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Releases - DVD - The Complete Third Season
 
Static Shock: The Complete Third Season
Release Information:
Street Date: January 30, 2018
MSRP: $24.99
Sound Track Language: English
Run Time: 275 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio - 1.33, Standard [4:3 Transfer]
Sound Quality: English (Dolby Stereo 2.0)
Format: Made to Order DVD

Synopsis: Static Shock's third season arrives dynamically double-charged as a new hero joins Static in his fight to protect Dakota, while the rookie hero demonstrates big-league-level experience. Virgil's journey to the hero elites begins with a Bat-bang as Static travels to Gotham City in pursuit of a Bang Baby that's fallen in with some seductively sinister "big sisters" - the Gotham City sirens Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. But a Batman (and Alfred) assist is waiting in the wings. Then, Richie's knack for invention is revealed to be a Bang Baby by-product, and Richie becomes the high-tech hero Gear. But that's just the start to a season that sees Static in Africa alongside African super hero Anansi, plus our hero battling Brainiac alongside the Justice League and tackling Toyman with Big Blue himself, Superman. The season's end sees Static shaken to the core as he travels to the recent past to revisit the night he lost his mother.

Episodes:
Disc One
Hard As Nails
Gear
Static in Africa
Shebang
The Usual Suspect
A League Of Their Own, Part 1
A League Of Their Own, Part 2
Showtime
Romeo in the Mix

Disc Two
Toys In The Hood
The Parent Trap
Flashback
Blast From The Past

Bonus Episode: Superman: The Animated Series "Obsession"

Static Shock: The Complete Third Season
DVD Review by James Harvey

Static finds himself fighting alongside some of the world's greatest super heroes in Static Shock: The Complete Third Season. With a new suit and a new sidekick, Virgil Hawkins is more ready than ever to protect Dakota from those who would do it harm! And for those other threats that may be out of his league? Well ... he's got some friends. Once again, Warner Archive has pulled through in bringing another season of this fan-favorite classic to DVD, and it's one release that animation and comic fans should not miss.

Much like the the two preceding seasons of Static Shock, the third continues teenage superhero Virgil's heroic journey, learning and adapting to his new reality as a super hero with a secret identity. And with that comes larger-than-life adventures with the Justice League and some big name DC Comics heroes, taking on a sidekick, heading out into the world and even coming to terms with some aspects of his past. Static Shock is constantly pushing our hero forward in a palpable, tangible way, and it's commendable. While some series might just spin in place with interchangeable adventures, there's an actual sense of progression with this series, and we see that move further along here in the third season. The Static Shock we see here has definitely matured since the first season, but he's still the same Virgil at the core.

Despite the show tackling bigger stakes and more larger-than-life villains in its third season, it never forgot it roots. It was a teen hero series with an African-American lead that, while bright and colorful, never really talked down to viewers. At the same time, the show also offered a brighter, sunnier look to the DCAU, but didn't use that as an excuse to play off important issues. Yes, there would be some massive episodes, like the two-part "A League of Their Own" featuring the Justice League and Brainiac, but then the show just switches gears into something more own to earth, like "Showtime," or something more personal like "Flashback" (holy smokes, folks, watch that episode!). There is plenty of humor and kid-friendly action, but when it really dives into these characters, it goes to some pretty deep places.

The third season of Static Shock is a consistently entertaining affair and, as with other shows, some installments are more successful than others. In terms of superhero crossover episodes, the two-part "A League of Their Own" is easily the best among them, with the Batman-starring " Hard as Nails" serving as a fun diversion. It's actually interesting how these three episodes tie nicely to the overall DC Animated Universe, as a couple somewhat noteworthy events actually happen in these episodes that have lasting impact on the characters and their status with each other. Unfortunately, the weakest episode of the season is quite possibly the last crossover episode of the season, "Toys in the Hood," which features Superman. This season also includes of host of really strong episodes, including "Static in Africa" and especially "Flashback." Another noteworthy episode is Richie's debut as Virgil's sidekick in "Gear," which kicks off an ongoing subplot for the season as both Static and Gear have to deal with their new team dynamic.

Outside of the aforementioned crossover and personal favorite episodes listed above, the remainder of episodes from Static Shock: The Complete Third Season are enjoyable for the most part, with a handful or unfortunate installments. New character Shebang debuts this season, though doesn't make as hard of an impact as I'd like. Rapper L'il Romeo also guest stars this season in a rather run of the mill episode. That said, there's still enjoyment to be drawn from the episodes, as even the weakest episodes manage to include a couple good quips or some nicely staged action sequences. It's a testament to the show's creative team that the series can throw different types of episodes at us and the show still feels like a solid, cohesive series. For a closer look at each episode included on this release, head over to the episode reviews section.

It's also worth noting that the show's visual design slightly shifts this season. Character models are tweaked (Including Static getting an updated costume), made a little more sharp, and the show's color palette is darkened a little. Colors were a little lighter in the last two seasons, but here they appear full and deep (clearly evident in "Hard as Nails"). Essentially, the show's look and designs, much like the second season of The Zeta Project, were brought a little more closer in line (though not exactly) with other DC Comics-based cartoons at the time.

In terms of the DVD release, Warner Archive has included all thirteen episodes from the third season of Static Shock and a bonus episode of Superman: The Animated Series. The bonus episode, "Obsession," ties in with the Static Shock episode "Toys in the Hood." In terms of presentation, once again, Warner Archive has done a great job making this series pop in standard definition, even moreso here than previous season releases. The audio is crisp and solid throughout, with the video appearing clear with strong and vibrant colors, though there are some aliasing issues. As with previous Static Shock releases, this is a two-disc DVD-R set, not a regular DVD. To note, that's not an issue when it comes to be able to produce a quality release. However, it's worth noting because these type of discs may not have as long of a shelf-life as a regular DVD, so the utmost care is required in order for viewers to get the most out of these releases for as long as possible. That said, this is still a worthwhile purchase.

Static Shock: The Complete Third Season is yet another great installment of the DC Animated Universe that fans should snatch up. Not only does it bring us that much closer to having the entire DC Animated Universe (a term coined at WF/The DC Animation Forum, by the way), but it's great to have another season of this fantastic animated series available to own. Having this series readily available for fans, new and old, to pursue will hopefully allow it to reach more new viewers, and some of its more topical episodes remain relevant to this very day. This is a release that flies simply on the strength of its main presentation alone, so don't fuss over the minimal bonus content. While not every episode here is a home run, each episode still has a charm about it, and the top episodes of the season simply soar. It's safe to say that anyone who picks up Static Shock: The Complete Third Season - be it hardcore fan, casual fan, or even a new one - will definitely not regret it. Recommended.

Review copy provided by Warner Archive.

Click on the thumbnails below to view updated imagery of select episodes from the third season of "Static Shock!"

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