Black Panther Appreciation 2019

[XPac]

Except... Storm was being treated like some sort of deity BEFORE that happened, despite her participation in AvX. Look at issue #17 of the last volume.

She didn't NEED a PR boost.

SOME people considered her a diety sure... but that's not to say that it might not be an issue. He had to freaking anul their marriage during AvX, and he wasn't even king at the time. Again, it's just smart to have ensure it's not an issue, especially if it's a means of protecting Wakanda from Adversary at the same thing. Even if only a small minority of people MIGHT have issues with Storm, it's not like using her to beat the Adversary has any downsides. Might as well do both.

And it helped convince Storm to reconnect with Wakanda too... it wasn't just getting Wakanda to give Storm another shot, it went both ways. T'Challa wanted it to happen, so he did it while simotaneously saving Wakanda from the Adversary in the process. There's frankly no reason NOT to do it. Plus it leaves a nice ace in the hole if it's ever needed down the line. It's just another asset in T'Challa's pocket should it be needed one day if the circumstances are right.

Seriously... if you're T'Challa why not?

[FLEX HECTIC]

Speaking of belief...


Super heroes are generally a self portrait of their creators so if the creator/writer does not feel within themselves that they are the one destined to save the day there is a disconnect in the depiction or product!


This can lead to the main central character not getting the job done and thus passing it on to someone else to finish the deed on their behalf!


Now the big PHAT elephant in the room...


Many black male creators suffer from a certain self identity crisis that is rarely a problem among their white male counterpart creators or even Asian Manga/Anime creators!


Obviously T'chadwick Boseman, Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan overcame that as duty called but then there were also Marvel directives that required their A game on the set!


What can happen in the case of black creator owned products or those separate from Marvel or DC umbrellas is that the confidence level is often low as opposed to epic!


This is where belief comes in as the inner hero has to think beyond and outside the box on their own and have a sort of spiritual swagger that will not be compromised!


1.3 Billion Dollar MCU Black Panther is a license to print money and any writer, director or actor that takes up the challenge should be ready to meet or exceed those expectations!


If you don't have faith in yourself it's much harder to keep pace with something that requires that form of self extension even in the world of make believe and escapism!

[Ezyo1000]

It's not necessarily that he can't do anything other than pray to a goddess for help... rather it's that praying to a goddess for help got the job done, plus helped to smooth things over between Wakanda and his girlfriend. Two birds one stone. If you put yourself in T'Chala's position, it makes perfect sense.

No Wakanda was pretty much helpless against adversary so they had to pray to Storm to save them. And there was nothing to smooth over for Wakandans because no one acted like they had any issues with Storm when the average Wakandan was on panel. Which is further insulting to Wakanda considering Wakandans watched her attack T'Challa and run off with mutants and abandon her responsibilities as Queen.

Yet they are calling her goddess and falling over themselves in Coates book? It's the same isht as the MA. Notice how nothing is ever anyones fault in this book except T'Challa. The women that show up in the book are not held accountable for their actions and get whatever it is that they want and T'Challa is left to shoulder the responsibility and get talked down to.

Realistically? If the choice came to Wakandas history was left alone, they weren't some damn colombus analogue, and a stereotypical version of Africa that the west sees, and wholly capable of handling their business without outside help or every thing that has happened and T'Challa gets to be with Storm. I guarantee he would go with the former

[Ezyo1000]

Speaking of belief...


Super heroes are generally a self portrait of their creators so if the creator/writer does not feel within themselves that they are the one destined to save the day there is a disconnect in the depiction or product!


This can lead to the main central character not getting the job done and thus passing it on to someone else to finish the deed on their behalf!


Now the big PHAT elephant in the room...


Many black male creators suffer from a certain self identity crisis that is rarely a problem among their white male counterpart creators or even Asian Manga/Anime creators!


Obviously T'chadwick Boseman, Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan overcame that as duty called but then there were also Marvel directives that required their A game on the set!


What can happen in the case of black creator owned products or those separate from Marvel or DC umbrellas is that the confidence level is often low as opposed to epic!


