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Static (comics)
Encyclopedia
Static is a fiction
al character
, a comic book
superhero
published by DC Comics
and a member of the Teen Titans. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics
imprint, Static first appears in Static #1 (June 1993) and was created by Dwayne McDuffie
and John Paul Leon
.
, Static would become a main staple of the Milestone Comics line. Much of the inspiration for Static's character came from Marvel's Spider-Man
. When initially creating the first five characters for the Milestone Comic Book Line, it was decided that Static would be created as a teenage hero who was a contemporary version of Spider-Man. An African American
teen, Static was a key character of Milestone Comics
, an independently-owned imprint of DC Comics
specializing in minority
heroes. Milestone ceased publishing comics in 1997 but Static was saved from obscurity by the WB
animated series Static Shock
, which aired for four seasons and led to the 2001 comic book miniseries
Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool.
Creator Dwayne McDuffie's description "Like any other awkward 15 year-old, Virgil Hawkins worries about pocket money, getting beaten up, and sex. But recently, he's had even more on his mind: stuff like his powers, his secret identity, and sex. Because, when innocents are in danger, and Virgil can slip away from class, the geeky youth becomes Static, the dashing, adventurous superhero!" Static's civilian identity was named after the first African American to go to law school, who was himself named after the Roman
poet
s Virgil
and Ovid
.
The character was introduced in one of the first four titles of comic book
s published by Milestone in 1993, created by Derek T. Dingel, Denys Cowan
, Dwayne McDuffie
, and Michael Davis. His early adventures were written by Robert L. Washington and McDuffie, and penciled by John Paul Leon
. Virgil Hawkins was fifteen years old when he became Static. In the comics, Virgil's family consists of his father, who works at Paris Island Hospital; his mother; and his sister, Sharon. Virgil attends Ernest Hemingway High School in the city of Dakota with his friends: Frieda Goren, Richard "Rick" Stone, Larry Wade, Chuck, Felix, and Daisy Watkins. In the guise of Static, Virgil eventually rescues Rick Stone from gay bashing
. Not unlike Spider-Man, the character has a propensity for witty banter and humor, especially when engaged with opponents.
In an interview with former Teen Titans writer Geoff Johns
, he expressed interest in having Static as part of the team, stating, "I really wanted Static on the team, but there’s so much red tape there that every time I requested it DC
said “not yet” and so I never got to have him" and later stating he had plans for the character since Teen Titans #1 (vol. 3). Any obstructions were eventually resolved and Static appeared in the Terror Titans, with his Milestone continuity folded in the mainstream New Earth continuity
At the San Diego Comic-Con 2008, it was announced that Static would be joining the mainstream DC Universe
where he would be added to the Teen Titans. Static made his first canonical DC Universe appearance in Terror Titans #4, battling Rose Wilson
in the final round of the Dark Side Club Tournament.
2009's Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool trade paperback was nominated for a Glyph Award for Best Reprint Collection.
In June of 2010, DC Comics announced that Static would be receiving his own series in 2011. The series was to be written by Felicia Henderson and drawn by Scott McDaniel
, but was cancelled before the first issue could be released following the death of Static's creator, Dwayne McDuffie
. However, a one-shot entitled Static Shock Special was released in June 2011, written by Henderson and drawn by Denys Cowan
. Batwoman
artist JH Williams III provided the one-shot's cover. A new Static Shock was launched in September 2011 as part of DC's relaunch after the Flashpoint
event. The book is written by John Rozum
and drawn by Scott McDaniel
, who also co-writes. As part of an effort to better integrate Static into the mainstream DCU, the title takes place in New York City
rather than Dakota.
Doused with an experimental chemical in a gang
war he was caught up in, high school
student Virgil Ovid Hawkins gains a variety of electromagnetic
powers and becomes a costumed crusader against crime. Like most teenaged heroes in the Spider-Man
mold, he is often overwhelmed by the combined responsibilities of his career as a superhero and typical adolescent problems.
Virgil first gained his electromagnetic powers at a huge showdown between the gangs of the city, when he hoped to get revenge on a gang member who had been bullying him. The authorities arrive and release tear gas with what they believe to be a harmless radioactive
marker so that any gang members would not escape arrest. The cops do not know the marker had been further spiked with an experimental mutagen
called Quantum Juice (Q-Juice). This event ultimately came to be known as the so-called "Big Bang
." Those who were exposed came to be referred to as "Bang Babies" because the Big Bang was their metahuman
birth.
When the agency behind the experiment tried to capture him, he fights back, discovering that he has gained the ability to generate, manipulate, and control electromagnetism. Virgil names himself "Static" and, armed with his wits and powers, became a superhero
. For the most part, Virgil keeps his secret from his family, but his friend, Frieda Goren, learns his identity when he attempts to protect her from becoming a prize in a small skirmish between gangs.
Virgil has had a romantic interest in his friend Frieda Goren but she was already involved with Larry Wade. He has feelings for a girl named Daisy Watkins, but his 'responsibilities' as Static interfere with their dates too many times and Daisy calls their relationship off. In Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool, Virgil is involved with a girl named Madison, but Frieda ends up fighting with her over him.
Static has had confrontations with numerous Bang-Babies and other super powered adversaries: Francis Stone/Hotstreak, Tarmack, Leonard Smalls/Holocaust/Pyre
, Commando X, Puff, Coil, Snakefingers, Fred Benson/Rift, The Swarm, Dr. Kilgore, The Rubberband Man, Brat-atat-tat, Prometheus, Run, Jump & Burn, Boom Box, Powerfist, Laserjet etc. Other Bang-Babies that Static has encountered include Virus, Damon Briggs/D-Struct, and Hyacinth.
, the Blood Syndicate
, and DCPD officer Captain Summers, who has a big interest in police cases involving Bang-Babies. Static teams up with Page, the sidekick to Kobalt
, in order to stop a maddened Bang-Baby who had become half-fly. Static takes a moment to scold Page, who, in his opinion, seems more concerned with making excuses over their initial meet up than what was more important, stopping the danger.
