BLACK PANTHER COMIC BOOK - Ridley... Believe it or Not - Moratorium in March!

[Emperorjones]

I read the Issue 6 today and while reading I was anticipating how it would make some of you go off. I wasn't that impressed. I thought the artwork wasn't bad, but I'm losing confidence in Ridley's writing this title. I think his Black Batman fares better (there might be some pacing issues and villain issues there too with that book, but not as badly, or noticeable, as there is with his BP).

Spoiler (click to reveal)

It feels to me that Ridley is writing the MCU T'Challa (from the BP movie) more than the comic book T'Challa. The idea that T'Challa has no plan really except to fight like hell, yet Shuri thinks of every eventuality and Shuri placed a tracker on him without him knowing. How T'Challa is getting saved by women all the time, and basically all the other men (so far not even M'Baku or a M'Baku like character has shown up) are bad, oppositional, or impediments.

It made little sense why the Hatut Zeraze were intent on killing T'Challa. Even if he murdered someone seems like they would arrest him. The writing was muddled on that. We see the HZ calling for his death and seeking it, but then we see Akili saying to arrest him but kill him if you have to. I don't get how T'Challa was necessarily a traitor.

And what happened to the mysterious sleeper agent killers? Were they just HZ in disguise or is that leading somewhere else?

I didn't care for the Storm-T'Challa conversation. While we just knocked too much realism in comics, I do think their conversation would've worked better if it had been more realistic. Not that Storm blasts him in a fit of pique, and later sheepishly says she wouldn't have done that if she had known he was that injured. It didn't look good for either character. It made Storm look petty. How could she not see the man bleeding from his side? Further, she did see that he was being attacked by multiple Hatut Zeraze and on the losing end (that scene where he puts his head to the gun and accepts his fate came off like a generic movie scene). I think it would've been more cutting if Storm had simply told him how much he hurt her instead.

But it was more dynamic visually, and more in keeping, to have a black (woman) character physically check the (black) male character and then   berate them afterward, and the male generally takes his lumps. That whole conversation should have come after-if at all-Storm asked what was going on, why were his secret police attacking him, and how could she help. She was Queen of Wakanda and seems like she would still care what was going on in the country.

This whole business about how T'Challa loves Jhai makes no sense. Perhaps Marvel/Ridley are getting ready to reveal that T'Challa is bisexual, because why else would he care about this guy more than his own flesh and blood, Storm, or any of the Avengers (characters the audience all knows, or knows better than a character I think Ridley made up; if Jhai was in the books before Ridley please correct me on that)? I think this story would work better if Ridley was rebooting the whole series and not having it come after Coates. That way he could've spent time building up his original characters, or even if he didn't, I could better imagine, with this being a reboot, that these relationships/friendships were more legit. It's asking a bit much of readers to get us to buy this deep bond with no setup.

And the final panel sets up the black woman vs. black man struggle that seems like Ridley is now going to go full Coates. I could be wrong there. I do think Ridley is still a better writer, however, he should be a much better writer on this book owing to his history of writing novels and comics. Coates had the excuse of not writing comics before.

By the end of the issue I'm still not sure who the mastermind is. In the preview for the next issue it does talk about Akili's coup, so I'm guessing he's the mastermind. If so, Ridley has done a weak job establishing him as a legit threat. Priest did a great job quickly establishing Achebe as someone very dangerous, whereas Ridley has wasted pages, issues, not building up Akili. The whole friend betraying you is also generic and to me unsatisfying because it's not like Akili has a deep history in the comics (to my knowledge) to really make his betrayal sting. Hunter would make a better villain for this story. I was hoping that's where they were going-and Ridley still might-but it's looking like it will be Akili as the big bad right now. If that stays the case, a disappointing beginning to the Ridley era.

