Erwin Rafael
Mar 17, 2002, 06:00 am
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/bpv3-42.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/bpv3-42t.jpg" align=left alt="Black Panther (3rd series) #42"></a> Reviewer: Erwin Rafael, 3rdsummers@edsamail.com.ph
Quick Rating: Excellent!
Story Title: Alliance (Enemy of the State II Book Two)
T'challa and Tony Stark face off each other as "Enemy of the State II" continues.
Written by: Christopher Priest
Pencils by: Sal Velluto
Inked by: Bob Almond
Lettered by: Dave Sharpe
Colored by: Jennifer Schellinger
Assistant Editor: Mike Raicht
Editor: Mike Marts
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Confusion after reading a comic book is usually a bad thing. Confusion should not be something writers should aspire for, specially in an ongoing series which needs a steady influx of new readers. However, leaving readers in the dark can work for certain type of stories, and Black Panther is an example of a series that benefits from its sheer intricacy. The numerous subplots and mysteries contribute to the political and conspiracy-filled atmosphere of the book, and the level of intelligence in the writing shows why this book has been highly respected for so long by critics and readers alike.
The issue in a flash. Tony Stark just found out that T'challa owns ABC Wire and Cable, the manufacturer of all the cabling of Stark Enterprises, Tony Stark's home and the Avengers Mansion. More troubling was the fact that the wires and cables were filled with nannites, microscopic robots which could transmit information back to the Black Panther. With this startling revelation, Stark made the motion to expel the Black Panther from the Avengers. He subsequently proceeded to XCon's undercover North American headquarters in St. Sault Marie, Canada to confront the Panther, and found the chance to do so over a game of poker. At the same time, Wolverine, who has been aiding the Panther to prevent XCon's takeover of North America, began infiltration operations to enable the Panther to gain control of the XCon headquarters' electronic operations. Everything came to a head when Stark, now as Iron Man, attempted to stop Black Panther and Wolverine from breaking into XCon's vault. Meanwhile, Queen Divine Justice had a run-in with the LCL spy, Danny Vincent, while the "other" Black Panther (The "Look I Have Pupils" Fruity Pebbles version :)), Abner Little and Everett Ross had a humorous rendezvous with the loony Princess Zanda. The issue ended with yet another cliffhanger as a Wakandan representative laid his country's claim over an island in Lake Superior, which caught the attention of - be prepared for this, fanboys and fangirls - Alpha Flight!!!
Espionage is pretty much a "standard" in national security, but as Christopher Priest showed this issue, the discovery of such an act does leave a bad taste in the mouth, specially for the ones being spied upon. Does Black Panther's act of spying on the Avengers merit his expulsion from the team? I don't know. Maybe getting dethroned recently by American intelligence agents gave him just cause. Maybe the Avengers' tendency to play "mindless sheep" a lot of times to the American government gave the Panther a right to be cautious in case the Avengers gets manipulated against Wakandan interests. Priest highlighted this issue that the Black Panther is not just another superhero in the Marvel Universe. He is foremost a king of an entire nation. And like his fellow monarch-heroes, Namor and Black Bolt, looking out for the interest of his people often puts the Panther into conflict with the mostly American heroes of the Marvel Universe.
Black Panther's actions got me thinking about the sheer "American-ness" of superteams in comic books, particularly those of the pantheon groups like the Avengers. The Avengers' membership may be a diverse lot in terms of nationalities (although Asians are grossly under-represented), but they do report to the American government. They operate under the authority of the U.S.A.'s NSA, although, in fairness, they did once fall under the U.N.'s power back in the 90s. Even in the design aesthetic, we see a lot of iconic pictures of the Avengers with the American flag in the background. What does it mean that the top superteam composed of Earth's Mightiest Superheroes falls under the power of the United States of America?
Let us shift our focus on the Distinguished Competition. Why call their pantheon team the Justice League of America? Why not just Justice League? Why JSA, not just plain Justice Society? Why fight for the "American" way?
Now you might mistake my above rant as anti-American sentiment, but it's not. Maybe I am just looking for a more globalistic approach when it comes to pantheon groups in comic books. The stories of the Panther's conflicts with the Avengers in this book may be seen just as an indication of Christopher Priest's good eye in catching an element full of potential storylines. But other than being good stories, "Enemy of the State" and its presently running sequel may also be seen as notices that the standard of having the strongest heroes of all nations salute to the American flag should be rethought. In this global age, maybe a more global perspective in writing teams like the Avengers is already due. And I don't mean diversification or equal representation because that has been addressed over they years. What I'm saying is that maybe such teams composed of Earth's mightiest heroes should be globally accountable and should fall under a global authority and not to America alone.
If Mike Grell steps down from writing Iron Man, I believe that Christopher Priest should be given a crack at writing him. Christopher Priest has a very good handle on Tony Stark's character. A bit hotheaded. Paranoid. Control-freak. Businessman attitude. Has a heart of gold. Stark really shined under Priest's writing this issue. I particularly liked the scene where Stark played poker against T'challa, which featured some nice friction between their personalities. If there was one drawback to Priest's handling of Stark this issue, it would be the rather "weak" portrayal of Iron Man while confronting the Panther and Wolverine.