Static ends up joining the unofficial group called Heroes
. Multiple superheroes come together to protect the town of Iberia from a dam break. Many innocent citizens perish, but the heroes are still recognized for their efforts in saving the survivors and doing what they could. Static appears among the group, quips "You started the X-Men
without me", and talks his way onto the team. Minutes later, the Shadow Cabinet
, now corrupt, sends a death squad after a few of his new found friends.
(as chronicled in Final Crisis
), the space-time continuum was torn asunder, threatening the existence of both the Dakotaverse and the mainstream DC universe. The being known as Dharma was able to use energies that he harnessed from Rift (upon that being's defeat in Worlds Collide
) to merge the two universes, creating an entirely new continuity. Only Dharma, Icon
, and Superman
are aware that Dakota and its inhabitants ever existed in a parallel universe.
, the cosmic tyrant Darkseid
hires the Terror Titans
to capture Static, along with a number of the other Bang Babies in Dakota for use in the metahuman deathmatches in the Dark Side Club. During his tenure in captivity, Virgil is subjected to the Anti-Life Equation
and entered into the tournaments, where he presumably kills a number of combatants. He quickly becomes the champion, and reigns undefeated for a time, though in the end, he proves hard to control. To Clock King
's displeasure, he has to be restricted to the lower-levels where he is kept locked up and heavily sedated. In an attempt to entice Rose Wilson
and make a profit, Clock King releases Static and sets him against Rose in the ring. In the ring, the two have an intense fight where Static's lightning-fast attacks are able to injure Rose, even despite her precognition. After a drawn-out fight, Static emerges the winner, but briefly breaks free of control before being sedated once more. Static is eventually freed by Rose (albeit off panel) and takes his revenge against his former captors, electrocuting Lashina
and her cohorts as they try to escape. He also briefly duels with fellow electricity-wielder Dreadbolt, defeating and binding him in metal along with the other Terror Titans. In his final appearance he's seen joining up with Miss Martian
and Aquagirl
, planning their next move.
in order to rest. Wonder Girl, the current leader of the team, offers all of the young heroes spots on the team roster, but most of them, including Terra
and Zachary Zatara
, decline. While exploring the Tower, Virgil strikes up a chemistry with Aquagirl, a teenaged suprheroine who was briefly a member of the team during 52
. During a conversation with Virgil, she claims that she enjoyed her time with the team, and wishes to join up again, a statement that influences his decision to do the same. He also playfully insults Kid Devil
and Jaime Reyes after they attempt to talk to him, mocking Kid Devil over his recent loss of his abilities. He claims that he was abducted by the Terror Titans months beforehand, and realizes that his family must believe him to be dead. Believing he has no place to go for the time being, Static decides to become a Titan and live at the Tower until he can get his life together.
Later, when crazed former-Titan Jericho
(in the guise of Cyborg
) takes control of the Tower and its systems in an attempt to kill the team, Static thwarts him by releasing a high-energy charge overloading the entire Tower, as well as Cyborg's body, saving the rest of the team in the process.
During a trip to the piers in order to relax, the Titans face off with the supervillain team known as the Fearsome Five
, after they kidnap Wonder Girl and hold her hostage on Alcatraz Island. In the ensuing battle, Static defeats the villain known as Rumble by tricking him into moving into a pool of water, thus amplifying the effects of his electric attacks. In the aftermath of the battle, Virgil attends Kid Devil's funeral after he is killed saving the city from a nuclear explosion.
When former Titan Raven
shows up at Titans Tower injured and unconscious, Static assists Justice Society of America
member Dr. Mid-Nite in helping treat her, using his abilities to sedate Raven when a demon emerges from her body.
member Black Lightning
in order to stop former Blood Syndicate
member Holocaust
, who had tried to kill the superhero while he was acting as the keynote speaker at Ernest Hemingway High's senior graduation.
After refusing to help Holocaust in his pursuits, Static is imprisoned in a specialized containment unit alongside Aquagirl, Wonder Girl, and Bombshell
. Holocaust informs the heroes that he plans to kill them and weaponize their abilities in order to sell them, but is ambushed by the rest of the Titans before this can happen. Holocaust easily defeats them, only to be confronted by Cyborg, who has recruited former Titans Kid Flash
and Superboy
.
The three are able to hold off Holocaust long enough for Virgil and the others to escape, and ultimately the combined might of all ten Teen Titans is enough to defeat the villain once and for all. After this, Virgil reconciles with Frieda and tells her that he has tricked his family into believing that he has taken part in a lengthy quantum physics fellowship, thus giving him an excuse to live in San Francisco with the rest of the Titans. He also makes one last attempt to win back Madison, but she silently rejects him. After this, Virgil and the other Titans decide to head home, now with Superboy and Kid Flash as members again.
After a mission to another dimension to rescue Raven, Virgil returns home to find that he no longer has his powers. Furious and scared over his situation, as well as his inability to help Miss Martian awaken from her coma, Virgil attempts to leave the Tower and return to Dakota. He is stopped by Cyborg, who tells Virgil that he will be of no help to anyone back home without his abilities, and tells him that he has arranged for Virgil to be taken to Cadmus Labs to find a way to get his powers back. Superboy offers to travel to Cadmus in order to support his friend, but Virgil tells him that the Titans need him now. Following a farewell breakfast, Static leaves for Cadmus, with Wonder Girl assuring him that he will always have a place on the team.
During the events of Flashpoint
, Barry Allen
accidentally alters history after a battle with Professor Zoom
. In the newly-created reality, Static is shown back in-costume with his powers restored.
, Virgil and his family leave Dakota for New York after an unspecified incident. The vigilante Hardware
gives Virgil a new costume and modified flying disk, which enables the two to remain in contact despite living in different cities. Hardware also gives him an internship at S.T.A.R. Labs
as an after school job. During his first major battle, Static defeats the villain Sunspot and earns the attention of a criminal syndicate known as the Slate Gang.