This is where belief comes in as the inner hero has to think beyond and outside the box on their own and have a sort of spiritual swagger that will not be compromised!


1.3 Billion Dollar MCU Black Panther is a license to print money and any writer, director or actor that takes up the challenge should be ready to meet or exceed those expectations!


If you don't have faith in yourself it's much harder to keep pace with something that requires that form of self extension even in the world of make believe and escapism!

Spot on here flex, which is why I will continue to nominate Redjack as THE guy to get a shot at writing BP on the comics side.

He has already shown he can ride to the occasion and exceed expectations as proven from the animation side of things, he has the right mindset (T'Challa is the driver of the story, the action etc etc and everyone else is there to support him) and knowledge and would pull out all the stops and show us a badass King and country that would remind people why they were undefeated for 10k years and it wasn't just because they were hidden.

And finally abd most importantly, he actually give a damn about T'CHALLA first and foremost, not storm, not the Ma, or Shuri, or insert any other random Character thrown into the mythos regardless if it makes sense or not. But T'Challa. And he again has shown that T'Challa wouldn't be thrown under the bus for the story or some agenda.

[Klaue's Mixtape]

dSo Black Panther really is going to be the film people for or against it being cinema eh.


Time to go all in on the sequel.

[FLEX HECTIC]

WOW...


Double Jeopardy: "I'll take Terry Gilliam for $800."


1. "I hated Black Panther."


Hate is such a strong word.


2. "It makes me crazy."


Joker: "Now we're talking."


3. "It gives young black kids the idea that this is something to believe in."


DUH!!!


4. "Bullshit. It's utter bullshit."


Or elephant shit this is Africa we are talking about.


5. "never been to Africa."


Or Asgard or any place the Guardians of The Galaxy went but I digress.


6. "African pattern fabrics and things."


See Asgard haberdashery.


7. "hated that movie."


Hate is... See #1


8. 'importance of bullshit."


WTF


As someone living in the greater Hollywood area I have witnessed firsthand the downfall of various persons both in front of and behind the camera and I keep preaching to this nonexistent choir that if you were selling horses when the automobile was invented you need to switch to car salesman real fast or become outdated overnight!


Believe me... There is nothing like training a multi-billionaire film producer while wearing a Black Panther t-shirt telling you that that character will never make it to cinema and how they hate super hero movies in general and watching them submit failed movies that bomb at the box office repeatedly downgrading their former status in Hollywood as a know-it-all bigshot!


There is also nothing like offering your input to that same producer who flopped a video game and then is so stuck on himself that he ignores your certified fanboy input as a credible resource!


Mickey "Money" Mouse: "You want a job, Terry?"

[XPac]

No Wakanda was pretty much helpless against adversary so they had to pray to Storm to save them. And there was nothing to smooth over for Wakandans because no one acted like they had any issues with Storm when the average Wakandan was on panel. Which is further insulting to Wakanda considering Wakandans watched her attack T'Challa and run off with mutants and abandon her responsibilities as Queen.

Yet they are calling her goddess and falling over themselves in Coates book? It's the same isht as the MA. Notice how nothing is ever anyones fault in this book except T'Challa. The women that show up in the book are not held accountable for their actions and get whatever it is that they want and T'Challa is left to shoulder the responsibility and get talked down to.

Realistically? If the choice came to Wakandas history was left alone, they weren't some damn colombus analogue, and a stereotypical version of Africa that the west sees, and wholly capable of handling their business without outside help or every thing that has happened and T'Challa gets to be with Storm. I guarantee he would go with the former

The fact that you consider it insulting is exactly why it was necessary for the story. Given what happened in AvX, the story needed something like this before T'Challa and Storm can get back together. Ignoring AvX like nothing happened makes less sense than having T'Challa come up with a plan to get everyone back on the same page. Her saving Wakanda makes it all far more believable, with the added bonus of course of Wakanda being saved. Again, from T'Challa standpoint it just makes sense. Even if no one gets in T'Challa's face about Storm, it would be somewhat naive for T'Challa to assume literally no one wouldn't have issues with what happened.

So again, if you're T'Challa why not? To him it makes perfect sense.

