T'Challa: Black Panther Appreciation 2018

[Ezyo1000]

The much respected Redjack has made it abundantly clear that he has no current interest in writing T'challa within the comic side of the MU as it would deviate a fair bit from the direction Coates has dragged the mythos.in.

Why that would be a bad thing is beyond me but one has to accept and respect this esteemed writers position regardless.

I don't think it's a lack of interest but rather marvel hasn't come to him wanting him to pen BP on top of feeling like his take is vastly different than Coates (Which honestly inan okay with) I'm not convinced Redjack wouldn't take the job if it were offered to him.. it just needs to be offered to him

[Mr MajestiK]

Mr. M is speaker of the truth right here. Ditto!

Thanks Mantis Dad.

You're support means a lot.

We older school readers need to stick together.

[Mr MajestiK]

I don't think it's a lack of interest but rather marvel hasn't come to him wanting him to pen BP on top of feeling like his take is vastly different than Coates (Which honestly inan okay with) I'm not convinced Redjack wouldn't take the job if it were offered to him.. it just needs to be offered to him

Did Coates make a pitch to write BP?

I honestly don't know but I find it really odd that high profile, recognised comic book writers never seem to want to write a BP solo book which in turn, leaves the road open for neophytes to come in a mess things up.

To date, Reginald Hudlin, pre-Doomwar Jonathan Maberry and David Liss are the only neophytes who came correct on the BP mythos so it's not as if it's an impossible thing to do.

Coates and his fake "woke" self just decided to go full milquetoast with a slice of shade to wash the nasty drink down.

[Mantis Dad]

Thanks Mantis Dad.

You're support means a lot.

We older school readers need to stick together.

I was raised in "Flint Town" (see the documentary on Netflix); I know how to stick with the OG's!
Or,OR's = "old readers" if you prefer.

[Ezyo1000]

Did Coates make a pitch to write BP?

I honestly don't know but I find it really odd that high profile, recognised comic book writers never seem to want to write a BP solo book which in turn, leaves the road open for neophytes to come in a mess things up.

To date, Reginald Hudlin, pre-Doomwar Jonathan Maberry and David Liss are the only neophytes who came correct on the BP mythos so it's not as if it's an impossible thing to do.

Coates and his fake "woke" self just decided to go full milquetoast with a slice of shade to wash the nasty drink down.

It was sometime last year I believe, but in the big big BP thread, back when Redjack was commenting Pretty regularly through the forum. He talked about how he was interested in writing BP but marvel instead decided to reach out to Coates (due to his acclaim) but Redjack was interested.

Maybe hearing it from the man himself can clarify any confusion

[KingNomarch]

Did Coates make a pitch to write BP?

I honestly don't know but I find it really odd that high profile, recognised comic book writers never seem to want to write a BP solo book which in turn, leaves the road open for neophytes to come in a mess things up.

To date, Reginald Hudlin, pre-Doomwar Jonathan Maberry and David Liss are the only neophytes who came correct on the BP mythos so it's not as if it's an impossible thing to do.

Coates and his fake "woke" self just decided to go full milquetoast with a slice of shade to wash the nasty drink down.

Marvel approached Coates who pretty much said he wasn't a fan and when he last read Black Panther it starred Kasper.

The closest to a high profile writer came to pitching a Black Panther series was Mark Waid.

“It’s a real thorny one,” Waid began hesitatingly. He discussed talking about Black Panther at Marvel. “We were all sitting around talking about what we love about Black Panther, a room full of writers, and how that character really deserves his own book again. And I’m sure he’ll have it again. I was the one most passionate about what was cool about Black Panther. I wasn’t campaigning for the gig, but at the end of my speech, somebody said, ‘Man, I wish you were black. In the sense of, ‘then we’d give you the book.'

[Redjack]

It was sometime last year I believe, but in the big big BP thread, back when Redjack was commenting Pretty regularly through the forum. He talked about how he was interested in writing BP but marvel instead decided to reach out to Coates (due to his acclaim) but Redjack was interested.

Maybe hearing it from the man himself can clarify any confusion

There were a minimum of three writers in contention for the job of writing BP. Me. David Walker. Mr. Coates. There could have been others but I don't know if there were or not.

The guy with the Pulitzer got the gig. Shock.

I got to create MOSAIC, write SOLO and David wrote multiple original series before and after. At one point i was running the writers room and writing for BLACK PANTHER'S QUEST and writing MOSAIC, SOLO and my three upcoming indie comics at the same time.

Life happens.

[Mr MajestiK]

It was sometime last year I believe, but in the big big BP thread, back when Redjack was commenting Pretty regularly through the forum. He talked about how he was interested in writing BP but marvel instead decided to reach out to Coates (due to his acclaim) but Redjack was interested.

Maybe hearing it from the man himself can clarify any confusion

I remember reading what Redjack said back then and that really pissed me off.

I for one, would have loved reading Redjack's take on the BP mythos.

[Mr MajestiK]

Marvel approached Coates who pretty much said he wasn't a fan and when he last read Black Panther it starred Kasper.

The closest to a high profile writer came to pitching a Black Panther series was Mark Waid.

Marvel need to get a new business model in play because if they feel handing off a character like T'challa to am individual who's disdain for the character and his unique mythos, was clearly articulated by said individual in multiple interviews, was anything close to a good idea, they obviously don't have a freaking clue.

[Ezyo1000]

There were a minimum of three writers in contention for the job of writing BP. Me. David Walker. Mr. Coates. There could have been others but I don't know if there were or not.

