Wakanda: The Final Frontier.
Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates breathed new life into Black Panther when he took the helm of the previous solo series in 2016. Unfortunately, the momentum generated in the opening storyline, "A Nation Under Our Feet" didn't entirely carry over into subsequent stories like "Avengers of the New World." Black Panther needed a shake-up as badly as any ongoing comic, and Marvel's Fresh Start relaunch delivers exactly that.
While it may seem silly to relaunch the series with Coates still attached (particularly given how it just reverted to its original numbering last fall), in this case the new #1 is justified. Black Panther #1 makes a clean break from what came before. It features a completely new status quo and mostly different cast of characters. Heck, it doesn't even take place on Earth. Instead, the new series picks up where Marvel Legacy #1 left off with the reveal that Wakanda has become an intergalactic empire in its own right. That twist alone is enough to push the series in a direction unlike anything we've seen before. That alone is a pretty huge selling point.
This shift in focus also makes the new series a perfect jumping-on point, regardless of your familiarity with Coates' previous work or earlier Black Panther runs. If anything, Coates seems to delight in keeping readers off guard and uncertain about these new surroundings. This first issue dives right into the heart of the conflict, with T'Challa a prisoner of the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda and various strange characters with familiar names popping up during the course of his ordeal. The final few pages bring some clarity, but even then the reader is forced to question what they're seeing and how this series ties back to the wider Marvel Universe.
The new book shares more in common with books like X-O Manowar than anything else. It's much more heavily steeped in science fiction tropes than superhero or political elements. That's not to say Coates doesn't have deeper themes and goals at work. Clearly, the new book is meant to examine the allure of Wakanda and the way its ideals can become perverted with time and distance. There's also a subtle theme of redemption at play. Some of the familiar characters alluded to in this story stand out, not just because they were big players in the movie, but because they're people who have been antagonists in T'Challa's life at one time or another. Part of me is disappointed that the Wakandan empire is being treated as such a malevolent, destructive force right out of the gate, but I'm still very intrigued to see where all of this is headed in the months to come.
New artist Daniel Acuna brings a visual overhaul to match Coates' revamped plot. His art has an inherently surreal, sci-fi-worthy quality to it, so his work fits right in with this cosmic setting. His colors in particular set the mood right out of the gate, creating a book that's both somber and otherworldly. Acuna takes a little design inspiration from the movie when it comes to costume designs, but again, in a way that suits this new setting. Acuna proves himself a capable storyteller here. This issue remains fixated on T'Challa, who's nearly as perplexed by his new surroundings as the reader. T'Challa rarely speaks at all throughout this issue, but Acuna's art never fails to convey the character's state of mind and intentions.
The Verdict
Black Panther #1 is a promising start for this new era of Coates' run. It's certainly different enough from previous incarnations. And Acuna's art ensures that the book looks better than it has since Brian Stelfreeze was drawing it. Issue #1 gives readers a fresh start with the character while also offering plenty of incentive to stick around and see where this strange odyssey is heading.
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