Static (comics)
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Static is a fictional superhero created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Static #1 (April 1993), and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III. He is perhaps best known as the protagonist of the animated series Static Shock (2000-04).
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[edit] Publication history
Creator Dwayne McDuffie's Description "Like any other awkward 15 year-old, Virgil Hawkins worries about sex, pocket money, and getting beaten up. 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!
Virgil attends Ernest Hemingway High, an example of a good City of Dakota public school, on its way down. In Sadler, a working-class section of Dakota, being a flashy superhero -- capable of force fields, "taser punches," flight, and even bolts of lightning -- won't solve all Virgil's problems. He isn't in the grip of poverty, but he's never out of its reach. With his hero's schedule, he can't keep even the most menial part-time job. Virgil still gets harassed by bullies (which calls for diplomacy, considering he could kick their butts inside-out, yet can't reveal it.) His best friend, Frieda Goren, is the benchmark hot babe at Hemingway. Only she knows that Virgil secretly possesses more power than a 15-year old can handle.
Even though Virgil tries to make Static an electromotive force for good, many villains will offer resistance: Tarmack, a dangerous stretch of bad road; Hotstreak, a superpowered thug who used to beat Virgil up; Holocaust of the Blood Syndicate, and Sharon, Virgil's older sister, to name but a few. Fighting bad guys complicates Virgil's life quite a bit. But, strange as it may seem, flying around in his jammies may be more than just an awkward phase. Static may be just what Virgil needs to grow up."
[edit] Fictional character biography
Doused with an experimental chemical in a gang war he was caught up in, high school student Virgil Ovid Hawkins gained a variety of electromagnetic powers and becomes a costumed crusader against inner city 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.
An African American, Static was a key character of Milestone Comics, an independently-owned imprint of DC Comics specializing in minority heroes. Milestone folded 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.
The character was introduced in one of the first four titles of comic books 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.
Virgil first gained his electromagnetic powers at a huge showdown between the gangs of the city, when he hoped to get revenge on a gangbanger who had been bullying him. The authorities arrived and released tear gas with a harmless radioactive marker so that any gangbangers would not escape arrest, not knowing that it 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.
Virgil was exposed to the gas. When the agency behind the experiment tried to capture him, he fought back, discovering that he had gained the ability to generate, manipulate, and control electromagnetism. Virgil named 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 romantic interest in his friend Frieda Goren -- but she was already involved with Larry Wade -- and 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 called Madison, but Frieda ends up fighting with her over him.
Static has had confrontations with numerous Bang-Babies and other superpowered adversaries: Francis Stone/Hotstreak, Tarmack, Leonard Smalls/Holocaust/Pyre, Puff, Coil, Snakefingers, Fred Benson/Rift, Joyride - Princess Nightmare, The Swarm, Dr. Kilgore, The Rubber-Band 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.
Later in the comic line, Static is aided by allies: the Shadow Cabinet, the Blood Syndicate, The Heroes, and DCPD officer Captain Summers, who has a big interest in police cases involving Bang-Babies.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Due to the wide ranges that Static has (SEE Electromagnetic Spectrum), Static's electromagnetic powers behave with a range of frequencies, abilities, and power levels. For example: Static's main weakness in confrontations with other Meta-Humans' and Bang-Babies', is water, to be exact, if Static is hit by a large body of water, his powers can short out, especially if he's charged up (Winds of Change, Bad Stretch and Attack of the Living Brain Puppets); but he can fly in the rain (Brother-Sister Act). Static can replenish energy that he has lost in fights' (The New Kid, Winds of Change, Frozen Out) from sources of electricity. Sometimes Static can use his powers on non-metal objects (Grounded, Consequences, Duped, and anytime he uses a Static-Cling), and sometimes he can't (Hard as Nails). And there are times where he's not been ready to absorb electrical power (again see Hard as Nails.)