Static's powers allow him to control various electromagnetic
phenomena, in particular allowing him to manifest both electrical and magnetic energy - Static's powers are best described as super-conductor
electromagnetism
(the means by which floating maglev trains are suspended above the rails).
Static's powers center around electromagnetism, making him part of the Earth's electromagnetic field as well as capable of generating and storing his own electromagnetic energy. He can choose to keep the electromagnetic energy that he currently holds in his body by controlling the current and voltage for whenever he wants to use it. Static's body can generate raw electromagnetic energy, which he can control at will for various purposes.
Such uses commonly include magnetizing objects, electrocuting opponents, levitating objects (such as his self-built metal saucer for use in flight) and people, restraining or adhering people/objects to various surfaces in the form of "static cling", generating "taser
punches" with effects similar to a stun gun and at times enough power to send opponents flying during close combat, various electromagnetic displays as well as electromagnetic nets or cages, blinding flashes, generating thrown ball lightning
, producing electromagnetic pulse
s, and generating electromagnetic force field
s to shield himself from attacks, even stopping bullets in mid-air.
As well as release surges of electomagnetic energy, Static can also drain sources of electricity, such as power lines, batteries
and fuse boxes to recharge/replenish his own energy supply. Whenever Static has used his powers to a high degree, or experience any other such large energy-drain, he will also experience a sudden, acute
sense of fatigue, as his electromagnetic powers are tied-in to his own bioelectric energy
levels. In the episode "Aftershock," in the 1st season of the animated series, an analysis of his blood
showes that Static's electrolyte
s/blood-salt levels are higher-than-normal, highlighting that Static needs higher blood-salt levels to support the use of his powers.
Static can also sense and feel-out sources of electromagnetic energy, able to tell if a seemingly abandoned area is actully hot
or not. Static can use his powers to hear radio waves and tap into phone lines, including listening in on the police broadband and music stations, as well as making calls. He also called himself a "human CD player." It's notable that Static has more of a distinctive advantage in cities than anywhere-else, as shown in the events of "Aftershock," as even in a park, surrounded by trees, Static could make use of the metal pipelines under the ground with his magnetic powers.
In the animated series, Static's powers grant him resistance or immunity to forms of mind control, since the human brain
is an electromagnetic organ
. In "Attack of the Living Brain Puppets," Static is immune to Madelyn Spaulding's ability to hear the thought
s of others and exert control over their actions, (as speculated by Richie,) Static's greater bioelectric field
shields him and his brainwaves from any attempts at reading his mind and asserting control over him, as also seen in the second part of "A League of Their Own," when one of Brainiac
's mind-controlling devices shorts out shortly after being placed on Static. This trait has also been adapted into the comic book mythos; in Terror Titans, Static is shown to have resistance to Darkseid
's Anti-Life Equation, coming back to his senses.
Following the events of Flashpoint, Static is given a new flying disk that now contains a holographic interface. In addition to allowing Static to remain in contact with Hardware, the disk also displays charts and other information relevant to the mission at hand.
Static is a highly gifted student with a particular interest in the sciences. He is a talented inventor and a natural strategist. Static also possesses an almost fanboyish knowledge of comic books, role playing games, and science fiction.
The story then skips ahead another ten years to show that Virgil is now married to Frieda and has two children, Larry and Sadie (both of whom have inherited his electrical abilities), and now works as a doctor. The story ends with the couple reflecting on their life, and Virgil playfully asking Frieda if she wants him to return to his role as Static. She simply smiles and tells him "absolutely not", and the two passionately kiss.
as part of the Lightning Strikes DLC, fighting alongside other Titans.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and a member of the Teen Titans. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics
Milestone Media
Milestone Media is a company best known for creating Milestone Comics and securing an unheard of publishing and distribution deal with DC Comics and the Static Shock cartoon series. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers Milestone Media is a company best known...
imprint, Static first appears in Static #1 (June 1993) and was created by Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone...
and John Paul Leon
John Paul Leon
John Paul Leon is an American comic book artist, known for his work on the Milestone Comics series Static, and the Marvel Comics limited series Earth X.-Career:...
.
Publication history
McDuffie has stated that the creation of Static was a group effort. Originally developed for Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, Static would become a main staple of the Milestone Comics line. Much of the inspiration for Static's character came from Marvel's Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. When initially creating the first five characters for the Milestone Comic Book Line, it was decided that Static would be created as a teenage hero who was a contemporary version of Spider-Man. An African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
teen, Static was a key character of Milestone Comics
Milestone Media
Milestone Media is a company best known for creating Milestone Comics and securing an unheard of publishing and distribution deal with DC Comics and the Static Shock cartoon series. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers Milestone Media is a company best known...
, an independently-owned imprint of DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
specializing in minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
heroes. Milestone ceased publishing comics in 1997 but Static was saved from obscurity by the WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
animated series Static Shock
Static Shock
Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
, which aired for four seasons and led to the 2001 comic book miniseries
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool.
Creator Dwayne McDuffie's description "Like any other awkward 15 year-old, Virgil Hawkins worries about pocket money, getting beaten up, and sex. But recently, he's had even more on his mind: stuff like his powers, his secret identity, and sex. Because, when innocents are in danger, and Virgil can slip away from class, the geeky youth becomes Static, the dashing, adventurous superhero!" Static's civilian identity was named after the first African American to go to law school, who was himself named after the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
s Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
and Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
.
The character was introduced in one of the first four titles of comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s published by Milestone in 1993, created by Derek T. Dingel, Denys Cowan
Denys Cowan
Denys B. Cowan is an American comic book artist and television producer. He gained prominence as the primary artist on The Question, an acclaimed comic book series published by DC Comics for 36 issues from 1987 on, written by Dennis O'Neil.-Career:Denys Cowan is a 1979 graduate of the High School...
, Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone...
, and Michael Davis. His early adventures were written by Robert L. Washington and McDuffie, and penciled by John Paul Leon
John Paul Leon
John Paul Leon is an American comic book artist, known for his work on the Milestone Comics series Static, and the Marvel Comics limited series Earth X.-Career:...
