Black Panther Appreciation: Wakanda Forever!

[Mr MajestiK]

Mutant family comes first and all that.

Being a mutant is more important than being a Black role model for young Black girls around the world when we have so few. What a wasted opportunity for the one of the greatest characters created.

The blatant conceit embodied within the whole "mutant transcends ethnicity" always struck new as being hypocrisy in its most virulent.

Hudlin was one of the only writers to actualize Charles Xavier's dream of humans and mutants living in peace by having Ororo and T'Challa getting married.

The X-writers on the other hand, chose to stay stuck on that artificial pity party trope they have going on where the X-men are always in conflict with a world that supposedly "fears and hates" their kind on a planet that has thousands of non-mutant powered beings rubbing shoulders.

You just have to laugh at the irony.

[Marvell2100]

Priest did an amazing job of building up BP's supporting cast and rogues galley. There's a reason he's almost universally considered the best BP writer.

As far as Hudson goes, I felt he was more a mixed bag. On the plus side he added Shiri and Storm. They BY FAR are the most significant contributions to the mythos. But he also killed off vital member of his rogues gallery and a good chunk of his male supporting cast for no real reason whatsoever. Putting over Morlun, a Spider-Man rogue never to be seen again in the BP mythos just didn't seem worth it.

I will say I actually liked some of the characters and concepts that Maeberry introduced. But like Priests stuff it all sort of vanished after he left. Maybe Coates can find a way to work some of that into his book too.

He also wrote a competent character, compelling lead character.

[Marvell2100]

The blatant conceit embodied within the whole "mutant transcends ethnicity" always struck new as being hypocrisy in its most virulent.

Hudlin was one of the only writers to actualize Charles Xavier's dream of humans and mutants living in peace by having Ororo and T'Challa getting married.

The X-writers on the other hand, chose to stay stuck on that artificial pity party trope they have going on where the X-men are always in conflict with a world that supposedly "fears and hates" their kind on a planet that has thousands of non-mutant powered beings rubbing shoulders.

You just have to laugh at the irony.

Oh I'm laughing alright. Fate and Opportunity. When you have a chance at both, you take 'em. When you squander the opportunity, good luck. But some get lucky, it's not everyday you get a second chance.

[Mike_Murdock]

Isn't Jericho Drumm a friend of T'Challa's? One of Jericho's positions is that he has a direct line to the Vodou Loa/Orishas. Why not ask him for help?

I think the complaints of T'Challa not being the hero in his own book are loud enough as is, thank you very much. People didn't like Manifold showing up, how would they feel about Brother Voodoo?

[Marvell2100]

I think the complaints of T'Challa not being the hero in his own book are loud enough as is, thank you very much. People didn't like Manifold showing up, how would they feel about Brother Voodoo?

People had no problem with Eden at all. I don't recall reading anything that suggested that. In fact I'd like to see Tom Foster appear as a regular in a BP series. The issue isn't who appears in a series. It's how you use them.

[Mike_Murdock]

People had no problem with Eden at all. I don't recall reading anything that suggested that. In fact I'd like to see Tom Foster appear as a regular in a BP series. The issue isn't who appears in a series. It's how you use them.

Here are some posts where people thought Eden cheapened T'Challa's own powers and abilities:
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[Kasper Cole]

I think the complaints of T'Challa not being the hero in his own book are loud enough as is, thank you very much. People didn't like Manifold showing up, how would they feel about Brother Voodoo?

The big problem I have with Eden is that he just shows up and is suddenly T'Challa best pal and most trusted ally. Before now the characters had only interacted ONCE. I'm not even sure if they had an on panel conversation before. It's just obvious that Coates liked the character and wanted to put in in the Black Panther book.

With Brother Voodoo you have a character with an already established connection to T'Challa. As long as he wasn't becoming a central figure in the series at the expense of T'Challa I don't think anyone would have a problem with him.

[Cville]

You do know that Greg is the creator of Is'nana, yes?

Cool!! I asked him if he was going to do a book about the Orisha.

