I’ve generally enjoy the reboot of the Milestone line of comics. Each series has had a different focus and voice but all come together for a bigger story. Static launched the line with a youthful experience, energy, and style. There’s been some choices I’ve felt have been a little odd but overall, it’s an interesting story and direction. Static: Season One #3 amplifies some of the concerns I had but those concerns are a feature, not a bug.
Writer Vita Ayala has taken a familiar concept and given it a twist with the series. The story of a teenager gaining powers and having to learn to use them, and find a guiding focus, isn’t anything that’s new. It’s a formula that’s been done over and over. What Ayala is doing that’s different is putting those powers front and center. While there’s some kids who are hiding their powers, overall, a lot of the “discovery” is front and center. That works in some ways and not in others.
Static: Season One #3 really moves the story of the “Bang babies” forward. The government is making their moves to capture those who have powers seeing them as a threat. Virgil, meanwhile, is having issues of his own with some of the police have him cornered after his seeking help. The idea of powers being more out in the open is an interesting one. It changes up the familiar formula we’ve seen before, but also leaves issues with characters like Static who people have seen use his powers. Why the government is banging down his door needs to be explained a little better. It’s easy to just explain away as “optics” but it’s something that’s not being done well enough. That “issue” is the slight hang-up I have with the series so far.
But, Ayala keeps some of what works with the formula around and it works really well. There’s friendship and family at the center of the comic and it leaves its hero with a support structure you don’t see often. This isn’t the hero on an island on his own with the burden of life on his shoulders. There’s a support group here that works and adds a layer to the series. Ayala also does a great job of explaining what the characters are able to do and why. Why is Virgil able to sew a costume? There’s an element of show as well as tell that makes events go down a bit smoother in a way.
Nikolas Draper-Ivey and Chriscross each take a bit of the story. Draper-Ivey and Wil Quintana handle the color with Andworld Design doing the lettering. The art continues to be a solid aspect of the series with a style about it that enhances the youthful vigor of the comic. It’s a great example of voice and visuals matching as far as the tone.
Static: Season One #3 is a good comic. It takes some of my concerns and attempts to use them to shake a familiar formula up. We’ll see how well it does that in future issues, but for now it’s clear the series is doing things a bit different and keeping things fresh and interesting.
Story: Vita Ayala Art: Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Chriscross
Color: Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Wil Quintana Letterer: Andworld Design
Story: 7.75 Art: 8.05 Overall: 7.9 Recommendation: Read
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW
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Source: Graphic Policy