He has exhibited the following abilities in the comic book and the animated series:
- Electromagnetic Generation, Manipulation, and Control - Static's body can generate Raw Electromagnetic Energy, which he has learned to manipulate, control, to sense sources of electromagnetic energy, electricity and magnetism and administer as a range of attacks with a range of uses; he can charge devices (such as the Justice League's Watchtower) with electricity, and alternatively drain the energy from them into himself, magnetize and demagnetize metals. Static can hear Radiowaves meaning he can listen in on the police broadband and music stations, as well as tapping into the phone lines so he can make calls. Virgil/Static 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. In the comic, he often uses this to broadcast his voice (and the ones' of those near him) on all speakers within the area.
- Jets, Bolts, and Bursts of Electromagnetic Force - The means by which Static can fire-off Electromagnetic Energy, Virgil/Static can fire Jets of electromagnetic energy from his fingers for simple things like turning off electrical devices from stereos to light switches to knocking small things down unnoticed, or even to used to light up his finger/hand so he can see in the dark or administering a Static-Cling and even direct electromagnetic energy like a laser to cut and/or weld. Virgil/Static can fire Bolts of electromagnetic energy for offensive manoeuvres like Nova-Ball or Ball-Lightning when in a fight against Bang-Babies from Ebon to the Meta-Microbe in Grounded. Virgil/Static can fire Bursts of electromagnetic energy from his hands for uses like electrifying objects, administering large scale Static-Clings, generating shields and barriers and with a piece of wire he can generate a Nova-Burst.
- Electromagnetic Fields - the size of the area that Static's power can have effect/manipulate; Virgil/Static generates an Electromagnetic field just like the earth & the sun generate their own Electromagnetic fields - in the episode Sunspots, sunspot activity on the sun effected the ebb & flow of power passing through out the Electromagnetic fields in the solar system "effecting microwaves, radiowaves & even certain electromagnetic devices here on earth," including Virgil/Static powers and the ways he able to his powers in situations, first they substantially increased in power & intensity becoming very hard to control or not running out; and soon later decreased so badly that all Virgil/Static could do with his power was causing sparks between his fingers - effectively putting him on the proverbial bench. When Hot-Streak went on a rampage, surrounding the Dakota Union High School in a high wall of flames, Virgil/Static confronted Hot-Streak with Zap-Caps (Mark 1), Hot-Streak gives chase ending up on top of a building rooftop with a large metal fan & a wooden water tower; having an idea that his body could still conduct Electromagnetic energy, Virgil/Static drains power from the electrically powered fan, blasts the wooden water tower, which soaks Hot-Streak & knocks him unconscious; after the sunspot activity ceases, Virgil/Static's powers are back to normal & under his control.
- Electromagnetic Levitation - Static can cause objects to fly (metal is the easiest material to manipulate and wood is the most difficult).
- Static Cling - Static can adhere most objects/people/Bang-Babies to surfaces and other objects, plus Static can magnetize surfaces.
- Taser Punch - First seen in issue #1 of the Static comic - an electrified punch administered during combat to send opponents flying, similar effects to a Taser Gun; also adaptable to use as a Taser Noogie (seen in They're Playing My Song) and as a 'Taser Prod' (seen in Bent Out of Shape).
- Electromagnetic Displays - Electromagnetic Light Displays that Static can shoot into the sky in the forms of pictures and words. With more power behind it, Static can make these into Electromagnetic Nets &/or Cages like seen in Winds of Change when Static tried containing Slipstream and when he slowed down the descent of the News Helicopter that Slipstream had damaged. In Shock to the System, after his "First Bad-Guy Beat-Down" Static sends a hugh arrow in the sky above the warehouse saying "Bad Guys This Exit". In Consequences, after Daisy wakes up in the Hospital, Static sends her a huge flower in the sky. In The Big Leagues, Static (having lost the small device Batman given him), sends his own Bat-Signal into the Sky.
- Taser Cutter - used to cut through or weld metals together; seen in: They're Playing My Song, Child's Play, Junior, The Big Leagues, etc.
- Taser Shots - shots of electromagnetic force aimed and shot out of Static's fists.
- Electromagnetic Shields and Barriers - shields and barriers that Static can generate with Electromagnetism to block, repel, hold back attacks and defend himself in battle.
- Double Taser Shot - a shot of electromagnetic force aimed & shot out of both Static's fists at the same time.
