Static Shock #6

From the Random Stack of Unread Comics.

Title: Static Shock
Issue: 6
Date: April 2012
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Scott McDaniel
Penciler: Scott McDaniel
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Editor: Harvey Richards
Cover: Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, Le Beau Underwood

Apparently, I bought six issues of this when it was released as part of the New 52 in 2012 and only got around to reviewing the first five. Looking back at that fifth review, I can see why I wasn't so enthusiastic about reading more.

Unfortunately, a lot of the phrases I used for the previous issue, phrases like "too many plot elements", "not enough character development", and "convoluted mess" apply to this issue, but even more so.

I like Static Shock a lot, but this climactic episode of the ongoing storyline featured about 85 villains, guest appearances by Hardware and Technique, various alien species, an interdimensional portal, alternate timeline versions of characters, and a climactic battle where it was impossible to tell what the heck was going on. Okay, probably not actually impossible. More like not worth the effort, which is worse.

The opening bit with static hunting for the bad guys who have abducted his sister was pretty cool, and the ending epilogue bit did a reasonable job of setting up for more stories moving forward. Unfortunately, the series only went two more issues after this. It could have used some more time to move in some different directions after this opening storyline.

Rating: 4/10

Static Shock #5

I had a bed feeling that this was going to happen sooner or later.

Title: Static Shock
Issue: 5
Date: March 2012
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Scott McDaniel
Penciler: Scott McDaniel
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Editor: Harvey Richards
Cover: Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez

I know there were some issues with the creative team on this book, and I also know the book has been canceled. That's what happens when you're a few months behind on reading. John Rozum is no longer credited on the writing starting with this issue, and the writing took a serious nose dive. Probably not a coincidence, although this may have simply been the natural result of trying to incorporate too many plot elements without enough character development.

This issue is almost entirely taken up by squabbles and intrigues between a whole array of third-rate villains, and we're never given any reason to care.

The use of Virgil's sister as a generic damsel-in-distress doesn't help matters either, nor does the extended dream/flashback to Virgil's gang days, complete with stilted gangbanger jargon.

This issue seems to be the result of taking all of the weak elements that existed on the fringes of a pretty engaging story centered on Virgil Hawkins, and suddenly making those weak elements the main focus.

The only two redeeming points in this mess are that the opening fight scene still manages to be fun in the way that all of Static's fight scenes have been fun, and a brief glimmer of interesting personality from Guillotina (of all people).

Everything else is a convoluted mess.

Rating: 4.5/10

Static Shock #4

Title: Static Shock
Issue: 4
Date: February 2012
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Scott McDaniel, John Rozum
Penciler: Scott McDaniel
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Editor: Harvey Richards
Cover: Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez

Villain du jour is Guillotina. Aside from her silly name, her power is that she's covered in razor-sharp scales.

Static has a fun fight with her. As we've seen with this title, Static has a very Spider-Man vibe, cracking jokes while he thinks and improvises his way to victory. The only problem with this scene is that is has basically been done in each of the three previous issues. It's still fun, but it feels a bit meaningless.

We get some transitional scenes that keep subplots in motion without any real progress, and then it's back to brawling.

Unfortunately, Static seems to forget all of the tactical savvy he'd been using up to now, and just gets captured in short order to set up the rather cliched cliffhanger.

The problem with writing a comic that is fun is that sometimes it needs to have some originality here. This felt like the writers were running short on ideas and were just repeating what they had done previously.

Rating: 6/10

Static Shock #3

Title: Static Shock
Issue: 3
Date: January 2012
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Scott McDaniel, John Rozum
Penciler: Scott McDaniel
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Editor: Harvey Richards
Cover: Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez

This issue is almost all action, and it continues to be classic superhero fun. Static's battles are interesting, and there is a variety of villains that he's facing off against, all with their own agendas and subplots.

I'm continuing to enjoy the portrayal of Virgil Hawkins. He's a great mix of youthful confidence with inexperience, and he's really likable as a result. He doesn't sink into angst the way some teen characters seem to, and his intelligence comes through along with his courage.

I did think that some of the high school scenes in which Virgil tries to infiltrate the local gang culture seemed a bit contrived. These supposed gangbangers are awful quick to accept a newcomer they know nothing about. But I was willing to accept it for the sake of story pacing and keeping things light and fun, which has been a strength of this book since the first issue.

I got the news today that Static Shock has been canceled as of issue #8, and that's a disappointment to me. Out of 52 new titles, this was one of the best for just plain fun (the others I put in that category are Action Comics and Superman). In fact, in my opinion, Static Shock has been a more satisfying read than probably about 45 of the New 52. It's even more disappointing that of the six canceled titles, two of them featured African American lead characters (this one and Mr. Terrific, which I have not read). Hopefully the remaining five issues of Static Shock will bring the story to a satisfying end point. I intend to stick with this title to the end.

Rating: 7.5/10

Worlds of Aspen 2011

Title: Worlds of Aspen 2011
Date: 2011
Publisher: Aspen Comics
Writer: J.T. Krul, Vince Hernandez, Joe Benitez
Penciler: Jason Fabok, Khary Randolph, Joe Benitez
Colorist: John Starr, Emilio Lopez, Peter Steigerwald

Aspen's offering for Free Comic Book Day 2011 previews six titles, although only three of these actually get to show off completed pages. The opening story, Soulfire, is visually impressive, but looks complicated enough to be potentially off-putting to new readers. There was a fight between two winged women with not a whole lot of rhyme, reason, or explanation. I wasn't sure who was the good girl and who was the bad girl by the end of it, or even if there was supposed to be definite good and bad sides to the conflict.

Charismagic had an intriguing concept: a Vegas stage magician swept into the world of real sorcery. I liked what I saw of the story, but it was a very short piece that barely introduced the lead character.

The latest incarnation of Fathom only got a pinup page. Fathom is pretty, but uninteresting with a generic comic-book body in a generic bikini. I know the character has been used in interesting ways in the past, but I can only judge by what I got here, which was basically just cheesecake of the sort you'd find in better quality fanart.

Next up is Lady Mechanika, and we finally get something interesting. The genre is all-out steampunk, and there is a reasonable amount of plot in the five-page preview, along with the introduction of a pretty diverse cast of characters and the beginnings of a mystery. Easily the best preview in this book.

Last up was Executive Assistant Iris, which features a succession of female assassins who double as mild ethnic stereotypes when they're not being sex objects. All we get are some character profiles. If you're into women with weapons I suppose this might be your thing. It wasn't mine.

Loved Lady Mechanika. Nothing else in the book had me interested in reading further.

Rating: 5.5/10