The Comic Book series

Virgil was just a nerdy teenager, attending Ernest Hemingway High School, with a fetish for comic books and role-playing board games. His only problem was being ridiculed and bullied, mainly by his rival Francis Stone, also known as Biz-Money-B, later becoming Hotstreak. After taking a beating from him, Larry Wade, a close friend, asks him to meet him at Paris Island, the most dangerous section of Dakota. Once there, Larry hands Virgil a gun in order to pay back Francis from earlier. But, he couldn't bring himself to do it, and with that, he tosses the gun into the water. There was one problem. Virgil was present at the Big Bang, a large brawl between rival gangs, but at the same time, the police arrived and unleashed a tear gas, spiked with chemicals to track any gang members that tried to slip away. Things backfired, and the gas proved harmful. Out of over 500 gang members, only 10% of the people exposed to the gas survived, either mutating into monstrous creatures or gaining superhuman powers and abilities, and leaving the rest on their deathbed. When Virgil was exposed to the gas, he gains electromagnetic powers, and unwillingly dismantles police robots with his powers before making his escape from Paris Island. Later, he decides to become a superhero, naming himself Static.

One of his best friends, Frieda Goren, later finds out that Virgil is Static, after he takes yet another beating from Francis, who is now Hotstreak (Who, in turn, is defeated by Static in later confrontations). She later becomes more of a confidant then a friend to him, as she keep his secret safe. His other close friend, Rick Stone, later comes out as homosexual. At first, Virgil is unable to deal with Rick's homosexuality, but later comes to deal with his homophobia to save Rick and a bunch of other homosexuals from a gay bashing being orchestrated by Hostreak and his cohorts... In desperation, Rick shoots Hotstreak, and his status is left unknown throughout the series.

At one point in the series, Static and some of his Dakota-verse comrades are sent to the DC universe to team up with its respective superheroes (Most notably Superman, Superboy, and Steel) during the Worlds Collide event, a cross-over between Milestone and DC Comics. They team up against a villain named Rift, and he is later defeated when Static uses his powers to trap him and send the heroes back to their universes.

During his career as a superhero, Virgil begins to deal with relationship problems. One of his well-known relationships was with Daisy Watkins, but because of lack of commitment on Virgil's part, it didn't last. He had a flirtatious attraction with Dusk, a teen vigilante with powers unknown. They patrolled the streets together, even while Virgil was with Daisy, unknown to her. During a drug bust, Static ended up finding out that one of his close friends, Larry, was a drug dealer and on the run from enemy gangs. He let him go because of his friendship with him. But, while trying to protect Dusk from being killed by gang members, Larry was killed in cold blood. Static erupted in rage, and brutally beat every gang member in the street, responsible for Larry's death.

After Larry's funeral, Virgil told Frieda that he was going to give up his identity as a superhero, but Dusk managed to talk him out of that, and told him that she had to leave the city, after being wanted for murder.

Static later joined the team, Heroes, a ragtag group of superheroes from Dakota. Around this time, Virgil is in a relationship with a girl named Madison. But, her and Frieda end up fighting over him. Later, him and the Heroes face off against Tower, a man with the power to steal powers of other superheroes and has been kidnapping Bang-Babies. With Static's cunning, he managed to gain the upper hand, and defeat Tower, with the help of other Bang-Babies.

Rogues

Throughout the series, Static battles a multitude of different rogues, most of them being affected by the gas at the Big Bang, and those being:

Francis Stone/Hotstreak, Tarmack, Leonard Smalls/Holocaust/Pyre, Puff, Coil, Snakefingers

Fred Benson/Rift, The Swarm, Dr. Kilgore, The Rubber-Band Man, Brat-atat-tat, Prometheus, Run, Jump & Burn, Boom Box, Powerfist, Laserjet, Virus,

Damon Briggs/D-Struct, Hyacinth, John Tower.

The Animated Series

The animated series is based loosely off of the comic book series. The origin of Static's powers is the same in both. Apart from that, the show took a different turn, and the story became entirely different from the comics. There are some notable differences:

• Only a few rogues from the comics make an appearance. The rest were made exclusively for the show. Some were based off of some other characters from the Milestone comic line.

• Some of Virgil's friends do not appear in the show. Rick Stone is replaced by Richie Foley, who is Virgil's best friend and confidant, with knowledge of is alter ego, and later becoming Gear, Static's partner against crime. Frieda is a also a recurring character, but doesn't have the same role as she did in the comics (That role being filled by Richie), but like the comics, she started out as a love interest for Virgil. Daisy recurs as well, but isn't Virgil's girlfriend, even though they do have the potential for a relationship. Larry Wade was replaced by Wade, a gangbanger that always stood up for Virgil.

• His costume is better looking and entirely different from his classic one. It changes in the 3rd season.

• Virgil has a strong dislike and a fear for guns, unlike his comic book persona.

• Virgil's mother is dead in the show, and is the reason for his hatred for guns since she was killed by one. He only lives with his sister, Sharon and his father, Robert. In the comics, his mother is alive and well, along with the rest of his family.

• The violence was toned down in order for children to watch it. Guns were shown in the show, but weren't used. Drugs were never mentioned in the show as well.

• Static teams up with many different superheroes from the DC Animated Universe, putting his show into that universe as well.

• The school in the show was renamed. Instead of being called Ernest Hemingway High School, it was called Dakota High School.

Powers and Abilities

Static has the ability to project, channel, generate, manipulate and absorb raw electromagnetic energy, mainly being able to generate electricity from his body and fire powerful lightning bolts from his hands. He can generate electromagnetic shields from his body, to protect himself from bullets and other projectiles. He can manipulate magnetic fields, and magnetically lift metal objects, sometimes weighing many tons (He was able to lift a helicopter through electromagnetic levitation, and magnetically toss a full-size van at Hotstreak with ease). He can use his powers to magnetize and demagnetize objects, and broadcast his voice over speakers nearby. He can also cover his fist with electromagnetic energy, and employ them in the use of melee attacks. He can also use electromagnetic energy to cling people and/or things to surfaces, dubbing it a "Static-Cling." He can also use it to charge and levitate non-metal objects, but sometimes he can't. Static's maximum power level is unknown, but according to the T.V. series, he claims that he has tremendous potential, and during the last episode, his powers are boosted from their previous state after inhaling more Bang Baby gas... It is also stated that the Bang Babies' powers are subject to change due to the unstable nature of the gas.

Weaknesses

Static's main weakness is water. If his body is splashed with water, his powers could short out, rendering him powerless for a moment. Other notable weaknesses are his inability/ability to affect wood, plastic, and rubber, for his powers sometimes have an effect on them, and sometimes do not.

Controversy

There has been a bit of controversy regarding the cancellation of the T.V. series in 2004. From the time it aired to the time it was taken off the air, it was the highest rated American cartoon on the WB at the time but it was eventually cancelled.

Static will still live on in the heart's and soul's of the Fan's.