T'Challa: The Black Panther Appreciation 2024

[king kazma]

I wonder if Evolution could've found a way to work Bishop in as a teenager...

Or just remembered sunspot is black

[Tremain]

Eve is only held back by her lack of experience as a Comics writer in my opinion. I think she's actually fairly decent at it but way too inexperienced to have been put on this book in this situation. It was always a poor choice to try to continue Ridley's narrative for more than one or two issues after it was soundly rejected and received heavily mixed reaction from fanbase under her comics mentor Coates. Then other issues like poor pacing (a sales killer all its own). Beisa could have waited to have her story told while the title hero cleaned up his quickly to solidify and reasure Panther fans.

Will Moss put her in a bad spot.

I agree editorial put Eve is a very bad spot.

Recall of note - Jed MacKey in his Avengers run also pick up on the status quo that Ridley established. Avengers is a much better book than BP solo - meaning Avengers have a bigger readership, so if Avengers are saying 'T'Challa you are no longer King' - then BP solo can't be "out-of-touch" with that - correct? Also, Sam Wilson and T'Challa now have beef (from the Captain American Symbol of Truth series) - and that is also reflected in Avengers book. Moreover, T'Chall's outfit in his solo title is also reflected in the Avengers' book issue #3. I mean the MU 616 is all connected right?

I think Marvel Editorial is the core problem - Ridley should have not been able to write that crap. And if he did write it - Editorial needed to recon it before Avengers and BP solo were even scripted.

Now with all that said - I think Eve is doing the best she can - given how the table was set for her. So, I decided to be patient, support the book, and give Eve the space to "right-the-ship"

Long Live the King....

[Ezyo1000]

Way too early to make a comparison and even if we did it’s hardly fair. UBP is part of an initiative driven by Marvel’s top writer with an A-list artist onboard. Regardless of story it’s gonna have a strong first few issues.

How well it keeps up sales is anyone’s guess and will likely depend on how it generates hype, builds on the lore of this new universe beyond the US, and handles T’Challa’s character beyond just doing cool action-heavy shit. I think the conversation the book inspires compared to the stories we’ve gotten in 616 will be telling, because it kinda represents the peak of creative push T’Challa’s gotten since maybe the Priest days. It’s also setting the character to a more popular and idealized status quo.

If it can’t stay above cancellation level despite being good to great then that’s a reflection of overall interest in the character and how well the creative team has done at grabbing ppl. There’s gonna be lots of folks picking up this book that have little to no interest in 616 Panther, this is a prime opportunity to expand the fandom and make the character more marketable.

I don’t expect it to have the legs of Spider-Man or X-Men but if it can carve out a niche as the “surprise hit” of the Ultimate line that would be good.

What I am getting at is this. Even Evan Narcisse Rise, despite coming out a couple years after Coates run, after Coates and Gay had burned out the goodwill fans had, still performed fairly well despite it being a mini with a neophyte writer because T'Challa was treated well.

Hill has said all the right things, people ARE interested in T'Challa, they want him to have a good story with great art and strong character development. Now obviously it is hard to say, but given his track record, I think Hill will deliver. BP may not be at SM or X numbers, but I think it will solidly be able to keep pace with those books.

[Mantis-Ray]

I think Marvel Editorial is the core problem - Ridley should have not been able to write that crap. And if he did write it - Editorial needed to recon it before Avengers and BP solo were even scripted.

I still can't believe they just allowed the comic of Steve beating the shit out of a defenseless T'Challa to be released. Like the sheer bad optics there, it makes both characters look terrible. Its really not a look you want associated with Captain America.

Its impressive but in only a handful of issues Ridley proved himself to be also a Godawful Captain America along with being incapable of writing Black Panther to any likable degree.

[MindofShadow]

Yeah, I remember reading and feeling so conflicted. Why could he not do the same thing with Bast? Lol, why the African God gotta be a deadbeat letting other gods handle their kids business. However, it is still one of the most OP moments for T'Challa.

In continuity at the time, Bast adn the rest of the stupid Orisha were MIA because it was Coates run.

Ewiing never breaks continuity, so he went deeper int he bag to find a god to use.

[MindofShadow]

I don’t see why it can’t take 12 issues. Which isn’t to say it’s easy but writers have radically shifted a character’s status quo in only a handful of issues before. 6 issues to establish the new city, 1-2 new players that help guide T’Challa through the city, and provide a simple, but compelling threat to reestablish T’Challa’s skills and get people to start loving him again. Another 6 issues to expand a new/related threat to the national level, have him reconnect with Shuri and them, and show the government’s failure, leading to T’Challa being fully accepted.

