Batman / Static : Beyond #4
Author : Evan Narcisse
Artist : Miguel Mendonca
Colourist : Wil Quintana
Human Batteries : Issue #4 Summary
Batman / Static : Beyond #4 brings Shutdown attacking Static and the Tomorrow Institute to the forefront, creating a high paced story. We also get more McGinnis and Batman Beyond in this issue, which was a nice change of scenery with the story being heavily focussed on Static and Dakota. There are also both old and new threads that are implemented in this fourth issue.
Powering Up : Issue #4 Review
WARNING SPOILERS!
Power Level Buffering
Batman / Static : Beyond #4 was the best issue to date—storytelling felt better and clearer, as well as the art looking brilliant; fitting into the cyberpunk atmosphere Narcisse has created. After reading the 3 issues that have been released, I didn’t have much excitement for the second half of this story. However, Narcisse created excitement in this fourth issue by focussing on 3 plot points—Shutdown versus Static, Batman Beyond’s coming of age, and an underlying story, Earth’s inclusion into the Cooperative; a galactic treaty of planets.
The pacing was energetic and purposeful throughout Batman / Static : Beyond #4, something that the series has lacked thus far; with this turnaround I was fully engaged into what Narcisse was presenting. Static’s demeaner was calmer and more collected, allowing me as the reader to like him as a character—he’s been written very volatile. He came across like the leader he should be, not just in heroic terms, but as a leader of Dakota City—Static felt more in control and that allowed me to invest into him as a character. Whether this was done on purpose from Narcisse, I don’t know, however his character did feel different to how he’s been portrayed thus far.
Another plus point for Batman / Static : Beyond #4 was that we saw more Batman Beyond, it was nice to follow around Terry McGinnis, because it really has just been a Static title and story to date. Going on a mini journey with Batman Beyond in Neo-Gotham was a positive change from the Static and Dakota story. Narcisse also provided meaning to following Terry McGinnis—his suit fried by the encounter with Shutdown; Terry needed a new suit. The only confusing part here is—where’s old man Bruce? Why didn’t he help him here.
Terry left to his own devices tried to get into a WayneTech secret vault to get his hands on a suit that will level him up as Batman Beyond. He runs into the Kobra gang trying to do the same thing. Narcisse then introduces a new character, Ebon aka Dude of Darkness; a connection to Dakota and the Bang-Babies. Ebon’s power is that he can lurk in the shadows, meaning him and Terry team up to help obtain the new Batman Beyond suit and be ready for action to take on Shutdown.
Charging Up
The story felt more layered, contextual and easier to follow in Batman / Static : Beyond #4. Shutdown’s confrontation against Static and his students from the Institute of Tomorrow made sense in how it ended—Shutdown is beaten but not defeated. Narcisse has made it clear that Melvin aka Shutdown doesn’t control or understand his powers yet, so as he’s about to be defeated, he teleports himself out of that situation. Makes sense, because nobody knows the full extend of what he’s capable of yet.
One of the major plot points in Batman / Static : Beyond #4, is how Static can get back up to full power and be able to take on Shutdown. This is where, as the reader, I felt that Narcisse for the first time began to connect threads of the story he is weaving. Starting off with the following of Batman and introduction of Ebon; this led to me as the reader finding out that inside Bruce’s secret vault, was not only a new shiny Bat-suit, but a little piece of Q-Juice that is actually from outer space. This is also identified as a piece that help turn the tide for Static against Shutdown’s debilitating aura.
That outer space Q-Juice piece isn’t the only part of the puzzle that Narcisse begins to put together—the first issue where we were thrust into a galactic meeting between Static and Cooperative Council with no context; well, now we finally revisit that storyline. Narcisse takes me as the reader into deep space, during a Cooperative Council meeting, where they are still discussing whether or not Earth should be included in the galactic treaty and designate Earth as an ally. This writing was really fulfilling for me as a reader, because all of a sudden, I felt a part of this story—recalling the story arc to a narrative that was introduced in the first issue made me as a reader feel like I knew what was going on, helping me to become more invested in the second half of this story from Narcisse.
Cooperative Council Corrupted
Another reason why I felt Batman / Static : Beyond #4 was the best issue to date was that Narcisse provided us with a subtle but very important piece of the narrative, which I think will shape the second half of this story. The Cooperative Council on the surface look like the bog standard and bland galactic treaty that keeps everyone in check and safe. Narcisse exposes a side to them that shows their greed and jealousy of Earth’s natural resources, and how they’re afraid of Earth accelerating its cosmic significance.
We see a brief dialogue between two council members who are talking about a material that is of quantum extract, which is spontaneously made on a backwater planet in Sol-3; now that made no sense to me until one of the characters made reference to Earth. Boom! That was the moment that ignited my investment into this story. Now the quantum extract, Static, Batman Beyond, Cooperative Council and Shutdown all have one thing in common—outer space Q-Juice. Narcisse also gives me as a reader a nice moment where we see Captain Atom eavesdropping on the two Cooperative Council members; this is sure to create a lot of drama and thicken the plot in the next issue.
If that wasn’t enough, we end Batman / Static : Beyond #4 on a major cliff hanger—Cadmus agents have surrounded the base of Virgil Hawkins aka Static and tell him he’s wanted for crimes against humanity. This comes out of nowhere, but after Narcisse has begun to weave the threads in his story in this issue, I’m looking forward to understanding why Cadmus has shown up, and what their claims of Static are based on.
Electrifying Artwork
I’ve been critical of the artwork throughout the Batman / Static : Beyond series, but in Batman / Static : Beyond #4 the art team of Mendonca and Quintana stepped up tenfold and delivered the best looking panels, characters and storytelling to date. The drawing itself was levels above the rushed and rough looking character designs I’ve seen thus far. Also, the panels were more exciting, dynamic and much better at setting the pace that Narcisse wanted for this story.
There are two pieces of art in Batman / Static : Beyond #4 that I must highlight, first is of Batman Beyond, who has honestly felt like a weak support character in this series so far. That changes this issue and from this one page—Batman Beyond feels like Batman, I was bought into the idea that Terry McGinnis is Batman Beyond for the first time. Mendonca draws Batman Beyond taking up most of the page, showing that he is a main character, his cape encompassing the majority of the page made me feel like Terry knew exactly what his next steps were, to take care of Kobra. The colours from Quintana in this scene were spot on as well, Batman Beyond was given the right balance of blacks and reds, along with creating an ominous atmosphere that our Dark Knight is famous for.
Then there’s the page where Static is figuring out how the outer space Q-Juice can help him get his powers back to 100% and beyond, allowing him to effectively battle and beat Shutdown. What I loved about this page is Mendonca’s use of panelling, it felt like I was a part of the thought process and step-by-step methodology of how Static figured out his solution. I want to shout out the colouring of Quintana of the panels, which made them catch my eye in the best way—psychedelic colour themes of purples, yellows and greens made it feel like a real mind trip, and gave me insight into how Static’s brain works.
Conclusion & Rating
Batman / Static : Beyond #4 was the best issue in the series so far, by far. Narcisse was able to provide layers to this story, giving it more weight and re-engaging me as the reader. The way in which he began to connect the various storylines in play made me feel rewarded for sticking to the series.
A massive part of making this story exciting was the artwork—it has been below par in the first half of this series, but Mendonca and Quintana definitely stepped up the plate and swung for the fences. The artwork made the story move along easier, and helped set the tone and pace that Narcisse wanted to implement. With the addition of the true thoughts of the Cooperative Council, and the introduction of Cadmus right at the end, for the first time in this series I’m excited for the next issue, Batman / Static : Beyond #5.