While Priest wrote Tony Stark's character very well, the same can not be said for his Wolverine. Priest got Wolvie's speech patterns, attitude and wit just fine, but his Wolvie was a bit too talkative. The old Canuck does have a tendency to talk during fights and other operations, but he usually is a "one-liner" kind of guy. This issue, the amount of comments that spouted from Wolvie's mouth could put Spiderman to shame. Really!!! There was even a page full of text where Wolverine did all the talking. Don't get me wrong. The writing was not bad since the characterization is still there. Priest just needs to make Wolvie act more and talk less, and hopefully, we'd see that as the story progresses.
The subplot of the "other" Black Panther has been the most entertaining element for me while reading my first two issues of Black Panther. The introduction this issue of another loony character in Princess Zanda added another humorous element to the mix. You should particularly watch out for her lines while working in a drive-through counter. That has got to be one of the most ridiculously funny scenes I have read in a long time. The "other" Black Panther, Princess Zanda and Abner Little are written with a Stan Lee-esque script and drawn with a Kirby-esque impression. The creative team's decision to do so got me intrigued and I'm eagerly waiting where this story is going.
I really found it funny that the second issue of this story arc was more accessible than the introductory issue. Maybe it's because my confusion last issue lies more on not knowing what happened before, while my confusion this issue lies on not knowing what will happen next. In case you haven't picked this up yet, don't be discouraged. Priest left enough clues in the dialogue and narration to figure out what's going on. And if you picked it up and felt a bit confused, read it all over again. If you're still confused, I'm betting that the elements that you haven't understood yet would be mostly elements which haven't really been explained yet. I think Christopher Priest's style requires patience, as he throws a lot of things up in the air and you have to wait for these things to fall in place. Don't be worried that you don't get what T'challa is doing because even Tony Stark doesn't know what the Panther's doing. Don't be worried about who that "other" Black Panther is because even Agent Everett Ross doesn't know who that is. Don't be worried about why Wakanda is suddenly exercising its right over a piece of land in Lake Superior because even the world doesn't know the answer. In short, do not be worried if the characters in the stories are just as mystified and confused as you are because it usually means that the mysteries are intentional and the questions are meant to be unanswered for now.
Their work last issue was better, but Velluto and Almond's art continues to amaze me. The realism in the art and the nice contrast used for the Kirby-esque characters, as well as the good storytelling, make for an engaging read. Like Priest, though, Velluto and Almond seem to have a problem with Iron Man. Maybe it's because the design of the new armor fits (Iron Man artist) Michael Ryan's cartoony style and not Velluto and Almond's realistic renderings.
I'd like to end this review on a more personal note. I really fought to get this review gig for "Enemy of the State II" to do my share in promoting Black Panther. Thus, I appeal to all who would read this review to take my advice and try out this title because it really deserves a place in your reading list. If you're a fan of Iron Man, you have a nice Tony Stark role here. If you're a fan of Wolverine, this is one instance of a non-gratuitous Wolvie appearance. If you're one of the remaining Alpha Flight groupies, you may want to start with this issue as a lead-in to their full appearance in subsequent issues. Or if you're just a plain fan of very good writing and comic book art, then Black Panther is definitely for you. Last issue and this issue are good jumping-on points. Don't let the Black Panther escape your grasp. Don't let the Black Panther become extinct. Do your share. Save the Black Panther.
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xhalf.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xhalf.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xhalf.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!
Quick Rating: Excellent!
Story Title: Alliance (Enemy of the State II Book Two)
T'challa and Tony Stark face off each other as "Enemy of the State II" continues.
Written by: Christopher Priest
Pencils by: Sal Velluto
Inked by: Bob Almond
Lettered by: Dave Sharpe
Colored by: Jennifer Schellinger
Assistant Editor: Mike Raicht
Editor: Mike Marts
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Confusion after reading a comic book is usually a bad thing. Confusion should not be something writers should aspire for, specially in an ongoing series which needs a steady influx of new readers. However, leaving readers in the dark can work for certain type of stories, and Black Panther is an example of a series that benefits from its sheer intricacy. The numerous subplots and mysteries contribute to the political and conspiracy-filled atmosphere of the book, and the level of intelligence in the writing shows why this book has been highly respected for so long by critics and readers alike.
