Summary
The combination ofMiles Morales’Spider-Man and Static fromStatic Shockproves once again to be a big hit with audiences, despite never officially having a crossover in the comics. More than once, the duo have beenbrought together in fan art, making it clear that it is adream team-up for many fans.
The latest rendition of fan art pairing Miles Morales with the Milestone staple comes fromOscarCargill on X. The artwork depictsStatic and Miles, as Spider-Man, side-by-side in a comic book cover echoing the classicMarvel Team-Upcrossover series of yesteryear.
For all the fanfare surrounding a hypothetical partnership between the two superheroes, as well as how often they are compared and contrasted to each other, it’s worth speculating as to what it is about this pairing that audiences are so (rightfully) obsessed with seeing them together.
Static Shock’s Coolest Character Makes Comics Debut in Milestone Special
One of the original fan-favorite characters from the Static Shock animated series, Anansi, is about to make his comics debut in a team-up with Static.
The Significance Of Static & Miles' Introductions, Explained
Fan Art By @OscarCargill On X
Especially for young black readers, characters like Static Shock and Miles Morales show that they have a place in the comic book world.
A large reason as to why both characters resonate so strongly with audiences is because of the time in which they both debuted on shelves. For Static, he arrived in comics at a time where there was a significant lack of black superhero representation in both Marvel and DC. The 90s was when things slowly, but firmly started to change; for example, Static debuted in 1993, the same year as another black DC hero, Steel. However, at that time, the comic community was still years away from offering the abundance in representation that readers have now.
Miles first made his debut in the Ultimate Marvel Universe, inUltimate Fallout#4 in the “Spider-Man” story by Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, and Justin Ponsor. Following the death of Peter Parker, a new mysterious Spider-Man resurfaced in New York with the same powers and a similar costume. He soon unmasked at the story’s end to reveal a young, Afro-Latino teenager who audiences would come to know as Miles Morales.
Black readers seeing a superhero who looked like them, talked like them, feltlike them and being positioned on a major scale was almost unheard of in the early 1990s. When Static zoomed into comic book stores everywhere for the first time, it was an incredibly refreshing sight that readers welcomed. A similar effect occurred with the debut of Miles Morales, who offered a different kind of representation. Not only was he a black superhero, buthe was Spider-Man, one of the world’s biggest superheroes. This echoed a sentiment that anyonecould be a hero, and absolutelyanyone could be Spider-Man.
Such a sentiment is why representation is so important on any scale. This doesn’t solely apply to comic books, though comic books are one of the most crucial mediums where representation is so vital and necessary. For the most part, comics operate with a young demographic in mind. It is critical for young readers to see positive examples of characters who look like them achieving great things at a young age. Especially for young black readers,characters like Static Shock and Miles Morales show that they have a place in the comic book world.
Static debuted inStatic#1 by Dwayne McDuffie, Robert L. Washington III, John Paul Leon, Steve Mitchell, Noelle C. Giddings, and Steve Haynie. By the time his first issue premiered on shelves, Static was already established as a superhero working out of Dakota, but the next issue was where an origin story for the character was offered, establishing how the character got his powers.
A Static & Miles Team-Up Would Be An Instant Jolt Of Excitement
Bring These Two Icons Together
At the end of the day, both Miles Morales and Static are charming, quip-heavy superheroes who like to have fun while stopping crime.
Such positive, lead representation offers a strong sense of self to children at an age when they need to build such a sense of self in themselves. It’s not only important that these superheroes were presented to children in starring roles, but were successful. Miles has had several hit comic book series, leading to many appearances in the mainstream, and the same can be said for Static. These are superheroes who have proven to be hits with audiences while also being inspirational to the readers they reach.
A big reason why Static and Morales are often paired together is because it’s so easy to compare the two when they when looking at the surface of who they are. The most obvious and overt similarities begin with them both sharing electric superpowers. Static’s sole superpower is creating electricity, so his usage is a little more varied in what he can do. Miles – while his usage is just one of many abilities he has and perhaps limited for that reason – can still do things not even Virgil has done, like producea Venom Swordout of his electricity.
At the same time, both characters have subtler similarities that are easy to overlook. At the end of the day,both Miles Morales and Static are charming,quip-heavysuperheroes who like to have fun while stopping crime. Past their sarcasm, they are both characters who know a thing or two about great power coming with great responsibility, and that isn’t just because Miles' is Peter Parker’s predecessor as Spider-Man. Neither teenager asked for their powers, but opted to make the most of them by deciding to use their powers to help people, simply because it’s the right thing to do.
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Miles Morales' Spider-Man & Static Have A Cultural Power That Would Be Magnified By A Crossover
Black Superheroes United
Black audiences from all walks of life connect strongly to Miles Morales and Static Shock, relate to them, and, naturally, would want to see them join forces.
Of course, both Miles Morales and Static Shock are black superheroes, but that fact speaks to something deeper than what some readers may understand. What makes their blackness so significant is that they can exist as superheroes who just so happen to be black. That isn’t said to downplay their race, or to suggest that readers would get the same character if they were swapped with another race – which, to an extent at least, wouldn’t be accurate to say, especially in regard to Miles' Afro-Latino roots.
What it does mean, however, is that both characters connect strongly with demographics who want to see themselves represented onscreen, without any stereotypes or fallacies displayed. For example, as mentioned earlier, both characters come from a strong family foundation, with both parents in the household holding down good jobs. Again, that may seem irrelevant to some readers, but it drives home the fact thatboth characters are normal teenagers with the average upbringing, which doesn’t “other” them from readers of different backgrounds.They’re not stereotypically poor, or fit within any negative stereotype.
Both Virgil Hawkins and Miles Morales are normal teenagers, and both Static and Spider-Man are simply superheroes who happen to be black. Their blackness is still important, and race does often play an active role in their stories, but it doesn’t overshadow their experiences nor is their blackness weaponized by their creators to harshen their experience. They are simply black superheroes, with a deeper emphasis on the word"superhero.“On that level, black audiences from all walks of life connect strongly toMiles MoralesandStatic Shock, relate to them, and, naturally, would want to see them join forces.
Static Shock
Cast
Created by Dwayne McDuffie and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Static Shock is a 2D-animated superhero show centered around Virgil Hawkins, a 14-year old hero who uses his electromagnetic powers to fight crime. The four-season series is based on the Milestone superhero Static, and it takes place in the DC Animated Universe alongside other popular series like Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League: Unlimited.