. Virgil Hawkins was fifteen years old when he became Static. In the comics, Virgil's family consists of his father, who works at Paris Island Hospital; his mother; and his sister, Sharon. Virgil attends Ernest Hemingway High School in the city of Dakota with his friends: Frieda Goren, Richard "Rick" Stone, Larry Wade, Chuck, Felix, and Daisy Watkins. In the guise of Static, Virgil eventually rescues Rick Stone from gay bashing
Gay bashing
Gay bashing and gay bullying is verbal or physical abuse against a person who is perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender . Such abuse is used also to bully heterosexual persons and persons of non-specific or unknown sexual orientation.A "bashing" may be a specific incident, and one...
. Not unlike Spider-Man, the character has a propensity for witty banter and humor, especially when engaged with opponents.
In an interview with former Teen Titans writer Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, he expressed interest in having Static as part of the team, stating, "I really wanted Static on the team, but there’s so much red tape there that every time I requested it DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
said “not yet” and so I never got to have him" and later stating he had plans for the character since Teen Titans #1 (vol. 3). Any obstructions were eventually resolved and Static appeared in the Terror Titans, with his Milestone continuity folded in the mainstream New Earth continuity
At the San Diego Comic-Con 2008, it was announced that Static would be joining the mainstream DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
where he would be added to the Teen Titans. Static made his first canonical DC Universe appearance in Terror Titans #4, battling Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is a member of the Teen Titans and the illegitimate daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator.-Fictional character biography:...
in the final round of the Dark Side Club Tournament.
2009's Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool trade paperback was nominated for a Glyph Award for Best Reprint Collection.
In June of 2010, DC Comics announced that Static would be receiving his own series in 2011. The series was to be written by Felicia Henderson and drawn by Scott McDaniel
Scott McDaniel
Scott McDaniel is an American comics artist who has drawn numerous books, including Marvel Comics' "Fall from Grace" storyline for the Daredevil series...
, but was cancelled before the first issue could be released following the death of Static's creator, Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone...
. However, a one-shot entitled Static Shock Special was released in June 2011, written by Henderson and drawn by Denys Cowan
Denys Cowan
Denys B. Cowan is an American comic book artist and television producer. He gained prominence as the primary artist on The Question, an acclaimed comic book series published by DC Comics for 36 issues from 1987 on, written by Dennis O'Neil.-Career:Denys Cowan is a 1979 graduate of the High School...
. Batwoman
Batwoman
Batwoman is the name of several fictional characters, female counterparts to the superhero Batman. The original version was created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff. Her alter ego is Kathy Kane. This character appears in publications produced by DC Comics and related media beginning in Detective...
artist JH Williams III provided the one-shot's cover. A new Static Shock was launched in September 2011 as part of DC's relaunch after the Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event. The book is written by John Rozum
John Rozum
John Rozum is an American writer of comic books who is best known for his work for Milestone Comics, where he wrote Xombi and Kobalt. He has also worked for Topps Comics and Marvel Comics...
and drawn by Scott McDaniel
Scott McDaniel
Scott McDaniel is an American comics artist who has drawn numerous books, including Marvel Comics' "Fall from Grace" storyline for the Daredevil series...
, who also co-writes. As part of an effort to better integrate Static into the mainstream DCU, the title takes place in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
rather than Dakota.
Milestone Universe
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
war he was caught up in, high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
student Virgil Ovid Hawkins gains a variety of electromagnetic
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
powers and becomes a costumed crusader against crime. Like most teenaged heroes in the Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
mold, he is often overwhelmed by the combined responsibilities of his career as a superhero and typical adolescent problems.
Virgil first gained his electromagnetic powers at a huge showdown between the gangs of the city, when he hoped to get revenge on a gang member who had been bullying him. The authorities arrive and release tear gas with what they believe to be a harmless radioactive
Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the process by which an atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing particles . The emission is spontaneous, in that the atom decays without any physical interaction with another particle from outside the atom...
marker so that any gang members would not escape arrest. The cops do not know the marker had been further spiked with an experimental mutagen
Mutagen
In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations cause cancer, mutagens are therefore also likely to be carcinogens...
called Quantum Juice (Q-Juice). This event ultimately came to be known as the so-called "Big Bang
Big Bang (comics)
This page is about the Milestone Comics event. For the Caliber Comics imprint see Big Bang ComicsThe Big Bang is a Milestone Comics event published by DC Comics. The event was first chronicled in Blood Syndicate #1 by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr. and Denys Cowan, and Static #1 by Dwayne...
." Those who were exposed came to be referred to as "Bang Babies" because the Big Bang was their metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
birth.
When the agency behind the experiment tried to capture him, he fights back, discovering that he has gained the ability to generate, manipulate, and control electromagnetism. Virgil names himself "Static" and, armed with his wits and powers, became a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
. For the most part, Virgil keeps his secret from his family, but his friend, Frieda Goren, learns his identity when he attempts to protect her from becoming a prize in a small skirmish between gangs.
Virgil has had a romantic interest in his friend Frieda Goren but she was already involved with Larry Wade. He has feelings for a girl named Daisy Watkins, but his 'responsibilities' as Static interfere with their dates too many times and Daisy calls their relationship off. In Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool, Virgil is involved with a girl named Madison, but Frieda ends up fighting with her over him.
Static has had confrontations with numerous Bang-Babies and other super powered adversaries: Francis Stone/Hotstreak, Tarmack, Leonard Smalls/Holocaust/Pyre
Holocaust (DC Comics)
Holocaust is a fictional character in the Milestone Comics universe. Created as part of the Blood Syndicate for Milestone Media, the character has since gone on to become a gangster and supervillain.-Publication history:...
, Commando X, Puff, Coil, Snakefingers, Fred Benson/Rift, The Swarm, Dr. Kilgore, The Rubberband Man, Brat-atat-tat, Prometheus, Run, Jump & Burn, Boom Box, Powerfist, Laserjet etc. Other Bang-Babies that Static has encountered include Virus, Damon Briggs/D-Struct, and Hyacinth.
