Shuri Appreciation: Princess of Wakanda (2018)

[MindofShadow]

I think the point of it though was to make comic Shuri a bit more like the movie version (which for the record is something I don't agree with). If that's the case (and obviously I'm just speculating), then this probably needed to happen in a book taking place in the present. Yeah, you can easily say the comic Shuri in the past was a lot like the movie version (given how little we've seen of her that's very easy to do), but I think they wanted her more like the movie version going foreward as well.

Again, for the record I'm not a fan of movie synergy. I'm perfectly fine with comic Shuri, M'Baku, and Nakia the way they are, without having to transform into their movie counter parts. But we'll see. The bigger test is what Shuri will be like the next time we see her in the main book.

You use the prequel for a few reasons:

- see if there is an actual fan base for the character that will buy books. If there is, you go ahead and start transitioning present Shuri. If the book bombs, then you don't even have to bother making the effort later. Why bother if there isn't a fan base?

- assuming the book it successful, the present day can use it as a base to begin the transition to a more mcu-ish version. It is no longer as "abrupt" because we have a background that she is a techy wizard other than a single sentence about a phD. The book would take place when T'challa and such are actually around, so she has a chance to be that MCU sassy version because she has T'challa (and hell Eden if hes still around) to bounce off of. And you can do that without making her 13 years old.

[Ezyo1000]

Prequel announced as a mini ahead of time.

Worked perfectly for Rise. If it sells well for a mini, then you entertain a future Shuri series set in the present time.

I'll be curious how the Killmonger mini sells.

Writers for these comics beedto watch my BP and then Redjacks BP to see how to properly integrate mcu with mu synergy. Redjacks nailing it with BP and Shuri and he didn't even know what the MCU was doing.. that's true genius ans skill there

[Killerbee911]

When people complain that its “not my Shuri”, they are essentially saying this isn’t the Shuri of the past 13 years (and as recently as 8 months ago). Those are 100% valid criticisms, especially when we were told that this Shuri book is in the Coates continuity. Adjustments via the MCU were expected but a continuation of the character via Comics continuity was also expected..

I get it, I am comic fan understand very well but I want stress a two points A. They are people who like the move in that direction and B. they are times in fiction where they improve on the original product. And comics fans are overly dismissive of Marvel or DC using the movie versions of things sometimes they get it right. Being a casual of fan Black Panther and knowing a decent amount of the mythos before movie coming out of the movie they were several characters who just stood out Killmonger,Shuri,Okoye and M'Baku and general thought process as some not attach to mythos was if these characters were like that like that in comics I would have been more interested in them.For me question is which the better template for long term success and the answer is MCU Shuri and Killmonger, So while I get where the complaints is coming from the MCU versions has stronger building blocks for bigger success and it crazy not use that even it means ignore past continuity.

Criticism of the process I get but as comics fans we all know that Marvel needs a hard reboot they are things that they need to clean up stuff like Magneto being in the Holocaust, Miles Morales transition in the Marvel,Captain Marvel real origin, The Fantastic four kids ages,etc. Marvel fiction is constantly being improved upon and since Marvel never hard reboot we get soft reboots which only makes thing confusing and frustrating fans because old history and characterization just vanishes for basically a brand new character. I get criticisms but this process is necessary evil without a hard reboot. And keeping it real if they were to hard reboot you guys know what would happen to Shuri. The writers would sit down in a room and go which is best presentation of the character okay let's use that version and being honest a large amount of MCU especially her personality would be the building blocks of the character. I don't dislike the comic book Shuri but with no attachment either version I see MCU as better template that said I am comic fan I get it any time someones say Fox X-men movies are good, my eyes roll to back of my head because even though they are good movies they are clearly not the characters I read. I get where you any fan is coming from who is upset at the change is coming from.

IMO, like I stated before, if they wanted to do pure MCU shuri they should have just freaking done it as a prequel. Stop making new readers (who this is aimed at) know about current continuity in regards to BP, Mute Zones, Storm, Eden, Griot, ect. You are alienating both groups.

