Although the TV series was titled "Static Shock", the main character was named Static. The name of the comic book this series was based on was titled just "Static", which was produced by Milestone Media, distributed by DC Comics and ran for 46 issues from 1993-1997.
According to Dwayne McDuffie, Static was originally going to do a crossover episode with the Teen Titans in Season 3, but because of scheduling, the two-part crossover episode would have aired before the first episode of Teen Titans (2003) aired. Someone at the WB network suggested the Justice League instead for the two-part crossover episode. However, the Justice League crossover episode did air before the two-part Justice League (2001) Season 2 premiere episode, in which the conclusion likely showed the events of how the Justice League acquired the small piece of Brainiac that played a major part in the crossover episode.
The idea of a Static animated TV series first emerged with DC's editor-in-chief Jenette Kahn during the time Dwyane McDuffie was working for Milestone Media under Kahn. In 1993, Kahn proposed to adapt some Milestone Media comic books; Alan Burnett was hired to write a pilot episode for an X-Menesque series with Milestone superheroes called "the New Guard". After attempts to produce several other Milestone projects, Static was eventually the series "they went for".
Season 3 featured a new intro sequence where Static and Gear fight Doctor Koenig the Heavyman, Hotstreak, Ebon, Talon, Professor Menace, and Brainiac in a "Shaq-sized" robotic body, as well as featuring a new theme song performed by Romeo Miller (a.k.a. Lil' Romeo), who also appeared as an animated cartoon version of himself in the episode Romeo in the Mix (2003). However, the Season 2 theme song can still be heard within the TV series as Static's theme music.
Beginning in Season 2, it was established that this TV series was part of the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) when the series crossed over with The New Batman Adventures (1997), having Static meet and team up with Batman and Robin.