Batman/Static Beyond #4
The conflict expands to the stars!
While Static and Batman continue their hunt for Shutdown, the Justice League is parsecs away playing galactic Model United Nations. Is Earth ready to become a larger part of the universe and join the Cooperative, or will it all end in ruin?
This issue is full of surprises, from new suits to returning fan favorites, all drawn spectacularly by Miguel Mendonça, with Wil Quintana on colors. Story-wise, I’m surprised by the amount of threads writer Evan Narcisse is able to fit into this series. From the cosmic politicking to Static and Batman’s testy mentor-mentee dynamic, every story thread fleshes out this version of the DC universe in exciting ways. It’s just as fun to see a prime Static handle crisis with confidence as it is to watch a young Batman learn and grow.
It echoes the relationship between Batman (Bruce Wayne) and young Static from the 2000s TV show “Static Shock.” The Season 2 premiere, aptly titled “The Big Leagues,” opened with Static getting a visit from Batman himself. What followed was the greatest co-sign in superhero cartoon history, with Batman and Static teaming up to save Dakota City from the Joker. Static even gives the Joker a taste of his own medicine in one of my favorite moments from the entire DCAU.
To see the relationship inverted is really fun, especially if you grew up on the classic DC cartoons. All in all, this issue is a fantastic addition that raises the stakes and expands the world. I look forward to seeing how this series will end — or better yet, maybe DC can pull an Absolute Martian Manhunter and extend it to 12 issues — but that’s just wishful thinking.
P.S. If you need more Static in your life, make sure to check out New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident. You might get lucky and snag the last copy!
Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1
Darth Maul, like Boba Fett before him, thrives because he looks cool as all get out. When he first appeared in 1999’s The Phantom Menace, he was a vision of terror (my grandmother said he looked like the Devil, and no, she did not buy me his action figure) and grace, dancing a deadly ballet with a double-sided lightsaber that, at the time, felt like it broke all the rules of Star Wars in the coolest possible way. His look and his eerie silence made him a fan favorite almost immediately, and like Boba Fett, he was unceremoniously dispatched after one movie and a handful of scenes.
But Maul is a survivor. Being cut in half and falling into a near-bottomless trash pit may have delayed the Son of Dathomir, but it did not stop him. Maul would first return in Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2012. Half-crazed, sporting robot spider legs and with no coherent thoughts save for revenge on the Jedi who had laid him low, Obi-Wan Kenobi. If Kenobi represents the best of the Jedi philosophy, Maul is the Sith philosophy incarnate. Hate and anger drove him to defy death, all so he could reclaim his stolen destiny. That was the idea, anyway. Darth Sidious had other plans — plans that forced Maul to adapt from Sith lord to crime lord.
In the shadows, Maul would find a new destiny running the galactic underworld. This comic is the prelude to Maul’s upcoming show and fleshes out the world and tone spectacularly. For starters, Maul is not the immediate focus of the story. Instead, we’re introduced to Captain Lawson, the planet Janix’s resident lawman. He’s just trying to do his job, catch the crooks and keep the Empire out of his city. Unfortunately for Lawson, Maul is imminent, and he’ll no doubt bring chaos to this law-and-order planet.
Make sure to follow along with the true Dark Lord of the Sith in this brand-new adventure into the Star Wars underworld!
X-Men Annual #1
Creation takes more than just imagination or talent. It requires hard work, discipline and unwavering belief in oneself. Without that belief, folks are prone to spiral. They retreat into themselves, hiding their gifts from the world out of a crippling fear of rejection. All that potential festers into resentment and regret. It’s the kind of doomer mindset that’s difficult to pull oneself out of. Sometimes it takes a push from colleagues, friends, family and maybe even an X-Man.
X-Men annuals have had a sparser release schedule in the 21st century. The annuals have always been some of my favorite X-books. They usually employ more off-the-wall stories than regular X-Men issues. From existential cosmic adventures to lighthearted B-sides of their concurrent runs, the annuals have it all. That’s why I’m so happy to see them back for 2026.
Luckily, this story does not disappoint. It’s a clever, meta, lighthearted adventure with a message as corny as it is true. Ryan Stegman pens this issue with contributions on art as well. He’s joined by Steve Scroce (Post Americana, We Stand on Guard) and Sanford Greene (Bitter Root, Power Man and Iron Fist, not to mention the coolest variant covers this side of the Mississippi).
The story picks up in earnest with our merry mutants defending Haven House from a dragon with more teeth than Batman has issues. The action is crisp and kinetic. Arthur Hesli’s colors polish a brutal late-night fight for survival as the X-Men struggle to hold off the mysterious attack. Luckily, the Phoenix herself, Jean Grey, has returned from space (see Phoenix 2024 for details) to help, which makes for a nice, if inopportune, reunion for her and Wolverine.
The X-Men face a new threat, The Creationist, a mysterious villain with powers that boggle the mind. It’s an action-heavy issue, and each team member gets a moment to shine. From exciting power combinations to last-second rescues, the danger and excitement are tangible. It’s a spectacular issue full of heart and humor, making it a worthy addition to the X-Men annuals.
If you haven’t been reading X-Men, this is a great time to jump in, with brand-new series all branded under Shadows of Tomorrow. Mutants are everywhere, and this X-Men Annual is a great place to start.
Wait! before you go…
Here’s a list of my personal favorite X-Book annuals...
- New Mutants Annual #1 (Cannonball gets a space rockstar Girlfriend and a rad new outfit)
- X-Men Annual #4 (“Nightcrawler’s Inferno” nuff’ said)
- X-Men Annual #11 (cosmic adventure and more proof that the X-men are among the most selfless of Marvel’s heroes)
- X-Men Annual #13 (The main story is part of an event but the Jubilee sidestory makes it worth checking out)
I've worked at Dr No's for just less than a year and I've been patronizing them for half my life. I like comics, video games, music and sometimes sports.
I’m a GSU graduate, veteran sandwich artist, and aspiring writer. Ask me about the X-Men or my anime car sometime.
I think all comics are good they're human expression, dreams put to a page through days, months and years of dedication. They're windows into other worlds, aspirations of all we can be, warnings of what we may become and everything in between. Above all I think comics can help us understand the things we often don't consider.
That's what I want these reviews to do, help folks understand maybe even appreciate something they haven't seen before, but yea lemme wrap this up I got books to file. Happy reading!
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