1 – Wakanda is the City, the City is Wakanda
One of the most common criticisms I’ve seen towards Ultimate Black Panther online is that, while it’s a good comic, it’s an outlier in the new Ultimate line. Not quite at the inventive level of the rest of the line. Compared to standard superhero fare from Marvel and DC, it holds its own quite well, but... That dreaded ‘but,’ you know? And, honestly, I could see that criticism as I read the comic issue by issue to an extent. I’d want to push back because I sensed something in the book. More than anything, I thought it unlikely that the second ongoing of this line would be a fairly straight forward, typical head-on conflict with members of the Maker’s Council and nothing more. In rereading the first six issues of the book, I hit upon what I should have gotten right off:
Ultimate Black Panther is the story of an advanced secret ruling class that hoards a rare, possibly mystic material, technology and other advancements from the rest of the world, now beset by outsiders who want to shine a light on this practice and, seemingly, make the surrounding world a better place by toppling this hidden society and spreading its knowledge everywhere.
Bryan Hill treats Wakanda like it is the City. Just as the Maker has his City and his Council, and secretly hoards advancements, so too does T’Challa have Wakanda that does the same. Ra and Khonshu take the place of Tony Stark and Doom, rallying followers under the guise of liberation from a hidden society that could help but doesn’t. The perspective is that of T’Challa and his ‘Council,’ often, and we see the true motives of Ra and Khonshu, which is increasing their power in service of their secret ruling class. Still, this is a comic that exists in a world that mirrors the history of Wakanda, after a sense, and doesn’t shy away from the similarities. The tension of a highly advanced secret country in the middle of Africa is a longstanding source of tension in Black Panther comics, particularly when juxtaposed with the need surrounding them throughout their home continent. Numerous comics have highlighted the privilege and hypocrisy at the heart of the concept, particularly when T’Challa and others are portrayed as heroes, yet unwilling to actually help others in a meaningful way. This is a nation that hoards Vibranium, secreting it away from the rest of the world.
As Ra and Khonshu’s quest to take Wakanda under their rule continues, they gradually shift tactics from the brutal conquerors that we see in the first issue, razing a village with their faceless troops, to winning over the hearts and minds of the peoples surrounding Wakanda. They do this through miracles and practical improvements to their lives, and, then, they pattern their attacks somewhat on the way Kang struck at the Maker and the City in Ultimate Invasion, with devoted followers transported in, imbued with great powers, and a mission that seems righteous. Ra and Khonshu see that the best way to attack Wakanda is from below, just as they fear others will attack them.
In these issues, the perspective in Wakanda
is solidly placed on T’Challa, Okoye, Shuri, and their allies. As much as we
hear about the citizens of Wakanda, their worries, their discontent, and their
desire to protect their country, we never experience first hand. The point is
to see this country and the ensuing conflict through the eyes of the elite,
those with every reason to protect what they’ve got, often in the names of
others, but, maybe, really, for themselves. We see enough to grow fond of the Wakandan
elite and root for them, but, are they heroes? Or are they just another version
of the rot at heart of the world? It’s hard not to be struck by the revelation
that the traitor in Wakanda is a former member of the Dora Milage and none of
them know who she is. It’s the reverse of one of those stories where you follow
an average person as they plan and scheme against a tyrant only to die in the
end, making a big speech about their motives, and the tyrant responds with “Who
are you again?” As with most things, it’s a matter of perspective.
2 – The Maker and his Council
Just as the Maker has his Council, T’Challa surrounds himself with trusted advisors. At the end of issue four, he purposefully cultivates a small group that’s meant to protect against possible spies. It’s a contrast to his declaration in the second issues where he says “The only people I can trust are in this room” in the War Room containing five additional people who would not make the cut for his final “circle of force” (and missing Erik Killmonger and Storm). It recalls the Maker’s uneasiness following his trip to the future where Kang blasted away part of his head; instead, T’Challa has seen part of his kingdom taken away by Ra and Khonshu as his father was killed and some of his citizens turned against him.
T’Challa is often benevolently naive. He’s been raised to be the king of a hidden kingdom safe behind high walls and this opening arc is him struggling to do the ‘right thing’ in face of unknown, new challenges. The early issues of this story seem to have him stumbling into allies and truths without meaning to. His venture into the world outside Wakanda is done with reckless abandon and it’s by chance that he encounters Killmonger and Ororo, finding common ground against a common enemy. That these two who immediately bring to mind guerrilla fighters side with T’Challa against Ra and Khonshu tells us that, despite the trappings of Wakanda and its similarity to the City, it is not the City. They are able to see through the efforts of Ra and Khonshu, seeing them for what they are. Yet, Killmonger is quick to remind T’Challa that he doesn’t necessarily trust Wakanda either, having left there, frustrated by its unwillingness to use its means to help the surrounding people.
