T'Challa: The Black Panther Appreciation 2021

[Dboi654]

Nobody mentioned Taku but I'd love to have him back. His dynamic with Venomm was one of the most interesting parts of Panther's Rage.

You and me both

[Digifiend]

Then she came to Wakanda to faded Shuri and made off with their naitonal treasure....... that's when they broke up

In X of Swords, yeah. Makes sense there was consequences for her taking that sword.

looks like Ridley will be focusing on the current Avengers run. I know some don't like it but Aaron's treated T'Challa with respect. Also yay more BP and Blade

Isn't Blade finished with the Avengers after Heroes Reborn?

[KingNomarch]

Hunter maybe!
Prolly Kasper though...

Hunter and Kasper are two characters that need to make a comeback

[chief12d]

Okoye is the right hand and the general of the Wakandan army but I think where W'kabi shines now is the role that he had in Hudlins run. He is in charge of Wakandas defense. Not just the border, not the Wakandan army, but Wakandas actual defense. Sometimes still shows up on the front lines but that's not his main priority anymore, though he isn't afraid to throwdown when necessary. Either that or he becomes the head of the Wakandan intelligence aka the HZ and serves as the director while Kasper/ Akili serve as the field commander. I would be done for M'Baku taking a bigger role but his lack of technology and adherence to traditions makes him hard to be more than just council on T'Challas inner circle. Hence W'kabi can work better there. Of M'Baku embraced the technology then I say he is better suited. But basically the cast needs to be small and very intentional. I just want the MA to disappear all together because they are redundant and don't serve a purpose

If Okoye’s the right hand man doesn’t that mean she’s also responsible for defense lol. Her role is already defensive in nature as a bodyguard and I feel like if Wakanda were under invasion she’d be at T’Challa’s side along with whoever the primary HZ is and Shuri. W’Kabi feels redundant in a military position IMO, if every supporting character needs a well defined goal I think doubling up detracts from that (like him and Kasper/Akili both representing the HZ). That’s the type of bloat that Coates pushed which makes T’Challa shine less.

We need 1 relevant Dora/general, 1 relevant HZ/agent, 1 relevant sorcerer, so on. If W’Kabi can’t fill one of those spots directly he seems superfluous outside being T’Challa’s best friend. At least with M’Baku he has his chieftain position to make him relevant and unique. He may not have advanced tech or work for espionage stories but he perfectly fits arcs within Wakanda as a frenemy and leader of a rival faction plus he has a foot in the divine aspects of BP lore. And of course Kasper/Akili offer the overseas agent perspective, providing T’Challa with the info needed to make his plans.

W’Kabi being put in charge of the Border Tribe could work but they’d have to be more than a less interesting version of the Jabari. They’d also need a niche that didn’t make him a second-rate Okoye. He’s in a weird place which is why I’m ok with Kasper/Akili taking the best friend spot and M’Baku getting a push. Or maybe they could just make a subplot about how W’Kabi is aimless and make that the story? He’s resurrected, his wife moved on and has custody of the kids, he’s dealing with trauma from his death, and isn’t eager to reenter the field. T’Challa lets his stay at the palace and just have them talk now and then about their regrets and the need to persevere. Let’s us see the softer side of T’Challa and gives W’Kabi less of an active role (temporarily) while still being relevant somewhat.

[MindofShadow]

Nobody mentioned Taku but I'd love to have him back. His dynamic with Venomm was one of the most interesting parts of Panther's Rage.

Taku is lost in the Techno Jungle lol

Nope, at the end of the mini, she's rockin the "standing next to the throne" pose:
]

ahh been awhile since i've read it, thank you sir

[Ezyo1000]

If Okoye’s the right hand man doesn’t that mean she’s also responsible for defense lol. Her role is already defensive in nature as a bodyguard and I feel like if Wakanda were under invasion she’d be at T’Challa’s side along with whoever the primary HZ is and Shuri. W’Kabi feels redundant in a military position IMO, if every supporting character needs a well defined goal I think doubling up detracts from that (like him and Kasper/Akili both representing the HZ). That’s the type of bloat that Coates pushed which makes T’Challa shine less.

We need 1 relevant Dora/general, 1 relevant HZ/agent, 1 relevant sorcerer, so on. If W’Kabi can’t fill one of those spots directly he seems superfluous outside being T’Challa’s best friend. At least with M’Baku he has his chieftain position to make him relevant and unique. He may not have advanced tech or work for espionage stories but he perfectly fits arcs within Wakanda as a frenemy and leader of a rival faction plus he has a foot in the divine aspects of BP lore. And of course Kasper/Akili offer the overseas agent perspective, providing T’Challa with the info needed to make his plans.

