T'Challa: The Black Panther Appreciation 2024

[Ture]

"Can't let them have the symbol because the world will need a symbol."

Prophetic last words of a dying Black Panther. The writers and editorial at Marvel can't let fans and enthusiasts of T'Challa the Black Panther have him as a symbol, despite the comic world needing him as such.

Blood Hunt's premiere issue would have been fine if T'Challa the Black Panther wasn't in it to be fodder and a sacrificial lamb. T'Challa is played almost as if he were a sidekick... to add insult to injury he is played off American Falcon, Sam Wilson (There is only one Captain America and his name is Steve Rogers).


T'Challa is written as if he hasn't got a strategic thought in his head nor a tactical bone in his body. The Black Panther doesn't heft spears and leap head first to get gutted by the new baddy. MacKay has T'Challa fighting like he used to in the eighties, against super powered foes like Korvac and Count Neferia. The Black Panther is well beyond such base pugilism.
Oh wait, one might argue T'Challa should get a point for screaming "City, emergency evac!" This demonstrates some fore thought and planning. Wrong. Something that pedestrian works best for Sam.

Let us peruse SUNDEATH: 00:58:39. Here we see one of the Black Panther's true peers, one Victor Von Doom, handling this attack with the preparedness and aplomb that T'Challa and Wakanda should be in possession of. But no, instead we get a depowered, disgraced, former king who longingly hurls himself into death's bloody embrace. To add further insult to horrific injury... based on the upcoming preview of Black Panther Blood Hunt #1 apparently unlike Doom's Latveria, T'Challa's Wakanda has no preemptive defense against vampires.


Marvel has convinced me that every iteration of T'Challa the Black Panther post Priest is a variant. This allows the ignoring of previous skills and power-sets displayed in preceding iterations. Obfuscating continuity facilitates this dismissive and disrespectful display of the Black Panther. I mean how else can one explain that during Hudlin's run T'Challa the Black Panther had a Thrice Blessed Armor... in his wardrobe... just for vampires. Did MacKay know this and choose to ignore it or did he not research the Black Panther's past dealings with undead or did MacKay simply not care one way or the other.

[Frontier]

Again, the entire team were basically useless and it seems like the villain group was put together specifically to take The Avengers down and he still managed to pull one over on them even if at the cost of himself.

[Ezyo1000]

I don’t see BP doing much mysticism. He’s been written to be mistrustful of magic if I recall. Dooms power set is more robust than t’challa’s. Bast’s blessings don’t really amount to anything substantial if we’re being honest. Doom’s scientific mind also doesn’t have a ceiling whereas t’challas does.

People might even complain if he over relies on tech or magic as that might be seen as taking away from strategic mind. It would help if all of this was figured out

I would say in terms of power set, Dooms is more fleshed out, but at the same time, T'Challa has more potential. I would say scientific prowess wise, T'Challa vs Doom is similar to T'Challa vs Reed. In terms of full on tech vs tech, Dooms would be more advanced than T'Challas in terms of raw capability for what it was designed to do, however, in terms of application and use of said tech, T'Challas would have far more ingenuity, and versatility, able to be used in orthodox and the unorthodox.

How it see it. In terms of tech, they are equally matched, in terms of magic dooms has the advantage, In terms of fighting prowess T'Challa has the advantage, in terms of prep and planning, they are equal/ slight advantage to T'Challa and in terms of genius they are equal/slight advantage to Doom.

I get the sense from Mackay that T'Challa very much could take on the heavyweights, he just hasn't had the opportunity.

I mean, we have SEEN multiple heavyweights show up, and he is seen fighting the ones who are more peak human/ slightly super human. Theres ample opportunity, it's just again he has been stripped to the most basic tool set

[dkrook]

I don’t see BP doing much mysticism. He’s been written to be mistrustful of magic if I recall. Dooms power set is more robust than t’challa’s. Bast’s blessings don’t really amount to anything substantial if we’re being honest. Doom’s scientific mind also doesn’t have a ceiling whereas t’challas does.




People might even complain if he over relies on tech or magic as that might be seen as taking away from strategic mind. It would help if all of this was figured out

Respectfully, what kind of master strategist wouldn't consider using every tool in the set to get a job done. Shadow Physics was a blend of magic and science that T'Challa created.

[Anthony Shaw]

Respectfully, what kind of master strategist wouldn't consider using every tool in the set to get a job done. Shadow Physics was a blend of magic and science that T'Challa created.

Right, these aspects are part of his canon. Sadly, there aspects have not been developed as they should.

T'Challa is divine powered, in addition to the science warrior ninja stuff.

[XJlock]

I don’t see BP doing much mysticism. He’s been written to be mistrustful of magic if I recall. Dooms power set is more robust than t’challa’s. Bast’s blessings don’t really amount to anything substantial if we’re being honest. Doom’s scientific mind also doesn’t have a ceiling whereas t’challas does.

People might even complain if he over relies on tech or magic as that might be seen as taking away from strategic mind. It would help if all of this was figured out

It is probably why he has a penchant for anti-magic gear (such as the Ebony Blade or Red Panther suit) instead of using full-blown spells when faced against magical/supernatural users.

