Batman Beyond is a TV show that captured the hearts and minds of millions of people and was the first step for a new generation of lifelong comic fans. The show imagined a future where Terry McGinnis became the next Batman years after the original’s retirement, and was a resounding success in evolving the Dark Knight’s mythos. The cyberpunk aesthetic and sleek redesign of the Batsuit were homeruns, creating instant classics for fans of all ages. The show ended decades ago, but fans persist, and finally, DC is giving those fans exactly what they’ve been asking for with a comic book that feels exactly like the show.
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Batman/Static: Beyond is a brand-new comic that feels like it’s straight out of the cartoon. It sees a Terry McGinnis trying to balance school life alongside being Batman, and the other fan-favorite DC Animated Universe superhero, Static, as a father and co-lead. As the DCAU showed us, these two working together is a guaranteed win, and this comic continues the trend. Batman and an adult Static team up to face an all-new threat with ties to them both, and the best part is how it reads exactly like an episode from either one of their shows.
The Price of Clean Power
Issue #1 is all setup, establishing the stakes and backstory necessary for the main plot. It starts with the Justice League testing a brand new ship created by Static and Bruce Wayne, which, if successful, will allow Earth to join the Cooperative, an interplanetary alliance that would catapult Earth’s technological progress forward. After stopping some Khund Marauders from stealing the ship, the test proved successful, and everyone headed home. Static headed back to his civilian identity as Virgil Hawkins as Gotham City prepared to unveil its Q-Grid. Designed by Virgil, the Q-Grid would provide clean energy for the city in a way that nothing ever has.
In Gotham, Terry stopped a bully from beating up Melvin, a student protesting the Q-Grid. Melvin was against more power because he felt algorithms and machines dictated enough of people’s lives, and his parents were so wrapped up in their work from it that they didn’t even have time to see him. Terry gave Melvin his number and told him to call if he ever needed help, which he definitely did at the unveiling. Jokerz attacked, and while Batman put a stop to them, one fired a rocket launcher at the Q-Grid. As the quantum-powered plant exploded, Melvin was trapped inside, calling Terry, and was blasted by the energy. The issue ended with Melvin in the water, likely developing powers from the explosion.
An Incredible Adaptation
The comic moved through its setup very quickly. In fact, the tone and pacing of this issue felt almost exactly like watching the first five to eight minutes of an episode of Batman Beyond, with a few comic book liberties thrown in. This issue is structured exactly like a crossover between these two characters would be. There’s a cool event that shows them working together at the start that might become relevant again later, a device connecting the two of them in the Q-Grid, and a character whom Terry befriends and promises to help, only for him to turn into a superpowered villain because of a tragic home life. That’s the exact setup that both shows used so often in their time on air, replicated near perfectly on the page.
Given that this is a comic and not a cartoon, there are obviously some differences. There’s far more exposition, but it works more to add to the readers’ understanding and provide context, enhancing the fast-paced style the shows had. This issue feels rushed if looked at through the lens of a normal comic, but when viewed as a direct continuation of the two shows, it reads perfectly. Cartoons only have about twenty-two minutes to establish new characters and tell a complete story, and Melvin’s origin reads exactly like Wille Watt or Ten’s. I can easily see him blaming Terry for what happened to him, and Terry internalizing the guilt because he promised he’d be there for him.
Overall, this issue promises a great trip down memory lane for every fan of both Batman Beyond and Static Shock in the series to come. It combines its fast-paced plot with great art and action, and certainly has me excited to see what happens next.
Batman/Static: Beyond #1 is on sale now! What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
