HHT
The archetype of the teenage hero is an honored one in comics, from Spider-Man to Batman Beyond. How do you avoid falling into the same old storylines and cliches?
All S1
S1 E15Unfinished Business
MMcDUFFIE
By keeping the book grounded in naturalism (not “realism,” realism is boring). You just keep asking yourself, “What would somebody I know do if..?” Everything that’s ever happened before is a cliche to someone. I don’t worry about it. The superhero ditching his girlfriend isn’t a cliche, it’s a real problem. How it plays out is the interesting part.
Dwayne McDuffie, "Don’t Start None, Won’t Be None: Dwayne McDuffie Interview", January 22, 2011
[opening of the episode; a trio of theives are looting an electronics warehouse.]
DDuke (Blue Coat)
Speed it up. We don't have all night.
2T2nd Thief (Grey Coat)
Why you sweating me, Duke? The guards are on ice, the alarm's shut off, everything's covered.
[As the 2nd Thief carries a TV set to the warehouse's entrance, the warehouse lights power up as he walks under them. Unseen to him, electricity surges into the TV's plug as he sets foot outside the entrance, and the TV set turns on.]
2T2nd Thief
Huh?!
[As the 2nd Thief is momentarily distracted, a larger electrical surge hits him and the TV set, sending him flying backwards into the stacks of boxes inside the warehouse. The 1st Thief, Duke, and the Red Coat-wearing 3rd Thief both see this happen.]
DDuke
What the heck is up with that?!
[Another surge of electricity hits both TV sets held by Duke and the 3rd Thief and starts to build-up within them, drawing their attention before both sets blow up too. When this has happened, the source of the electrical surges is revealed as a teenager who comes flying into the warehouse on a flying manhole cover.]
You mean, 'What's up with that'. Either use slang properly or don't use it at all.
[Static flies over them, re-directs his momentum by gripping a I-section, and starts flying back at the thieves.]
3T3rd Thief (Red Coat)
It's a kid on a flying manhole cover!
DDuke
I don't care if it's Aladdin on his magic carpet. Get him!
[Thieves go at Static with a metal crowbar and a metal bat. Static uses his electromagnetic powers to pull their metal weapons away from them before he shocks both of them and disarms them of the rest of their weapons. Static gathers together all of their weapons infront of him.]
Metal weapons and dumb thugs--how easy does it get?
[Static sends all the weapons high above them and destroys them. Burning sparks fall down and send Duke and the 3rd Thief running to escape. Static pursues.]
Like turning on lights in a roach motel.
[Static intercepts the Red Coat-wearing 3rd Thief running to the sidedoor with an electrified punch.]
Thats my 'Taser-Punch.' Shocking, isn't it?
[Static is suddenly buried under a large pile of boxes. The Grey Coat-wearing 2nd Thief has recovered from his earlier collision and has commandeered a warehouse loader, driving it into the boxes.]
2T2nd Thief
I got him, Duke. I got... Huh?!
[Another surge of electromagnetic energy has built up from beneath the boxes as Static frees himself, flying up.]
Okay, you caught me off-guard--I'm new at this; so sue me!
[Static generates another surge of electromagnetic energy to capture all three theives and starts to lift them up.]
Not that I have a curfew or anything, but I really gotta wrap this up.
[Static adheres all three thieves to the ceiling.]
Stick around fellas, you got company.
[Static flies underneath a roof entrance and creates a sign in the sky above the warehouse: the words BAD GUYS THIS EXIT!, surrounded by an arrow pointing down at the warehouse as police cars arrive outside.]
(narrating) Piece of cake with frosting and sprinkles. My first bad guy beat down, and I hardly broke a sweat.
[Sharon has made breakfast, her rendition of scrambled eggs, however, does not sit well with Virgil, as her attempt is nothing but an under-cooked, runny slop.]
(sitting at the table) What's this, an egg smoothie?
(not amused) You know that's just the way Momma made them.
(studying his 'breakfast' with his fork) Funny, I don't remember needing a straw to eat her's.
(closes his briefcase and stands up, ready to go to work) Come on Virgil, your sister went to all this trouble. Least you can do is give 'em a try. (pats Virgil on the head and leaves)
[Sharon huffs and turns away. Virgil, desperate not to be food poisoned, looks 'up' for divine intervention.]
(voice a tone lower) Momma, if you're listening, I could use some help here...
[The phone rings unexpectedly.]
(answering the phone) Hello... (listens to the person on the other end of the line,) Hey, Teddy... (pause) Yeah, I really liked that lecture last night... (pause) Tonight? You mean a real date?... (pause, meanwhile, Virgil stands next to her making kissie-noises while she's on the phone) Let me check my schedule... (pause while Sharon leaves the kitchen to gain privacy from Virgil) Of course I have a schedule... (pause, before she answers Teddy flirtatiously) No, I don't have a little black book. It's paisley...
[With Sharon out of the way, Virgil, with a smile on his face, is free to dispose of the 'egg smoothie,' pouring it into the bin, without Sharon as an eyewitness.]
Good lookin' out, Moms.
[Virgil exits the kitchen, rubbing his stomach in mock-satisfaction as he passes Sharon, still on the phone.]
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Fluffy egg goodness...
[Sharon, knowing that Virgil is poking fun at her cooking, pouts in frustration.]
F-Stop, you need to brush up on Body Language 101. Hers says, 'Not-in-this-lifetime.'
Tangling with F-Stop? Are you crazy? The dude makes Norman Bates look like Mister Rogers.
No more asking my dad to borrow his car, dude.
You don't even drive yet, V.
Oh, whatever.
The name's "Static". I put a shock to your system.
Mutant? Now that's degrading.
You have a better word for it?
I kind of like... meta-human.
What if I turn into some kind of blob?
You're not gonna turn into a blob. Now, primordial ooze, that's another story.
Ok, Mr. Def Comedy Jam.
DDoctor
Your looking pretty health Virgil
Well, I've been going through these ... changes.
DDoctor
Well, that's normal for someone your age.
Trust me, Doc, this is not normal.
DDoctor
Do these changes involve another person?
A lot of them.
DDoctor
Does your father know what you've been doing?
What?! Whoa, Doc, we're talking about two totally different things here.
YYork
You're that freak from TV!
You say freak, I say unique!
Lucky that water main was there.
Uh, Virg...? That wasn't a water main. It was a sewer line.
(sniffs the air) I think Static's work here is done.
What's Derek Barnett got that I don't have?
Let's make a list. Looks, height, all-state in track and field - shall I quit while you're behind?
I thought we were tight, Rich.
We are bro, just keeping it real.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Static Shock pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.