The thing is I don't think they are necessarily aiming at new readers, I think they are just using what they think is better version of character. As for your other point It takes awhile comics to get feel for character,Deadpool didn't catch on with right feel until like third or fourth writer. He went through Fabian Nicieza ,Mark Waid, then Joe Kelly and Christopher Priest who made his personality what it is today and feel was perfected. It is work in progress they need to capture her fun loving side, They need to capture oh crap this girl is smarter than Iron Man as well. While they are at maybe a code name and this maybe a variation suit as well

[Ezyo1000]

The thing is I don't think they are necessarily aiming at new readers, I think they are just using what they think is better version of character. As for your other point It takes awhile comics to get feel for character,Deadpool didn't catch on with right feel until like third or fourth writer. He went through Fabian Nicieza ,Mark Waid, then Joe Kelly and Christopher Priest who made his personality what it is today and feel was perfected. It is work in progress they need to capture her fun loving side, They need to capture oh crap this girl is smarter than Iron Man as well. While they are at maybe a code name and this maybe a variation suit as well

They definitely weren't aiming at long time Shuri fans that's for sure. And again, it would of been a smarter move to make it a prequel, why? Because you can then establish this personality as her OG personality, then transition it to current continuity. What Nnedi did was essentially a knee jerk change that completely contradicts a character that's been around for 13 years in such a poor manner.

This is supposed to be the same Shuri who told the MA back off or we will obliterate you? Same Shuri that went to war with Atlantis? Who was a die-hard traditionalist Wakandan through and through? Who had the respect and support of all of Wakanda??

Not even close. Nnedis Change isn't improving the character, it's just chopping her up into a mixed hybrid of old and new Shuri but has none of the positive traits just the negatives.

[Anthony W]

Judging by discussion of this title I have a feeling I will be able to pick the trade up next year around the holidays at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for $4.99.

[Killerbee911]

Not even close. Nnedis Change isn't improving the character, it's just chopping her up into a mixed hybrid of old and new Shuri but has none of the positive traits just the negatives.[/B]

That is where I disagree chopping her into mix of old and new is improving the character not every move has to have instant results long term this better move and yes they could have done it better. They soft reboot character Old Shuri is the end game,The current Shuri is the build up to that with more appealing personality. Shuri was at the end line they don't want Shuri at the end line.

[Realdealholy]

I get it, I am comic fan understand very well but I want stress a two points A. They are people who like the move in that direction and B. they are times in fiction where they improve on the original product. And comics fans are overly dismissive of Marvel or DC using the movie versions of things sometimes they get it right. Being a casual of fan Black Panther and knowing a decent amount of the mythos before movie coming out of the movie they were several characters who just stood out Killmonger,Shuri,Okoye and M'Baku and general thought process as some not attach to mythos was if these characters were like that like that in comics I would have been more interested in them.For me question is which the better template for long term success and the answer is MCU Shuri and Killmonger, So while I get where the complaints is coming from the MCU versions has stronger building blocks for bigger success and it crazy not use that even it means ignore past continuity.

Criticism of the process I get but as comics fans we all know that Marvel needs a hard reboot they are things that they need to clean up stuff like Magneto being in the Holocaust, Miles Morales transition in the Marvel,Captain Marvel real origin, The Fantastic four kids ages,etc. Marvel fiction is constantly being improved upon and since Marvel never hard reboot we get soft reboots which only makes thing confusing and frustrating fans because old history and characterization just vanishes for basically a brand new character. I get criticisms but this process is necessary evil without a hard reboot. And keeping it real if they were to hard reboot you guys know what would happen to Shuri. The writers would sit down in a room and go which is best presentation of the character okay let's use that version and being honest a large amount of MCU especially her personality would be the building blocks of the character. I don't dislike the comic book Shuri but with no attachment either version I see MCU as better template that said I am comic fan I get it any time someones say Fox X-men movies are good, my eyes roll to back of my head because even though they are good movies they are clearly not the characters I read. I get where you any fan is coming from who is upset at the change is coming from.

The number one reason Marvel went the direction they did is because MCU Shuri is by far the most popular version of the character. Why is that version popular? Because it was in a movie that made a billion dollars and was the general public’s introduction to the character.

Coogler could’ve chosen to make Shuri more like her comic book counterpart from the start but opted to have her be younger, likely to have Shuri (and Letitia Wright) around for the long term. That makes sense. Furthermore, MCU Shuri is actually a lot like Early-Hudlin Shuri, which again makes sense being that both versions were NOT former Black Panthers / Queen of Wakanda. Their behavior makes sense within that context.

