Written by Andrew Fontana
People like to say that throwing a character or franchise in space shows a fundamental bankruptcy of ideas.
I thought the same thing when Ta-Nehisi Coates and Daniel Acuna’s Black Panther relaunch was first announced.
At that time Coates was wrapping up his “Avengers of the New World” arc, a storyline that struggled across the finish line despite a strong beginning.
I doubted that a change of scenery could do much to save a book that struggled with pacing and a lack of focus on its titular character.
If anything, the idea of throwing good old T’Challa into space sounded like the death knell of a once-promising run. I dove into Black Panther #1 with these thoughts in mind, and I’m happy to say they were wiped as thoroughly as T’Challa’s memory.
Black Panther #1 is a genuine fresh start for the character.
There is little else besides T’Challa’s fleeting memories of Storm that tie this book to the previous plot threads of Coates’ first volume, but the thematic explorations of identity and political sovereignty that made the first volume distinct are fully present here.
What’s different is Coates’ command of the medium. Black Panther #1 is jam-packed with action. Events move briskly in contrast to the decompression of the first volume; and what little dialogue there is does an excellent job of worldbuilding. The existence of an imperial Wakanda built on slavery is a compelling idea, albeit one fraught with challenge.
Coates has proven before that he can navigate such waters in his earlier volume and his nonfiction work, and his handling of what could be controversial material showcase the skillful sublty of his writing.
Coates leaves us with little information about this new status quo beyond setting up the basics of this imperial Wakanda, and doesn’t weigh the script down with layers of exposition. He leans more on Daniel Acuna here than he did on previous collaborators. Acuna’s sharp action sequences and sci-fi sensibilities are fit for the space opera that Coates is building. His designs for this new world owe much to Brian Steelfreeze’s earlier work on the series, yet they never feel derivative. Acuna’s ability to take that afro-futuristic aesthetic and apply it on such a vast canvas is a big part of what makes this book so much fun.
Acuna’s visuals and Coates’ growth as a comic book writer are sure to make Black Panther #1 the undisputed King of Marvel’s Fresh Start.
Rating: 9/10
