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Static: Shadows of Dakota #1
Publisher: DC
Writer(s): Nikolas Draper-Ivey & Vita Ayala
Artist: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Letters: Andworld Design
Cover: Nikolas Draper-Ivey

Season 2 kicks off with the level of excellence in storytelling we’ve come to expect from this creative team. Not one ounce of momentum has been lost in the passage of time since we last saw Virgil. He’s looking out for the people in his community, hanging with his friends, and when it hits the fan he’s stepping up and doing what heroes do. All while still finding time to be a mentor to a young, burgeoning, scientist.

Now for those that might have missed out on Season One of Static, there’s a great synopsis that eases you right into this issue. Recaps like this are crucial to making the book highly accessible to new readers and I’m glad this was added. From here we get get a sense of who Static truly is, in and out of the costume. From the heartfelt moments to the high energy action sequences everything just flows perfectly. The dialogue is still some of my favorite and feels organic and true. As good as it was to see Static in action, the appearance of a new villain is what really moves things along. It’s been known that Ebon was going to appear but we absolutely were not ready for this here! It’s tense and sends chills down your spine. Which is fitting for a guy who moves through the darkness and plays no games.

The art just keeps getting better with each issue as Nikolas Draper-Ivey seems to keep pushing his skills to new places. He’s giving you the emotional impact needed to drive the narrative when Static saves a little girl. Or when she’s terrified and begging for her brother to be saved. Sequences with Ebon are shrouded mostly in darkness and give the book an entirely different feel. It’s that atmosphere that hints at the danger he presents and will have you coming back for more next issue.

This is exactly the type of comic you want to read if you’re looking for great art and storytelling is worth every cent! You’ll want to see where this creative team is taking Static and his friends as well as his enemies so make sure to get you a copy!

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net