Spoilers incoming...
- Issue #8 begins with the preview of Carol in Wakanda talking to T'challa about forming a new team, to stop universe ending threats before they begin. Essentially, we are getting the, "how the Ultimates formed" story... in issue #8. Carol talks to T'challa, T'challa recommends Blue Marvel, Blue Marvel recommends Spectrum, Spectrum recommends Ms. American Chavez.
- We cut to a some new players on the field: The US Security Council. They are discussing the Ultimates and there potential problems. A shady dude by the name of Philip Nelson Vogt says he has people working on it and there is nothing to worry about.
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| Shadeball alert! |
- The issue moves on to our Civil War tie in... Ulysses. He has the vision of Thanos coming to Project PEGASUS and killing them all. Everyone is on the clock (Thanos is coming in 3 hours) and Carol mobilizes everyone she has access to. This includes The Ultimates, A-Force, Rhodey, and some Inhumans. Monica presents a battle strategy that involves Carol going Binary while the others take turns to keep Thanos guess. As long as no one messes up... it will be fine.
- Someone messes up. She-Hulk takes a missile to the chest while Rhodey gets a whole punched through his chest. Various members of the team blame themselves. Shady Vogt character says they are monitoring the situation with his evil sounding "trouble shooters."
- Thanos is seen, locked up, to which he simply mutters, "My turn."
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| Shouldn't T'challa told them what happens when you hide Thanos in a basement? |
Thoughts...
- As a Black Panther fanboy, Ultimates continues to disappoint me greatly. Many of my issues with this book, in regards to T'challa, is that the threats are beyond his power scale. His teammates include Superman and Wonder Woman types, a heroine made of light, and someone that can punch holes in dimensions.
So, when you get a chance to move beyond "punching people," T'challa should have his moment in the sun. He is the most dangerous man alive not because he can fly at super speed or punch planets... but because of his brain. He is one of the smartest people in the MU, he is calculated, a master planner, with the resources of Wakanda behind him. When he is with the Ultimates, he needs to become "Batgod."
But, every time a moment in the book comes where HE should have the spotlight... Ewing decides to let other members take his shine instead. Whether its sharing Galactus-curing credit with Blue Marvel or this issue... letting Monica plan battle strategy.
T'challa is a damn king who is fought and led his people in WARS. He has proven to be one of the best strategic minds in the Marvel Universe. Why isn't he providing battle strategy here? Why isn't he giving his thoughts ont he subject?
The answer is simple... Ewing likes Monica and Blue Marvel. They are the "real" main characters of this book. T'challa is in this book to try and increase sales... nothing more, nothing less.
So, overall we get this again...
... T'challa standing around, in the background. We didn't even get a "T'challa reaction panel" to the botched mission (we got Monica's, Adam's, Carols, and even MAC's). This is just getting beyond frustrating and I want him on an Avengers proper book next relaunch please.
- Overall, T'challa aside, this was one of the better Ultimate issues. It actually focused on the title characters and not abstract science fiction mumbo jumbo. The art continues to be on point (and on time!).
But really, this issue is good because Ewing is a god damn mastermind of continuity and events. Dude ties his stories into events better than any writer out there. Hell, in one speech bubble, he brings in aspects of Hickman's run as well (Medusa's mention of what Thanos did to the Inhumans). I mean, damn dude. Every time I get mad about T'challa's place in the story, Ewing reminds me why I like him so much.
It also helps that there was a least a page or two of superheroes punching people. That is always nice in a superhero book.
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| Couldn't T'challa throw some energy daggers or something? |
- I am curious to see how this Vogt dude ties into this series. And what his "troubleshooters" actually are in reality. Being able to get past Wakandan security is no joke. And if they are being presented as foil to the Ultimates, they must be pretty badass. We will see where Ewing is going with this as Vogt is definitely an Earth bound threat.
- Why are they bothering trying to capture Thanos? Really? Good luck with that.
First? Excellent blog, brutha.