Other heroes
Later in the comic line, Static is aided by allies: the Shadow CabinetShadow Cabinet (comics)
The Shadow Cabinet is a team of fictional superheroes created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Shadow Cabinet #0 , and were created by Dwayne McDuffie, Robert L. Washington III and John Paul Leon...
, the Blood Syndicate
Blood Syndicate
The Blood Syndicate is a fictional multicultural gang of superhumans created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in Blood Syndicate #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr...
, and DCPD officer Captain Summers, who has a big interest in police cases involving Bang-Babies. Static teams up with Page, the sidekick to Kobalt
Kobalt
Kobalt is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appears in Kobalt #1 , and was created by John Rozum and Arvell Jones.-Publication history:...
, in order to stop a maddened Bang-Baby who had become half-fly. Static takes a moment to scold Page, who, in his opinion, seems more concerned with making excuses over their initial meet up than what was more important, stopping the danger.
Static ends up joining the unofficial group called Heroes
Heroes (comics)
The Heroes are a team of fictional superheroes created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. The team debuted in Heroes #1 , and was created by Matt Wayne and ChrisCross.-Publication history:...
. Multiple superheroes come together to protect the town of Iberia from a dam break. Many innocent citizens perish, but the heroes are still recognized for their efforts in saving the survivors and doing what they could. Static appears among the group, quips "You started the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
without me", and talks his way onto the team. Minutes later, the Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet (comics)
The Shadow Cabinet is a team of fictional superheroes created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Shadow Cabinet #0 , and were created by Dwayne McDuffie, Robert L. Washington III and John Paul Leon...
, now corrupt, sends a death squad after a few of his new found friends.
DC Universe
Following the death of DarkseidDarkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
(as chronicled in Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
), the space-time continuum was torn asunder, threatening the existence of both the Dakotaverse and the mainstream DC universe. The being known as Dharma was able to use energies that he harnessed from Rift (upon that being's defeat in Worlds Collide
Worlds Collide (comics)
"Worlds Collide" is an intercompany crossover event presented in July 1994 in the Milestone Comics titles and the Superman-related titles published by DC Comics. A one-shot comic title of the same name was written by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr...
) to merge the two universes, creating an entirely new continuity. Only Dharma, Icon
Icon (comics)
Icon is a fictional superhero, a comic book character published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Icon #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
, and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
are aware that Dakota and its inhabitants ever existed in a parallel universe.
Dark Side Club
In the buildup to the Final CrisisFinal Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, the cosmic tyrant Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
hires the Terror Titans
Terror Titans
The Terror Titans are a supervillain group in the DC Comics. They are a mirror group to the Teen Titans, composed of "legacy" villains. They first appeared as a team in Teen Titans #56 , though Clock King and Dreadbolt appeared in shadow form at the end of #55.-Publication history:The Terror Titans...
to capture Static, along with a number of the other Bang Babies in Dakota for use in the metahuman deathmatches in the Dark Side Club. During his tenure in captivity, Virgil is subjected to the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
and entered into the tournaments, where he presumably kills a number of combatants. He quickly becomes the champion, and reigns undefeated for a time, though in the end, he proves hard to control. To Clock King
Clock King
Clock King is a title used by two fictional characters, supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Clock King debuted in World's Finest Comics #111 , and was created by France Herron and Lee Elias.-Publication history:...
's displeasure, he has to be restricted to the lower-levels where he is kept locked up and heavily sedated. In an attempt to entice Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is a member of the Teen Titans and the illegitimate daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator.-Fictional character biography:...
and make a profit, Clock King releases Static and sets him against Rose in the ring. In the ring, the two have an intense fight where Static's lightning-fast attacks are able to injure Rose, even despite her precognition. After a drawn-out fight, Static emerges the winner, but briefly breaks free of control before being sedated once more. Static is eventually freed by Rose (albeit off panel) and takes his revenge against his former captors, electrocuting Lashina
Lashina
Lashina is a fictional character, and extraterrestrial warrior woman published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Mister Miracle vol. 1 #6 .-Fictional character biography:...
and her cohorts as they try to escape. He also briefly duels with fellow electricity-wielder Dreadbolt, defeating and binding him in metal along with the other Terror Titans. In his final appearance he's seen joining up with Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
and Aquagirl
Aquagirl
Aquagirl is the name of several fictional characters featured as superheroines in the comic books and other media produced by DC Comics.- Lisa Morel :...
, planning their next move.
Joining the Teen Titans
After the Crisis has ended, Static and the other Dark Side Club survivors arrive at Titans TowerTitans Tower
Titans Tower is a fictional building in the DC Comics universe. Its various incarnations have been home to the superhero team called the Titans...
in order to rest. Wonder Girl, the current leader of the team, offers all of the young heroes spots on the team roster, but most of them, including Terra
Terra (comics)
Terra is the name used by three fictional characters published by DC Comics. The first Terra was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, and debuted in New Teen Titans Terra is the name used by three fictional characters published by DC Comics. The first Terra was created by Marv Wolfman and...
and Zachary Zatara
Zachary Zatara
Zachary Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Zachary is a descendant of the Homo Magi just like his cousin Zatanna and uncle John Zatara. He first appeared in Teen Titans Zachary Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Zachary is a descendant of the Homo Magi just like...
, decline. While exploring the Tower, Virgil strikes up a chemistry with Aquagirl, a teenaged suprheroine who was briefly a member of the team during 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
. During a conversation with Virgil, she claims that she enjoyed her time with the team, and wishes to join up again, a statement that influences his decision to do the same. He also playfully insults Kid Devil
Kid Devil
Red Devil , formerly known as Kid Devil, was a superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Alan Kupperberg, Dan Mishkin, and Gary Cohn, he first appeared in Blue Devil #14.-Origin and early heroics:...
and Jaime Reyes after they attempt to talk to him, mocking Kid Devil over his recent loss of his abilities. He claims that he was abducted by the Terror Titans months beforehand, and realizes that his family must believe him to be dead. Believing he has no place to go for the time being, Static decides to become a Titan and live at the Tower until he can get his life together.