[Ezyo1000]

The fact that you consider it insulting is exactly why it was necessary for the story. Given what happened in AvX, the story needed something like this before T'Challa and Storm can get back together. Ignoring AvX like nothing happened makes less sense than having T'Challa come up with a plan to get everyone back on the same page. Her saving Wakanda makes it all far more believable, with the added bonus of course of Wakanda being saved. Again, from T'Challa standpoint it just makes sense. Even if no one gets in T'Challa's face about Storm, it would be somewhat naive for T'Challa to assume literally no one wouldn't have issues with what happened.

So again, if you're T'Challa why not? To him it makes perfect sense.

See the problem here is that you believe Storm is necessary in the BP mythos. She is not. That ship has long sailed, marvel killed that relationship dead, AND on top of that, had Storm taking pot shots at T'Challa, within.. maybe a couple months before Coates had her show up in the book? She was talking isht about T'Challa in CwII.

But this was all necessary right? Wakanda, who has never been saved by anyone. Who's protector, the Black panther the guy who's names on the title the only one who should be saving Wakanda, NEEDED Storm to come in and save Wakanda.. in his own book. That's the angle your going with here? Interesting... Here I thought if your name is on the title of YOUR solo book you do the saving, not someone else who isn't even apart of your franchise

[FLEX HECTIC]

In this era how is this Storm thang still a thing...





1.3 Billion Dollars makes Black Panther an open book test with all the answers laid out plain as day on a 3D glow in the dark cheatsheet!


This should be a simple as inserting Michael Jordan into the starting lineup in a championship game... Usain Bolt anchoring your Olympic 4 x 100 relay team... Tom Brady in your two minute offense... Wayne Gretzky on ice skates... Michael Phelps on your swim team... Simone Biles leading your gymnastics lineup...


Once upon the time comics influenced cinema but in this case cinema should influence comics!

[DigiCom]

Wait... TERRY Gilliam?

As in "old white guy who became famous for playing with cut-up drawings?" Not some black writer who happens to share the name?

HE is appointing himself the arbiter of what is best for black youth?

Yeesh. At least Scorsese had an opinion about something he actually had relevant experience in.

[XPac]

See the problem here is that you believe Storm is necessary in the BP mythos. She is not. That ship has long sailed, marvel killed that relationship dead, AND on top of that, had Storm taking pot shots at T'Challa, within.. maybe a couple months before Coates had her show up in the book? She was talking isht about T'Challa in CwII.

But this was all necessary right? Wakanda, who has never been saved by anyone. Who's protector, the Black panther the guy who's names on the title the only one who should be saving Wakanda, NEEDED Storm to come in and save Wakanda.. in his own book. That's the angle your going with here? Interesting... Here I thought if your name is on the title of YOUR solo book you do the saving, not someone else who isn't even apart of your franchise

I don't believe Storm is necessary in the BP mythos at all ... it obviously existed long before she came into the picture. I never said she was, so I'm not sure why you would assume that's the case. I have said she is a part of her mythos at this point... but she's not actually necessary in it. It's simply something BP writers decided to incorporate. That ship may sail at some point depending on what future BP writers want, but it hasn't as of now.

ANd I never said what he did was necessary... what I said is it made sense. He came up with a plan to defeat the Adversary and reconnect Storm and the Wakandan people. If you're T'Challa and you have a way to do both, obviously that's what you're going to do because it best accomplishes what he wants. That's the angle I'm going with here.

[DigiCom]

Because I'm bored and have the time…

The Heliopolitans (the offspring of the Elder Gods Atum & Gaea), rarely took physical form, unlike their later brethren of the Greek & Norse pantheons. For example, the god Khonshu prefers to this day to act via a champion.

One of the (if not THE) oldest of these children was the feline deity Mafdet, who (along with the dragon spirit now known as Shou-Lao) empowered a champion one million years ago, in adventures alongside other gods, hosts, and avatars of the day. She (although gender is fairly arbitrary for a spirit) was an ardent defender against evil, and held sway over the living and the dead, and was known among her worshippers as "the first to be feared".

