Black Panther

Christopher Priest/Marvel Comics

     Simply put, Black Panther, Volume 2, is one of the finest titles Marvel has ever published.  Writer Christopher Priest has taken a character whose potential has never been fully tapped (save for the classic JUNGLE ACTION run of the 1970s; a PIGPICK), and places him at the center of sophisticated, challenging plotlines, and a fascinating supporting cast.  The end results are superbly crafted and exhilarating stories, which seamlessly reconcile the Panther’s extensive (and, until now, little known) history with that of the Marvel Universe’s.

       Hence, everything is the same, and yet, nothing is.

Yes, the Panther still wears a costume, battles supervillains, and interacts with superheroes (i.e. The Avengers), but Priest digs much deeper.  This is not simply a mere superhero book.  This is the saga of a king who must constantly be on guard in order to protect his wealthy, technologically advanced African nation from all manner of enemies who covet its achievements, from  elements within the U.S. gov’t to age old hatreds close to home.

     Priest constantly reminds his readers that T’Challa is a king first and foremost, and all his decisions and actions are based on that reality.  Yes, he wears a costume, but only because he is the chieftain of the Panther Clan, and the garb is ceremonial.  Yes, he joined the Avengers, but initially to spy on them, to see if they were a threat to his realm.   Only with time did he come to see service with the Avengers as an honor.

     With such responsibilities, the noble T’challa must constantly sacrifice his personal life and keep his emotions under wraps.   Old flames and enemies (specifically the interesting Eric Killmonger, a Wakandan warrior dictator with a Bill Gates bent) return to reveal the many tragedies of his past, and to emphasize the almost godlike demands of running a kingdom in which you alone keep competing tribes from each others’ throats.

     Such delicate balancing of superheroics, involved political and economic intrigue, extensive aspects of Marvel history, not to mention the title character’s past, would flounder in melodrama and sink like a stone in the hands of most writers, but Priest is not most writers.

He knows the value of humor, and and how vital it is to  keeping an audience entertained and involved.  Enter Everett K. Ross, T’Challa’s U.S. State Department liason, whitest of white men, and the funniest character in the Marvel Universe, not to mention comics in general.  Imagine Xander Harris from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (are you watching it?! You should be!) all grown up, but with the same hip, hilarious motormouth wit.

     Ross is a perfect foil to the austere, proper T’Challa, and it’s comics’ best match right now.  The entire saga is narrated from Ross’s point of view, which lends a refreshing everyman quality to the book.  Ross is us, thrown into the most outlandish situations, wondering how the hell we got into them, but still trying to do our part.  Even his often jaded outlook cannot help but be inspired by T’Challa’s noble example.  Ross is the anchor of the book, and as he becomes increasingly loyal to the Black Panther and his purpose, so do we.  

    Black Panther Volume 2 enjoyed a 62 issue run, which concluded in 2003.  The first two story arcs have been collected in the trades 'The Client' and 'Enemy of the State.'  This series should not be confused with the current, third volume, which is of mediocre caliber.

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