Later, when crazed former-Titan Jericho
Jericho (comics)
Jericho is a fictional character, originally a superhero who was a member of the Teen Titans in the acclaimed 1980s period of The New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, published by DC Comics...
(in the guise of Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
) takes control of the Tower and its systems in an attempt to kill the team, Static thwarts him by releasing a high-energy charge overloading the entire Tower, as well as Cyborg's body, saving the rest of the team in the process.
During a trip to the piers in order to relax, the Titans face off with the supervillain team known as the Fearsome Five
Fearsome Five
The Fearsome Five is a fictional group of comic book supervillains from DC Comics. They were created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman, and first appeared in The New Teen Titans #3 , going on to become recurring adversaries for that superhero group...
, after they kidnap Wonder Girl and hold her hostage on Alcatraz Island. In the ensuing battle, Static defeats the villain known as Rumble by tricking him into moving into a pool of water, thus amplifying the effects of his electric attacks. In the aftermath of the battle, Virgil attends Kid Devil's funeral after he is killed saving the city from a nuclear explosion.
When former Titan Raven
Raven (comics)
Raven is a fictional superheroine who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26 , and was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez...
shows up at Titans Tower injured and unconscious, Static assists Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
member Dr. Mid-Nite in helping treat her, using his abilities to sedate Raven when a demon emerges from her body.
Brave and the Bold
It was recently revealed that prior to his abduction, Static teamed with Justice LeagueJustice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
member Black Lightning
Black Lightning
Black Lightning was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. He debuted in Black Lightning #1 , and was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden.- Publication history :...
in order to stop former Blood Syndicate
Blood Syndicate
The Blood Syndicate is a fictional multicultural gang of superhumans created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in Blood Syndicate #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr...
member Holocaust
Holocaust (DC Comics)
Holocaust is a fictional character in the Milestone Comics universe. Created as part of the Blood Syndicate for Milestone Media, the character has since gone on to become a gangster and supervillain.-Publication history:...
, who had tried to kill the superhero while he was acting as the keynote speaker at Ernest Hemingway High's senior graduation.
Return to Dakota
Virgil finally decides to see his family again after learning that a deadly virus has been infecting citizens of Dakota, including Sharon. After returning home, Virgil reunites with his family as well as Frieda, and learns that his girlfriend Madison has left him during his absence. He discovers that whoever created the virus is also selling limited supplies of the vaccine, and attacks the lab where it is being made. Upon breaking into the facility, Static is surprised and knocked out by Holocaust.After refusing to help Holocaust in his pursuits, Static is imprisoned in a specialized containment unit alongside Aquagirl, Wonder Girl, and Bombshell
Bombshell (DC Comics)
Bombshell is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Teen Titans vol. 3, #38, and was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel.-Fictional character biography:...
. Holocaust informs the heroes that he plans to kill them and weaponize their abilities in order to sell them, but is ambushed by the rest of the Titans before this can happen. Holocaust easily defeats them, only to be confronted by Cyborg, who has recruited former Titans Kid Flash
Kid Flash
Kid Flash is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first incarnation of the character, Wally West, debuted in The Flash #110...
and Superboy
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
.
The three are able to hold off Holocaust long enough for Virgil and the others to escape, and ultimately the combined might of all ten Teen Titans is enough to defeat the villain once and for all. After this, Virgil reconciles with Frieda and tells her that he has tricked his family into believing that he has taken part in a lengthy quantum physics fellowship, thus giving him an excuse to live in San Francisco with the rest of the Titans. He also makes one last attempt to win back Madison, but she silently rejects him. After this, Virgil and the other Titans decide to head home, now with Superboy and Kid Flash as members again.
After a mission to another dimension to rescue Raven, Virgil returns home to find that he no longer has his powers. Furious and scared over his situation, as well as his inability to help Miss Martian awaken from her coma, Virgil attempts to leave the Tower and return to Dakota. He is stopped by Cyborg, who tells Virgil that he will be of no help to anyone back home without his abilities, and tells him that he has arranged for Virgil to be taken to Cadmus Labs to find a way to get his powers back. Superboy offers to travel to Cadmus in order to support his friend, but Virgil tells him that the Titans need him now. Following a farewell breakfast, Static leaves for Cadmus, with Wonder Girl assuring him that he will always have a place on the team.
During the events of Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, Barry Allen
Barry Allen
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the second character known as the Flash. The character first appeared in Showcase #4 , created by writers Robert Kanigher and John Broome and penciler Carmine Infantino. His name combines talk show hosts Barry Gray...
accidentally alters history after a battle with Professor Zoom
Professor Zoom
Eobard Thawne, who has gone by the codenames "Professor Zoom" and "Reverse-Flash", is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe. Thawne is the Arch enemy of the superhero Barry Allen, the second hero to be called the Flash...
. In the newly-created reality, Static is shown back in-costume with his powers restored.
The New 52
Following the reality-warping events of FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, Virgil and his family leave Dakota for New York after an unspecified incident. The vigilante Hardware
Hardware (comics)
Hardware is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Hardware #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
gives Virgil a new costume and modified flying disk, which enables the two to remain in contact despite living in different cities. Hardware also gives him an internship at S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
as an after school job. During his first major battle, Static defeats the villain Sunspot and earns the attention of a criminal syndicate known as the Slate Gang.
Powers and abilities
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
phenomena, in particular allowing him to manifest both electrical and magnetic energy - Static's powers are best described as super-conductor
Superconductivity
Superconductivity is a phenomenon of exactly zero electrical resistance occurring in certain materials below a characteristic temperature. It was discovered by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes on April 8, 1911 in Leiden. Like ferromagnetism and atomic spectral lines, superconductivity is a quantum...
electromagnetism
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
(the means by which floating maglev trains are suspended above the rails).