ReplyDeleteAs a fellow Panther fanboy, I must say that I enjoy Ewing's Panther.
But I ALSO completely concur that TChalla is STILL being underutilized. Largely for the [ good but imo and probably yours insufficient reason ] to prop up Spectrum and Blue Marvel, as these two amazing amazing characters are clearly cosmic powerhouses who have been vastly vastly vastly underplayed and criminally overshadowed during their existence. Their names should echo throughout the MU.
So should TChalla's name echo throughout the MU.
T'Challa is...T'CHALLA.
T'Challa is the premier ultimate and pinnacle expression of "the unflappably calm Man With The Plan [ that works better than anyone else's plan ]". TChalla and Carol should have planned battle strategy. Carol has advanced military strategic combat planning training.
T'Challa would never let a confrontation with Thanos devolve into a clawing encounter [ he's not Logan/Wolverine ] unless it's made clear ON PANEL that T'Challa [ via his own genius and uberprep ] has specifically developed methods to claw and seriously hurt Thanos. Combine the lethal unique Wakandan fighting system that Maberry crafted for TChalla in Doomwar with an Infinity Gem enhanced Power Glove. The kind of Glove he used vs both Iron Man [ PRIEST series ] and Namor [ HICKMAN'S New Avengers ]. The melee pic above lacks these specifics.
T'Challa, in my fanfic, would have done something like use Shadow Physics to harness the power of the M'Krann Crystal in order to craft, empower and drop a Ogun Bomb on Thanos via The Nowhere Room. Or. T'Challa would have caught Thanos with Ka-Nguvu-Teknolojia, returned him once again to the dead husk of Battleworld. Then he would have ignited The Beyonder Bomb...fashioned from remnants of the energy he preserved from The Beyonders, The Molecule Man, and The Reality Infinity Gem...to severely injure Thanos [ should kill him,but we all know that Thanos is never actually permanently honesttuhGawdforreal dead ] ,and serve notice once again: "SEE WAKANDA, AND DIE".
None of this was remotely hinted at in Ewing's good story of Ultimates #8.
Both Thanos and TChalla still have the memory of Battleworld clear in their minds. Thanos...who laconically shrugged off full power blasts from a wrathful Odin...would not take TChalla so very lightly. Yes, Thanos would be overconfident. He remembers that he destroyed Wakanda in Hickman's run, and slaughtered most Wakandans with his Cull Obsidian...
..and I hopehopehope/would like to think that Ewing is going to write TChalla getting his much deserved "Revenge, Retaliation and Gitback" [ whatcha know bout that DoggPound? ] with essentially a new, less morally compromised, less arrogant ILLUMINATI in the form of THE ULTIMATES at his back. That's why I see Thanos being imprisoned as not being objected to by TChalla. T'Challa...The Epitome of The Man With The Best Plan That Works...is going to avenge himself on Thanos. Personally. And both of them...Thanos and T'Challa... know the showdown awaits them.
If such is the case? Then it behooves T'Challa to do exactly what he has done. Show nothing that tips his hand before he drops them 5th Ward things on Thanos in the showdown he foresees. he already has his uberprep in place.
If such is NOT the case? Then Ewing missed a sweet opportunity and what he did is...essentially...show T'Challa to be a bumbling fool who didn't learn from the unprecedented failures and victories of Hickman's run.
And. Vogt. T'Challa...and probably the Hatut Zeraze and Hunter...should have a close eye on this guy. "Who watches The Watchers?" Answer: T'Challa does.
That's the kind of thing I have poppin in my fanfic called BLACK PANTHER IN: "EXPLANATIONS", hosted by archiveofourown.org here. Please check it out and leave your thoughts.
What is likely to happen in Ewing's book? Probably NONE of that stuff I mentioned above.
There is just so much to play with in regards to T'challa and his mythos and nobody will. It is beyond frustating
DeleteOh yeah...I'm Supreme Illuminati on hudlinentertainmentforum
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by man. Just started this thing recently and hope to add a ton of content soon.
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