Static (comics)

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"Y'know, I'm really starting to enjoy science."

Static is a a comic book following an original character from DC Comics' Milestone Comics imprint, created by Dwayne McDuffie and John Paul Leon. Static #1 was published in June 1993. The series lasted for 45 issues, from June, 1993 to March, 1997.

The series follows high school student Virgil Ovid Hawkins who gains a variety of electromagnetic powers when doused with an experimental chemical during a gang war he was caught up in. He uses his developed powers to combat the crime infesting his city, much of it centers around the ongoing gang activities while he also juggles typical adolescent problems.

The comic was later adapted to the TV series Static Shock, with some bowdlerisation, and revived as an ongoing DC Comics series in 2011's New 52 event, also under the name Static Shock, which was canceled after eight issues. The character will appear in Young Justice season 2.

Not to be confused with either of the two Marvel Comics characters of the same name, both part of different X-Men continuities.

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Tropes associated with Static:

• Animated Adaptation
• Ascended Fanboy
• Badass Bookworm
• Black and Nerdy
• Breakout Character: A Retroactive example. Static was the one Milestone series that managed to get picked up for a cartoon deal, and his character was the prime reason behind DC wanting to license the characters in 2008.
  • And three years later in 2011, and he finally gets his own ongoing title.
  • Arguably, the Dakotaverse as a whole was saved by Static.
• Canon Dis Continuity: Milestone Forever
• The Chosen One: It seems Static becomes one of the most powerful superheroes in the DC Universe when he becomes an adult.
• Clark Kenting
• Comes Great Responsibility: He is based off of Spider-man after all.
• Comic Books Are Real: An odd case. Static wasn't originally part of the DC Universe, and at one point reads some Superman comics. The obvious consequences appear when he meets the Post-Crisis Superboy in the Crisis Crossover Worlds Collide. This is later Retconned so he can be included in the DCU.
• Canon Immigrant: He's been everywhere in the DCU since the merger, including Batman Beyond.
• Deadpan Snarker: Virgil and Frieda
• Expy: Confirmed by Word of God that Static is a modern take of Spider Man.
• Gadgeteer Genius: In the pages of Teen Titans in the New52 reboot, Virgil has actually created the outfits/tech for Red Robin and Kid Flash.
• Gay Aesop: Involving Static's friend Rick Stone, who is gay. This was bowdlerised in the show of course.
• Genre Savvy
• Grand Finale: Static's tale in Milestone Forever, Virgil grows up to become a doctor, retires from superheroics, and marries and have twins with Frieda.
• Heroes Want Redheads: Frieda
• I Am Not Shazam: Many who have not read the comics or much of the TV show think the character is called Static Shock as apposed to simply Static.
• I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Larry and Dusk
• Iconic Item: Static's trench coat and saucer.
• Jumped At the Call
• Killed Off for Real: Larry and Dusk
• The Knights Who Say Squee
• Large Ham
• Let's You and Him Fight: Got into a brief scuffle with Superboy during the World's Collide crossover.
• Shock and Awe
• Sky Surfing
• Superhero
• Talking Is a Free Action
• Time Skip: Static's story in Milestone Forever is a ten year time skip from the end of his Milestone Series
• Trash Talk
• Unlucky Everydude: Virgil
• Volleying Insults: Virgil and Sharon.
• Wake Up, Go to School, Save The World
• What Could Have Been: Geoff Johns wanted to include Static during his 2003 relaunch of Teen Titans but was denied due to legal reasons.
  • However he does join the Titans later after the Countdown to Crisis arc.
• Will They or Won't They?: Virgil and Frieda's friendship eventually developed into this after being Just Friends for the greater portion of the series.
• You Fight Like a Cow