However, an unknown number of centuries later, Mafdet was approached in her temple in Egypt by an extradimensional sorcerer named Master Khan, who was trapping beings of mystical power in an attempt to boost his mystical might. Indeed, he had already trapped her former comrade in a spell that imprisoned his heart in a cauldron and was now looking for a being of opposite energies (yang rather than yin, in his terms) to balance it out.

Their battle raged, and while Khan did not achieve total victory, he did manage to split Mafdet into male and female parts, trapping the male half in a jade statue of a tiger. The remaining aspect became later known as Bast, and anchored herself to a mound of metal in a nation far to the south, empowering a new champion named Bashenga, the ruler of a nearby tribe.

(Something similar happened to Shou Lao, actually.)

Her other half, almost completely feral, took on a name based on the animal whose form he now possessed, calling himself the Tiger God. Eventually, parts of the statue were broken off by thieves, passing through many hands before coming into the possession of the Ayala family, who were his champions for several years.

(At one point, the statue was reconstructed, but the union was imperfect, leading to the amulets falling off in mid-transit and returning to their last possessor.)

The amulets were recently destroyed, and the spirit of the god himself trapped in a containment vessel, coincidentally by the champion of his other half. One wonders what would happen if those two halves met…


AUTHOR'S NOTE:

In order to keep things tidy, I am assuming that the Iron Fist & Black Panther seen in Avengers 1,000,000 BC are not part of the traditional lineages for those characters, keeping the rest of their histories intact.

I also used the fact that Marvel has rarely had the Egyptian gods show up as active characters to explain why Bast doesn't act in person.

I have not yet decided where Shou Lao came from. Candidates include an offspring of Set or the Egyptian being named Apophis (whose role as enemy of Ra was supplanted by Seth in the Marvel U).

[DigiCom]

ANd I never said what he did was necessary... what I said is it made sense. He came up with a plan to defeat the Adversary and reconnect Storm and the Wakandan people. If you're T'Challa and you have a way to do both, obviously that's what you're going to do because it best accomplishes what he wants. That's the angle I'm going with here.

Tell you what. Find me one panel that shows Storm NEEDING to be "reconnected with the Wakandan people" and I'll buy your logic.

[XPac]

Tell you what. Find me one panel that shows Storm NEEDING to be "reconnected with the Wakandan people" and I'll buy your logic.

Is my logic really that hard to buy that a panel is needed?

It's not even my logic... it's just common sense. Given what happened it's logical for T'Challa to assume SOME might have hard feelings over his relationship with Storm after how things went down. That's obviously a realistic assumption ... the reactions of people on this board are proof enough for that. A panel doesn't need to prove what you and many other posters are frankly proving on a near daily basis. That's not a knock or anything... just stating the obvious.

If you want to argue the story could have showed more people against the marriage, that's fine... but that's not the same thing as saying what T'Challa did doesn't make complete sense. It made perfect sense given what happened in AvX.

And let me reiterate, it's not like this was done soley for this purpose. The plan also was obviously as viable means of stopping the Adversary... re-connecting Storm with Wakanda is just icing on the cake. So again I'll ask, if you're T'Challa why the heck not? Even if the vast majority of Wakandans are supporting of his relationship with Storm again, what's the harm in doing what he did if it also happens to be a means of stopping the Adversary?

[terrancejameson]

I've come to the conclusion that folks who enjoy what Coates is doing, have ZERO interest in T'Challa as a character or the BP mythos as they were prior to to Coates arrival on the scene..

They "ohh" and "AHH" at every preview of Coates deconstruction of T'Challa whilst the rest of us sit back and observe this ongoing disasterpiece as it unfolds.

It's pretty transparent really.

Or you could say that some folks take this run on its own terms and they don’t seek to label it the quintessential Black Panther solo series. I appreciate different aspects of the Black Panther’s mythos across the different writers who’ve used him since I started reading comics. There are details here that speak to me differently than they speak to everyone else. I like it, I enjoy it and they just so happen to be subliminal messages/images that routinely get missed by Coates’ fake woke white fan base. I champion that.