[Emperorjones]

I sent this to Marvel's feedback email

Dear Mr Ridley and Marvel Editors,

I read Black Panther #6. While the issue wasn't bad I feel like this was a missed opportunity to show off Tchallas' skills. I feel like there could have been a chess match between Akili and Tchalla with Tchalla outmaneuvering and incapacitating the Hatute over several days as he is a strategic genius. Also, given Tchallas' nature, shouldn't he have a few bunkers of backup equipment positioned around Wakanda? Just a basic Vibranium suit and energy daggers would have been more than enough. And after Doomwar, where food was laced with trackers, I don't see how even Shuri would be able to put one in him. His paranoia after that wouldn't allow it.

Also we need a full issue of Tchalla and Jhai because the relationship doesn't feel real as a newly introduced best friend.

Finally I feel that there are some dialogue problems with Tchalla. Not in the main story, but it seems you're trying to make him more quippy, but its falling short as he is a more stoic character. Also why are the Hatute chanting 'Kill Tchalla' continually? Are they supposed to be robots?

Thank You for your time.

Okay to print

Thank you for sending that. Good questions.

[Kimoyo]

I sent this to Marvel's feedback email

Dear Mr Ridley and Marvel Editors,

I read Black Panther #6. While the issue wasn't bad I feel like this was a missed opportunity to show off Tchallas' skills. I feel like there could have been a chess match between Akili and Tchalla with Tchalla outmaneuvering and incapacitating the Hatute over several days as he is a strategic genius. Also, given Tchallas' nature, shouldn't he have a few bunkers of backup equipment positioned around Wakanda? Just a basic Vibranium suit and energy daggers would have been more than enough. And after Doomwar, where food was laced with trackers, I don't see how even Shuri would be able to put one in him. His paranoia after that wouldn't allow it.

Also we need a full issue of Tchalla and Jhai because the relationship doesn't feel real as a newly introduced best friend.

Finally I feel that there are some dialogue problems with Tchalla. Not in the main story, but it seems you're trying to make him more quippy, but its falling short as he is a more stoic character. Also why are the Hatute chanting 'Kill Tchalla' continually? Are they supposed to be robots?

Thank You for your time.

Okay to print

Very well put! Ridley’s story thus far would be impressive if he were writing Eddie Murray’s Prince Akeem Joffer, but this is not T’Challa. Instead, he is writing the diminished, dumbed down T’Challa Marvel seems to be intent on peddling as a more palatable Black hero who doesn’t quite rise to the level of a Tony Stark, Reed Richards or Steve Rogers. No evidence of his enhanced speed, strength, senses or naturally superior strategic genius. These are elements of this character that should be on display, incorporated in every story. Why would anyone not employ such gifts in such a circumstance? And to sell real fans on the possibility that anyone could outflank T’Challa on Wakandan terrain is insulting, lazy storytelling. T’Challa would not have made his escape without knowing exactly what was coming and how to counter it. I know this is harder to write but T’Challa’s traits have been well established. We deserve better.

Peace,

Mont

[Ezyo]

im Just going to copy paste one of my responses from CBR. But this is easily the second worst BP run of all time. Behind only Coates. NO ONE can or likely will do as bad as Coates, but Ridley sure does out up a solid effort to

Spoiler (click to reveal)

Dude... The dialogue is frakking horrendous. This is 100% a dude who doesn't know how to write or capture T'Challa, or any Wakandans voices. T'Challa rarely swears and he. Ever says isht... On this book he said it atleast 4-5 times and overall from everyone else int he book atleast another 3-4 times... And it Made the scenes just... Stupid. Dude doesn't even get that these characters are African. All of them. They don't talk like Americans do. They don't say "isht storm" or "oh isht" they don't talk like that.

Also once again, people are taking T'Challas traits and giving them to Shuri, In the most force fed of ways.

Between the horrendous dialogue, the pathetic action scenes and performance by Tchalla, the completely un-tchalla like behavior on how he is talking... Congratulations to Ridley, he is now. Worse BP scribe than Coates. I didn't think it was possible for someone to be worse than Coates but he did it.