Current Shuri’s behavior makes zero sense considering her history in the comic books. You cannot ignore her history, especially when the book itself mentions that history. Why is the former Queen of Wakanda acting like a child? Why is the former Queen of Wakanda ducking her responsibilities to her people and her nation? Why isn’t the former Queen of Wakanda stepping up in a time of need, instead of hiding in her lab and chatting online with some unknown person who caused a major security breach?

OG Shuri and MCU Shuri stepped up ASAP. Current Shuri has to be pressured to do so.

OG Shuri and MCU Shuri didn’t duck from their responsibilities, hell they wanted more involvement. Current Shuri hid in her lab for two weeks while her brother disappeared in a wormhole. A random village chief took more initiative in looking for her own brother than she did.

OG Shuri and MCU Shuri are very brave. Where’s the bravery with Current Shuri?

A hard reboot of Shuri, no matter how much I would’ve disagreed with it, would’ve been an an acceptable explaination as for why she is behaving so differently. The problem is that this isn’t a hard reboot. This book is part of continuity. It even mentions the past. Yet it is greatly contradicting it and not for the better.

The thing is I don't think they are necessarily aiming at new readers, I think they are just using what they think is better version of character. As for your other point It takes awhile comics to get feel for character,Deadpool didn't catch on with right feel until like third or fourth writer. He went through Fabian Nicieza ,Mark Waid, then Joe Kelly and Christopher Priest who made his personality what it is today and feel was perfected. It is work in progress they need to capture her fun loving side, They need to capture oh crap this girl is smarter than Iron Man as well. While they are at maybe a code name and this maybe a variation suit as well

If I may ask, which previous Shuri appearances have you read?

That is where I disagree chopping her into mix of old and new is improving the character not every move has to have instant results long term this better move and yes they could have done it better. They soft reboot character Old Shuri is the end game,The current Shuri is the build up to that with more appealing personality. Shuri was at the end line they don't want Shuri at the end line.

What proof is there that this is a soft reboot of Shuri and that Old Shuri is the end game? They already had an older Shuri in their roster. If they wanted a showcase a younger Shuri, they could’ve just done a prequel mini book. Rise of the BP did just that and Shuri’s portrayal, which was def influenced by the MCU, was well done.

Marvel went the way they did because the MCU version became popular. Not because Shuri needed a hard or soft reboot. The execution of said direction is the issue at hand.

[Ezyo1000]

That is where I disagree chopping her into mix of old and new is improving the character not every move has to have instant results long term this better move and yes they could have done it better. They soft reboot character Old Shuri is the end game,The current Shuri is the build up to that with more appealing personality. Shuri was at the end line they don't want Shuri at the end line.

They turned Shuri from a woman who puts Wakanda first and knows what it's like to rule and was loved by the people, into this whiny teen version who blames all her troubles on"being born the wrong gender" always being in T'Challas Shadow, everyone only wanting T'Challa, basically taking all of this faux contrived narrative and making these excuses, while taking none of her charming aspects of the movie except being a genius. Nnedis l is shade throwing on T'Challa and Wakanda while also making Shuri an unlikable Character and having this very poor attitude of blaming everything else rather then looking into herself.

Maybe MCU Shuri is the end game, fine, hut doing prequel would of made the transition cleaner rather then... This

[XPac]

They definitely weren't aiming at long time Shuri fans that's for sure. And again, it would of been a smarter move to make it a prequel, why? Because you can then establish this personality as her OG personality, then transition it to current continuity. What Nnedi did was essentially a knee jerk change that completely contradicts a character that's been around for 13 years in such a poor manner.

This is supposed to be the same Shuri who told the MA back off or we will obliterate you? Same Shuri that went to war with Atlantis? Who was a die-hard traditionalist Wakandan through and through? Who had the respect and support of all of Wakanda??

Not even close. Nnedis Change isn't improving the character, it's just chopping her up into a mixed hybrid of old and new Shuri but has none of the positive traits just the negatives.

Rise sort of already established the MCU elements of Shuri's personality into the comic version. So that helps a little.

But ultmately it's forcing a square peg into a round whole. The version we saw in Rise, Hudlins, and Coats are all different (though Coates version was by design). There's no way to seemlessly backtrack back to the Rise version (which is closest to the movie). It's obvious forced synergy.