W’Kabi being put in charge of the Border Tribe could work but they’d have to be more than a less interesting version of the Jabari. They’d also need a niche that didn’t make him a second-rate Okoye. He’s in a weird place which is why I’m ok with Kasper/Akili taking the best friend spot and M’Baku getting a push. Or maybe they could just make a subplot about how W’Kabi is aimless and make that the story? He’s resurrected, his wife moved on and has custody of the kids, he’s dealing with trauma from his death, and isn’t eager to reenter the field. T’Challa lets his stay at the palace and just have them talk now and then about their regrets and the need to persevere. Let’s us see the softer side of T’Challa and gives W’Kabi less of an active role (temporarily) while still being relevant somewhat.

W'kabi can take Hodaris position now since he is so shot at his job lol. The reason I said W'kabi can be the director of intelligence aka the HZ, was so that he can provide useful information when isht is going down OR we could go completely bananas with it and make him the face of the HZ and actual leader. Like you said, he is kinda aimless, Okoye is general, his wife has moved on and he is feeling lost.

Kasper becomes the HZ liason in the states, making brief appearances here and there when needed but W'kabi function's as the main operative. He uses this as a chance to find himself by operating outside of WK partly to figure out his newly restored life and to get away from his old life.

I Know M'Baku has the biggest tie and he works well in Wakandan stories. Showing up here and there to help when needed, but I also feel W'kabi in terms of actual on panel developed friendship is closer to T'Challa then M'Baku. MCU really did him dirty

[Dariel81]

Same here. I'm actually rather surprised Taku hasn't turned up at all in the current run, since Coates has used most of the surviving supporting cast from previous runs (including Kasper Cole).

His dynamic with Venomm?is that what The kids are calling it these days

[Dariel81]

I hyped for this series and the cover is badass love Alex Ross .Also it makes sense to include some Avengers and Coates

[chief12d]

W'kabi can take Hodaris position now since he is so shot at his job lol. The reason I said W'kabi can be the director of intelligence aka the HZ, was so that he can provide useful information when isht is going down OR we could go completely bananas with it and make him the face of the HZ and actual leader. Like you said, he is kinda aimless, Okoye is general, his wife has moved on and he is feeling lost.

Kasper becomes the HZ liason in the states, making brief appearances here and there when needed but W'kabi function's as the main operative. He uses this as a chance to find himself by operating outside of WK partly to figure out his newly restored life and to get away from his old life.

I Know M'Baku has the biggest tie and he works well in Wakandan stories. Showing up here and there to help when needed, but I also feel W'kabi in terms of actual on panel developed friendship is closer to T'Challa then M'Baku. MCU really did him dirty

Man I don’t even know what Hodari does anymore lol. First he was a royal adviser then he’s an ambassador, he doesn’t seem necessary at all. I guess you do need a resident paper pusher though. W’Kabi as the main HZ is a really good idea when you put it like that. He’s got all this trauma and he can never get his old life back, some time abroad would make perfect sense even if he’s not too keen on outsiders.

T’Challa helping him work through that baggage would really be a great way to show BP’s softer, friendlier side while he works through some of his own problems. Maybe T’Challa didn’t keep up with W’Kabi’s family like that since he had Doomwar, Hell’s Kitchen, Namor’s flood, and Thanos’ genocide to worry about and he’s dealing with guilt. Hell maybe one of W’Kabi’s sons died and T’Challa never even knew. Let T’Challa make it a mission of his to make W’Kabi feel comfortable, **** why can’t he try and set W’Kabi up with Okoye for that MCU synergy lol.

I want wholesome T’Challa content in this relaunch, we’ve gotten a lot of defeated, depressed stuff with the character already. I hope Ridley balances out the obvious adversity T’Challa should face as a superhero-king with the right amount of levity and character building moments.

[Dariel81]

I have a confession I kinda want this version of Killmonger to survive and get fleshed out More under Ridlety.Aldo it's time to make Man Ape a legit force not some jobber.

[DigiCom]

I would like to remind my brethren (and sistren) that all we have to work with are a couple of paragraphs and one of Alex Ross's "Everybody crowded together" covers.

Assuming ANYTHING from the cover is a mug's game. I seriously doubt it's indicative of the content within.

