Static Shock
Series, 2000, The early 2000s, Set in Dakota
Static Shock is #12 of 24 in release order and #12 of 24 in chronological order in the Kids' WB Classics.
The story
Accidental exposure to an experimental mutagenic gas grants ordinary high school student Virgil Hawkins electromagnetic superpowers. Taking up the alter-ego of Static, he fights crime in Dakota City alongside his best friend Richie Foley.
Static Shock recap
Virgil Hawkins, fourteen, lives in Dakota City with his father and older sister. During a gang war at the docks, police release an experimental gas, the Big Bang, which gives many of the teenagers there superpowers. Virgil gains the ability to control electricity and becomes Static, flying on a metal disc. His best friend Richie Foley builds his gear and keeps his secret. The kids who gained powers, called Bang Babies, mostly become villains; the recurring ones include Hotstreak, who controls fire, and Ebon, a shadowy leader of the Meta-Breed gang. The show deals with gangs, guns, racism and homelessness. From season 2 it gets darker and Static meets Batman and Robin. In season 3 Richie gains super intelligence from the gas and becomes the hero Gear. Static teams up with the Justice League in later episodes. The show ran on Kids' WB for four seasons from 2000 to 2004.
Static Shock ending explained
The final regular episode, "Power Outage" (2004), has a cure strip the powers from Dakota's Bang Babies, including Static and Gear. Ebon and Hotstreak try to undo it and set off a new disaster that the two heroes have to stop. The show was cancelled for low merchandise sales. A future Static appears in Justice League Unlimited's "The Once and Future Thing" (2005).
Where to watch Static Shock
Static Shock is streaming on Philo in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.3/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after Jackie Chan Adventures, before The Zeta Project.
- Chronological order: after Jackie Chan Adventures, before The Zeta Project.
Cast
- Phil LaMarr as Virgil Hawkins / Static (voice)
- Jason Marsden as Richie Foley / Gear (voice)
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Robert Hawkins (voice)
- Michele Morgan as Sharon Hawkins (voice)
- Crystal Scales as Coed #1 (voice)
- Maria Canals-Barrera as Shelly Sandoval (voice)
- Danica McKellar as Frieda (voice)
- Danny Cooksey as F-Stop (voice)
- Gary Anthony Sturgis as Ebon (voice)
- Tia Texada as Talon (voice)
- Brian Tochi as Shiv (voice)
- Kerrigan Mahan as Edwin Alva (voice)
Created by Dwayne McDuffie, Michael Davis, Denys Cowan, Derek Dingle.