DC acquired the Milestone universe a few years ago, but they never did as much as they could have to integrate the characters into the DCU. Certainly, Static is a hero who deserved more than a small role in Teen Titans and the odd standalone issue. Luckily, the hero is now a more integral part of the new DC Universe. And while the new Static Shock series has a ways to go before it truly lives up to its potential, the potential is there.

Static Shock is one of those books that takes pains to reassure old fans in the face of this new continuity. Some details of Static's life have changed. For instance, he's moved from Dakota to New York, and he now has a second sister. But there are plenty of nods to old characters and familiar elements even as the series embraces the new.Readers will find a book that hits many of the same beats as Amazing Spider-Man. Static cracks jokes, relies on his intelligence as much as his powers to win battles, and struggles with mundane problems like getting noticed by girls. He's certainly despised by the people he rescues every bit as much as Spidey. Even his position at S.T.A.R. Labs is similar to Peter Parker's current arrangement at Horizon.This is all a solid foundation, but the hope is that John Rozum and Scott McDaniel can do more to set Static Shock apart from the pack. Without the focus on elements like race relations and homophobia, the series lacks a certain edgy quality that was more prevalent in the Milestone days. The writers also need to focus on economy when it comes to scripting. This issue is pretty badly overwritten at times, with an unnecessary amount of narrative captions and word balloons cluttering up the panels. It's one thing to highlight the scientific processes Static uses to defeat his foes, but at some point there has to be a limit to the amount of text displayed on a comic book page.McDaniel also handles the art for the series. If a bit less angular than before, his style still retains the same strengths and flaws as other recent projects. McDaniel has an eye for action that serves the book well in the first half. However, his loose pencils don't work nearly as well in the more dialogue-heavy scenes. Background figures and details are poorly defined. Emotion is rarely conveyed well. Virgil's female family members are largely interchangeable because they all share the same smiling expression.Static was originally conceived as a modern answer to Spider-Man, and that inspiration is readily apparent throughout this issue. But as much as DC can use a character like Static, the series could benefit from some further refinement and a more economical scripting style.