Static is joining the DC Universe - Hopefully Xombi and Blood Syndicate will follow

I was a big fan of DC's Milestone line of titles from back in the day. Some great artists (Chris Cross was the stand out) and great writers made for a cracking series of comics that where not tied into the normal DC Universe.

Although Milestone comics were published through DC Comics, they did not take place in the DC Universe. Under an arrangement similar to the one DC and Wildstorm established later, all Milestone characters existed in a separate continuity that did not fall under DC Comics' direct editorial control (but DC still retained right of refusal to publish). Unlike Wildstorm, whose properties were bought by DC Comics, Milestone Media retained the copyright of their properties.

They included many great titles - Icon, Hardware and my favourites, Static, Blood Syndicate and Xombi.

Sadly Milestone cancelled several of its lower-selling series in 1995 and 1996, and aborted plans for several mini-series. Heroes, a new team book featuring Static and several of its more popular second-tier characters, was launched, but failed to sell well enough to justify an ongoing series. Milestone shut down its comic book division in 1997, with some of the remaining ongoing series discontinued in mid-story. Today, it is primarily a licensing company, focusing on its television property, the Emmy Award and Humanitas Prize winning animated series Static Shock.

The good news is that the Milestone heroes are coming back, starting with Static. At the 2008 Comic-Con DC Comics executive editor Dan DiDio announced that the Milestone Universe and characters would be revived and merged into the DC Universe proper.

It begins begins this week in Terror Titans #3, and DC has provided Newsarama with a first look at the issue’s last page – the DCU debut of Static (that's the picture above).

The solicitation for the issue reads:

Written by Sean McKeever; Art and Cover by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson

Dreadbolt faces a terrible decision, and his choice could elevate him in the Clock King's eyes – but at an unthinkable cost. Meanwhile, the tournament between teen metas continues, and the fate of the winners and losers becomes clearer as the Clock King's ultimate plan comes to light. Ravager's role in the plan also becomes clearer, and she is beginning to openly rebel. So, to sweeten the deal, she is granted the honor of fighting the Dark Side Club's hidden and true champion – one she could never have expected!

Static’s appearance in Terror Titans will be followed up in issue #4 before the character moves to the Teen Titans series, where he will join to the team. The bulk of the remaining Milestone characters will make their DCU debut in this month’s Justice League of America #27, written by Dwayne McDuffie

Static's powers are all related to electromagnetic phenomena, particularly as manifested by electricity - Static's powers are best described as Super-Conductor Electromagnetism (like the floating trains in Tokyo which are suspended by Super-Conductor Electromagnetism). Due to the wide ranges that Static has (see Electromagnetic Spectrum), Static's electromagnetic powers behave with a range of frequencies, abilities, and power levels. For example: Static's main weakness in confrontations with other Meta-Humans' and Bang-Babies', is water; if Static is hit by a large body of water, his powers can short out, especially if he's charged up. However, he can fly in the rain. Thank you wikipedia!

Fantastic news to me. Anyone else out there a fan of the Milestone characters? Which one will you want to see next in the DCU? I vote for Xombi (a potentially immortal, technologically enhanced human being and magnet for the weird - the wonders of nanotechnology)

Home / Forum / Guestbook

Excellent Gary Frank artwork on Superman: Secret Origin

Newsarama reports that DC Comics will be releasing a six-issue stand-alone series called Superman: Secret Origin, which will retell the Man of Steel’s origin story. Geoff Johns and Gary Frank have been hired.

DC Universe Executive Editor Dan Didio compares Geoff’s new take on the origin story to that of John Byrne made in the 1980’s, stating that it will make the “same imprint now, for 2009 and past that.” The new take will take readers from Clark’s teenage years, through his first adventure with the Legion of Super-Heroes and into his arrival and introduction to Metropolis as Superman.

“We haven’t seen a modern day retelling of Clark’s first adventure as Superboy with the Legion of Super-Heroes, or the day Superman met Jimmy Olsen or the origins of Superman’s long time enemies like the Parasite and Metallo. More importantly, Clark Kent himself will be explored in his earlier years in a way I don’t think he’s ever been explored before. And freaking Gary Frank, one of the greatest Superman artists in history already, is illustrating it. Every cover, every panel, ever line,” Johns told Newsarama. “Unlike previous Superman origin stories, this will be told almost entirely from Clark’s eyes. We won’t be spending an issue on Krypton. We’ll be opening on one of Clark’s earliest memories as a kid and moving forward from there. This is his story of self-discovery and the world’s story of meeting Superman.”

I've always been a fan of Gary Frank's artwork (his work on the Hulk was brilliant) and I love the way he is paying homage to Christopher Reeve in his Superman artwork.

What do you think of this updating of Superman's origin? Should the new Superman film deal with his origin again or just get straight into the action?
Home / Forum / Guestbook