Static Is Iconic | COMIC BOOK REVIEW

It’s time to take another trip back to Dakota City. The next two entries of DC’s Milestone Returns are here: Static: Season One #2 and Icon & Rocket: Season One #1.

 Icon & Rocket is written by Reginald Hudgins with art by Doug Braithwaite, Andrew Currie, and Brad Anderson. Static is written by Vita Ayala with art by Chriscross and Nikolas Draper-Ivey. Both comics were released on July 27th in both print and digital.

The following section will contain spoilers for Static and Icon & Rocket

Icon & Rocket: Season One #1 is given the episode title, She Ready. The story begins in deep space in 1843. A spaceship carrying sleeping passengers is attacked. One of the passengers awakens and attempts to stop the terrorist. The passenger barely fought off the terrorist. The terrorist had set bombs, and the passenger was too late to stop it or save his people. He escaped in a pod and eventually landed on Earth. When the pod is found by a slave couple in Georgia, the passenger changes into a form that would guarantee his safety, a human baby. This baby, named Augustus, will eventually grow up and become the hero Icon.

The story jumps forward to modern times, but it is one month ago from the perspective of our narrator, Raquel Ervin. Raquel is mixed in with the wrong crowd. She is smart enough to know better, but committing small thefts is better than being alone. On this particular day, the idea was to break into the old mansion and steal a typewriter. She thought the house was empty. Raquel and her friends found out it wasn’t.

After finding out that the owner was bulletproof, among other strange abilities, Raquel decided to make some life changes. She returns to the mansion the next day and asks, almost demands, that the owner uses his gifts to remove the problems in the city. She also wants to be his sidekick. The owner, Augustus Freeman, agrees but only because Raquel reminds him of someone he knew in 1921.

Icon & Rocket #1 is a “by the books” origin and setup issue. The paneling is not dynamic. There is almost too much brown in the color palette. This gives everything a muted, low-energy tone. However, pages 1-9 have a more eerie and alien color palette. Excellent use of greens, oranges, and purples. Credit to the color artist, Scott Hanna. I rate this comic 6.5/10.

Static: Season One #2 is titled Family Matters. The story picks up where we left it, with Virgil’s home burning. At this point, Virgil has two options, extinguish the fire or fight Hotstreak. Hotstreak escapes, but Virgil manages to save his home minus some broken windows and charred walls.

After the fight, Virgil’s parents have a long and heated discussion about what to do. Both are worried about their son. Can the hospital be trusted to help? Will his powers get worse? Could they kill him? How should he use his powers? Only Virgil’s sister, Sharon, seems to sympathize with him.

The next day at school, Virgil is harassed by a former friend. Darius is an influencer that we met in Milestone Returns #0. Darius saw the fight between Virgil and Hotstreak at school and wanted to get all the details for his followers. Annoyed by all the questions, Virgil zaps Darius’s phone and ditches school.

Virgil needed to talk to someone. He decided to call his mentor, Mr. Metcalf. After Virgil explains everything he is going through, Metcalf tells Virgil he can use one of his satellite labs. Metcalf figures if there’s something in the lab that can help Virgil, Virgil will find it. However, Metcalf is a wanted man. His lab could have been raided already.

At the same time, Darius is shown talking to a Bang Baby who looks like a devil. We learn that Holocaust has been holding rallies for the other Bang Babies. Calling them to violent action. We are also told that the army has been rounding up any Bang Baby they deem dangerous.

This issue ends with the cops raiding Metcalf’s satellite lab that Virgil is currently exploring.

Static: Season One #2 is another entertaining and engaging installation in the Static series. The paneling is unique yet easy to follow. The two-page spread of Virgil using his power to snuff out the fire is stunning. The conversation between Virgil’s parents feels real and almost heartbreaking. I rate this comic 10/10.

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TL/DR: Static: Season One #2, available now, rating 10/10

Icon & Rocket: Season One #1, available now, rating 6.5/10

By: Tré Hanzy

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