REVIEW: ‘Static: Shadows of Dakota,’ Issue #1

Static: Shadows of Dakota #1 is written by Nikolas Draper-Ivey & Vita Ayala, illustrated & colored by Draper-Ivey, and lettered by Andworld Design. It’s published by DC Comics. After the fallout of the Big Bang, Virgil Hawkins continues to protect Dakota City as the electromagnetically-charged Static. But even with his friends helping him out, Static is spread thin trying to be a hero and keep up his life as a teenager. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, there’s a mysterious new metahuman lurking in the shadows of Dakota…

I’ve been upfront about how much Static means to me, and to say I was happy with the work that Ayala and Draper-Ivey put into Static: Season One is an understatement. They managed to take everything that was great about both the original Static comics and the Static Shock animated series and meld it together while also updating Virgil for the modern day. And that’s a formula that continues in this book. Static fans may have guessed that this series’ subtitle has something to do with Ebon, the shadow-manipulating villain from Static Shock. And while Ebon’s presence in this book is brief, he proves to be just as much of a menace as he was in animation.

A large part of that’s due to Draper-Ivey, who takes on co-writing duties in addition to his art. Together, he and Ayala continue to tackle real-life issues in addition to the more fantastical elements. Metahumans being hunted and executed takes on a whole new light as the majority of those metahumans happen to be Black teenagers – pushing the “superpowers as metaphor” even further. And then there’s Ebon. It turns out that he, like Static, is working to protect metahumans. But unlike the electromagnetic hero, his methods are far more lethal.

Draper-Ivey also continues to deliver on the art front. Half of the issue is dedicated to Static’s battle against the metahuman hunters, and what a battle it is. Whole pages feature Static soaring through the streets while scooping up innocent bystanders and sending his opponents flying with electromagnetic bolts. His lightning takes on a life of its own, arcing through panels and leaving a bluish-white glow in its wake. And true to the series’ title, Draper-Ivey also makes great use of the color black. Virgil wears mostly black in his Static outfit, save for the golden accents and lightning bolt symbol. And Ebon blends into the shadows, leaving only a faint purple hue where his body used to be.

Finally, Andworld Design delivers a unique lettering scheme for the hero and villain of the piece. Virgil’s word captions are blue, with white letters and lightning crackling through the borders. Ebon, on the other hand, has black and purple word balloons that hover around the edges of the pages. It gives off an unsettling effect, which fits Ebon to a T.

Static: Shadows of Dakota #1 continues to push Static in a new direction and introduces a fan-favorite foe from the animated series. As a Static fan, a comic fan, and just a lover of great stories, this book is everything I ever wanted. Pick it up – it’ll truly bring a shock to your system, in the best way.

Static: Shadows of Dakota #1 is available wherever comics are sold.