Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics, Doomsday Clock, Justice League, Superman | Tagged: milestone, static, teen titans, Titans
Why Doesn’t Anyone Recognise Static In The DC Universe Now?
Why Doesn’t Anyone Recognise Static In The DC Universe Now? A deep dive after reading the latest New Titans…
Article Summary
- Static returns in New Titans, but Cyborg, Nightwing and Spoiler barely know him, raising a major DC continuity mystery.
- Milestone’s merger with DC left Static visible in crossovers, yet New History says Dakota vanished and its heroes were forgotten.
- The Dakota Incident reframes Milestone history through Edwin Alva, Lex Luthor and a canon deal that erased Dakota from DC.
- Jon Kent remembers Static, but most of the DC Universe does not, setting up a fresh slate before Static’s next big push.
Once upon a time, Milestone Media published a new superhero universe, printed and distributed by DC Comics. With launch titles Static, Hardware, Blood Syndicate and Icon, set in the fictional city of Dakota, it saw a radioactive gas used by police to mark rioters (and anyone else in the vicinity). It also contained Quantum Juice developed by physicist Nathan Flack, after funding by the precognitive Dharma, who foresaw the need for a new breed of metahumans capable of saving the world from an impending apocalyptic disaster, which would be generated by its use, even if ninety per cent of those dosed with it would be killed. The survivors gained powers, the event became known as the Big Bang, and the new heroes were the Bang Babies. And then Milestone kinda merged with DC. There were crossovers. But then it seemed to be all forgotten, occasionally popping back for a reboot here and a relaunch there, only to be dropped again. FounderDwayne McDuffie died, another founder and Static co-creator, Michael Davis,who based Static’s family life on his own, was seemingly barred from returning, and Reginald Hudlin took things over for a bit, but not for long.
New Titans #38
New Titans #38
New Titans #38
But now they are back. Or, at least Static is. Milestone’s biggest character, who got his own cartoon series and has appeared more than any other since the ending of the Milestone line. In the most recent issue of New Titans #38, Jon Kent, son of Superman, brings Static, Virgil Hawkins, along to their new island base.
Or rather, the Justice League’s old base. And Static is rather excited about it all. Especially meeting Cyborg?
Because Static has never met Cyborg before. Which is a weird thing, but there you go.
But Cyborg doesn’t recognise Static? At all?
And Spoiler has only heard about him in passing, and Nightwing has not at all? Given that Static has turned up all over the place, including in Titans comic books…
Savage Hawkman
Teen Titans
Teen Titans
Terror Titans
What’s going on? Well, in the New History of The DC Universe, we met the Milestone characters… briefly.
New History Of The DC Universe #3
New History Of The DC Universe #3
But that was about it. Ending telling us that they”mysteriously disappeared” even though Static had remained an active member of the DC Universe previously, in team books and his own books, interacting with other DC Comics characters. But also published just as Static was making a full-blown appearance in DC’s K.O. spin-off one-shot, The Kids Are All Fight.
And making a big return for Static. Granny Goodness knows who he is…
But no one else seems to.
But that was okay, he was soon part of this new young team of superheroes.
Then DC published The New History Of The DC Universe: The Dakota Incident, a comic book created to follow up on and elaborate on that previous dismissal, with a clever, meta-textual dig at its own publisher, while also lining up the Milestone characters to potentially return to the DC Universe.
As Beacon, the protege of Static, Amistad, the son of Rocket, and a Dakota superhero in his own right in the future, discovers his reality is being wiped out by a change in the past.
In the original Milestone Universe, Edwin Alva died a heroic death, further inspiring Hardware.
But now, Edwin Alva’s history goes back further to The Supermen Project with Will Magnus, Nilkes Caulder, Martin Stein and Simon Stagg, as seen in The New History of the DC Universe.
Now named alongside the other four, scientists who, by hook or by crook, would invent much of the modern DC Universe.
And yes, mostly by crook when it came to it…
…as revealed previously in theDoomsday Clock unauthorised sequel to Watchmen…
…and now made part of DC History….
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
And now with Edwin Alva and Alva Industries involved with their own strain of The Supermen Project, creating new super-soldiers, and reflected in this New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident.
And changing DC Comics and Milestone continuity history. Rather than redeeming himself for the crimes against Hardware and others, redeeming himself for so many other deaths would be harder. And now, in this New History, Edwin Alva is killed. Hardware is framed. And the history of the Milestone Universe is changed…
Edwin Alva’s actions are now reinterpreted as a way to keep everyone from messing with his actions in Dakota by establishing an unregulated, anarchic group of super folk, heroes, villains, or others, and dealing with The Supermen Project.
Because, yes, this is from a time when Lex Luthor was President of the United States…
…and Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad was in the ascendancy.
