Virgil Ovid Hawkins, better known as superhero Static Shock, first graced the pages of Milestone Comics’ Static #1 in June 1993. The character was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Derek Dingle and Michael Davis, who all went on to be legends in their own right. However, it wasn’t until the 2000s that Static gained wider recognition through the animated series Static Shock. The show made its debut on September 23, 2000 on the children’s TV programming block Kids WB. Static Shock struck a chord with many young 90’s kids like myself for numerous reasons, and continues to hold a place in our hearts.
Static Shock Gave Us Representation While Staying True to Its Comic Book Roots
First, Static was a Black superhero headlining his own show during an era where non-white comic book superheroes on TV and movie screens were rare. Other than Static, the only Black superheroes in 2000s animated series were John Stewart from Justice League, Storm and her nephew Evans from X-Men Evolution, and Cyborg and Bumblebee from Teen Titans. That was actually more options than the 1990’s and 2000’s movies offered with Blade, X-Men’s Storm, and Catwoman.
In addition to that representation, Dwanye McDuffie was Static Shock‘s writer and story editor. This opened the door for a Static adaptation that would not stray to far from its comic book roots. For example, Virgil’s origin story in Static Shock did not change significantly. He gains electromagnetic powers on the night of The Big Bang, an explosive event that exposed him and others to a purple gas that gave them superhuman abilities. However, there were changes with other characters, such as Virgil and his younger sister Sharon having a widower Dad instead of both parents. McDuffie was initially against this because he wanted to show a nuclear family, but came around because of the stories that ended up being told.
The Stories Were As Electrifying as Virgil’s Powers
Those powerful stories gave Static Shock its heart and foundation. One of the most notable season one episodes is “Tantrum,” in which Virgil uses a lesson from his late mother to defeat a metahuman. Virgil’s grief over losing his mother at a young age would get more exploration in other episodes, such as season two’s “Frozen Out,” a holiday episode which touched on homelessness. Viewers saw a more empathetic side to Virgil when he used his own experience with loss to talk to a young metahuman girl whose powers are askew due to grief and poverty.
The show tackled other serious topics such as racism and school gun violence. The season one episode, “Sins of The Father” shows Virgil dealing with the racist Dad of his best friend Ritchie Foley. And, the season two finale “Jimmy” featured a bullied teen attempting to use a gun to take revenge. The latter would earn writers Alan Burnett and Dwayne McDuffie a Humanitas Prize for Children’s Animation in 2003. In a 2020 video interview with Vanity Fair, Static’s voice actor Phil Lamarr spoke about the show’s authentic storytelling, stating, “They had these great stories that were fun and exciting, but somehow grounded in something that felt real.”
While the show had its more serious moments, there were also lighthearted episodes, including a few with celebrity guest stars. A season two episode titled “Replikon” featured animated versions of the Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean and rapper Coolio. In season three, the Static theme song got an upgrade courtesy of rapper Lil Romeo, who made an appearance in “Romeo In The Mix.” But, the most prominent appearances on Static Shock were not from celebrities. They were from Static’s fellow superheroes in the DC Animated Universe as well as some original superheroes created for the show. This was a total treat for young nerds.
Static Shock Crossovers Still Matter Today
Starting with the season two episode, “The Big Leagues,” Static Shock began to crossover with various DC Animated shows such as Batman, Batman Beyond, and Justice League. A particularly outstanding season four episode, “Future Shock”, had Static rescuing his adult superhero self with the help of Batman Beyond’s Terry McGinnis. These crossover episodes not only established Static as an experienced hero that could fight alongside the best, but also set the stage for future crossovers in comic books and animation.
During the “New 52” era of DC Comics, Static would become a member of the Teen Titans. In the 2012 animated series Young Justice, Static made his first appearance at the end of season two before becoming a recurring character. Now, DC Comics has a six issue limited series titled Batman/Static Beyond, which will pick up where the Static Shock episode “Future Shock” left off.
When it comes to Static Shock’s original superhero characters, the most memorable one is undoubtedly Anansi. Inspired by the African folk hero of the same name, Anansi is Ghana’s own local stylish superhero who met Static in the season three episode “Static In Africa.” Together, Static and Anansi would fight Anansi’s enemy, the leopard Osebo. The duo teamed up again in the season four episode “Out of Africa” when Anansi follows Osebo to Dakota. Despite only appearing in two episodes, Anansi became such a favorite that he and Static would team up a third time in the 2023 one-shot comic Static Team-Up: Anansi.
The Show’s Legacy and New Crop of Milestone-Inspired Creators
In four seasons and 52 episodes, Static Shock left a mark on comic books and animation that is still being felt today. When the 2020 relaunch of Milestone Comics began at DC Comics, an all new Static comic book series came a year later in June 2021 with characters from the show, like the antagonists Talon and Ebon. A 2023 graphic novel titled Static Up All Night also carries the spirit of the show forward with a lighthearted superhero adventure that occurs during a night on the town.
Outside of DC Comics, indie Black creators like Roy Okupe and Z Cher Aime are creating their own animated and comic book projects that are reminiscent of Static Shock. Roy Okupe is a 2021 Dwayne McDuffie Award nominee and the founder of YouNeek Studios, a multimedia company with original superhero and fantasy characters. Okupe’s most recent project is the 2025 Cartoon Network animated series Iyanu, which was adapted from the fantasy comic book series of the same name. The series revolves around a young girl named Iyanu, who must learn to harness her magical abilities to save the world from an ancient curse.
Meanwhile, Z Cher Aime’s ongoing animated film project Captain Zero Into The Abyss tackles mental health through a superhero lens. It tells the story of Xerxes, a young man who is literally battling his inner demon while trying to come into his own as the superhero Captain Zero. Xerxes’ desire to prove himself and the project’s strong supporting cast is reminiscent of Static Shock’s frank storytelling. After beginning in 2022 with the short film Captain Zero Into The Abyss Part I, Part II would premiere at the Tribeca Film festival in August 2025. Both films are now available to watch online via Zs Cher Aime’s animation studio Cutting Edge Animation.
Twenty five years after it first premiered, Static Shock sometimes feels like a footnote in the DC Animated Universe. Not only is it not available to stream online after being removed from HBO Max earlier this year, but the DVDs are hard to obtain. Yet just as lightning always strikes twice, Static Shock‘s incredible mark on the world can still be seen and heard.
The post Why STATIC SHOCK Still Creates Waves Among Fans and Creatives Decades Later appeared first on Nerdist.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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