I think the complaints of T'Challa not being the hero in his own book are loud enough as is, thank you very much. People didn't like Manifold showing up, how would they feel about Brother Voodoo?

I want more for Eden. Right now he is just an Uber driver. He is Ubering in other comics too. Quick drop off in Occupy Avengers. At least Clint paid him for it.

[Marvell2100]

Here are some posts where people thought Eden cheapened T'Challa's own powers and abilities:
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Those posts support my point. It's how you use the characters, not the fact that they appear in the comic. One poster said Eden role could have been performed by T'Challa. That's not saying that Eden could have been used differently.

[J. D. Guy]

Don't mind me; just plopping this in.



Loved the final World of Wakanda issue with Kasper! I totally missed how coolly stark-white the White Tiger outfit looked on Kasper!

Just as I suspected, the "Death of White Tiger" was a metaphorical one. I reckon that anyone who took issue with Kasper having the White Tiger name should be at some form ease may. Maybe... I wouldn't bet on it, personally.

Anyway, I loved how this was a crash course re-intro to the life of Kevin. Dude has it harder than ever since the first "The Crew" ended and he slipped into limbo. Poor guy got friggin' kicked out of his own mom's house, by his girl Gwen who was allowed to stay there, no less. That's way harsh, and definitely a bit of story that I really need to see play out at some point.

Oh, and his unborn baby is now born and is a boy. I imagine it's hard on him, not being able to see his son because he's treated as a flaky deadbeat. He's not, of course, but when you can't tell anyone about your extracurricular activities to explain yourself, I guess that's inevitable. Still, poor Kasper's life pretty much stalemated. It makes you think if that happens to all the characters who fall into limbo? (Like poor Patrick Mulligan/Toxin, you know, if he wasn't killed off-panel as an afterthought).

But yeah, seeing him again was cool. I liked how Cardiac was shown as a bit of a foil to Kasper, from his desire to stay relevant to himself and his wants and needs (Kasper is torn between the pride he'd grown to have for his semi-adopted nation and the role he was bestowed and his original prerogative of "heroing" to better his work position so he can better have the means to take care his family vs. not even being able to do that, whereas Cardiac just wants to remain a cruel, self-satisfying "hand of justice", to the degree that he'll consort with criminals to continue having the means to do so), right down to his very looks (both being light-skinned black dudes). Him knocking both him and Vanisher the heck out was cathartic, as even with how we're just now getting back in touch with this character, you can just resonate with how frustrated he feels over his current lot.

My kudos to the writer, Mr. Rembert, who in the span of a single regular issue's length has managed to get me missing Kevin all over again. I appreciate the eye for continuity he displayed here, touching up on all of Kasper's main points for the newcomers, as well as his weaving of events that show some progression in the character's life (in spite of the stalemating) that makes the reader, old and new alike, really feel for the guy, as if we just saw him yesterday, even though it's been literal years.

That ending, though, with the promise that Kasper will get his due respects and that we'll get more of Kasper? Ohhhh, it's such an awesome tease! I hope this'll get followed up on as soon as possible. Maybe Kasper in his new role (what name will he have next?) can join up with the new Crew after a fashion? Either way, I need more of him in my life, especially after this issue!

Hopefully, he'll be able to right his family situation before long, too.



Alright then, everyone. As you were.

[Ezyo1000]

Here are some posts where people thought Eden cheapened T'Challa's own powers and abilities:
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Yes Because of how he was used. He was a waking Uber with Zero character development, yet was crucial in Tchalla actually doing anything in the final arc, the sane people you showed in the post also stated they would of liked for him to actually be more then transportation and a needed cog in everything to give reason for why he was in Wakanda still or at all Even Given he just kinda showed up out of nowhere. It would be like if iron man suddenly needed Carol there to shoot energy blasts at baddies despite the fact he has those already but then he never uses them and Carol Energy blasts become a major turning point in his story, but Carol doesn't contribute much to the story save a few lines and wallpaper status.