Static's powers center around electromagnetism, making him part of the Earth's electromagnetic field as well as capable of generating and storing his own electromagnetic energy. He can choose to keep the electromagnetic energy that he currently holds in his body by controlling the current and voltage for whenever he wants to use it. Static's body can generate raw electromagnetic energy, which he can control at will for various purposes.
Such uses commonly include magnetizing objects, electrocuting opponents, levitating objects (such as his self-built metal saucer for use in flight) and people, restraining or adhering people/objects to various surfaces in the form of "static cling", generating "taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
punches" with effects similar to a stun gun and at times enough power to send opponents flying during close combat, various electromagnetic displays as well as electromagnetic nets or cages, blinding flashes, generating thrown ball lightning
Ball lightning
Ball lightning is an unexplained atmospheric electrical phenomenon. The term refers to reports of luminous, usually spherical objects which vary from pea-sized to several metres in diameter. It is usually associated with thunderstorms, but lasts considerably longer than the split-second flash of a...
, producing electromagnetic pulse
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
s, and generating electromagnetic force field
Force field
A force field, sometimes known as an energy shield, force shield, or deflector shield is a concept of a field tightly bounded and of significant magnitude so that objects affected by the particular force relating to the field are unable to pass through the central axis of the field and reach the...
s to shield himself from attacks, even stopping bullets in mid-air.
As well as release surges of electomagnetic energy, Static can also drain sources of electricity, such as power lines, batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
and fuse boxes to recharge/replenish his own energy supply. Whenever Static has used his powers to a high degree, or experience any other such large energy-drain, he will also experience a sudden, acute
Acute (medicine)
In medicine, an acute disease is a disease with either or both of:# a rapid onset, as in acute infection# a short course ....
sense of fatigue, as his electromagnetic powers are tied-in to his own bioelectric energy
Bioelectromagnetism
Bioelectromagnetism refers to the electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic fields produced by living cells, tissues or organisms. Examples include the cell membrane potential and the electric currents that flow in nerves and muscles, as a result of action potentials...
levels. In the episode "Aftershock," in the 1st season of the animated series, an analysis of his blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
showes that Static's electrolyte
Electrolyte
In chemistry, an electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. The most typical electrolyte is an ionic solution, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
s/blood-salt levels are higher-than-normal, highlighting that Static needs higher blood-salt levels to support the use of his powers.
Static can also sense and feel-out sources of electromagnetic energy, able to tell if a seemingly abandoned area is actully hot
Live wire (electricity)
The live wire in an AC electrical circuit refers to the wire which carries an oscillating voltage with respect to the earth...
or not. Static can use his powers to hear radio waves and tap into phone lines, including listening in on the police broadband and music stations, as well as making calls. He also called himself a "human CD player." It's notable that Static has more of a distinctive advantage in cities than anywhere-else, as shown in the events of "Aftershock," as even in a park, surrounded by trees, Static could make use of the metal pipelines under the ground with his magnetic powers.
In the animated series, Static's powers grant him resistance or immunity to forms of mind control, since the human brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
is an electromagnetic organ
Organ (anatomy)
In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in structural unit to serve a common function. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues . The main tissue is the one that is unique for the specific organ. For example, main tissue in the heart is the myocardium, while sporadic are...
. In "Attack of the Living Brain Puppets," Static is immune to Madelyn Spaulding's ability to hear the thought
Thought
"Thought" generally refers to any mental or intellectual activity involving an individual's subjective consciousness. It can refer either to the act of thinking or the resulting ideas or arrangements of ideas. Similar concepts include cognition, sentience, consciousness, and imagination...
s of others and exert control over their actions, (as speculated by Richie,) Static's greater bioelectric field
Bioelectromagnetism
Bioelectromagnetism refers to the electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic fields produced by living cells, tissues or organisms. Examples include the cell membrane potential and the electric currents that flow in nerves and muscles, as a result of action potentials...
shields him and his brainwaves from any attempts at reading his mind and asserting control over him, as also seen in the second part of "A League of Their Own," when one of Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
's mind-controlling devices shorts out shortly after being placed on Static. This trait has also been adapted into the comic book mythos; in Terror Titans, Static is shown to have resistance to Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
's Anti-Life Equation, coming back to his senses.
Following the events of Flashpoint, Static is given a new flying disk that now contains a holographic interface. In addition to allowing Static to remain in contact with Hardware, the disk also displays charts and other information relevant to the mission at hand.
Static is a highly gifted student with a particular interest in the sciences. He is a talented inventor and a natural strategist. Static also possesses an almost fanboyish knowledge of comic books, role playing games, and science fiction.
Milestone Forever
Static appears as a major character in the 2010 limited series Milestone Forever, a project designed to detail the final fates of the Milestone launch characters prior to being assimilated into DC's continuity. In Static's tale, the reader first learns that Virgil is attending his ten year high school reunion, and has given up his life of crime-fighting and is now pursuing a career in medicine. Rick (now going by his television moniker of "Richie") is also now working as a director in Los Angeles, and is open about his homosexuality. Without warning, Hotstreak (recently released from prison and now calling himself Firewheel), attacks the reunion, claiming that he now realizes that Static must have been one of his old classmates. Virgil briefly takes up the Static mantle again for one last fight with his old nemesis, and eventually defeats him. During this time, it is also revealed that Sharon is now married and pregnant, and that Robert has passed away. Rocket is implied to have taken over as the new Icon.The story then skips ahead another ten years to show that Virgil is now married to Frieda and has two children, Larry and Sadie (both of whom have inherited his electrical abilities), and now works as a doctor. The story ends with the couple reflecting on their life, and Virgil playfully asking Frieda if she wants him to return to his role as Static. She simply smiles and tells him "absolutely not", and the two passionately kiss.
