Static: Up All Night
Written by Lamar Giles
Illustrated by Paris Alleyne with N. Steven Harris
Colors by Bex Glendining
“I was supposed to take a night off from hero stuff, too. Major fail for both of us.” – Virgil
Plot Summary:
Virgil Hawkins and his best friend decide to have safe fun night on the town after his recent breakup with Daisy. Familiar faces and foreign foes have plans tonight as well. Hijinks ensue and soon enough Virgil’s alter ego, Static, must take action to make things right for his relationship and the city of Dakota.
Review:
Our storytellers had a tall order ahead of them to execute here. The mission was to introduce (and to some reintroduce) key players and settings from the Milestone universe. As well as package it into a fun and engaging work fit for young adults and Milestone die-hard fans like myself. Simply put, the team delivers on all fronts.
For me the illustration in comic books, graphic novels, and etc represent the roadways of a town and the story and plot act as the vehicle. All ultimately serving the audience hoping to reach a satisfying destination all while being delighted along the way. Alleyne and company provide approachable, bright, and dynamic panels on every page. It’s evident the focus of the artists here are on the characters, not so much gratuitous information given to backgrounds other than general settings. The facial expressions from each character are what comes to mind first. Each moment is heightened by this as well as the fluid panel by panel gestures and actions. As a Milestone fan, seeing characters designed in new ways here has been fun to witness. Rocket stands out in this aspect rocking a turtleneck and baseball cap. Also, we have Iota from the Shadow Cabinet being used in a bunch of fun and unique ways. The world reminds me of the Boondocks and the Static Shock animated cartoons. Bright and colorful with energetic and at times even comedic action. No surprise there because both projects were overseen by Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan.
But does our “story vehicle” run?Like a freshly oiled Batmobile! I was not familiar with Giles’ work before but I soon will seek it out. His characters remind me of their 90s roots, but not so much that they live there. He brings them into the future with witty dialogue and references familiar to anyone with a smart phone. The callbacks and modern references aren’t so heavy that they date the cast either, I think it gives them a timeless charm. We also get to meet some interesting new characters that drop a few nuggets of wisdom along the way. I had a ton of fun reading this book and don’t want to spoil too much for you. I read it in two sittings and one of which was an all-nighter. I had moments reading where I honestly laughed out loud. Highly recommended for any Milestone fan and any young person who has even the slightest interest in hero stories.
“4 and a half Lightning Bolts out of 5”
Written By: Kaatib