[Jabare]

In X of Swords, yeah. Makes sense there was consequences for her taking that sword.
Isn't Blade finished with the Avengers after Heroes Reborn?

Considering their character arcs for the last few years there should be consequences. If he's still the monarch of Wakanda it makes no sense for them to be together.

Blade's still an Avenger in Heroes Reborn. So will see what happens. Marvel's not DC so I hope they keep pushing Blade till his movie comes out.

[Ezyo1000]

Man I don’t even know what Hodari does anymore lol. First he was a royal adviser then he’s an ambassador, he doesn’t seem necessary at all. I guess you do need a resident paper pusher though. W’Kabi as the main HZ is a really good idea when you put it like that. He’s got all this trauma and he can never get his old life back, some time abroad would make perfect sense even if he’s not too keen on outsiders.

T’Challa helping him work through that baggage would really be a great way to show BP’s softer, friendlier side while he works through some of his own problems. Maybe T’Challa didn’t keep up with W’Kabi’s family like that since he had Doomwar, Hell’s Kitchen, Namor’s flood, and Thanos’ genocide to worry about and he’s dealing with guilt. Hell maybe one of W’Kabi’s sons died and T’Challa never even knew. Let T’Challa make it a mission of his to make W’Kabi feel comfortable, **** why can’t he try and set W’Kabi up with Okoye for that MCU synergy lol.

I want wholesome T’Challa content in this relaunch, we’ve gotten a lot of defeated, depressed stuff with the character already. I hope Ridley balances out the obvious adversity T’Challa should face as a superhero-king with the right amount of levity and character building moments.

Yeah Hodari ain't **** lol paper pusher seems best. Let Zuri get back in her and take his job lol.

Bruh... The more I think about it, the more that makes more sense to have him be the HZ face, don't get me wrong I do like Kasper, but the mileage you can get out of W'kabi this way would be intense. It's like you said, he died, T'Challa got caught up in a maelstrom of **** to deal with, I don't know if I would want him to lose his son as that would just be a double whammy to his family but at the very least they could of been devastated by the flood, and then when Thanos and the black order eventually took Wakanda, the remember the fear and hopelessness they felt and retreat out of the city to be back with family in the villages (though him finding out one of his son passed can also be a good angle no lie) and T'Challa feels the weight of guilt.

He lost his best friend and was so caught up with his own isht he didn't realize his friends family was suffering just as much. I think the Okoye/ W'kabi angle could work though that would be a more background scene or maybe kinda culminating at the end of that story arc for W'kabi.

T'Challa sets out to first ensure that W'kabis family is okay and taken care of, next he helps his friend get back out there and find a new purpose being the face of the HZ means alot of adventures with T'Challa and Okoye too. T'Challa notices the sparks between them and ensures that they do more together to get closer. We see T'Challa smile and recall past joys with his friends while talking about the now, the talk love, and they express support and the success of the respective love interests.

From Ridley I want to see T'Challa the genius prep master superhero King but also the same beats we saw of T'Challa on the MCU: The brother, the friend, the lover etc. T'Challa deserves to be happy and shown as being happy and smiling again

[MindofShadow]

I would like to remind my brethren (and sistren) that all we have to work with are a couple of paragraphs and one of Alex Ross's "Everybody crowded together" covers.

Assuming ANYTHING from the cover is a mug's game. I seriously doubt it's indicative of the content within.

Ross was paid to write a cover for a #1 to drum up sales.

He probably didn't get a plot summary or anything. "Hey ross, draw some BP stuff! hes on Avengers, and put storm and some Wakanda **** on the back cover" is probably all he was told.

I have a confession I kinda want this version of Killmonger to survive and get fleshed out More under Ridlety.Aldo it's time to make Man Ape a legit force not some jobber.

I'm bored of Killmonger. Coates sucked the life out of him... both versions lol.

Wouldn't mind some M'baku because he really hasn't been a villain since Priest run

Man I don’t even know what Hodari does anymore lol.

BP writers can't bothered to remember the names of supporting characters so each writer just makes up their own to fill the "advisor guy" role.

Hence why you get the W'kabis and Mendinaos and Ngassis and Takus and Hodaris of the world.

[Hypestyle]

Ridley should be allowed to write a Panther-centered crossover. And TChalla gets to deliver the killing blow to the Villain.

More new villains should be created, and some new recurring supporting characters.

Hopefully nobody from the past era supporting characters will be killed to have a "shocking" opener to the new arcs.

TChalla's science acumen should be showcased, and his detective skills.