Static Shock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Static Shock |
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| Genre | Adventure Comedy Science fiction Superhero |
| Created by | Dwayne McDuffie Denys Cowan Michael Davis Derek Dingle |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 52 (list of episodes) |
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| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company(s) | DC Comics Warner Bros. Animation |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution |
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| Original network | Kids' WB |
| Original release | September 23, 2000 – May 22, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | The New Batman/Superman Adventures |
| Related shows | DC animated universe television series |
Static Shock is an American superhero cartoon show. It is based on the Milestone Media/DC Comics superhero called Static. The show first aired on September 23, 2000, on the WB Television Network's Kids' WB programming block.
Static Shock ran for four seasons and had 52 episodes. The story is about Virgil Hawkins, an African-American teenager. He becomes the superhero "Static" after being exposed to a special gas. This gas gives him powers over electricity and magnetism. It was the first time an African-American superhero was the main character of their own cartoon series on TV.
This show was the fifth series in the DC Animated Universe. It was made by Warner Bros. Animation. Many of the people who worked on the show also worked on other Warner Bros. cartoons. Two of the comic book's creators, Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan, were also involved. Static Shock changed some things from the original comic book to be more suitable for a younger audience. Even so, the show talked about important social issues, which many TV critics liked.
Static Shock was nominated for many awards, including the Daytime Emmy. Some people thought the jokes were not very fresh or too much like Spider-Man. Others thought the animation looked a bit unnatural or old-fashioned. The show also had some toys and other items made, but they did not sell very well. Dwayne McDuffie said that low sales were a big reason why the show was canceled. Despite this, the show made people interested in the original Static comic again. It also helped Dwayne McDuffie become well-known in the animation world.
Contents
What Is the Story About?
Virgil Hawkins is a 14-year-old boy who lives in Dakota City. He lives with his older sister Sharon and his father Robert. Virgil goes to high school with his best friend, Richie Foley. He also has a crush on a girl named Frieda. Virgil often has problems with a bully named Francis Stone, also known as "F-Stop."
A gang leader named Wade tried to get Virgil to join his gang. Virgil was not sure because his mother died in a fight between gangs. Wade eventually led Virgil to a forbidden area for a fight against F-Stop's group. However, police helicopters stopped the fight. During the trouble with the police, chemical containers exploded. This released a gas that caused changes in the people nearby. This event was later called "The Big Bang."
Because of the gas, Virgil gained the power to create, control, and absorb electricity and magnetism. He then became the superhero "Static." The gas also gave other people in the area special powers. Many of them became supervillains. These changed people were called "Bang Babies." Their powers seemed to spread to other people around them too.
Who Are the Main Characters?
- Virgil Ovid Hawkins / Static (voiced by Phil LaMarr) – Virgil is a high school student in Dakota City. After being exposed to the "Big Bang" gas, he gained powers over electricity and magnetism. He uses these powers to become the superhero Static. Many other people exposed to the gas also gained powers and became "Bang Babies." Static spends a lot of his time dealing with these Bang Babies, especially those who use their powers for bad things.
- Richard "Richie" Osgood Foley / Gear (voiced by Jason Marsden) – Richie is Virgil's best friend. At first, he helps Virgil by making gadgets and covering for him to keep his secret identity safe. In the third season, it is shown that Richie's exposure to the Bang Gas gave him super-intelligence. This allowed him to invent rocket-powered boots and a smart backpack called "Backpack." With this gear, he becomes a superhero named "Gear" and fights crime alongside Static.
- Robert Hawkins (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) – Robert is a social worker and the head counselor at the Freeman Community Center. He is a single father to Virgil and Sharon after their mother passed away. He is a strict but caring parent. He does not like gangs or the destructive actions of many Bang Babies. His work at the community center helps young people avoid bad influences.
- Sharon Hawkins (voiced by Michele Morgan) – Sharon is Virgil's older sister. She goes to college but still lives at home. She volunteers at a hospital and helps young people at the Freeman Community Center. Even though Sharon and Virgil argue often, they care deeply about each other. They are always ready to defend one another if there is danger. After their mother died, Sharon took on more responsibility at home, including cooking and chores.
- Adam Evans / Rubber-Band Man (voiced by Kadeem Hardison) – Adam is a meta-human who can stretch and change his body like rubber. He is the younger brother of Static's enemy, Ebon. Rubber-Band Man first appears as a villain who goes after a music producer who stole his song. He later breaks out of prison but decides not to be a criminal anymore. He and Sharon start dating, and Sharon helps Adam change his life. Adam and Virgil do not get along at first, but Virgil eventually accepts Adam. They even become allies in fighting crime, and Adam becomes like an older brother to Virgil.
- Ivan Evans / Ebon (voiced by Gary Anthony Sturgis) – Ebon is the leader of a group of Bang Babies called "The Meta-Breed." He is the main bad guy in the series. Ebon is a very powerful meta-human. He is like a living shadow and can create portals to other dimensions. He can also control darkness and shadows. He can even move others to different places using his powers.
How Static Shock Influenced Other Shows
The popularity of Static Shock led to new interest in the original Static comic books. The first four issues were re-released in 2000. A short comic series, Static Shock!: Rebirth of the Cool, came out between January and September 2001. The show also led to plans for a video game, toys, and books.
In May 2003, Midway Games announced a platform game based on the show for the Game Boy Advance. The game was shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, but it was later canceled. Starting on July 4, 2004, Subway Restaurants offered a series of toys based on the TV show in the United States and Canada. On September 1, 2004, Scholastic Corporation published two children's books related to the show, written by Tracey West.
Dwayne McDuffie's work on Static Shock helped him get involved in other animated series. He became a writer and producer for shows like Justice League, Teen Titans, Justice League Unlimited, and Ben 10: Alien Force. McDuffie helped make the DC animated universe's Justice League more diverse. He included more black and female characters. Also, Arie Kaplan said that McDuffie and his co-writers gave the Justice League group "a depth and complexity" it had not had since the 1970s. An older version of Virgil appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Once and Future Thing, Part 2: Time, Warped" in January 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Static Shock para niños