To take a line from the issue: This entire series by Ridley is a "isht show"

[Emperorjones]

Storm Calls Out Her Ex-Husband Black Panther's Bad Behavior

http://www.cbr.com/storm-shows-black-panther-his-worst-mistakes-marvel/

[Ezyo]

Oh look, another article that plays Storm off as the victim and acts like she was just an innocent victim of T'Challas betrayal. Casually leaving out WHY he annualed the marriage because she sided with terrorist of Wakanda and attacked the king right on front of the people with mutants in tow. Cute.

[supreme illuminati]

Storm Calls Out Her Ex-Husband Black Panther's Bad Behavior

http://www.cbr.com/storm-shows-black-panther-his-worst-mistakes-marvel/

Oh look, another article that plays Storm off as the victim and acts like she was just an innocent victim of T'Challas betrayal. Casually leaving out WHY he annualed the marriage because she sided with terrorist of Wakanda and attacked the king right on front of the people with mutants in tow. Cute.

Attacking our confindent unapologetic hypercompetent Alkebulan centered Black manhood by proxy of the pinnacle current expression of such...THE BLACK PANTHER...isn't part of their A.G.E.N.D.A. at all...

...oh, WAIT!!


Somebody tell Redjack to write a book that I can buy, please. Thanks.

Somebody tell Ture to write some fanfic that I can read, please. Thanks.

[Ture]

Storm Calls Out Her Ex-Husband Black Panther's Bad Behavior

http://www.cbr.com/storm-shows-black-panther-his-worst-mistakes-marvel/

Oh look, another article that plays Storm off as the victim and acts like she was just an innocent victim of T'Challas betrayal. Casually leaving out WHY he annualed the marriage because she sided with terrorist of Wakanda and attacked the king right on front of the people with mutants in tow. Cute.

Attacking our confindent unapologetic hypercompetent Alkebulan centered Black manhood by proxy of the pinnacle current expression of such...THE BLACK PANTHER...isn't part of their A.G.E.N.D.A. at all...

...oh, WAIT!!


Somebody tell Redjack to write a book that I can buy, please. Thanks.

Somebody tell Ture to write some fanfic that I can read, please. Thanks.

Throw yourself in the mix with the BP fan fiction, Brother Supreme. The Black Panther's future may just line in the imagination of a true enthusiast who writes a great BP story that gets so popular on social media that Marvel takes notice.



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[Ture]

A New Marvel Hero Steps Up to Replace Black Panther as Wakanda's Protector (Exclusive)
By TIMOTHY ADAMS

There are tough times ahead for Black Panther, but luckily a new hero is stepping up to defend Wakanda. The African nation is in a transition state, moving to a parliamentary democracy during T'Challa's Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda adventures. One of Black Panther's darkest secrets has also come to light, with his sleeper agents being assassinated by unknown attackers. T'Challa's investigation into the assassins has led to him becoming the Number One suspect, now on the run from Wakanda's secret police force, the Hatut Zeraze. Luckily for Wakanda, a young man named Tosin Oduye is looking to make a difference during the political upheaval.

ComicBook.com has an exclusive preview of Black Panther #7 from John Ridley, Stefano Landini, Matt Milla, and VC's Joe Sabino. The preview features Tosin coming to the rescue of Wakanda Prime Minister Folasade after she gives an emergency announcement to the country's citizens. Akili, head of the Hatut Zeraze, sends his officers to apprehend Folasade and are thwarted by Tosin. Akili was once a prime suspect in the deaths of T'Challa's sleeper agents but was able to turn the king's secrets against him, making T'Challa a wanted man.

