Static Shock Joining The Justice League?
The DC Universe is expanding and that means newer characters joining the mix. Now we might get Static Shock as part of the Justice League.
This article is more than 2 years old
Static Shock probably isn’t a name even some of the most diehard comic book fans would recognize at first glance. But that could be set to change in a big way if the latest rumors are true. It appears that there’s some buzz around the character not only making his way to the big screen but ultimately joining the Justice League’s main group of heroes. It would be quite the ascendency for a character most likely aren’t all that familiar within the DC Universe.
The latest rumors around Static Shock come attached to Michael B. Jordan as well who is already on as a producer for a movie about the titular character. While he hasn’t been cast in the starring role, there’s some chance (albeit slim) that’s the direction they go. Regardless, it does appear DC wants to bring the character more into the mainstream and put him alongside some of the biggest superheroes out there.
It would mark quite the shift for the League considering its current members all have strong roots with the original group from the comic books. But considering the nature of comic book movie franchises and the ability to develop new characters, this is a cool direction with Static Shock.
If you haven’t heard of Static Shock before, not to worry. He’s not at the top of the iconic mountaintop when it comes to heroes. The character was originally published back in print by Milestone Comics back in 1993. Milestone was an independent company that used DC for distribution. They focused on more diversity within their characters than the traditional outlets. In this case, they introduced an African-American teenager Virgil Hawkins as Static who has electromagnetic powers after a chemical accident.
Static Shock gained a little more widespread popularity when an animated series about him came out on the WB back in 2000. The show did earn some critical praise and lasted for four seasons, with a 54 episode run. Since then, he hasn’t been featured in any new programming other than a cameo or two and has never had a live-action portrayal. But that’s set to change sooner than later.
Considering the age of Static Shock in the comics and cartoon, it is probably unlikely we actually get Michael B. Jordan in the starring role unless we catch up with the character much later along his timeline. Jordan is amazing, but the teenager piece has probably passed him by. That being said, if he’s joining the Justice League, we might get a more mature version of the character which would make considerably more sense.
When it comes to Static Shock, we are still very much in the rumors stage. The studio is likely trying to choose the correct path for a character who’s been mostly out of the spotlight. But it’s a great chance to continue to bring more diversity to the DC Universe and maybe even start a character from scratch. This could be the beginning of a marked shift for DC, similar to what Marvel is doing, in developing less-popular characters into major roles.
