Terry McGinnis and Virgil Hawkins Go Beyond… Into a Bold New Future

In the debut issue, Terry McGinnis patrols the neon-lit streets of Neo-Gotham while Virgil Hawkins pioneers a technological revolution with the launch of the Q-Wave Energy Grid. As Earth prepares to join a powerful interplanetary alliance called the Cooperative, the Justice League Beyond stands ready to usher in a new era of peace. But when a mysterious villain triggers a global blackout, the planet’s future hangs in the balance. With technology crippled and chaos rising, Static and Batman Beyond must forge an unlikely alliance and take a grounded approach to saving the world before it’s too late.

“This story is intended to be a commentary on our overreliance on technology and the imminent dangers becoming complacent and too comfortable using AI to substitute our own imagination and human ingenuity,” continued Nikolas Draper-Ivey. “We now use our watches to find our phones, we use our phones to connect to everything else. We don’t rely on our own memories. We rely on technology to remember for us. That deeply concerns me. I worry that we are getting to a point where if all these things were to be suddenly taken away from us in an instant—at the rate we’re going now, humanity will be at a huge disadvantage.”

“Static is a former teen hero who grew up to take on even more responsibility for his city and the larger world, while Terry is still figuring out how to do those things in his own way,” added Narcisse. “Terry’s still a high school student but he’s also got the weight of the Batman mantle and the expectations that come with it as key parts of his life now. As an adult member of the Justice League, Virgil’s at a different part of his journey. But he’s driven by an adolescence where systemic injustice changed what it meant to live in his hometown of Dakota. Their approaches to making the world a safer, more just place are extremely different. That difference energizes the big question they have to deal with: can they learn to work together during a critical moment when everything they’ve taken for granted has fallen apart? The whole creative team is going to try and answer that question in Batman/Static: Beyond with a story where deep emotions collide against the backdrop of an uncertain future.”

Writer Evan Narcisse (Rise of the Black Panther, Batman: Gotham Knights – Gilded City) brings his signature blend of character-driven storytelling and high-concept futurism to Batman/Static: Beyond, while artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey (Static: Shadows of Dakota) delivers bold, kinetic visuals that fuse cyberpunk grit with electric energy. Together, the creative team reimagines two fan-favorite heroes for a new generation, pushing the boundaries of legacy and innovation within the DC Elseworlds imprint.

Batman/Static: Beyond #1 will feature a main cover by Nikolas Draper-Ivey, retailing for $4.99 US. Variant cardstock covers will be available for $5.99 US, including artwork by Dustin Nguyen, Rahzzah, and a 1:25 incentive variant by Denys Cowan and Ho Che Anderson. Nguyen’s cover will also be released as a foil variant. The series will run for six issues, with a collected edition scheduled for release on August 4, 2026.

Artist credits in cover image: Dustin Nguyen (variant), Nikolas Draper-Ivey (main cover), Rahzzah (variant cover)

Batman/Static Beyond interview with Evan Narcisse Courtesy of DC

The future just got a shock to its system! Writer Evan Narcisse and artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey team for Batman/Static: Beyond, a bold new series that brings together two of DC’s most electrifying heroes—Batman Beyond and Static—for a high-stakes adventure across Neo-Gotham and Dakota City. From new villains to dynamic team-ups, Narcisse shares what makes this story a must-read for longtime fans.

What was the spark that brought Static and Batman Beyond together for this story?

Batman/Static: Beyond serves as a bit of a spiritual sequel to “Static Beyond,” a short story Nikolas Draper-Ivey wrote and illustrated for the Milestone 30th Anniversary Special. The enthusiastic response to Nik’s story led to the opportunity to do more with them in a follow-up project.

This series happens in a universe where Static and Batman are both members of the Justice League. Issue #1 opens with a mission that has massive implications for Earth’s standing in the intergalactic political ecosystem, as a technological innovation Static helped develop gets deployed for the first time. Static’s got high hopes for the mission and what it could mean for the planet, but Batman’s just trying to not get space-sick in zero gravity.

What makes Terry and Virgil such a compelling duo to write?

Oh man, they’re just such polar opposites in almost every way. They’re literally light and dark. Static’s the crackling charge that lights the way out of darkness, and Batman is an avatar of shadow incarnate, everything you should be scared of if you’ve hurt someone. They have different foundational experiences, divergent philosophies, and extremely contrasting methodologies. So of course, there’s going to be lots of juicy tension!

How will the story’s antagonists challenge Static and Batman Beyond in ways fans haven’t seen before?

Our story’s title is “Shadow War,” and it’s going to take both our protagonists to really dark places. Virgil’s always been a deeply optimistic character, and the crisis that unfolds is going to test him physically and mentally. How does someone like him complete a metaphorical electrical circuit when nonconductive barriers stand in his way? Meanwhile, Terry’s going to learn that his confidence was built, in part, on the tools of the trade that he inherited. The big question for him is whether he can still be the Dark Knight when those tools get neutralized.

Both Nikolas Draper-Ivey and Miguel Mendonça are on art for this series. What can readers look forward to in how they’re bringing this story to life?

Readers are going to be in for a treat when they see the variation of styles and approaches Nik and Miguel bring to the table. Nik’s intense, moody style and cinematic page design set up the stakes of the story incredibly well, and you can feel all this sci-fi dynamism in Miguel’s art. These two artists tap into the contrasts of our main characters so perfectly.

Without spoiling too much, is there a moment or reveal that you’re especially excited for fans to see?

There are some deep cuts from the Milestone superhero universe I can’t wait for folks to experience and a badass moment where Static demonstrates what happens when you’re a nerd who’s studied your own powers for years. But there’s also a quieter scene where Virgil talks about Terry’s Bat-identity crisis that I’m very proud of.