T'Challa: The Black Panther Appreciation 2023

[MindofShadow]

On one hand, you would think they would advertise the "new status quo" for sales. Or his death for sales if he dies.

On hte other hand, they barely remembered his 200th issue and it was a complete dud.

But yeah, either way, I don't expect T'challa to be the real focus. I think they are holding back telling people that so people still pre order.

[Ezyo1000]

From an in universe stand point, T'challa would be a "goal" or "role model" for literally every black super hero (or black person period probably).

Dude would have STANS like crazy.

And the funny thing is? Outside his SOLO, he does. He is by and large more respected and love by people outside of Wakanda and his book than he is in it. He also had far more backbone too

[MouserGrey]

I wonder what the general public's reaction would be to his dying in comics. My gut tells me it would be the "it's just a mantle" mantra I'm so sick of hearing.

[Ezyo1000]

On one hand, you would think they would advertise the "new status quo" for sales. Or his death for sales if he dies.

On hte other hand, they barely remembered his 200th issue and it was a complete dud.

But yeah, either way, I don't expect T'challa to be the real focus. I think they are holding back telling people that so people still pre order.

Eventually they will have to release previews, and of it's focusing on side characters (like Coates) or shitting all over T'Challa (like Ridley) then she will be cancelled after the first issue like Gay and Yonas Crew book

[Overhazard]

She really seems intent on pushing wakanda as it's own separate entity, with T'challa being reduced to being a garnish, not even a side dish or a biscuit, but parsley. Other writers have done this before with places like Atlantis, Asgard, Attilan, and it doesn't work, people want read Black Panther for T'Challa, not for whatever random out-of-the-blue character that no one is going to like but her.

[Mantis-Ray]

On one hand, you would think they would advertise the "new status quo" for sales. Or his death for sales if he dies.

On hte other hand, they barely remembered his 200th issue and it was a complete dud.

But yeah, either way, I don't expect T'challa to be the real focus. I think they are holding back telling people that so people still pre order.

Oh yeah I remember reading an article where Marvel admits they forgot the 200th issue was coming up so they tacked 2 unrelated back-ups onto it

She really seems intent on pushing wakanda as it's own separate entity, with T'challa being reduced to being a garnish, not even a side dish or a biscuit, but parsley. Other writers have done this before with places like Atlantis, Asgard, Attilan, and it doesn't work, people want read Black Panther for T'Challa, not for whatever random out-of-the-blue character that no one is going to like but her.

Attilan is hilarious. Like anyone cares for the Inhumans beyond the Royal Family. You take those guys away and the Inhumans basically becomes a generic group of superhumans. The Royal Fam like Black Bolt is the whole point of the comic.

[BlackClaw]

She really seems intent on pushing wakanda as it's own separate entity, with T'challa being reduced to being a garnish, not even a side dish or a biscuit, but parsley. Other writers have done this before with places like Atlantis, Asgard, Attilan, and it doesn't work, people want read Black Panther for T'Challa, not for whatever random out-of-the-blue character that no one is going to like but her.

I will never understand this obsession with acting like a setting is a protagonist.

[MouserGrey]

Aww. C'mon. I really like Talon from the 90's GoTG. At least until they turned him into a feral Wolvie clone. I have always loathed Wolvie.

[Ezyo1000]

I wonder what the general public's reaction would be to his dying in comics. My gut tells me it would be the "it's just a mantle" mantra I'm so sick of hearing.

I think they would raise hell. We saw what happened in #13 and how much hell was raised over it. That ontop of T'Challa being dead in the MCU, people would 100% call marvel out for trying to milk Chad's death and call marvel out for killing off the most prolific black hero ever. I don't think it would be well received at all

[Mantis-Ray]

I will never understand this obsession with acting like a setting is a protagonist.

Wakanda may be too popular for its own good. Its a bit too ubiquitous.

Family Guy did a whole bit about it and Black-ish regularly references it, whenever Dre talks about bringing more black people in something he says "It will be Wakanda up in here".

There is a great deal of irony admitably that will the common-folk talk about their admiration of the concept, the actual fans familiar with the series are largely fed up with it.

Its like people who only watch Superman movies are huge fans of Zod and Krypton vs Superman fans who are sick are Kryptonian villains and the obsession with Krypton

[Emperorjones]

If they keep on the same deconstructionist path I think Marvel will have a win-win situation. I imagine there are those at Marvel who don't believe T'Challa is A-list or deserves to be, ergo the need to excoriate him and expose him for the toxic example/proxy or fraud some might consider him to be. Therefore, if Ewing's book fails that gives them the "proof" that T'Challa isn't an important character. However, if the book succeeds that backs up their ideas that T'Challa is the worst of the worst so to speak. Marvel doesn't really lose here if the goal has never been to really push T'Challa to the A-list and keep him there. It reminds me a bit of how they messed up with Blade, but on a much larger scale owning to how popular the MCU made T'Challa. Instead of building on that, they kept with the deconstruction (which pre-dates the Coates run). I have little faith that Ewing is going to not do the same. I don't think there's anything wrong with any new writer putting their stamp on a book they are taking over, I just wish it wasn't at the expense of the main character that many people are forking money over every month to read about. I think you can have your new, pet characters and world build, or whatever (and you should because that should inject new life and ideas into the series) but still also promote the lead character.

[BlackClaw]

I think they would raise hell. We saw what happened in #13 and how much hell was raised over it. That ontop of T'Challa being dead in the MCU, people would 100% call marvel out for trying to milk Chad's death and call marvel out for killing off the most prolific black hero ever. I don't think it would be well received at all

Killing T’Challa in other mediums would be a PR nightmare. I don’t think T’Challa will die outside of the MCU, him still being on the avengers is a good sign.

[Frontier]

Considering how none of the more Wakanda-oriented spinoffs/books have done well, I fail to see why writers keep going back to it instead of focusing on the protagonist people are picking up the book for.

[Username taken]

I will never understand this obsession with acting like a setting is a protagonist.

My brother (or sister), it's a thing that legit baffles me as well.

[Tofali]

Considering how none of the more Wakanda-oriented spinoffs/books have done well, I fail to see why writers keep going back to it instead of focusing on the protagonist people are picking up the book for.

Coogler's movie kind of showed how to write a Black Panther story. I don't ever see them changing that formula.