First introduced in a backup story in Black Panther #3/Legacy Issue #200, Tosin Oduye comes from a village in Wakanda that has shunned the vast technology that has helped shape the country into the powerhouse that it is today. He's a youth who has cast a skeptical eye at the Wakanda's elders and T'Challa for the way they have run their society. Tosin's introduction offers a different perspective and could help T'Challa look at Wakanda through new, fresh eyes. Marvel.com also noted that "Tosin will make the crucial decision to become Wakanda's newest hero when a boiling point between the king and the nation reaches its head."

The preview for Black Panther #7 can be found below. The issue goes on sale July 6th.












https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/black-panther-7-preview-tosin-wakanda-protector/#6

If Ridley wasn't so belabored with rendering T'Challa the Black Panther as an incompetent leader, hero and lover maybe the introduction of fresh supporting characters would chime louder. To the BP faithful... we been here a few times in the past. Each time we thought it could get no worse. Well, now we know how bad it can get with further implications it is going to get much worse. However T'Challa the Black Panther can and will weather this and come back even better. Just ask Casper Cole; T'Challa the Black Panther survived Doomwar and left his job in Hell's Kitchen; he was the Avenger who reestablished the known universe; whose romantic relationship they're still trying to destroy; T'Challa the Black Panther, who even in the Coatesverse, became ruler of an Intergalactic Empire without even trying. Now all we have to do is get past yet another poorly scripted usurpation and an A.G.E.N.D.A. inspired shocking reveal. Three years from now we will be onto something new and hopefully better.

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[BlackClaw]

I don’t even know if T’Challa can whether the next three years. But what I do want is for sales for this run to tank hard.

[Emperorjones]

It's hard for me to think of any other comic book headlining character where it seems the steady goal to is to make their books about anyone but them, outside of Black Panther. Why is it so "hard" to focus on T'Challa, build him up, give him an interesting journey that affects and changes him (for the positive), that allows him to affect the world (in generally positive ways)?

I don't see a steady drumbeat of deconstruction, of being labeled the fault and blame all the time-for any other headlining character. Certainly, there have been challenges, great failures, mistakes, tragedies, and moments for character growth, but it seems like with other books the focus is still kept on their headliners and reinforcing how necessary their headliners are in the books that bear their names.

[Kimoyo]

It's hard for me to think of any other comic book headlining character where it seems the steady goal to is to make their books about anyone but them, outside of Black Panther. Why is it so "hard" to focus on T'Challa, build him up, give him an interesting journey that affects and changes him (for the positive), that allows him to affect the world (in generally positive ways)?

I don't see a steady drumbeat of deconstruction, of being labeled the fault and blame all the time-for any other headlining character. Certainly, there have been challenges, great failures, mistakes, tragedies, and moments for character growth, but it seems like with other books the focus is still kept on their headliners and reinforcing how necessary their headliners are in the books that bear their names.

I totally feel you EJ! Fact is Marvel don’t give a ish about what T’Challa fans want. Haven’t for years and I believe that the middling sales of the title is a direct result.

Peace,

Mont

[Ezyo]

It's hard for me to think of any other comic book headlining character where it seems the steady goal to is to make their books about anyone but them, outside of Black Panther. Why is it so "hard" to focus on T'Challa, build him up, give him an interesting journey that affects and changes him (for the positive), that allows him to affect the world (in generally positive ways)?

I don't see a steady drumbeat of deconstruction, of being labeled the fault and blame all the time-for any other headlining character. Certainly, there have been challenges, great failures, mistakes, tragedies, and moments for character growth, but it seems like with other books the focus is still kept on their headliners and reinforcing how necessary their headliners are in the books that bear their names.

Writers of the solo of late seem to take personal offense to what T'Challa represents and make it their mission to completely undermine the character

[Ture]

The way I see it T'Challa the Black Panther is undergoing the replacement character-altering storyline event... for a third time unfortunately. The first and second attempts with Casper Cole and Shuri respectively both failed to replace T'Challa the Black Panther and now Shuri with her new movie due out soon and Tosin with his now generation hero status are at it again.