[dkrook]

Right, these aspects are part of his canon. Sadly, there aspects have not been developed as they should.

T'Challa is divine powered, in addition to the science warrior ninja stuff.

I feel haters really expose themselves when they speak on what's too much for T'Challa, the same elements are somehow perfect and amazing in Doom. It's very apparent that Victor and T'Challa are 2 sides of the same coin. When you say their name, or they enter a scene there should be the same amount of weight. Marvel is just unwilling to gave T'Challa the treatment the character deserves.

[Ekie]

Edit...........

[Ekie]

I get the sense from Mackay that T'Challa very much could take on the heavyweights, he just hasn't had the opportunity.

I agree.
There was a small scene of him leaping up a skyscraper so McKay knows he's superpowered. Plus the recent gamesmanship he's shown in the last Avengers issue is top tier stuff that backs up the "most dangerous" moniker being used

I think the frustration though is that the T'Challa still isn't being used at his rational physical ability being Avatar of a god, ki g of the dead with powers from past pathers ect. The status quo is still closer to Captain America then where it should be which is in between Spider-Man and someone like Doom. There's just no consistency or even consensus at Marvel on what he's capable of because solo writers are busy exploring wakandan barber shops

[Ezyo1000]

Right, these aspects are part of his canon. Sadly, there aspects have not been developed as they should.

T'Challa is divine powered, in addition to the science warrior ninja stuff.

Yeah I agree, T'Challa is definitely more Anti magic built when it comes to combating such things. Shadow physics (in terms of how T'Challa has used it) still seems more tech based than alchemy or magical. Whereas Shuri (as I am assuming that RJs KiB Shuri used Shadow physics) was more alchemy/ magic based.

To me that the perfect contrast between T'Challa and Doom. One who uses magic to dominate and the other who uses his martial prowess to dominate.

This further reinforces why the soul spear makes little sense too

[Nate Grey]

Marvel has convinced me that every iteration of T'Challa the Black Panther post Priest is a variant.

Works for me.

[taozen]

"Can't let them have the symbol because the world will need a symbol."

Prophetic last words of a dying Black Panther. The writers and editorial at Marvel can't let fans and enthusiasts of T'Challa the Black Panther have him as a symbol, despite the comic world needing him as such.

Blood Hunt's premiere issue would have been fine if T'Challa the Black Panther wasn't in it to be fodder and a sacrificial lamb. T'Challa is played almost as if he were a sidekick... to add insult to injury he is played off American Falcon, Sam Wilson (There is only one Captain America and his name is Steve Rogers).


T'Challa is written as if he hasn't got a strategic thought in his head nor a tactical bone in his body. The Black Panther doesn't heft spears and leap head first to get gutted by the new baddy. MacKay has T'Challa fighting like he used to in the eighties, against super powered foes like Korvac and Count Neferia. The Black Panther is well beyond such base pugilism.
Oh wait, one might argue T'Challa should get a point for screaming "City, emergency evac!" This demonstrates some fore thought and planning. Wrong. Something that pedestrian works best for Sam.

Let us peruse SUNDEATH: 00:58:39. Here we see one of the Black Panther's true peers, one Victor Von Doom, handling this attack with the preparedness and aplomb that T'Challa and Wakanda should be in possession of. But no, instead we get a depowered, disgraced, former king who longingly hurls himself into death's bloody embrace. To add further insult to horrific injury... based on the upcoming preview of Black Panther Blood Hunt #1 apparently unlike Doom's Latveria, T'Challa's Wakanda has no preemptive defense against vampires.


Marvel has convinced me that every iteration of T'Challa the Black Panther post Priest is a variant. This allows the ignoring of previous skills and power-sets displayed in preceding iterations. Obfuscating continuity facilitates this dismissive and disrespectful display of the Black Panther. I mean how else can one explain that during Hudlin's run T'Challa the Black Panther had a Thrice Blessed Armor... in his wardrobe... just for vampires. Did MacKay know this and choose to ignore it or did he not research the Black Panther's past dealings with undead or did MacKay simply not care one way or the other.

"Can't let them have the symbol because the world will need a symbol."

When I read that T'Challa that I thought "WTF!" It made no sense that T'Challa would say that. Wouldn't T'Challa 1st priority be to protect Wakanda. Why could he and Wakanda be a symbol of the world against the fight against vampires. Now I get they have a book where T'Challa is a vampire about to drop so he would need to be turned. I also noticed how Doom has prep in place (probably some type of negotiation with the Vampires) but T'Challa sacrificing himself and possible his nation for another country's symbol did not make sense to me.

[Tofali]

I rolled my eyes at that stupid line thinking what African would ever say that crap (unless they are corrupt)

[Frontier]

I don't think it had anything to do with Wakanda or Africa (it's not like Wakandans even care about him at this point) but I feel like it would have made more sense if it was Steve and there not be two active Captain Americas who more or less function the same way.

[Tofali]

I don't think it had anything to do with Wakanda or Africa (it's not like Wakandans even care about him at this point) but I feel like it would have made more sense if it was Steve and there not be two active Captain Americas who more or less function the same way.

It'd have made sense if either Captains were saying that line about each other but it is nonsensical coming from any other character.