In pursuit of Moon Knight, the Black Panther has been ambushed by a pair of freedom fighters – Killmonger and Storm. What they have have to show him may change everything that Wakanda’s war with Ra and Khonshu is about. Ultimate Black Panther #3 is written by Bryan Hill, drawn by Stefano Caselli, colored by David Curiel and lettered by Cory Petit.
If nothing else, Ultimate Black Panther #3 looks pretty darn good. T’Challa‘s drawn strapping as always, modern beard in tow (please keep the beard!), with Killmonger looking every bit his physical equal. The opening fight, between a betrothed-to-T’Challa Okoye and his bellicose, belligerent, brawny(!) sister Shuri looks fantastic. The action is crisp, the faces look fresh, the hair…natural (though, hilariously ironically, Okoye has the now infamous “Killmonger” doo).
So yes, the comic looks good. It’s also, especially in this issue, a pretty easy read.
Okoye and Shuri’s display of fighting prowess feels regressive: two women fighting over a man always does. Yes, they supposedly disagree over how much they should tell the people about T’Challa’s now weeks-long disappearance. They’re both frustrated, mourning, and using their perceived positioning with the disappeared king as a means to assert their own political wills.
They’re also clearly fighting not just for who has the right to lead, but who’s really closest to the King. Considering Okoye sleeps in a separate bed from her husband, it’s maybe not surprising Shuri wins; more surprising is her ability to punch through an apparently metal cyborg.
Meanwhile, The men bicker as Killmonger and Storm show T’Challa an ancient cave with a mystic power.
T’Challa and Killmonger pretty bluntly state their political perspectives, sans any nuance: Killmonger is the prodigal son, T’Challa is the protector prince. This dichotomy is reflective of their appearances in previous comics, sure; it also reads very closely with the MCU versions of the characters.
The two kill an antelope (maybe a young Beisa Oryx?) before they walk their way down, from the stone mouth of a panther, into the catacombs of what appears to be an ancient tomb. The trip takes the two (well, the trio, as Storm is already inside) deep into the claustrophobic vibranium caves, with the last page revealing some mysterious power, vaguely reminiscent of an Immortus Engine.
And…that’s it.
After three issues, we still don’t really know much about these character’s personalities; their motivations still read about as deep as a puddle, and just as obvious. There’s not much to praise or critique, save the threadbare plot and some pretty visuals.
Maybe that’s intentional.
As Marvel moves to make their comics more cohesive with their movies, one can’t help but wonder if Ultimate Black Panther is less an alternate version of the character and more a re-imaging of what the company wants – and needs – the character to be. The comic is easy to read; there are no challenging ideologies and moral qualms that keep you from rooting for the hero. If you’ve watched 2018’s Black Panther movie – and you probably have! – then you have all the background you need to read this work.
Now compare that to the “legacy” Panther, which has had T’challa gain an intergalactic empire, lose his throne, and relegated him to a backwater (for Wakanda) city for the better part of a year’s worth of publishing. If I wanted to bring someone into the comics, where would it be easier for them to start?
Exactly.
As these issues progress, it appears less likely that there will be any kind of major paradigm shift beyond what’s already been telegraphed; it appears more likely that the purpose of these issues is to provide an easy jumping-on point for fans maybe a bit overburdened by all T’Challa has going on in the other universe. (Certainly becoming a vampire won’t help!)
Gaining new fans is always a good thing; accessibility is certainly commendable, and nothing in these issues is offensively bad. This may not be game-changing work, but it is good enough.
And while one may wish “good enough” wasn’t the goal, “good enough” is what we have, for better and worse.
At least it looks pretty though.
Buy Ultimate Black Panther #3 here. (Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, ComicsXF may earn from qualifying purchases.)
A proud New Orleanian living in the District of Columbia, Jude Jones is a professional thinker, amateur photographer, burgeoning runner and lover of Black culture, love and life. Magneto and Cyclops (and Killmonger) were right.
Find more of Jude’s writing here.