The guy with the Pulitzer got the gig. Shock.

I got to create MOSAIC, write SOLO and David wrote multiple original series before and after. At one point i was running the writers room and writing for BLACK PANTHER'S QUEST and writing MOSAIC, SOLO and my three upcoming indie comics at the same time.

Life happens.

To be completely honest, it is a shock. They took a person unfamiliar with the medium, who has little knowledge of the character and didn't care for him and made it clear a multitude of interviews, never wrote a comic or fiction before, and was given the highest profile Black Character with pretty much free reign to tell whatever story without editorial interference and no experienced co writer or consultant to help...

However I an gkad you are on the animation giving us a badass panther and I hope this opens more doors because I'm a fan of your work

[skyvolt2000]

Marvel need to get a new business model in play because if they feel handing off a character like T'challa to am individual who's disdain for the character and his unique mythos, was clearly articulated by said individual in multiple interviews, was anything close to a good idea.

Pulitzer

You will over look a LOT when you got a guy with awards under his belt. Especially if you are trying to get a book in places (Once again) that previous folks like Hudlin's name got you.
Hudlin's name got your trades in stores. Coates got your book reviews from places it shouldn't have.


When that Marvel backlash came he came out WAY better than others. All the rants on him were lead by those who read the books. Not folks who threw fits over who was on the cover or the race, sex or sexuality of the creative team. How many cries did we hear about why can't we see new original characters or folks who did not take someone's place get a book?

Redjack
Mosaic (new character)
Solo (original who held a mini before)

David Walker
Luke Cage
Luke Cage & Ironfist
US Avengers
Nighthawk (sort of)

Gabby Rivera
America

Bendis
IRonheart

Coates
Midnight Angels
Storm stealth book
Black Panther (in name only)

Ms Cain
Mockingbird

It's not like Marvel wasn't doing it. So what was the issue? Don't answer-we all know.

[Redjack]

To be completely honest, it is a shock. They took a person unfamiliar with the medium, who has little knowledge of the character and didn't care for him and made it clear a multitude of interviews, never wrote a comic or fiction before, and was given the highest profile Black Character with pretty much free reign to tell whatever story without editorial interference and no experienced co writer or consultant to help...

However I an gkad you are on the animation giving us a badass panther and I hope this opens more doors because I'm a fan of your work

Thanks for that. I've been posting on CBR since LONG before any success so it's hard for me to truly participate in forums the way i like to now that I live backstage.

Let me say this- these corporations have plans that go years out. Long before they're offering anybody jobs to write something. When i found out David was in the running I assumed I was out. Neither of us even knew Coates was in the mix until the announcement. I can see how the company thought he was the right bet- huge media attention, a freaking pulitzer, finger tapping the blackgeist (my word) HARD.

Yeah, his Panther take is a discussion of real world Africa with Wakanda as a proxy and that's going to ruffle a lot of feathers because Wakanda's supposed to be Black Asgard.

But the company wanted that take. It's not like he lied to them about what his plan was. And it's not poorly written. It's just WAY off what a lot of folks expected from a Panther book. I pitched two entirely different takes and I'm betting Walker did as well. I really thought David would be the one.

The way i look at it is we got Movie Panther, Comics Panther and soon, Toon Panther. Between us, every fan should find something to love.

(And, yeah. I think everybody's going to love toon Panther.)

[MindofShadow]

A bunch of higher ups at marvel wanting to see Wakanda as a proxy for dysfunctional stereotypical real world Africa sounds about white. qwhite interesting indeed.

The way i look at it is we got Movie Panther, Comics Panther and soon, Toon Panther. Between us, every fan should find something to love.

(And, yeah. I think everybody's going to love toon Panther.

True. It is weird for me. the MCU got me into comics... and now it is slowly pulling me away.

[Username taken]

Just got done putting together this video analyzing how the Black Panther movie handles some sociology and political elements. Give it a watch?

Interesting video. It’s nice to some people actually get the subtler messages of the movie.

Well done bro!

[DigiCom]

Let me say this- these corporations have plans that go years out. Long before they're offering anybody jobs to write something. When i found out David was in the running I assumed I was out. Neither of us even knew Coates was in the mix until the announcement. I can see how the company thought he was the right bet- huge media attention, a freaking pulitzer, finger tapping the blackgeist (my word) HARD.

But the company wanted that take. It's not like he lied to them about what his plan was. And it's not poorly written. It's just WAY off what a lot of folks expected from a Panther book. I pitched two entirely different takes and I'm betting Walker did as well. I really thought David would be the one.

Honestly, I'm surprised to hear you say this because, as an outsider to the business, it always seemed clear to me that Marvel (and, to be fair, DC) has no long-term vision at all. They've shown a remarkable lack of interest in tending to their IP and building an audience like editorial did in the old days (in my case, the 80's).

Instead, it all looks like stunts designed to attract press attention, and gimmicks that pump up short-term sales. They spend weeks, if not months, promoting the idea of Marvel Legacy and returning to the original numbers... and then, after hitting a few anniversary numbers, relaunch the books again.

They hype the relaunch of the First Family of the Marvel U, 57 years to the day after their first appearance, with midnight releases and 48 variant covers... and the team isn't even reunited in the issue.

And they see how popular T'Challa was in CA:CW... and give the book to a high-profile black writer who has never even written fiction.

Oh, and TNC doesn't have a Pulitzer... he was nominated in the General Non-Fiction category, but lost. He does have a National Book Award & a MacArthur "genius grant", but that hardly makes him qualified to write a major comic.

But he has press appeal....