Batman/Static Beyond #3: Power Outage

Issue #3’s story is moving constantly, and with so many shifts that it’s hard to keep up with. The viewpoint also shifts between both Batman Beyond and Static, but also to the newest villain on the block, Shutdown. It’s easy to empathize with a villain who can’t control their own powers; it’s also not too hard to see where Shutdown, aka Melvin, is coming from. Growing up in a future of steel and screens, he prefers notebooks and pencils, the old style. But his nostalgia for a simpler time blinds him. He sees an assault on his lifestyle and freedoms where his parents see an innovation that could help people in need.

It’s an odd story to read; Melvin, or Shutdown, reads as a spoiled brat yearning for a crusade. It’s not corrupt politicians or a heavy-handed organization bearing down on his life, but the superheroes his entire generation has been raised looking up to that he’s rebelling against. Ultimately this comes from a place of feeling rejected by his own parents, which, while being understandable, seems very whiny when used as a reason to cause a global crisis. Conceptually he’s a very strong villain, but his motivations lack the kind of narrative strength that his overall design has. A villain who can’t control himself is easy to feel something for, while the other half of him being a reckless teenager takes something away from his gravitas.

The issue’s framing interrogates what Static or a tech-reliant Batman of the future would or even could do during a global blackout. It’s an interesting setup that does a lot for both characters. On the surface fans would expect the blackout to hinder Terry, aka Batman Beyond, more than it does Virgil/Static. The reason for that would be simple: Terry relies on tech, while Virgil has his own superpowers. Evan Narcisse bridges the gap between them effectively, having the power-blocking effects of Shutdown’s attack linger. Terry may struggle without his gadgets, but he still has his skills. On the other hand, when Static’s powers he’s come to rely on are glitching out on him, that’s cause for concern.

Nikolas Draper-Ivey’s artwork has a unique sheen to it in this particular issue. While the previous two issues were brightly lit and congested with the lights of Neo-Gotham and Dakota City, due to Shutdown’s blackout, all of that visual noise is gone. Instead of dense and at times overwhelming pages, issue #3 has this almost post-apocalyptic vibe to it. The linework in particular feels thick and heavy, which adds to the tension in scenes where opportunistic thieves are lurking during the recovery from such an event. Will Quintana’s colors are also a high note of the issue; static storms and fading trails of light have some serious texture to them even in an issue where technology is almost completely shut down.