Within T’Challa’s ‘circle of force,’ the conflicting desires for how and what Wakanda should do is a simmering issue, most notably coming to a head in a sparring match between Okoye and Shuri at the beginning of issue three. The former, as queen, tries to represent the traditional role of Wakanda – the latter, as the inventor princess free of the burdens of the crown, argues for Wakanda to enter the rest of the world. Shuri’s continued enthusiasm almost makes it seem like she could be a traitor in an effort to push Wakanda beyond its walls. Initially, at least. That sense that Shuri could be a traitor kind of flares up and, then, recedes as the true traitor is revealed (if it’s the only one).
T’Challa’s group differs from the Maker’s
Council in a basic manner. The Maker has his Council to manage his control on
the world. He controls them, they control continents, their minions control
increasingly smaller portions, etc. They externalise his ambition and desire to
fit everything in the world into its proper place, under his precise control.
T’Challa’s group, while loosely corresponding to members of the Council,
represent his inner turmoil. Each vocalise a part of him and the way that he’s
pulled in different directions. Shuri is his duty to his people’s traditions
and security, Shuri is his duty to his people’s future, Killmonger is his duty
to the people outside Wakanda, Ororo is his confusion over his role as king and
protector and what it means to be more than a regular human... that feeling
(truth?) that he is, in fact, above others. But, their desires all subsume to
his. Much like the Maker’s desires and the existence of his Council.
The conflation of and relationship between superhumans and gods is a slippery concept throughout these first six issues. T’Challa places himself below his gods, even to the point of humbling himself before the Vodu-Khan, while also distrusting the sect. He seems to truly struggle with his place as king, a self-determining ruler that is responsible not just for his own fate but that of his nation, and what that means as a mortal guided by and beneath the gods. This tension is made that much greater when encountering the orb that creates life in the temple via Killmonger and Storm. If Vibranium was Wakanda’s gift from the gods, then what is that second material? It’s never a question that dominates the comic, sitting just below the surface as T’Challa struggles to find his footing in the discovery of the second orb and the conflict with Ra and Khonshu.
Taking the lead from their names, Bryan Hill plays into the idea of them as gods. What’s notable is that, prior to this series and in the early issues of this series, both wear suits rather than costumes. The suits, black and white, play off their opposites and act as costumes of sorts. However, as the conflict with Wakanda intensifies and Khonshu, in particular, leans into the god rhetoric, he begins also using the name Moon Knight and wears that familiar costume, replacing the regular mask with a metal bird mask. It’s an allusion to Khonshu’s appearance traditionally in Marvel and also to Iron Lad/Doom. The rivets on the mask recall the look of Doom’s mask, albeit elongated and warped into the bird visage. That he would wear a mask that echoes the rebels fighting against the rule that he’s a part of further enforces the idea that Khonshu is subverting that idea with Ra, using the ways of their enemies against Wakanda.
The way that Khonshu adopts the trappings of a superhero while proclaiming himself a god also recalls the Maker, a former superhero who still dresses in a costume and mask. The Maker is, in essence, the god of this universe, refashioning it into the world that it is. We don’t know the history of Ra and Khonshu, but the power that they have and the territory that they control comes from the Maker. They have both at his leisure, making him a god of sorts to them. As the two try to expand their reach and, possibly, take even more of the world, they would naturally look to the Maker’s example. What I find interesting is that, despite his costume and superhuman capabilities, T’Challa never positions himself in a similar manner, not even in opposition to Khonshu. If there’s a redeeming element to him that separates him from the Maker, it’s that he understands his place, even as king of Wakanda.
The role of the Vodu-Khan in these issues
is an odd one. There’s a sense that they are never to be trusted, but T’Challa
cannot disregard them. Moreover, he must continue to seek their advice and
knowledge, even as he’s wary of their goals and the ways that they may seek to
manipulate him. In these issues, he’s given two prophecies by them, neither of
which comes to fruition yet: that he will encounter a woman of light that will
give him an heir (presumably Ororo), and that the second material will change him
in a manner that he will resist before embracing. The sense of fate and destiny
plays into the mythic nature of the story. T’Challa is cast as a man of
destiny, a great hero – or perhaps a misguided villain given the parallels to
the Maker – battling gods as a champion of his people. The Vodu-Khan are like a
sinister Greek Chorus, one with its own agenda that remains to be revealed.
4 – Two Orbs
One of the central mysteries at the heart of these issues is the true nature of Vibranium and its sister orb, a glowing green thing with the power to spread life. As we learn in issue five, both arrived via meteorite, and Wakanda’s use of Vibranium has, largely, been what we’re familiar with in the regular Marvel Universe. The other, unknown substance is related to Vibranium, presented as its opposite: “Vibranium makes our weapons. Our shields. Our machines. It is the God of Material. Think of its opposite as the God of Flesh. It can accelerate life. From it, whole kingdoms can be born,” is what Matron Imala of the Vodu-Khan tells T’Challa. The use of the word ‘god’ is an interesting resonance, as is there being a pair that are linked yet opposites (like Ra and Khonshu). While Khonshu and Ra initially seemed set on taking down Wakanda via conquering its Vibranium mines, their target quickly shifts to this new substance, including an attack directly in Shuri’s lab to steal a portion of it.
