Black Panther Appreciation: Wakanda Forever!

[XPac]

I think Achebe would be tricky to pull off as we see him in the comic, but I could find some fun ways to make it work. Tetu and Zenzi similarly could be fun. I think, if they're going to threaten Wakanda in a second movie, it has to be a genuinely external threat, not internal. You don't want to run the risk of repeating the first story.

Jungle Action #12 - Blood Stains on Virgin Snow!



This issue starts in a pretty badass way as the Black Panther rides the outside of some kind of futuristic hoverjet. Tayete and Kazibe are going to lead him into the Land of the Chilling Mists. This is the first time I've seen this story in color and the color definitely makes a huge difference. It definitely has this sense of an alien world that they're venturing into.

A lot of the issue focuses on Killmonger's march to the Resurrection Altar where they meet Sombre. We get to learn how King Cadaver got his abilities. The description is creepy, it's about flesh melting away and being remade. On the other hand, it's thematically important. Everyone one of Killmonger's followers has given up their old name and taken a new one. Their revolution is consciously about overthrowing the old order. Anyway, this is interrupted by T'Challa who finds that he is as quickly overwhelmed as he overwhelmed Tayete and Kazibe, who throws him into the Resurrection Altar.

There's a brief interlude when Monica visits the family of the slain local. They, of course, distrust her as an outsider. It specifically references all the outside influences being brought on Wakanda, including "doctors," "hospitals," and, seemingly, indoor lighting. I think it's useful to remember how much of Wakanda's story we take for granted that wasn't yet established by this point.

Anyway, the interlude is useful because we return with the Panther saving himself before getting knocked unconscious by the touch of Sombre. He wakes in the snows being attacked by wolves. Unlike previous fights with animals, I think this one works. It's very much a man fighting for survival against all the elements. He is left to die, if not by the wolves, then by the cold. But he chases them off and it's clear that his resolve has not been weakened at all.

This is an issue where I thought all the elements that have been set up worked. The terrain of Wakanda adds a sense of wonder and terror. Killmonger is threatening and intriguing. The Sci-Fi/supernatural elements are interesting and symbolically important. Even Tayete and Kazibe are fun here. The internal doubt that plagued previous issues is gone, but we're still nowhere closer to victory.

Uniform Tear Count: 5 - It rips when fighting Killmonger and it tears more when fighting wolves.

It sounds like the threat from the first movie will be both internal and external. And the threat from Infinity War will obviously be external.

I think overall that makes it pretty easy justify either an internal or external threat, or all of the above for the next movie. I think a combination of the two likely works best. You can easily have Zemo for example working with Malice or Man Ape.

[Marvell2100]

It sounds like the threat from the first movie will be both internal and external. And the threat from Infinity War will obviously be external.

I think overall that makes it pretty easy justify either an internal or external threat, or all of the above for the next movie. I think a combination of the two likely works best. You can easily have Zemo for example working with Malice or Man Ape.

Malice and Zemo maybe. I don't see M'Baku working with Zemo.

[XPac]

Malice and Zemo maybe. I don't see M'Baku working with Zemo.

You might be right. We probably need to get a better understanding of the characters motivations before we can really say. Comic Man Ape would pretty much work as hired muscle for anyone, but movie version might be entirely different.

[Ezyo1000]

You might be right. We probably need to get a better understanding of the characters motivations before we can really say. Comic Man Ape would pretty much work as hired muscle for anyone, but movie version might be entirely different.

Given his personality? No, a guy who wants Wakanda to go back to traditional isolated Wakanda wouldn't work ad hired muscle for anyone, that's marvel not giving a f about Characters personalities and using villains as fodder

[ChildOfTheAtom]

M'baku might become a good guy. He's fighting with Black Panther in IW trailer. Maybe he's just saving Wakanda against aliens then he'll go back evil

[Marvell2100]

Anymore word on the BP one-shot The Sound and The Fury?

I know it has Klaw as the villain but that's about it. Is it still scheduled for Feb?

[Marvell2100]

I thought this was pretty cool

[Anthony Shaw]

I thought this was pretty cool

Now that is just....beautiful.

[KingNomarch]

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Attachment 60798

[robreedwrites]

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Attachment 60798

This looks to be from when they visit M'Baku.

[Ezyo1000]

I thought this was pretty cool

This is gonna be LIT

[Agent Z]

For those who are interested Black Panther vs Batman will be the fight for the upcoming episode of Death Battle in February.

[Ekie]

For those who are interested Black Panther vs Batman will be the fight for the upcoming episode of Death Battle in February.

You would think they would be smart enough to know that it isn't even a contest.

Also smart enough to not have Panther get jobbed out during Black History month.

[Mike_Murdock]

Jungle Action #13 - The God Killer



Just off the bat, T'Challa's uniform is torn to shreds for the opening splash. I'd say even more than the end of last issue, but who can tell. The opening here is just him fighting a guy named Jakak who has a spiked mace (it's technically a flail, but everyone calls it a mace). Anyway, the Black Panther is victorious, but he leaves the Resurrection Altar to follow some giant footprints. The narration suggests these prints belong to the White Gorillas.

I wish this Epic Collection had included Avengers 62. That was the issue that introduced the White Gorilla Cult. In this issue, it's revealed that they are massive, terrifying, and, thanks to Killmonger and Sombre, feed on human flesh. It's said that "it would be a terrible agony for a man to meet his gods ... especially gods that he never believed in." There's a lovely sense that both he is in mortal peril and spiritual power as this creature is forcing him to question his entire belief system. The fight is also grusome with it nearly showing T'Challa pluck out the creature's eye, showing blood streaming down, and showing it impaled through the neck onto some sharp bones.

There's a side story with Killmonger journeying into the Valley of the Serpents with Tayete and Kazibe. There's actually a wonderful character moment as Tayete stands up to Killmonger to save Kazibe's life. There's some great character development, even from lesser side characters in this story that has been sadly forgotten. There's also some character development with W'Kabi as his wife is introduced and they explore some more about who he has become. In their argument, W'Kabi strikes out and hits his wife. There's also more exploration of Wakanda and its modernization. The local villager with Monica meets the same healer she has always had who has embraced western medicine along with her own but, when he injects her with a syringe, she freaks out and flees. There's a sense that not everyone is as willing to adapt.

This issue was great, in my opinion. I love the encounter between the Black Panther and the White Gorillas. I love it when they explore Wakandan myth and history, but I think the spiritual impact on T'Challa was felt. I also thought the character development of seemingly small characters was done well. This is a 16 page story, up from 12 pages previously. It only comes out every other month, so conscious effort has to be made just to remind the reader who these characters were, let alone develop them, and, still, we're seeing real development for W'Kabi, Tayete and Kazibe, and the villager (whose name is Karota so I can stop calling her "local" or "villager."). It's also both a physical and spiritual exploration of all of Wakanda. It's easy enough to draw a map. This story is making it feel like a lived-in place.

[XPac]

You would think they would be smart enough to know that it isn't even a contest.

Also smart enough to not have Panther get jobbed out during Black History month.

Black Panther will probably win, but I'm sure it will be close. They'll both end up looking good, win lose or draw.