- Ball Lightning - named after Ball Lightning, the weather phenomenon. Electromagnetic Energy compressed into a large ball & thrown at targets; an offensive manoeuvre in a combat situation.
- Nova Ball - seen only in Sons of the Fathers, an attack of electromagnetic force, customized by Static to work especially on Ebon (Quote: "I call that my Nova Ball, Ebon. It takes a lot out of me, but more out of you!"); after being hit by the Number Ball, Ebon's physical shadowy form came apart from the light, Ebon was forced to disappear to somewhere else.
- Nova Burst - so far seen only in Bad Stretch, an attack of light & electromagnetic force run through some normal wire, customised by Static to work especially on Ebon, but useful to use on most opponents (Talon, Shiv & Carmen-Dillo) to blind them for a short while; but did not work on Aqua-Maria, it just passed right through her.
- Electromagnetic Pulse - Used in Junior knocking out all local electrical devices, to power down a bunch of security men's high-tech battle Exo-Skeletons to prevent them from teaming up on Edwin Alva Jr/Omnifarious.
[edit] Other media
- See also: List of Static Shock episodes
- The character Static was later developed into the lead of the animated series Static Shock, with some changes in the material, generally to be more suitable for a younger and wider audience, but still with a focus on contemporary relevance.
- In this animated series, Virgil Hawkins (voiced by Phil LaMarr) is fourteen years old and attends Dakota Union High School when he was affected by the mutagen gas explosion known as the "Big Bang." Before the events of this incident, Virgil was a Honor Roll student, as his time was not occupied with superhero duties.
- Virgil still lives with his father, Robert Hawkins, a social worker and the head of the Freeman Community Centre, and his sister, Sharon Hawkins, a university student, but his mother, Jean Hawkins, had died a few years ago, the victim of a stray bullet while she worked as a paramedic during a riot.
- Virgil/Static's best friend and confidant is Richard "Richie" Osgood Foley (based, appearance wise, on a character from the comics called Richard Stone). Richie Foley graduates from a behind-the-scenes-sidekick to Static's partner-in-crime-fighting when he becomes a metahuman super-genius. This happens because he is contaminated by Virgil and experiences a delayed reaction to the Big-Bang Gas. He starts going under his new super-hero handle "Gear".
- Also in the animated series, Frieda Goren has been friends with Richie and Virgil since childhood. Frieda is a reporter for the school newspaper, a kind of Lois Lane to Static's Superman, though there is only a little romantic attraction between them. Static would eventually gravitate towards Daisy Watkins, a girl he met when he briefly attended the Vanmoor Charter School for Science. After the events in The New Kid, Daisy's parents decide she'd be safer at a public school, so she now attends Dakota Union High School with Virgil, Richie, and Frieda, often teaming up with Frieda on things like the school newspaper, talent shows, and environmentalist activities, like recycling.
- Static idolizes other positive black superheroes in his world, such as Soul Power, Anansi the Spider, and particularly the Green Lantern, John Stewart.
- As an adult, Static eventually joins the Justice League, and is still an active member by the age of 65 ("The wonders of modern medicine; 65 is the new '30'."). Static also has a son, but no details are known about him, but it is hinted that he may also be a superhero. Static appears to have aged little in the forty years between Static Shock and Batman Beyond. 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 Unlimited, the only change seems to be that his hair has finally grayed. Static explains that this was due to advanced medical technology in the future.
- Static has travelled through time twice. In both incidents, he's crossed paths in events of his own life: His first time, thanks to the powers of Time-Zone/Nina Crocker, he traveled back in time, 5 years previously, to the night of the Dakota Riots, the night his mother was killed; in an attempt to prevent her death, he told her about what would happen, as well as his life as Static. Jean convinced him that she had to do her duty to save as many people as she could, and said goodbye to him, her final words to him were that she was proud of the way he's grown up.
- A second time came while assisting Batman in Gotham City. While examining a machine stolen by a villain, called Time-Code; in the Batcave, it activated it and Static was sent forty years in time, where he met the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, and had to help him save his future-self from Kobra.
