.
January 26th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Bahlactus,
Have you gotten to the episode of the JL animated where they go to the Batman Begins future, and an older Virgil is a member of the Justice League? He looks pretty bad-ass with a beard and grey dreads.
As my first introduction ot the character, the animated series was a great way to showcase Static. It ran for four pretty excelent seasons, but sadly hasn’t had the great “Season-By-Season” style DVD release that the Bruce Timm stuff has recieved.
Also kind of going into “Dark Stars”, I know you said you didn’t want to count Elseworlds or Alternate Futures, but in the Batman Begins future timeline I mentioned above, Warhawk was a member of the JLU, and he’s the son of Hawkgirl and Jon Stewart.
-casey-
January 26th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Lucky for you I’ve seen all of the JLU animated on DVD, otherwise that last bit would be a SPOILER now, wouldn’t it?
Seriously though, I dug Static in the futures episode he appeared in. I would have liked to see him more, but, you can only play that Booster card so many times.
I don’t believe Warhawk had actually appeared anywhere except on the animated series, which doubly excludes him and someone like Black Vulcan from the SuperFriends.
Thanks for comin’ through and droppin’ some science. Maybe DC will consider adding Static to the current continuity format. You never know..
January 26th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
[…] Potential Energy in a Static Shock - Bahlactus from Always Bet On Bahlactus reflects on the Milestone character Static and says he’s the “single most underutilized Comics icon to not actually be used in the DCU.” (from Always Bet On Bahlactus) […]
January 27th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
DC dosen’t own Static. Dwayne McDuffie does.
And it seems he’s not willing to let DC use the character.
January 27th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Is that the hustle on the real? I am under the impression that if DC truly wanted to get down with splicing Static into continuity, McDuffie would not fight that. Why would he stifle that? Has he come out and said otherwise?
January 27th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Okay folks, here’s the deal on ownership. Milestone Media, of which Milestone Comics was a branch, own all the copywrights for all their characters. Therefore, DC could not use the characters without purchasing them from Milestone. Dwayne McDuffie is a co-founder of that company and has gone on record in some interviews as saying that there has been no real movement on Static or any other Milestone character being integrated into the DC Universe proper. However people like Geoff Johns have also gone on record as saying how much they love those characters, and how he really wanted to have Static in the Teen Titans after One Year Later. Now, here’s the thing, DC has had two occasions to bring the characters into the DCU in the past year, Once right after Infinite Crisis with the birth of the new earth, and their second chance appears to be coming up soon. If the recent DC Nation column Dan DiDio wrote (cryptically of course) is true then the Multiverse is returning. So, all we need is for DC to take their heads out of their butts and get together with McDuffie and Co. to get this done. Who knows, they might get it done but with McDuffie doing a lot of Marvel work it might never happen. BUT, thanks to the wonderful internet Milestone can live on! Right here on this very website folks where Munson’s Milestone Mondays comes at you live every Monday! (End of plug!)
January 28th, 2007 at 9:22 am
With the DC multiple Earths returning I hope they make a Milestone Earth (Earth-M?). Then DC could have a limited series revisiting all the Milestone characters and bring some (like Static) into the main Earth continuity.
Maybe DC could launch it some February for Black History Month.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Well, they have to be at least on speaking terms. Isn’t McDuffie writing the Firestorm finale?
There’s always one option for needy fans, and I’ll suggest it because I’m just letter crazy lately. Why don’t we get an organized campaign to flood the desk of Paul Levitz with requests for this character. If he sees enough of a demand, then maybe he’d be more willing to go through the legal hoops necessary to use the character.
January 29th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Ragnell may have a point.