Gotham’s future intersects with Dakota’s in a story that tests the limits of technology and humanity
When it seemed like the universe Beyond had been paused, DC Comics surprises with a show that is as unexpected as it is exciting: Batman/Static: Beyonda six-part crossover that brings together Terry McGinnis Yes Virgil Hawkins in an adventure that promises to shake the foundations of the future. I am behind this proposal Evan Narcisseknown for The Rise of the Black Pantherand the artist Nikolas Draper-Iveywhich has already left its mark Static: Season One.
Batman Beyond and Static join forces
In this new narrative arc, a mysterious villain cripples the global energy gridwhich forces the heroes to join forces despite their differences. Static, become the creator of the Q-Wave energy gridworks to prepare Earth to join an interplanetary alliance known as The Cooperative. Meanwhile, Terry, the Batman of the future, must face an enemy that tests his wits beyond any previous threat.
Narcisse explained to DC Nation that his goal was “delve into how two very different heroes can clash and complement each other“And he’s not exaggerating: while Static symbolizes light, electricity and innovation, Batman represents shadow, strategy and fear.”They are opposite poles: one lights the way and the other punishes from the darkness”, adds the screenwriter.
Batman/Static: Beyond, the fusion of the future
Draper-Ivey emphasized that the comic tries reflect on human dependence on technology. “This story is a critique of our comfort with artificial intelligence and automation,” he says. “We don’t even trust our own memory anymore; we let the devices do the thinking for us. If they disappeared one day, we would be at a disadvantage.”
With this approach, Batman/Static: Beyond It is positioned as a read that mixes futuristic and action social commentaryremembering the best moments of Batman Beyond Yes Static shock. Furthermore, Draper-Ivey’s art, powerful, fluid and full of energy, reinforces the idea of a Gotham technologically advanced, but morally fragile.
An encounter with history
It is not the first time that the paths of the two heroes have crossed. Already in the special Milestone thirtieth anniversaryDraper-Ivey presented them together Static Beyonda story that served as the seed for this new series. That collaboration was so successful that fans asked to see more of this duo, and DC decided to grant their wish with a complete saga that it works as a spiritual sequel of the special one.
The comic will feature alternate covers from artists such as The Nguyen, Rahzzah, Denys the honey cow Andersonand the November 12, 2025with a compilation edition scheduled for August 2026.
Heroic tensions and ethical dilemmas
According to Narcisse, the series will explore how the ideological differences between Terry and Virgil They generate both friction and respect. McGinnis operates in the shadows, distrusting the technology championed by Static. Hawkins, for his part, sees Batman as a symbol of what fear can achieve… but also what it can destroy.
“Static is the spark that illuminates the darkness; Batman is the darkness that contains the spark”summarizes the screenwriter. This duality will mark the essence of the comic, where every decision will have both personal and global consequences.
The rebirth of Beyond’s legacy
After years without acting in a major saga, Terry McGinnis returns to the center of the DC Universeand he does so by sharing the spotlight with one of the Milestone label’s most beloved characters. With a story that unites technological intrigue, social criticism and pure action, Batman/Static: Beyond it could become one of the most relevant titles of the year.
Fans of the 2000s animated universe will recognize its roots Batman Beyondbut this time with a more mature tone ea cyberpunk aesthetic revitalized. And if Draper-Ivey has made one thing clear, it’s that the future is not written… but yes, it can be electrified.