This will be akin the Death of Superman arc where he was replaced by four new super characters; Batman's "KnightSaga" in which he was replaced by Jean-Paul Valley aka Azrael. Green Lantern Hal Jordan being driven insane and replaced with Kyle Rayner. Remember what they did to Iron Man? Stark succumbs to alcoholism Stark relinquishes Iron Man's armor becomes a homeless vagrant while Rhodes is the new Iron Man.

It got worse for ole Shellhead. Many years later in a second deconstructive arc Tony Stark aka Iron Man is revealed to be a traitor and a murderer who soon after his first appearance is retconned into being a sleeper agent under the manipulation of Kang the Conqueror. To add insult to injury the original Tony Stark is killed and replaced by his teenage variant. Need I mention the Spider-Man Clone Saga?

The main difference for the Black Panther is the protracted attack and discrediting of T'Challa's character and credibility in conjunction with obfuscating and out ignoring his powers and accomplishments. This is further compounded with the dismantling and desecration of the Wakandan social order. All this under the auspices of the A.G.E.N.D.A., Woke politics and a parade of writers whose esteem for Afrakan sovereignty and futurity have as much depth as a puddle.

[Emperorjones]

The way I see it T'Challa the Black Panther is undergoing the replacement character-altering storyline event... for a third time unfortunately. The first and second attempts with Casper Cole and Shuri respectively both failed to replace T'Challa the Black Panther and now Shuri with her new movie due out soon and Tosin with his now generation hero status are at it again.

This will be akin the Death of Superman arc where he was replaced by four new super characters; Batman's "KnightSaga" in which he was replaced by Jean-Paul Valley aka Azrael. Green Lantern Hal Jordan being driven insane and replaced with Kyle Rayner. Remember what they did to Iron Man? Stark succumbs to alcoholism Stark relinquishes Iron Man's armor becomes a homeless vagrant while Rhodes is the new Iron Man.

It got worse for ole Shellhead. Many years later in a second deconstructive arc Tony Stark aka Iron Man is revealed to be a traitor and a murderer who soon after his first appearance is retconned into being a sleeper agent under the manipulation of Kang the Conqueror. To add insult to injury the original Tony Stark is killed and replaced by his teenage variant. Need I mention the Spider-Man Clone Saga?

The main difference for the Black Panther is the protracted attack and discrediting of T'Challa's character and credibility in conjunction with obfuscating and out ignoring his powers and accomplishments. This is further compounded with the dismantling and desecration of the Wakandan social order. All this under the auspices of the A.G.E.N.D.A., Woke politics and a parade of writers whose esteem for Afrakan sovereignty and futurity have as much depth as a puddle.

You are right about how other superheroes have been deconstructed and replaced. I actually like replacement and legacy characters when I feel they've been done right. I even had no problem with Kasper Cole, but more so no problem with Shuri taking over in the comics, because I thought the set up was good enough for it (Shuri more than Cole, because I don't remember much how that all went down for that character). I like seeing how a different character takes on the mantle, how they do things differently, better or worse.

I didn't know they did all that to Tony, but as for the other examples, one thing that sticks out to me is that they often (particularly where Superman and Batman are concerned) demonstrated was how important Clark and Bruce were as opposed to others taking on their mantles or filling in for them. I don't think we get the same kind of respect for T'Challa.

When it comes to BP, the creatives have no problem tearing him down, but don't put the same energy in building him back up or leaving him better than when they found him. I had hopes for Ridley, who started off better than Coates, but now those hopes are waning. He's found a way to carve his own lane with Batman, to present a different Batman without replacing (or disrespecting) Bruce, but for some reason he can't do likewise with T'Challa. I imagine that if Ridley would be as eager to deconstruct Bruce Wayne if he was writing the main Batman title. Perhaps he would but I still don't doubt he would do him like he's doing BP, much like how Coates wrote Captain America more reverently than he did Black Panther.