A slave with no memory, just vivid dreams of a woman with white hair, implores him to come back to her. Rescued by two rebels, Nakia and M’Baku, T’Challa meets their commander, Captain N’Yami who she names this skilled fighter T’Challa.
BLACK PANTHER #1
Writer: Ta-Nehisi Coates
Artist: Daniel Acuna
Lettering: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover Artist: Daniel Acuna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
What You Need to Know:
This startling relaunch provides an expansion and fresh direction on a beloved character to intrigue the established and new readers by purposely navigating with familiar names and symbols from classic stories and articulating the Marvel Cinematic Universe to build theories of what may be happening. At first, “The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda” on the cover may seem potentially convoluted, but the few panels with open navigation provide clarity and excitement to the questions that lie ahead for the reader.
What You’ll Find Out:
We are thrown 2000 years into the future, a galaxy where Wakanda is the undisputed society conqueror. How did this happen? Is there a relationship between this T’Challa and the ancestry king of Wakanda? Are we in a potential future? Or are we in an alternate present? Maybe even a dream? These questions are not answered in action pact, exciting first issue.
Instead, we’re captivated into the story of a “Nameless” subject condemned to vibranium mine slavery and subject to “The Miners” class of Wakanda’s empire.
This unnamed slave is a fierce fighter who bears a strong resemblance to the hero we’re used to seeing as Black Panther’s main character.
This slave sought out freedom through a violent uprising combat motion against the Askari. The slaves are freed by the Rebels, also known as the “Maroons”, just after the “Nameless” slave fought with another prisoner. He rescues that same prisoner as he is being saved, himself. This shows fine personal qualities or a high moral principle that is a characteristic of the original King of Wakanda. This issue ends with the rebel captain conveying that she is impressed with his actions and acknowledges that the empire took his memories. Now, this “Nameless” slave is no more, he has joined the Maroons and given the name of a legend past, T’Challa.
What Just Happened?
Issue #1, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ storytelling gracefully holds true to his skills as he expresses awareness of culture and politics. Those who are familiar with Coates past writings, he continues to articulate fluently throughout this issue. Coates addresses slavery that is effectuated by people of the same race, yet his storytelling is mindful to the sensitivity of the issue based upon his knowledge and personal experiences. Coates is doing another very smart thing with this new story arc. He has introduced and utilized two characters, Nakia and M’Baku, people clearly recognized from the Black Panther movie as well as the classic comic books.
Daniel Acuna radiates through the exciting action-packed artwork that conveys motion and fluently tells the story without words. The running and fight scenes result in successful cause and effect panel sequences. These moments are stunning through his powerful quick paced action art.
Rating: 9 /10
Final Thought: People of Wakanda in outer space, seems to be a weird concept at first. However, Black Panther #1 possesses a lot of momentum, even with anticipated questions. Who is the white-haired woman in the dreams of this once “Nameless” man now called T’Challa? Are they memories of Ororo? If so, is this T’Challa the original King of Wakanda that we know and love? If so, does the “Time Stone” have a role along with connecting to the upcoming Infinity Wars story? Are these questions too overzealous? Maybe, this woman in his dreams, the love of “his” life, is just a coincidence as she resembles Storm. Are the characters, Nakia and M’Baku, the original or really just once “Nameless”, now rebels of the “Maroons”? Is their commander, Captain N’Yami, actually T’Challa’s birth mother or simply just given a name from their historical royal family, like the other “Maroons”? As Coates noted on the last page; “Hang tight, it’s all part of the journey!” This first issue is intriguing and action-packed from the first page to the last. Now reread this new take on a classic hero and take notes, as we anxiously wait to learn more about in issue #2 on sale 6/27/18!