Black Panther #3- Spoilers and Thoughts

Spoilers incoming...

- We get some vague, Coat-ish style monologue, basically just going back to the past and talking about the various times Wakanda has been attacked. Also get an indication that Tetu is some sort of sorcerer. His dance ends up summoning rain at the end of the book.

- Now to the preview, where Ramonda and T'challa talk about his failures basically.

- Then the Midnight Angel's side of things. They decide they need an army to protect the woman of Wakanda.

- Now Shuri stuff. This is really too... abstract to give a summary of. It is almost like she is learning about the true history of Wakanda here, before the Vibranium.

- Finally, some action. T'challa ambushes Zenzi and Tetu and ends up OHKO'ing Zenzi with a force push and then calls out the Dogs of War to attack.

- Tetu does some dance thing, summons some roots to grab everyone, including T'challa. Yes, roots. Gives his villain monologue about how T'challa basically sucks and takes Zenzi and leaves.

- The Midnight Angels approach the White Gorilla Tribe, with what looks like all the Dora's.


Thoughts...

- This is just getting brutal. I just don't get it man. I just don't like it. T'challa just got taken down by magic roots. Because, once again, he ran into a fight without being prepared. Totally in character.

- I have had my issues with #1 and #2. One thing I never criticized is the writing and art. Well, I am about to...

The art is GREAT in static shots.The Tetu stuff was beautiful. Shuri stuff was beautiful. But, in the action shots , it seems so... lifeless. Like there is no motion going on. I had a minor issue with it last issue but it is more pronounced this issue. No one else is complaining about this so, it is likely just me.

Now the writing, it could be that I am just overly bitter about everything but, it sucks. Maybe I am used to dumbed down comics but... it is overly vague. Always. Overly "deep." The whole Tetu bullshit in the beginning and the end adds virtually NOTHING to the comic. All it does is take away panel space for more important shit.

He has four plots all running at the same time: Tetu/Zenzi, Shuri, Midnight Angels, and some joker named T'challa every once in awhile. It isn't good writing to have four plots going in 20 pages of comics. You can't do all of them justice. Someone is going to get stiffed.

And he is stiffing the GOD DAMN TITLE CHARACTER! His name is on the book and he is in seven pages. And in those 7 pages, he doesn't even act like the T'challa I call my favorite hero. Physcially, he is a non-threat. He doesn't feel super-human at all. He struggles with goons. He overuses the force push thing. Where are his daggers? Where is anything? Why does it feel like "no super powers Black Panther" all over again?

I guess mean muggin' is T'challa's only power these days

- The book would be better titled, "The Midnight Angels." They are the real heroes of this book. They are the ones being proactive, prepping, acting smart. "Wakanda" would be an apt title as well. Because "Black Panther" no longer fits.

- So, there are rape camps. T'challa's head of the Dora's was about to be executed. Another Dora steals his advanced tech and breaks her out of prison. They go to one rape camp and destroy it. They then go to the outlawed White Gorilla tribe. Yet... no reaction from T'challa? No on panel discussion about it? If this was Priest's run, I would say that this is all a part of his plan and he is thinking 5 steps ahead. Under TNC though, it just seems like he is being chumped and made to look like a good damn fool in his own book.

- Who the hell is Lord Mandla? Why not just use M'baku? Did TNC not get wind that he was alive again? I thought TNC hated "Man Ape?" And seeing tech on the Lord of the White Gorilla tribe... UGH. That feels so wrong.

M'Baku is rolling in his... American bed. 

- I am going to be very, very, very curious to see how this book sales by issue #4. I just do not see how it holds its current mark unless it really is non-comic fans that are buying it because TNC name is attached. Dr. Strange is in a similar boat as Black Panther and hell, his world is going to shit as well in his own book. But, throughout his world falling apart and magic dying everywhere... he still comes off as the hero in the book. He is still fighting with every last fiber he has to try and fix it. The other sorcerer's have doubt but Strange doesn't. He is uplifting, he will sacrifice himself to stop the threat.

I don't get that same feeling when reading Black Panther. There hasn't been enough panel time devoted to him to get that feeling. He just feels as if he exists to prop up the supposed villains or Midnight Angels. Hell, the villains barely feel like villains.

- This book just sucks. It is incredibly decompressed, pulled in too many directions, and T'challa feels like an afterthought. If this was any other character, I would drop this book like a rock. Three issues is generally enough to get a feel for a book. And right now, I am feel stuck. T'challa's my favorite hero. I want to support him so he gets more books, shows up in more team books, gets put in events, ect. But god, I don't want to support TNC. This shit is hot garbage right now.

This is me after reading #3