That's the issue. Coates threw characters in to have these important roles that T'Challa should of handled, or make little sense as to how that actually worked or where a new power arrived from (other then other reasons) but ends up coming off as just pulling something out of his ass.

Shuris story Should of been condensed into one issue, and the issue where they go "rescue" her Should​of been an Issue focused on Tchalla speaking with and making amends with his anscestors and earning the RoTC ghost army.

[4sake Baned]

Sofija was an inspired breath of fresh air.

Not gone lie my brother I roll my eyes every time I think of Sofija, not a bad written character but I could've done with out...

[XPac]

Those posts support my point. It's how you use the characters, not the fact that they appear in the comic. One poster said Eden role could have been performed by T'Challa. That's not saying that Eden could have been used differently.

Eden's primary power is teleportation, so if T'Challa theoretically teleported around on his own (which he theoretically can) then you probably don't need Eden. If you in theory wanted another superhero around, you probably would want to bring in someone that actually brings in something different.

And I suppose to a lesser degree you can say the same thing about Voodoo.

But really, I think using other characters (especially ones who aren't getting a whole lot of panel time elsewhere) is a good thing provided it makes sense. So IF Coates decides T'Challa can communicate with his gods without Voodoo's aid, that's fine. He doesn't necessarily NEED it. But if he decides to use Voodoo, that's cool too because Voodoo is a cool character with a history with T'Challa, so that makes sense too. I don't think there's a wrong answer in this regard.

[Ezyo1000]

Eden's primary power is teleportation, so if T'Challa theoretically teleported around on his own (which he theoretically can) then you probably don't need Eden. If you in theory wanted another superhero around, you probably would want to bring in someone that actually brings in something different.

And I suppose to a lesser degree you can say the same thing about Voodoo.

But really, I think using other characters (especially ones who aren't getting a whole lot of panel time elsewhere) is a good thing provided it makes sense. So IF Coates decides T'Challa can communicate with his gods without Voodoo's aid, that's fine. He doesn't necessarily NEED it. But if he decides to use Voodoo, that's cool too because Voodoo is a cool character with a history with T'Challa, so that makes sense too. I don't think there's a wrong answer in this regard.

Except Eden literally had Zero character development.
Strictly used for his teleportation which Tchalla has already, had no other powers, they were buddy buddy despite no prior relationship. It's fine to have him come in because Tchalla wants to mentor him and bring out his potential, if that was stated and shown actually, but it wasn't, he randomly showed up in Issue 5 with no warning and then becomes a major component to save Wakanda, without any explanation, would ultimately help develop the character.

So it does matter and how Coates went about it was completely wrong Because he took away T'Challas feats and capabilities in favor of propping a character that had no development and still didn't after all was said and done, just cheaping Tchalla for the hell of it.

And yes given voodoos backround and powerset and relationship to Tchalla it would of made more sense to use him but I know he was tied up

[XPac]

Except Eden literally had Zero character development.
Strictly used for his teleportation which Tchalla has already, had no other powers, they were buddy buddy despite no prior relationship. It's fine to have him come in because Tchalla wants to mentor him and bring out his potential, if that was stated and shown actually, but it wasn't, he randomly showed up in Issue 5 with no warning and then becomes a major component to save Wakanda, without any explanation, would ultimately help develop the character. So it does matter and how Coates went about it was completely wrong Because he took away T'Challas feats and capabilities in favor of propping a character that had no development and still didn't after all was said and done, just cheaping Tchalla for the hell of it

Using another hero will potentially take away feats from T'Challa yes. Presumably that hero is going to actually do something in the story, something that T'Challa would otherwise have to do himself if that hero wasn't there. That's the trade off for this sort of thing.

And that's the potential complaint that may arise from bringing in Voodoo. You can theoretically ask the question why can't T'Challa communicate with his gods without Voodoos aid. Which isn't to say that it's necessarily wrong to use Voodoo... but that's the trade off. I think Voodoo showing up would be cool, so I wouldn't have a problem with it though.