by 
Updated on February 26, 2023
Static Shock #2
Written by: Scott McDaniel, John Rozum
Art by: Scott McDaniel
The second issue of Static’s new title starts off where we left off last time, with me worried that we were getting an “Aquaman” with Virgil. Namely, Virgil’s arm was severed thanks to the brutish Virule, a member of the Slate gang (a group of hired-goons with high-tech weapons). However, it looks like Static’s electrical powers *somehow* save him from sharing Arthur Curry’s 90s fate, instead rapidly healing most of his arm (at the expense of a good chunk of New York’s electrical power, for some reason). All of this, of course, confuses Virgil. (I’d note that Virgil’s self-monologue during his recovery in Hardware’s lab probably would’ve been thought balloons in Static’s original comic, and *should’ve* been here too, but since thought balloons are all but banned in modern DC/Marvel comics…)
We later get scenes at home with the Hawkins, and learn a big reason *why* they’ve got problems—Sharon’s got a mysterious clone, with the family unable to tell which one is the real Sharon. Virgil blames himself for the dilemma, for yet-to-be-explained reasons. We then cut to a scene at Virgil’s new school, named after the late Dwayne McDuffie (in real life, the creator of Static).
The villains of the last issue also make some more appearances, with much discussion about how to deal with Static thwarting their plans. One of them is shown to be in a government position, from the shot of his office. Another (the mutated-looking thug known as “Piranha”) is shown with what looks like the Joker, but fortunately for me, isn’t (since I hate the modern comics’ Joker). According to the blog Blacksuperheroesworld, it’s a former member of Joker’s gang that claims to have inhaled some Joker venom and became Joker-like in appearance. Whatever—long as the “real deal”‘s kept at arm’s length from here. Though I only learned this from looking it up online; maybe some editor’s note explaining it’s *not* the real Harlequin of Hate would help readers new to the “DCNU” reboot?
The story ends on another cliffhanger (of course!) between Static and Virule (and Virule’s gang). I liked the panel with Static noting the Slaters’ hoverbikes going up the side of a building was “pretty cool.”
Yes, I’ll be back for issue #3, enjoying this book so far, though I assume John Rozum won’t. Although Rozum’s quit “Static,” he’s still credited for this story as a co-writer, which I assume is his last issue?
