By Scott Braden
Many new titles, characters, and publishers were introduced to the comic book market in the early 1990s. While many are gone, some have left lasting impressions, like high school kid Virgil Hawkins who became the electrifying Static.
The quick-witted kid became Static after the Big Bang event transformed a number of citizens from the fictional city of Dakota into superpowered beings. He was written by Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III with art by John Paul Leon, Steve Mitchell, and Shawn C. Martinbrough. The young hero helped to protect his city from villains like Hotstreak and Holocaust.
The comic was not just another superhero story; it also focused on kids growing up and issues that were important at the time. Some have said that the first year of the title was the best superhero monthly comic at the time.
We previously presented Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this story. Now, here's the concluding installment of our four-part look at the first year of this compelling, original character.
Static #10
DC Comics; Milestone Media; March 1994
Escort Etiquette for Guyz Chapter One – Mystery Date
The comic starts out with a bang, as Static and Frieda fly out of the page and into the story. Static is giving Frieda the thrill ride of her life, when suddenly he remembers – via flashback – that he, Rick, Felix, and Frieda were playing a role-playing game (Frieda beats Hawkins, for shame, and gave her the right to wear a t-shirt that would say “I Beat Virgil O. Hawkins on His Best Day”), when suddenly the boys show her their self-made comic book, Captain Lightning.
Afterward, and with some polite words concerning the comic book, Frieda is confronted by Hawkins, who says he'd do anything if not for the t-shirt. And thus, the joyride begins. Then, Frieda jumps off Static's back and points out a car theft in progress. Static comes in and saves the day, and tracks the stolen car and gets it to the cops. He then picks up Frieda – who's impressed – and finishes up the joyride.
At his secret garage headquarters, he changes while talking to Frieda about Daisy. The next day at school, Hawkins tells Daisy that the Indian superhero girl who appeared and disappeared at Frieda's party was looking for Static, and there was nothing to it. Daisy ponders it and says with a giggle that maybe she'll call Hawkins later.
Happy, Hawkins then comes across his old friend, Larry, who is dating Frieda. Making up, the two friends wander down the school hallway when another friend comes up to Hawkins and talks about how his cousin is in love with Static.
After stopping by the Fish Shack to harass his sister, he heads to the Tab to meet Puff, a girl who seems to have a serious crush on him. After passing her flowers in mid-air, she wants to get physical. When Static tries to slow things down, she turns violent – revealing that like Static, she too is a Bang Baby.
In response to this, he realizes that “gas girl” just ate through a concrete piling. A battle ensues and it looks like Static is going to get away, except he gets wrapped in chain by Coil – and things don't even begin to look good!
Static #11
DC Comics; Milestone Media; April 1994
Escort Etiquette for Guyz Chapter Two – Double Date
Picking up where the last issue left off, Coil tells Static that he's been set up and the flowers that he brought will be put on his grave. Puff poses with a strung up Static for a picture. Then, Static swings his chain into the Puff's lingering acid cloud and breaks loose from his femme fatale. Static asks if they are trying to use this attack on him as a way to get in good with a gang. They reply that they want all the gangs, and that the girls are going to run Dakota. Finally, he gets away – but they say they've still got the photo of Static tied up.
After the superpowered battle, he heads by the Fish Shack to see if he can get his old job back. And after an impassioned appeal for the job, he succeeds. The next day at school, the usual bickering is going on (Rick takes serious offense when his friend calls his shirt “fruit-flavored”), and Daisy and Hawkins have a chat (Hawkins forgets the date that he promised last issue). So, he either fights the supervillains or has a date with Daisy. Following his gut reaction to treat life like an Archie comic, he chooses both.
After choosing his proper attire – both civilian and superhero – he meets up with Larry's car, and goes to the concert with his friends . . . and Daisy. At 6:45, Hawkins makes his move, telling everybody he's going to the concession stand, when actually he turns into Static and searches for Coil and Puff. Finding Puff's acid cloud, the brawl begins.
Static splashes her with water, diluting her acid and, paraphrasing our hero, bringing her “acid reign” to an end. And with all the water she absorbed, Hawkins made Puff fat. He then goes back to the concert and brings the food back to his friends, He gives the food to Frieda, and says he's going to go into the t-shirt line – when he's off to fight Coil. He challenges her inside Bradshaw's, where she can't control anything outside. He uses his force field, breaks out of his chains, and gives her a kiss – as well as takes a picture of her defeat.
Back at the concert, he gets Daisy a t-shirt and learns that Frieda covered for him – he supposedly had digestive-trouble from eating Indian food.
Static #12
DC Comics; Milestone Media; May 1994
Getting Out
The end of the series’ first year begins with Static on patrol, when all of a sudden, a Buick flies out from nowhere and almost hits him. The culprit was D-Struct Briggs, another Bang Baby, who is jealous of Static. And when some thugs take D-Struct’s father and say they’ll kill him if he doesn’t kill Static, then he knows what he has to do.
But that also leaves Static to think of a way to save his own butt. So, when D-Struct comes into school, Hawkins transforms into Static and confronts his new nemesis. He tells him that by working together, they’ll save his dad – and that he has a plan.
While D-Struct takes pot shots at him, Hawkins gives him a grand tour of Sadler and the other neighborhoods of Dakota. The last location is where D-Struct’s dad is being held, and they literally crash the party. As D-Struct goes after Static, he’s taking out one gangster after another – to the point that the thugs think they’re working together. As Static joins in and kicks major booty, D-Struct finds his father. . . safe and sound.
Segue to D-Struct meeting Static and telling him he and his father are leaving Dakota. In D-Struct’s words, he doesn’t want to be a superhero or a supervillain, he just wants to go to college.
And at the end, he tells Static that he hopes he and the Superman-esque hero Icon and the others keep fighting, because some day he wants to come home.
Scott Braden is an Overstreet Advisor and former Gemstone Publishing staffer.