It could, but instead shes wasted time on non important things.

now if she wanted to do it, she'd be cancelled before she got to the punchline

[DigiCom]

I'm not sure the book is even in the top 100 anymore.

I can't imagine this run going on for longer.

According to ICV2 (by way of Comic Book Revolution) December's issue of Black Panther ranked at #174.

While there is always a drop when books are released in the last week of the month, it's usually not THAT low.

[Username taken]

According to ICV2 (by way of Comic Book Revolution) December's issue of Black Panther ranked at #174.

While there is always a drop when books are released in the last week of the month, it's usually not THAT low.

Yeah, it'll probably get cancelled for very, very soon.

Whatever Ewing has planned, she'll need to wrap it up quick.

[Username taken]

Or just remembered sunspot is black

At that time, it seems even Marvel had forgotten that Sunspot was meant to be Afro-Brazillian. Lol.

I wonder if Evolution could've found a way to work Bishop in as a teenager...

The creators of the show mentioned Bishop but they felt it wouldn't work to introduce him as a teenager.

As an aside (and I don't want to derail the thread), do the X-men even have any black American male characters outside of Synch? Bishop and Manifold are Australian and Gentle is Wakandan.

There could be some black American male X-men but I can't remember any prominent ones...

[Ezyo1000]

It could, but instead shes wasted time on non important things.

now if she wanted to do it, she'd be cancelled before she got to the punchline

It's because these writers keep trying to reinvent the wheel and think that these long drawn out, predictable deconstruction stories interest people when in reality no one actually cares, they will write a poorly researched article and then no move on to the next thing.

This is what happens when amateur writer's who don't care about the character are given essentially carte blanche over the franchise

[Dariel81]

If Eve BP gets cancelled I don’t think we will see a 616 BP Solo title for a while.

[skyvolt2000]

If Eve BP gets cancelled I don’t think we will see a 616 BP Solo title for a while.

And have Eve be blamed for it and pretty much end her at Marvel?? Because that is what the usual suspects would toss out.

And the optics would look bad-your billion dollar Oscar winner black hero doesn't have a book.

[Ezyo1000]

If Eve BP gets cancelled I don’t think we will see a 616 BP Solo title for a while.

Nah, in doubt that, they will simply course correct and get someone else. They know T'Challa can sell and they know he is a household name. He'll be back for sure. Especially if Ult BP is fire

[Username taken]

Marvel will bring out another BP book even if the current one is canceled.

For them to introduce an Ultimate BP book suggests they know there's a market for the character. However, and it's been said many times, quality matters.

Miles Morales, Moon Knight, and Daredevil had always been ok sellers but the creative people on those books- Cody Ziglar, Jed Mackay, and Chip Zydarsky killed it on their books and all are pretty much top sellers now (as an aside, I remain confounded on what Zdarsky is doing on Batman).

[4sake Baned]

Not bad.

I hope T'Challa "subdues" M without too much fuzz. I was worried about this considering how the X-franchise doesn't really have much room for strong black men.

Interestingly, the writer of the X-men: Evolution (who was white) said that "teen black men" were the most loyal audience for the X-franchise but they weren't really represented in the stories. That's why he created Spike for the cartoon.

The more you know.....

I like Spyke but they should’ve used Synch & Bedlam but I can also can see how they didn’t know who they were at the time giving how Non white males are historically treated over there.

At that time, it seems even Marvel had forgotten that Sunspot was meant to be Afro-Brazillian. Lol.



The creators of the show mentioned Bishop but they felt it wouldn't work to introduce him as a teenager.

As an aside (and I don't want to derail the thread), do the X-men even have any black American male characters outside of Synch? Bishop and Manifold are Australian and Gentle is Wakandan.

There could be some black American male X-men but I can't remember any prominent ones...

For Black American males it’s a struggle over there

Synch & Darwin imo are the only Black American Males who currently leading man potential power & personality ( meaning standing next to the white beautiful character & not looking out of place as is) they need redesigns imo. Some hair & or facial hair & new uniforms for starters. Darwin mom is Black American if I remember correctly & dad is latino/hispanic been a min since I read his origin & not goona go look for the comic lol..

2nd teir males black male X-men imo are Prodigy & Bedlam who currently wrks best as a support character/non main team character imo. Bedlam should’ve joined the a man team in the 90s instead of NM/XForce. He has potential main roster potential imo.

Can’t think of any other Black American Males who do much of anything in the main marvel universe.