T'Challa: The Black Panther Appreciation 2021

[chief12d]

Ridley’s work at DC has centered the male protagonists he writes. Jace Fox for example is 100% the main driver of the plot, and one focus is on the father-son relationship between Jace and his dad. Could definitely see him exploring something similar between T’Challa and T’Chaka. So I don’t worry that he’ll not be focusing on T’Challa as the main protagonist and plot shaker, so he won’t be sidelined for Storm or whatever lol.

Yup one thing I expect out of Ridley is for him to downsize the supporting characters and center his story around T’Challa and whatever arc he has planned for the character. No more bloated supporting casts where there’s 3-4 other characters basically get top billing in the book, which will make for better pacing and stronger character work. T’Challa needs someone that can dive into his beliefs, motivations, worldview, etc. and I hope that’s something Ridley would want to do like he has with Jace.

You’re right that he doesn’t have a habit of deemphasizing his male protagonists so maybe we can also see T’Challa develop a dynamic with at least 1 or two male supporting characters, which has been absent from BP for years now. T’Chaka’s dead (though in spirit I suspect he’ll be influential) but maybe MCU synergy compels him to bring back Zuri. And we do have NuM’Baku around.

My hope is a solid supporting cast of 4: Shuri, Okoye, M’Baku, and someone like Kasper, all playing distinct roles with personalities that highlight T’Challa while giving them some development. Gimme a few arcs of that then over time he can introduce a non-Storm love interest IMO. But all of this comes down to his interviews lol. If he’s gonna be talking Intergalactic Wakanda and Dora rebellions I’m checking out before issue #1 is released lol.

[butterflykyss]

Hulk book

It isn't worth buying just for his appearance.

spoilers:

Avengers show up in the end. Thor smacks hulk a few times, then he walks outside and the avengers are there. Hulk makes a comment about "another idaho" and Panther says something about "it is 7 vs 1"... and then he basically goes "oh no" and realizes Red Shulk is there too. Avengers are about to get curb stomped lol

end of spoilers

thanks for the spoils the fight she be epic though.

[butterflykyss]

I need an interview.

I just need him to say he likes T'challa lol. That is how low the bar is for me.

wait is this the confirmed writer for the new book?

[BlackClaw]

wait is this the confirmed writer for the new book?

Bleeding cool said he was the new writer but it has to be taken with a grain of salt since it hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. That said, the guy who wrote the article apparently correctly predicted the creative team for Moon Knight.

[butterflykyss]

Bleeding cool said he was the new writer but it has to be taken with a grain of salt since it hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. That said, the guy who wrote the article apparently correctly predicted the creative team for Moon Knight.

I just read the article. that's encouraging to hear the creative team is at least starting to be announced even if not accurate. do we know when it is supposed to drop or no news there either?

[BlackClaw]

I just read the article. that's encouraging to hear the creative team is at least starting to be announced even if not accurate. do we know when it is supposed to drop or no news there either?

No news on when it drops. Especially since Coates last issue keeps getting pushed back.

[4sake Baned]

And give T’Challa more male friends and hopefully a new love interest.

Big facts....

[CosmiComic]

Why does he need more male friends?

[MindofShadow]

Why does he need more male friends?

because he has zero wakandan male friends

they are all dead

[CosmiComic]

because he has zero wakandan male friends

they are all dead

Ok, I guess. I feel like he probably has enough. Not that more isn't good, but if the problem is thr focus not being in him, idk if more characters is the answer

[Nate Grey]

Ok, I guess. I feel like he probably has enough. Not that more isn't good, but if the problem is thr focus not being in him, idk if more characters is the answer

How can he have enough if the number of Wakandan male friends he has now is zero?

[CosmiComic]

How can he have enough if the number of Wakandan male friends he has now is zero?

I mean enough friends as a whole.

[chief12d]

I mean enough friends as a whole.

We’re talking characters within his own supporting cast. Cap, Luke, Reed, and Voodoo are all close friends of T’Challa but they aren’t appearing consistently in his solo book. Because they have their own series they’re a part of. But if you look at T’Challa’s regular supporting characters there are no males that he’s shown having a consistent, well-developed dynamics with or who are appearing with him in other books. It seems like the only people he’s shown positively interacting with is Shuri, Okoye, his mom, and Storm.

Expanding T’Challa’s circle of male friends organically opens the BP mythos. M’Baku is the leader of the most interesting tribe in Wakanda, T’Challa should probably be shown speaking and building bridges with him. Akili is the head of the second most important group of warriors Wakanda has to offer. Zawavari is literally the most magic-inclined member of BP lore outside the gods themselves.

T’Challa should be shown developing friendships with male Wakandans because they create character-driven connections to concepts and ideas, just like the women supporting characters do. And if you think about it in terms of BP as a symbol it’s not a good look that your premier black male hero is not shown with ANY positive friendships with other black men on a regular basis. It’s weird IMO because black men form brotherhoods and friendships all the time in real life lol.

[CosmiComic]

We’re talking characters within his own supporting cast. Cap, Luke, Reed, and Voodoo are all close friends of T’Challa but they aren’t appearing consistently in his solo book. Because they have their own series they’re a part of. But if you look at T’Challa’s regular supporting characters there are no males that he’s shown having a consistent, well-developed dynamics with or who are appearing with him in other books. It seems like the only people he’s shown positively interacting with is Shuri, Okoye, his mom, and Storm.

Expanding T’Challa’s circle of male friends organically opens the BP mythos. M’Baku is the leader of the most interesting tribe in Wakanda, T’Challa should probably be shown speaking and building bridges with him. Akili is the head of the second most important group of warriors Wakanda has to offer. Zawavari is literally the most magic-inclined member of BP lore outside the gods themselves.

T’Challa should be shown developing friendships with male Wakandans because they create character-driven connections to concepts and ideas, just like the women supporting characters do. And if you think about it in terms of BP as a symbol it’s not a good look that your premier black male hero is not shown with ANY positive friendships with other black men. It’s weird IMO because black men form brotherhoods and friendships all the time in real life lol.

If you put it that way, I understand. I didn't think it's necessarily wrong for him to have mostly femalr friends. IMO it makes him stand out even more from the other more male centric supporting casts of other heroes. But I can see why this would be important too. I nust thought a lot of the general complaint here is against him not getting enough focus is some of his own books

[Vordan]

No news on when it drops. Especially since Coates last issue keeps getting pushed back.

BC said the book starts in August, so the next round of solicits will hopefully tell us whether it’s true or not.