[Ezyo1000]

Rise sort of already established the MCU elements of Shuri's personality into the comic version. So that helps a little.

But ultmately it's forcing a square peg into a round whole. The version we saw in Rise, Hudlins, and Coats are all different (though Coates version was by design). There's no way to seemlessly backtrack back to the Rise version (which is closest to the movie). It's obvious forced synergy.

there are more gradual ways of doing it rather then just saying #$&@ it this is how she has been always, continuity be Damned

[XPac]

there are more gradual ways of doing it rather then just saying #$&@ it this is how she has been always, continuity be Damned

Yeah, but a prequal pretty much does the same thing by saying this is how she been always, continity be damned.

THis is a retcon, there's no getting around that.

[Cville]

So Shuri passed by the ship after it had been gone for two weeks. Do we assume that the ship had been sitting there the whole time and Tchalla is in a dream like state? Kinda like an episode of Star Wars the clone wars when the main cast met the personification of Light and Dark side.

[skyvolt2000]

Judging by discussion of this title I have a feeling I will be able to pick the trade up next year around the holidays at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for $4.99.

Nah if this books ends up at Barnes & Nobles (and it will) you can get it free (when they do buy 2 Marvel & get one free) or 10-30% off with coupons (if you sign up for e-mails).
If you have a Half Price books-half the price of the cover.
Amazon has the trade set for May 7th-so it might be in stores in time for Free Comic book day.

And yes I am speaking from experience.


Now back on topic-I think the issue is who does this book serve?
A common issue when it comes to POC lead books, Who happen to be on tv or in movies.

Take John Stewart-the cartoons have done him better justice than the comics.
Black Aqualad-Young Justice Cartoon has treated him better than DC Comics.
Static, Tim Drake, Wally and many others have been built up via cartoons or movies.

Then you get to the comics and they are among the WORST written folks on the planet.

The movie got folks interested in Shuri. One issue-she's a kid sister who was never a Queen who handled up on Namor among others.

Marvel wants teen Shuri-because she equals PROFIT and can be tossed in with Disney Divas.. I mean Princesses line. She's like Riri & Moon Girl-it's not IF I can make money off of them-it's HOW MUCH. If Marvel even joins forces with STEAM program and use them.

A prequel would have been better to use. Get all this established in the mini and THEN lets see Queen Shuri in the main book while big brother is in Space (looking for Battlestar Galactica or Finn's manhood that got lost in Last Jedi) and still keep her history.

[Ezyo1000]

Yeah, but a prequal pretty much does the same thing by saying this is how she been always, continity be damned.

THis is a retcon, there's no getting around that.

No not the same thing as Rise Shuri is similar to Hudlin's Shuri, except rise Shuri is a genius like T'Challa. Nnedis Shuri is basically saying yes the previous version existed but now all of a sudden she is deaged and completely different from 8 months ago. It's not even a retcon it's Blatantly saying I recognize that this is how she was but I'm going to change it because I don't care

[XPac]

No not the same thing as Rise Shuri is similar to Hudlin's Shuri, except rise Shuri is a genius like T'Challa. Nnedis Shuri is basically saying yes the previous version existed but now all of a sudden she is deaged and completely different from 8 months ago. It's not even a retcon it's Blatantly saying I recognize that this is how she was but I'm going to change it because I don't care

Hudlins Shuri was different than Rise. She had sort of a chip on her shoulder, and had some jeolousy issues (which isn't entirely a knock against her... really anyone would be jeolous of T'Challa as he's pretty much good at everything). The Rise version of Shuri, like the movie, seemed pretty okay with T'Challa being BP at least to my recollection. In this regard, I think this Shuri sort of channels Hudlins version... the problem there being she already got over it.

But yes, this book does recognize the changes. I believe to a degree it's attrituted to her changing after she died (which she did) but apparently reverting to her older shelf. Any explanation is better than no explanation at all.... but again, it's fitting a square peg into a round whole.

But the retcon part was Shuri's tech side. That's obvious movie synergy. In a void I actually like the idea... I wish Hudlin came up with it when he first created Shuri, as that was long before the Moon Girls and Riri's were around to clutter the field. She would have stood out more as a super intelligent female.