Static Shock #3 – Review

By: Scott McDaniel & John Rozum (writers), Scott McDaniel (penciller), Andy Owens (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Even gangsters can’t resist the allure of electronic gadgets.

The Review: Besides the various diversity issues that all comics publishers have to grapple with, one area the DCU infrequently explores is the urban setting.  By and large, most of our heroes operate out of middle-class suburbia, the gentrified cityscape, or in outright luxury.  Even though the Bat-family fight crime in the worst cesspools of Gotham, they eventually return to rather extravagant abodes, so we don’t really see characters rubbing shoulders with the less-privileged.

So it’s intriguing to think of Virgil not only working his vigilantism in the Big Apple, but also living in the less glamorous parts of the city.  Unfortunately, the first couple issues kept almost strictly on point with the crime-fighting plot—as it should, but it would’ve also been just as entertaining to see Static dealing with his home, school, and work life as well.  That was half the fun of his solo series, both in comics and on television.

This issue has Virgil applying real street sense to get a lead on his current target, the Slate Gang.  Any gang has its leaders and followers, and the facts of life are that the followers tend to be of school age.  Virge uncovered one of these would-be delinquents last issue, and here he smooth-talks his way into Quentin’s favor in the time-honored fashion of all teens: tall tales of extreme exploits (“You rocked at Paris Island, son?  What’d you pack?”  “Snub-nosed revolver.”)

Also enjoyable are the little interstitial bits from their fellow classmates.  Now, remember, these kids go to the (chartered?) Dwayne G. McDuffie Center for Science and Mathematics, so it’s not surprising you get plenty of comments like these: “I’m in a gang.”  “Shut up, Dyson.  The Chess Club is not a gang.”  And keep in mind, Quentin, despite his imposing tattoo, is a student here too.  How he winds up part of a tech-based gang is a rich vein of story to explore at some point.

Sadly, the issue gets sidetracked by a couple less-than-gripping plotlines, not the least of which is the whole double-Sharon thing.  Of all the Static continuity McDaniel-Rozum chose to bring to this new DCU, the clone of Virgil’s sister may not have been the most valuable keeper.  It doesn’t add much to the story beyond the usual “Trust me, no, trust me” conflict, and for readers new to the series, I imagine it only confuses them.

Equally distracting are all the scenes featuring various cells of the shadow group Static’s up against.  For all the time you spend with them, their plans and goals remain too vague to stay invested, nor do they come across as all that threatening.  Mostly, they seem to have mercenary values, and mercenary doesn’t rank too high on the villainy scale.  This makes them suitably straightforward first opponents for Static, but also rather bland and unimpressive.

McDaniel’s work still feels a bit too rough and loose to give the issue the polish it needs to rise above its middling script.  The cartoony portrayal of Static’s powers and of the action sequences in general make you feel like you’re looking at a storyboard for a Kids’ WB program.  To give Static more of a high-profile presence, stronger, more sophisticated art seems necessary.

Conclusion: While still taken with the premise of Static in New York, and the titular star exudes plenty of charisma and charm, it feels like McDaniel and Rozum haven’t quite figured out how to balance all the different plotlines for max impact yet.

Grade: C+

– Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: – It’s impossible to describe how happy I am to see Virgil show up to a sting with an “E = mc²” t-shirt.

– I also like Static magnetizing a Bo staff together to fend off Virule.  Too often these superpowered heroes have no idea how to get their hands dirty, so already that sets Static apart from the pack.