[edit] Gadgets from the TV series
Static has used the following gadgets made for him by his best friend Richie Foley in the animated Static Shock series:
- Static-Saucer - or also known as Static's Flying Disk, it is a foil disk of metal - Mylad; that is "stronger than reinforced steel"; this is Static's flying disk, he can carry it folded up in his coat, Richie gave it to him in The Breed, beforehand Static used either manhole covers or Garbage-can lids. In the episode Gear, Richie mentions that he figured out how to make Static's Flying Disk fold up smaller. However, in the comic, Static made this item himself just before his rematch with Tarmack in the third issue.
- Shock-Box - Walkie-talkies that Richie & Virgil made at School for Science Lab in Grounded; they're named 'Shock-Vox' by Richie and are used by Richie/Gear & Virgil/Static at home or during patrol. In Child's Play a Shock-Vox was used as a microphone hooked up to a Personal Stereo to record Aaron saying how he really feels about his step-brother Dwayne; in Replay, Richie rewired a Shock-Vox to listen in like an intercom on another Shock-Vox created by Replay's powers. In the episode Gear, the Shock-Voxes' have apparently been updated with tracers, as Richie/Gear used Virgil/Static's Shock-Vox to track him down to an old Juvenile Hall when Ebon had abducted him. The Shock-Voxes are usefully convenient in that Richie and Virgil never have to pay phone bills for them and Virgil can recharge (see Grounded) and increase (see Static in Africa) their range with his powers.
- Zap-Caps (Mark 1) - energy containment units, first seen in Winds of Change and used as electrical explosives; Richie's idea for these was if Static was low on power in a battle then he could pitch them at the enemy, buying some time to recharge - instead Static used them to recharge his own drained powers in his final battle with Slipstream. The Zap-Caps (Mark 1) were seen again in Sunspots by Static & Richie against Hot-Streak because Static's powers were being affected by sunspot activity on the sun and Hot-Streak was on a rampage.
- Tracking device - made by Richie in Bad Stretch; it is a tracking device that transmits on a High Band Frequency with a radius of two miles, Static can hear it in his ears with his powers (just like he can hear radiowaves and the police broadband). Static used one to find the Meta-Breeds hideout by throwing one on Adam Evans/the Rubber-Band Man. In the episode Gear, Richie mentioned that he had increased the range on the Tracking Device.
- Back-Pack's Remote Control - The Remote Control to Back-Pack, first seen in Gear along with Back-Pack, and later seen in A League of Their Own part 2, by Static to free Richie/Gear and Back-Pack from Brainiac, when Brainiac had taken over Back-Pack and Richie.
- Gear's Time Manipulator - when Speedwarp was making his moves in Now You See Him, Gear built a Time Manipulator so that Static would be able to keep up with and take down Speedwarp. When Speedwarp came into contact with both Time Manipulators - Speedwarp's Time Manipulator ends up short circuiting and permanently stuck in time - moving slower than everything else.
[edit] Trivia
- Virgil's full name is revealed as Virgil Ovid Hawkins in the animated episode, They're Playing My Song, and in the first issue of Static (Don't Start None, There Won't Be None). It is also revealed that Virgil hates being addressed with his middle name.
- Static's civilian identity was named after the first African-American to go to law school, who was himself named after the Roman poets Virgil and Ovid.
- In the 2001 miniseries, Static Shock: The Rebirth of the Cool, it is revealed that Virgil is into collecting Pokémon cards and he likes Pikachu (the flagship Pokémon of the franchise and a fellow user of electricity).
- In the animated series, Virgil harbours a powerful dislike of guns, since his mother, an emergency call doctor and ambulance paramedic, was killed by stray gang-fire during the Dakota City Riots, three years before the Big-Bang. His fear and hatred for guns has been illustrated more than once in the series.
- Though he claims to be a geek, in the animated series, Virgil doesn't participate in any geeky activities - he is, however, an avid comicbook fan. In the comics, Virgil regularly visits the local comic store and participates in a HeroClix-style RPG game.
- In a recent interview with 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."[1]
[edit] 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 Shock at the Internet Movie Database
