20 Years Ago, Static Shock Proved Kids Can Handle Political Superheroes

In this day and age, there is constant debate regarding how political is "too political" in the world of entertainment, especially with the likes of Marvel and DC seemingly trying to make it a point to be more inclusive and culturally aware moving forward. Some critics like to point at superhero films and television shows -- as well as other pieces of media that appeal to younger demographics -- and decry them as being propaganda pieces pushing agendas on unsuspecting kids. The big problem with this is that kids are much smarter than people tend to give them credit for. And they have proven time and time again that they are more than capable of handling relevant commentary with their movies or cartoons. Arguably the best example of this came two whole decades ago in the form of DC's Static Shock.

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For the uninitiated, Static Shock was a TV series set within the DC Animated Universe that first premiered on Kids' WB in September of the year 2000. The series was based around the character of Virgil Hawkins/Static, an African American teenager from the fictional city of Dakota who gains superpowers giving him control over electricity. Created by the late Dwayne McDuffie alongside Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek Dingle, Virgil first appeared in 1993's Static #1, published by Milestone Comics -- an independently-owned imprint of DC Comics that prioritized giving more exposure to minority superheroes.

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Milestone Media shut down its comic book division in 1997, but the character of Static was saved by Kids' WB. Static Shock premiered on the network three years later, with McDuffie serving as one of the key writers and Cowan as a producer. Static Shock ran for a total of 52 episodes across four seasons, concluding its run in May of 2004. The surge in exposure the show gave the character of Virgil Hawkins led DC to publish McDuffie and John Paul Leon's 2001 limited series Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool, set within Milestone's "Dakotaverse." Static would later be absorbed into DC's main comic book universe following the events of Final Crisis.

What set Static Shock apart from many other children's series from the early 2000s is, much like the original Milestone comic books, it was unapologetic with its social commentary. The comics were aimed at a slightly older audience, so the show did have to tone things down to be more kid-friendly, but not by much -- and it still frequently tackled such issues as racism, gangs, gun violence, mental health and homelessness, among others.

Other superhero stories geared towards kids have touched on these issues, of course. Comics from both DC and Marvel have aimed to portray real-life issues for decades. What's more, even around the time Static Shock was airing, there was the now-famous Teen Titans episode "Troq," which itself tackled racism from the perspective of the hero Starfire. However, politics and contemporary cultural commentary were much more integral to Static Shock's DNA than most other kids' shows, superhero or otherwise. It wasn't just a show with politics in it, it was a political show -- one that tackled the aforementioned topics week after week.

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The first episode alone was not shy about throwing Virgil head-first into a modern world full of challenges, with the high school student being asked to partake in a gang fight and given a gun. Virgil's hatred of guns runs deep, with his mother -- a paramedic -- having been killed by a stray bullet during the infamous Dakota riots several years before the show begins.

However, one of the most famous episodes of Static Shock has to be Season 1's "Sons of the Fathers." In this episode, Virgil is invited to spend the night at his best friend (and eventual superhero partner) Richie Foley's house, only to discover Richie's father is a racist. The way Mr. Foley treats Virgil leads Richie to lash out at his father and run away from home. Richie is only safely returned thanks to the combined efforts of Static; Virgil's father, Robert Hawkins; and Mr. Foley himself -- who resolves to better himself and work on his prejudices by the time all is said and done.

Other key examples of Static Shock not sugarcoating hard issues include Season 2's "Frozen Out," which deals with parental neglect, mental illness and the realities of homelessness in America; the Season 2 finale "Jimmy," a very special episode tackling bullying, gun violence in schools and survivor's guilt; and Season 3’s "Flashback," in which Virgil is sent back in time to the night his mother was killed in the infamous gang riots.

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Despite being overtly political, Static Shock was not rejected or misunderstood by its younger audience. Rather, it was embraced by them. Many DC fans who grew up with the cartoon praise it for not shying away from reality and helping them become more socially aware at an early age. Despite poor merchandise sales leading to its cancellation, the show also enjoyed great ratings, regularly performing over the 4.0 mark by Season 3 (and even hitting 6.8 at one point). This momentum continued through Static Shock's final season, its ratings on Kids' WB being second only to the cultural phenomenon that was Pokémon, with the Cartoon Network reruns pulling great numbers as well. The show also frequently crossed over with the rest of the DCAU, with Virgil rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Justice League and Batman Beyond.

In other words, it's not like Static Shock was some obscure thing off in the corner that not many kids were watching. It was a legitimate powerhouse of children's television at the time, and the lead character has since returned to the screen thanks to projects like Young Justice. All this just goes to show that kids are not only capable of comprehending the politics of the stories they consume, but that such stories are necessary.

Yes, kids deserve time to be young and carefree. At the same time, however, just because they're young doesn't mean they're living in a vacuum separate from the rest of the world. On the contrary, all too often the hard political and social issues plaguing the world affect countless children directly. And that's why shows like Static Shock are so important: they help these kids feel seen.

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Series writer Len Uhley arguably said it best. "If we want our audience to identify with him, Virgil must inhabit a world that at least partially reflects reality -- even its unpleasant aspects, even if it is 'only' a cartoon," he told Toon Zone in 2002.

"If we avoid issues like the loss of a loved one, or bigotry, or school violence, or drugs, or you-name-it, then we abandon the rich story possibilities that are at the heart of the series," Uhley continued. "We ignore the unfortunate facts of life for a lot of kids in this country. And we insult the intelligence of our viewers. None of which we want to do."

Static Shock was a show packed to the brim with episodes that weren't afraid to address the relevant sociopolitical issues of the day. This worked in tandem with a kid-friendly but overall authentic depiction of urban society in the early 2000s to create a show that wasn't just about superheroes and supervillains, but a show about life and the struggles therein. Despite its hard truths, the show was not "too much" for the children of the day. In some ways, in fact, it was necessary viewing for them.

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