New Static series delayed, but now all Milestone comics coming out simultaneously in print & digitally

Static
(Image credit: Niklas Draper-Ivey (DC/Milestone))

Print editions of DC's upcoming new digital Milestone comics, as well as a "robust" variant cover plan, have been scheduled by the publisher - however along that, a delay to the flagship title.

"So! We heard you (especially you, retailers.) We're changing up the Milestone launch so that everybody can read them on the same day -- in print, on digital, and on DC Universe Infinite!" tweets DC senior editor Chris Conroy. "The tradeoff for this change? You'll get your first look at Static #1 in June instead of April, in order to give retailers time to place orders. We know. That stinks a bit. BUT when you see the lineup of covers and little surprises we're lining up for this... you'll forgive us."

The new Milestone era began last fall with the digital release of Milestone Returns #0, and following the release of its print edition on May 25, the first wave of six-issue limited series will begin.

(Image credit: Khary Randolph (DC/Milestone))

Static: Season One #1 (of 6) will debut digitally and in print on June 15 - a two-month delay from its previously-announced digital release date of April 11. It appears the decision to delay was made as so the series comes in the wake of the Milestone Returns #1 print edition.

"In this monthly miniseries (20 pages per issue), bullied nerd Virgil is gifted with incredible electromagnetic powers in the wake of the Big Bang," reads DC's description of the book. "Now he finds himself caught between an over-militarized police response to Black kids getting special abilities and some of those kids who are using those powers in dangerous and destructive ways. But when the bullies who terrorized him before the Big Bang show up with powers of their own, can Static be the hero that Dakota needs?"

Static: Season One is written by Vita Ayala, with layouts by ChrisCross and finishes by Niklas Draper-Ivey.

DC will be looking to entice extra orders for Static: Season One #1 from comic shops (and by extension, their customers) with a Milestone 'team' variant by Olivier Coipel, as well as offering exclusive covers that can be store-specific.

Icon and Rocket: Season One will be sticking to its planned June 15 release - this time in print and digitally, while Hardware: Season One will be sliding forward five days to August 10.

Full details on the creative team and synopses can be found here.

This new Static series stands on the shoulders of giants the original Static series. Read our review of the first volume, collected as Static Shock!: Rebirth of the Cool.

Chris Arrant

Chris Arrant covered comic book news for Newsarama from 2003 to 2022 (and as editor/senior editor from 2015 to 2022) and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)