Television
- The character Static was later developed into the lead of the animated series Static ShockStatic ShockStatic Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
with some changes in the material, generally to make the character more suitable for a younger and wider audience, but still with a focus on contemporary relevance. In the first two seasons of the series, Static's outfit was a purple coat with yellow inner lining and stripes on his coat sleeves, a white shirt with his trademark black lightning bolt symbol, black pants with a white mask, and yellow goggles. Ultimately, by the time season three starts and he tangles with Batman's enemies Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, his wardrobe has changed, mostly black and purple, with some gold/yellow highlights, and the yellow goggles are replaced with purple shades. This same wardrobe is later carried on to his Teen Titans appearance in the comics. A similar, but slightly darker tone-wise, scheme is used for his future self. In this version, Virgil is granted his powers by a mutagenic gas explosion which grants numerous residents of Dakota superpowers, dubbed the Big Bang by the media. Those affected are likewise dubbed "Bang Babies." In the animated series, Virgil Hawkins (voiced by Phil LaMarrPhil LaMarrPhillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
) is a fourteen-year-old kid and attends Dakota Union High SchoolHigh schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. Prior to the "Big Bang", Virgil is an Honor RollHonors studentAn honors student is a person recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their course work.Honors students may refer to# Students recognized for their academic achievement on lists published periodically throughout the school year, known as honor rolls, varying from school to school, and...
studentStudentA student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
. Along with his best friend Richie, Virgil is shown to be an avid fan of comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s and science fiction (though not obsessively). A couple of episodes (such as "Romeo in the Mix") demonstrated that Virgil is a fanFanaticismFanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in some cases sports, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby...
of hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
music, especially of Lil RomeoRomeo MillerPercy Romeo Miller, Jr. , better known by his stage name Romeo , is an American rapper, actor, basketball player, entrepreneur, and model. He is the son of rapper and entrepreneur Master P and former rapper Sonya C. He is the nephew of rappers C-Murder and Silkk the Shocker and the brother of...
--and the episodes "Shock to the System" and "Duped" reveal that Virgil is also terrible at singingTone deafnessTone deafness is the lack of relative pitch, or the inability to distinguish between musical notes that is not due to the lack of musical training or education...
. Virgil lives with his father Robert Hawkins, a social workSocial workSocial Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
er and the head of the Freeman Community Center and his sister Sharon Hawkins, a university student and hospital volunteerVolunteeringVolunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be...
. His mother Jean Hawkins died a few years prior to the series the victim of a stray bullet while she worked as a paramedicParamedicA paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
during a riot. This causes Virgil to develop an intense fear/hatred of gunsHoplophobiaHoplophobia from the Greek hoplon, meaning weapon or armor, is defined as the "fear of firearms" and as the "fear of armed citizens".- Popular use of the term :...
. In "Static in Africa," it is revealed (or at least hinted at) that Virgil and his family are all of Ghanaian ancestryAncestorAn ancestor is a parent or the parent of an ancestor ....
(although no relatives are mentioned). Virgil's best friendFriendshipFriendship is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations. Friendship and association are often thought of as spanning across the same continuum...
and confidantConfidantThe confidant is a character in a story that the lead character confides in and trusts. Typically, these consist of the best friend, relative, doctor or boss.- Role :...
is Richard "Richie" Osgood Foley (based, appearance wise, on a character from the comics called Richard "Rick" Stone). Richie Foley graduates from a behind-the-scenes-sidekick to Static's partner-in-crime-fighting when he becomes a metahuman super-genius. While Richie had not been near the initial Big Bang, they speculate that his exposure to trace amounts of the gas on Virgil's clothing following the explosion resulted in a delayed reaction. He starts going under his new superhero handle: "Gear." One of Static's foes, Rubberband Man, becomes interested in his sister, but his identity is revealed by Static. Rubberband Man, however, continues to date Static's sister and becomes one of Static's allies. Static's other close friends include Frieda Goren, who was a regular and the confidant of Virgil in the comics, and Daisy Watkins, his love interest. Static idolizes other positive black superheroes in his world, such as Soul Power, Anansi the Spider (who in turn befriended Virgil and calls him "his hero" as well), and particularly the Green LanternGreen LanternThe Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
John StewartJohn Stewart (comics)John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
. Over the course of the series, Static has teamed up with many DC heroes including BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and RobinTim DrakeTimothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
, SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, the Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
, and Batman's future successor Terry McGinnis. The episode "Future Shock" reveals that Static is considered one of the world's greatest heroes by the time of Batman BeyondBatman BeyondBatman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
. He also has a son who is hinted to be a hero as well.
- The adult Static appears in the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "The Once and Future Thing Pt. 2: Time, Warped." He is still an active member by the age of 65. Static appears to have aged little in the forty years between Static Shock and Batman BeyondBatman BeyondBatman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
. Although Batman states that Static in his time is at least fifty, he appears to be in perfect health when he is finally shown. In the ten years between Batman Beyond and his appearance in Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, the only change seems to be that his hair has finally grayed. Static explains that this was due to advanced medicalMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
technologyTechnologyTechnology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
in the futureFutureThe future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
("The miracles of modern medicineMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
; 65 is the new '30'."). During a battle against the JokerzJokerzThe Jokerz are fictional characters in the DC animated universe, featured in Batman Beyond.They are a large street gang 40 years in the future of Gotham City that take their inspiration from the Joker, Batman's onetime archnemesis...
, Static accidentally fell into a random time portal, which is undone when time is repaired. When everything's back to normal after the time warp is fixed, Static is still alive in the future.
Video Game
Static is set to appear in DC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online
DC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
as part of the Lightning Strikes DLC, fighting alongside other Titans.
External links
- Static Bio - Static Bio page, part of Milestone the Milestone section of International Hero .co.uk
- The Milestone Rave - includes a Static comic book index
- WB Static Shock Static Shock WB Homepage
- Dwayne McDuffie's mac page somewhat outdated information about the character
- Static Shock Animated Series Synopsis Page on TV.com about Static Shock
- Static's entry at the DC Animated Wiki.
- Unofficial Guide to DC Comics entry
- Titans Tower biography