While I’m not entirely certain what these
two substances mean beyond plot contrivances that contain some thematic
resonance, a couple of visual details jump out at me in issues three and six.
In issue three, Killmonger takes T’Challa to the temple where the second orb is
housed and, at the entrance, is a panther along with various figures carved out
of stone. Right before T’Challa enters, a panel occurs showing a closeup of one
of the figures, whose facial details remind me a lot of Kang...
In issue six, after their servant had taken a portion of the orb, Ra and Khonshu used it to begin to remake their kingdom, including the Temple of Ra. At first glance, it’s an odd design that resembles a humanoid shape more than a building. Taken with the similarity to Kang outside the temple, I realised that this remade Temple of Ra resembles another incarnation of Kang: Immortus.
It’s a little jumbled and compressed, but the visual allusion is hard to miss once you see it. If these are purposeful hints towards the involvement of Kang/Immortus/Rama-Tut is unknown. It would be thematically sound as a way to connect this plot into the broader story of the new Ultimate Universe where, somehow, these two orbs were sent back in time by Kang (or another of his identities) for a use when the City opens back up.
5 – Visual Opulence
Carrying over from his work on Ultimate Universe #1, Stefano Caselli is the primary line artist of Ultimate Black Panther, drawing the first four issues, with Carlos Nieto doing issues five and six, while David Curiel colours all six. Caselli is a capable superhero artist and his skills with action and drama are well on display. But, what stands out for me when I flip through these issues is the use of space. Everything is big, everything is wide open. Whether it’s a village or a field or T’Challa’s bed chambers or the city square, there’s always a sense of largesse. Nothing is small, nothing is cramped or contained. T’Challa lives in a world of opulence and his surroundings reflect that. It reminds me of the large, open spaces of the City in Ultimate Invasion. Wakanda, like the City, is a contained little world, trapped within walls of its own making and, yet, it seems so big. The trick is that the walls don’t seem to exist for those that live within and that’s part of the sinister element of their existence. After all, if your home is both secure and seemingly endless, what care is there for what exists outside of the walls?
The character design of T’Challa intrigues
me. The Black Panther has some key changes, most notably with the open mask,
showing T’Challa’s mouth. It’s a callback to the initial design of the
character by Jack Kirby where that part of the mask was weapon, showing his
skin. That style of mask was much more common than the full face mask that was
used instead, which hid T’Challa’s brown skin, concealing his identity and race
completely. Besides restoring that original idea and pushing back on anything
that would suggest hiding who the character is, there’s also a sense of freedom
and confidence in the open mask. The closed mask is also complete protection,
almost like a helmet. With skin exposed, it’s like T’Challa is telling any
enemies that he’s not afraid, that he can display some vulnerability without
concern. Outside of his Black Panther costume, his general attire is the black
and gold jacket/robe that is so bold in its look. Regal and striking, it plays
off the black and silver of the costume, implying that the role of the Black
Panther is a lesser one than his role as king.
6 – Temporal Structure
The way that the Ultimate line reflects our world by moving at the same speed is more subtle in Ultimate Black Panther than it is in Ultimate Spider-Man. Where the first Ultimate ongoing explicitly states each month, this series prefers allusions to the passage of time. Phrases like “a few weeks” often pop up early in an issue to hint at how much time has passed since the events of the previous issue. It’s a very ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ sort of storytelling. However, that Hill is subtle in his adherence to the line’s treatment of time doesn’t mean he ignores it.
The structure of the series is to highlight important moments while having events move quietly in the background. It’s a matter of emphasis, as I stated earlier, where the book’s focus is on the actions of the ‘important’ characters, the elite. Ultimate Spider-Man often indicates the change of time through smaller moments or focusing on supporting characters – the regular people moments. This is a comic about Wakanda as the City where the emphasis is on the ruling elite and the common people are, at best, pawns. As those characters lead big lives with big events, the book jumps from big event to big event. That gives the impression that the comic is too sparse at times. It’s storytelling by big beats, in a way, which is not as dissimilar from Ultimate Spider-Man as it appears, at first. Again, it’s a matter of emphasis.
The other way that it reflects our world is by how the story subtly reflects the launch of The Ultimates, the book that most closely mirrors this one. Issues five and six of Ultimate Black Panther coincide with the first two issues of The Ultimates, and it’s no coincidence that that is when Khonshu starts increasing his rhetoric and alters his tactics (notably from faceless shocktroops to regular people given powers and iconography) to position Wakanda as a privileged, secret ruling class of sorts, interested in hoarding and protecting its wealthy status quo. The end of issue six where T’Challa protects a mineral refinery from Khonshu and his forces prefigures Hawkeye’s attacks on Roxxon in The Ultimates. When Khonshu mockingly asks, “Wakanda moves to protect corporations now?” T’Challa responds “Wakanda stops terrorists.” It’s a twisted version of the attacks that the Maker’s Council are beginning to see against themselves. While T’Challa sees through Khonshu, there’s still the fact that Wakanda is more like the City than T’Challa would care to admit.
Next: Ultimate X-Men #1-6