And without Edwin Alva’s agreement, it’s time for them to be let loose on Dakota and deal with what Alva left behind.
With Bronze Tiger in particular having issues with these orders.
Taking on the Blood Syndicate and Hardware on the streets of Dakota.
And then bringing in the big guns, and another creation of The Supermen Project…
Until, eventually, the DC superheroes who don’t (always) obey government orders arrive.
Will justice be done? No, not really. Instead, a compromise will be reached.
A ceasefire and the restriction on superpowers being used at all in Dakota. And a deal being done, with Black Lightning taking on the role of Chief Appeaser.
Threats being made, back and forth, until the deal is done with the President of the United States of America.
Who, yes, is still Lex Luthor at this stage. And the Milestone Universe will, basically, just go away. Cease to exist. No longer to be a bother. Dakota will no longer be heard from.
And hands are shaken. But here’s the thing. It’s not just about the Milestone Universe and the DC Universe, is it? It’s about Milestone Media and DC Comics.
Whatever agreement was made, it shut Milestone down. Milestone went away. No one in the DC Universe went to Dakota anymore. And, a few blips aside, that’s the way it has stayed. And now that deal, whatever it was…
… well, it’s canon. This comic book targets the very history of DC Comics and its President at the time. Because right here, right now, Lex Luthor isn’t President of the USA, he is President of DC Comics. He’s Paul Levitz.
And the principal figures of Milestone Media have just signed Milestone away. Never to return. And that is the “mystery” mentioned by Mark Waid in the earlier The New History of the DC Universe, explained and exploded. And the future that Milestone makes a visit, however brief, to tell Static just what they lost. We are left with questions. What will the future of Milestone be? Does anyone at DC Comics actually realise the nature of the story they have published? Who killed Edwin Alva and changed the Milestone history anyway? The future is waiting…
And so to New Titans #37. Which recapped a little of this as Virgil Hawkins is making some serious life decisions…
And the more recent updates. And Jon Kent, remembering Static from their battle against Granny Goodness, goes recruiting.
And so to New Titans #38. Grannjy Goodness may remember him, no one else does, it’s a fresh slate…
Of course, not everyone is entirely down with this…
Even people he just met and should remember him, blank him too…
But as the quote goes, events, dear bot, events”. Upcoming issues look l;ike they will ensure everyone in the DC Universe remembers Static, ahead of his upcoming solo series… as and when.
- NEW TITANS #37
(W) Tate Brombal (A) Marcus To/Samri Basri (CA) Taurin Clarke
THE SECRETS OF CYBORG! Not-So-Happy Harbor! The Titans uncover a dark force manipulating the quaint New England town that seeks to awaken a beast from deep beneath their new Mountain Headquarters! Meanwhile, Terra unearths Cyborg’s workshop–but can he trust her with his secrets…or will he have to bury her for good?! $3.99 7/15/2026
- NEW TITANS #38
(W) Tate Brombal (A) Sami Basri (CA) Taurin Clarke
AT LONG LAST…STATIC IS BACK! The spark of Dakota City joins the New Titans crew, sending a shock to the team’s dynamic! But the introduction is short-lived before the team heads to the Amazon for its first big mission! $3.99 8/19/2026
- NEW TITANS #39
(W) Tate Brombal (A) Sami Basri (CA) Kevin Wada
THE TITANS ARE NOT WELCOME IN AKAHIM! When the Amazons of the Esquecida come calling for their Wonder Girl’s aid, Yara Flor and her teammates set course for the forests of Brazil and the hidden city of Akahim, where they find a land ravaged by fires and raging spirits…but who is responsible? The Titans are here to help – but the Amazons aren’t quite so eager to accept help from outsiders! $3.99 9/16/2026
- NEW TITANS #40
(W) Tate Brombal (A) Sami Basri (CA) Taurin Clarke
ANCIENT SPIRITS AWAKENED! A mining operation funded by billionaire Commodore Murphy’s Green Corp. has accidentally unearthed a long-forgotten protector of the Amazon! But as the powerful jaguar spirit rages, can the Titans and the Amazons quell its otherworldly fury? And what lost secrets is it protecting?! $3.99 10/21/2026
- NEW TITANS #41
(W) Tate Brombal (A) Sami Basri, Bruno Abdias (CA) Taurin Clarke
ENTER THE YAGUARA! After doom rained down upon Akahim, the Titans have been separated. With one Titan down, Cyborg turns to Commodore Murphy for help, and Nightwing and Batgirl uncover the truth behind the rampaging spirits. Meanwhile, Wonder Girl and Static encounter a mysterious young girl with the power to control the Amazon itself–who is she, and what is her connection to the Yaguara?
$3.99 11/18/2026
NEW TITANS #39
NEW TITANS #40
NEW TITANS #41
NEW TITANS #41
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