Comic Review: Batman/Static: Beyond #5

In this review of Batman/Static: Beyond #5, as Batman and Static race to find Shutdown, the Collective decides the fate of Earth!

BATMAN/STATIC: BEYOND #5
Written by EVAN NARCISSE
Art by MIGUEL MENDONCA
Main Cover: NIKOLAS DRAPER-IVEY
Variant Covers: TY TEMPLETON and DEXTER SOY
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 4/1/26

This review contains spoilers

Batman/Static: Beyond #5 begins in Dakota, as Batman, Static, Ebon and Gear are surrounded by armed members of Cadmus. Static is accused for causing the global power outage, and is requested to surrender into custody. With Batman and Gear’s help, the three manage to hold their own against the guards while Ebon creates a portal long enough for Static and Batman to escape through. They end up in Neo-Gotham, specifically The Narrows. Upon meeting a gang of Splicers that are friendly to Batman, the heroes are present to witness an attempted abduction of one of the spliced citizens by Cadmus. Soundly defeating the guards, Static teaches Eli – an electric eel Splicer – how to use his powers in tracing the positive and negative charges in the Cadmus soldiers’ suits to tracing where they came from.

Shutdown reaches the Q-Grid power station and reminisces on his his parents were instructed to use a Zeta robot to help him with his studies, and how the robots were useless in protecting him from teasing bullies. Elsewhere in Deep Space, the Collective instruct the Justice League to wait longer still for their decision to induct Earth into the Collective of Planets. By now the JLU are fully aware of the situation back on Earth, and an impatient Micron reveals that he heard a Tamaranean King and another alien leader discuss pirating the technological resources from Earth while they’re in the Collective’s headquarters. This is taken seriously, and the League is allowed to return to Earth while deliberations continue.

Back in Neo-Gotham, Static and Batman go to Hamilton Hill High as Terry informs Virgil on Shutdown’s beliefs and behavior during a Human Geography class. They then head to Shutdown’s home where they find his parents working on a device to find out his whereabouts.  It’s then that the four (the heroes and Shutdown’s parents) all find him at the Q-Grid, and plead for him to stop his reign of terror. Unfortunately, the Kim parents also brought along Zeta robots to stop him. Easily dispatching the bots, Shutdown is ready for a throwdown with Batman and Static, once and for all Batman/Static: Beyond #5 as comes to an end.

Analysis

There’s a lot happening in this straightforward and well plotted issue. While the events of Batman/Static: Beyond #5 could simply be summed up as “Batman and Static use detective work to find Shutdown, and do.”, Plenty of threads are tugged on and attended to. I’m really impressed with Evan Narcisse’s writing with this story. Various references to all sorts of origin points regarding Milestone, the DCAU and DC are brought in but enhance the reading experience. While this is just a touch less pristine as the last issue, Batman/Static is still as solid as ever in crafting a momentous story that with each issue earns a spot on the animated adaptation list.

Narcisse does a good job in balancing the focus between heroes here. People might be more familiar with Terry and invested in his adventures, but Static gets more than enough of his own spotlight. It also does well in showcasing elements from both the Static Shock cartoon and the Milestone comics by constantly referring back to the butterfly effect of the Big Bang, and having that flashpoint moment inform the actions and even education of the succeeding generation.

What also works is Static’s characterization. He’s a grown man, so he’s far less quippy and light-hearted than his classic version, yet you still feel the yearning to do his best and not fail his city burn at the heart of his character. One terrific moment was Static helping Eli best utilize his electric abilities, teaching him new tricks in order to track down Shutdown while also help a member of an oppressed class feel included. That was a moment worthy of Dwayne McDuffie himself, as it showcased Static’s intelligence in using his powers (something McDuffie and Robert Washington III were always consistent with), and his helping nature. This especially was nice as it contrasted with how grumpy he’s been when working with Terry, which he apologized for in the last issue. Static’s also been characteristically thorny during hero team-ups, which is something the later seasons of his show tended to show off as well. And throughout it all, Terry’s general sobriety in focusing on how to save the city despite his hurt feelings has made for strong strong moments as well. The costume he’s wearing is an interesting touch, showing off a precursor to his usual suit but also featuring an old school cape. It’s a suggestion that the education example of this adventure serves in furthering him as the one true Batman.

The one thing that made me question its placement were the flashbacks to Shutdown’s past. I didn’t think we needed a whole page to show off his dislike of the Zeta bots. It was ultimately harmless, but it did feel less elegant than how most of the other scenes were constructed. I also thought the Collective plot was wrapped up a bit too easily, as it seemingly set up a big storyline for the future. None of these observations were dealbreakers, but just small bugs I noticed that the previous issues didn’t have.

Final Thoughts

We’re reaching the final issue here with Batman/Static: Beyond #5, and I’d be surprised if it’s a let down. This series has been a terrific entry into the history of Static and Batman Beyond since the beginning. Looking forward to seeing how everything wraps up.