Warning: Spoilers for Static: Shadows of Dakota #6!
There is a major difference between the Static of the Static Shock cartoon and the comic-book version of the character — a difference that even his arch-rival is aware of. In the current continuity of Static comics, Bang Babies are being hunted and killed by a mysterious task force, and Virgil’s young friend Quincy is the latest victim.
With Ebon’s brother Rubberband Man held captive by the same group, he also has a vested interest in this conflict. This leads Ebon to try to strike an alliance with Static to go after the same people. Ebon extends his olive branch in Static: Shadows of Dakota #6 by Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Vita Ayala, and AndWorld Design. At just about every turn, Ebon struggles to try to get Static to see his perspective, mostly because Static doesn’t agree with Ebon’s methods of killing.
As frustrations boil over, Ebon tells Static that he can’t relate to where he’s come from because the “worst things that ever happened in your life happened to other people.”
Ebon Claims Static Never Experienced Real Trauma
For readers most familiar with Static’s 2000s animated series appearances, Ebon may at first appear wrong — at least when considering what Virgil goes through in the cartoon. In that version of events, Virgil’s mother dies before the show begins when she’s caught in gang war crossfire. This proves pivotal to the character’s growth in the series, as it’s why he’s reluctant to join a gang when a leader hands him a gun. His mother then becomes his prime motivation when he becomes a superhero soon after. In the comics — both in the current run of interconnected Milestone miniseries and in the original Milestone run from the 1990s — Static’s mother is actually very much alive, making Ebon’s point rather astute.
While the decision to keep Virgil’s mother alive and active in his life is one that stays true to Static’s original iteration, it does call into question what Static’s prime motivation to be a superhero could be without suffering such a personal tragedy. After all, losing people is the template for crafting most superheroes, especially within the DC Universe. Superman lost his home planet; Batman lost his parents; the Flash lost his mother; the list goes on. While Static has lost friends since becoming a hero, the Dakotaverse Static hasn’t suffered the kinds of tragedies that are typical for superhero origin stories.
What Is Static’s Motivation Without Tragedy?
That doesn’t mean, however, that Static doesn’t have any motivation to be a hero. In the same conversation with Ebon, Static retorts that he isn’t weak just because he hasn’t experienced Ebon’s pain or taken it out on other people. Instead, he uses his energy to help and heal other people, trying to make things better. If anything, a motivation that simple is just as admirable as a hero being molded by tragedy. In many ways, it makes Static almost akin to someone like Superman who isn’t hardened by his tragedies but rather wants to do the right thing simply because it’s the kind thing to do. While this motivation differs from Static Shock’s interpretation of the character, the lack of trauma doesn’t make Static any less of a hero.
Static: Shadows of Dakota #6 is available now from DC Comics.
