Static: Shadows of Dakota #1 – Nikolas Draper-Ivey/Vita Ayala, Writers; Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Artist/h2>
Ray – 9/10
Ray: It’s been a while since the first wave of Milestone revivals wrapped up, and they were a mixed bag. We’re about to see a whole new wave launch, including a massive anniversary special, and so it was a pleasant surprise to see Static’s second solo series take a massive step up in quality. The first volume was a fine teen superhero adventure, but with writer-artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey as the new showrunner, this first issue has some energy that’s only found in the best YA superhero comics. Virgil is settling into his role as a hero, both fighting crime and helping to defend the vulnerable in his two identities, but being a Bang Baby is more dangerous than ever in the wake of the events of Paris Island—and a mysterious group of masked mercenaries attacks and tries to capture a group of innocent teenagers, leading to a pitched battle in the middle of Dakota’s city center.
Static has always been the strongest of the original Milestone heroes, thanks to his excellent supporting cast and good balance of superhero and secret-identity plots. This series follows in that vein, with Virgil now serving as a mentor to a young science student who has a secret of his own that could put him in danger. But the real secret weapon here is Draper-Ivey’s art—which is smooth and kinetic in a way that reminds me of Kaare Andrews at his most realistic. Just how good Draper-Ivey is becomes clear towards the end of the issue, where he adds Static’s most iconic villain to the narrative in an absolutely chilling segment that makes brilliant use of negative space. This might be the most engaging, new-reader-friendly book to come out of the new Milestone universe yet, which is ironic given that it’s a second arc rather than a true debut, but DC might have found a new superstar here.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