The issue in a flash. Tony Stark just found out that T'challa owns ABC Wire and Cable, the manufacturer of all the cabling of Stark Enterprises, Tony Stark's home and the Avengers Mansion. More troubling was the fact that the wires and cables were filled with nannites, microscopic robots which could transmit information back to the Black Panther. With this startling revelation, Stark made the motion to expel the Black Panther from the Avengers. He subsequently proceeded to XCon's undercover North American headquarters in St. Sault Marie, Canada to confront the Panther, and found the chance to do so over a game of poker. At the same time, Wolverine, who has been aiding the Panther to prevent XCon's takeover of North America, began infiltration operations to enable the Panther to gain control of the XCon headquarters' electronic operations. Everything came to a head when Stark, now as Iron Man, attempted to stop Black Panther and Wolverine from breaking into XCon's vault. Meanwhile, Queen Divine Justice had a run-in with the LCL spy, Danny Vincent, while the "other" Black Panther (The "Look I Have Pupils" Fruity Pebbles version :)), Abner Little and Everett Ross had a humorous rendezvous with the loony Princess Zanda. The issue ended with yet another cliffhanger as a Wakandan representative laid his country's claim over an island in Lake Superior, which caught the attention of - be prepared for this, fanboys and fangirls - Alpha Flight!!!
Espionage is pretty much a "standard" in national security, but as Christopher Priest showed this issue, the discovery of such an act does leave a bad taste in the mouth, specially for the ones being spied upon. Does Black Panther's act of spying on the Avengers merit his expulsion from the team? I don't know. Maybe getting dethroned recently by American intelligence agents gave him just cause. Maybe the Avengers' tendency to play "mindless sheep" a lot of times to the American government gave the Panther a right to be cautious in case the Avengers gets manipulated against Wakandan interests. Priest highlighted this issue that the Black Panther is not just another superhero in the Marvel Universe. He is foremost a king of an entire nation. And like his fellow monarch-heroes, Namor and Black Bolt, looking out for the interest of his people often puts the Panther into conflict with the mostly American heroes of the Marvel Universe.
Black Panther's actions got me thinking about the sheer "American-ness" of superteams in comic books, particularly those of the pantheon groups like the Avengers. The Avengers' membership may be a diverse lot in terms of nationalities (although Asians are grossly under-represented), but they do report to the American government. They operate under the authority of the U.S.A.'s NSA, although, in fairness, they did once fall under the U.N.'s power back in the 90s. Even in the design aesthetic, we see a lot of iconic pictures of the Avengers with the American flag in the background. What does it mean that the top superteam composed of Earth's Mightiest Superheroes falls under the power of the United States of America?
Let us shift our focus on the Distinguished Competition. Why call their pantheon team the Justice League of America? Why not just Justice League? Why JSA, not just plain Justice Society? Why fight for the "American" way?
Now you might mistake my above rant as anti-American sentiment, but it's not. Maybe I am just looking for a more globalistic approach when it comes to pantheon groups in comic books. The stories of the Panther's conflicts with the Avengers in this book may be seen just as an indication of Christopher Priest's good eye in catching an element full of potential storylines. But other than being good stories, "Enemy of the State" and its presently running sequel may also be seen as notices that the standard of having the strongest heroes of all nations salute to the American flag should be rethought. In this global age, maybe a more global perspective in writing teams like the Avengers is already due. And I don't mean diversification or equal representation because that has been addressed over they years. What I'm saying is that maybe such teams composed of Earth's mightiest heroes should be globally accountable and should fall under a global authority and not to America alone.
If Mike Grell steps down from writing Iron Man, I believe that Christopher Priest should be given a crack at writing him. Christopher Priest has a very good handle on Tony Stark's character. A bit hotheaded. Paranoid. Control-freak. Businessman attitude. Has a heart of gold. Stark really shined under Priest's writing this issue. I particularly liked the scene where Stark played poker against T'challa, which featured some nice friction between their personalities. If there was one drawback to Priest's handling of Stark this issue, it would be the rather "weak" portrayal of Iron Man while confronting the Panther and Wolverine.
While Priest wrote Tony Stark's character very well, the same can not be said for his Wolverine. Priest got Wolvie's speech patterns, attitude and wit just fine, but his Wolvie was a bit too talkative. The old Canuck does have a tendency to talk during fights and other operations, but he usually is a "one-liner" kind of guy. This issue, the amount of comments that spouted from Wolvie's mouth could put Spiderman to shame. Really!!! There was even a page full of text where Wolverine did all the talking. Don't get me wrong. The writing was not bad since the characterization is still there. Priest just needs to make Wolvie act more and talk less, and hopefully, we'd see that as the story progresses.
The subplot of the "other" Black Panther has been the most entertaining element for me while reading my first two issues of Black Panther. The introduction this issue of another loony character in Princess Zanda added another humorous element to the mix. You should particularly watch out for her lines while working in a drive-through counter. That has got to be one of the most ridiculously funny scenes I have read in a long time. The "other" Black Panther, Princess Zanda and Abner Little are written with a Stan Lee-esque script and drawn with a Kirby-esque impression. The creative team's decision to do so got me intrigued and I'm eagerly waiting where this story is going.
I really found it funny that the second issue of this story arc was more accessible than the introductory issue. Maybe it's because my confusion last issue lies more on not knowing what happened before, while my confusion this issue lies on not knowing what will happen next. In case you haven't picked this up yet, don't be discouraged. Priest left enough clues in the dialogue and narration to figure out what's going on. And if you picked it up and felt a bit confused, read it all over again. If you're still confused, I'm betting that the elements that you haven't understood yet would be mostly elements which haven't really been explained yet. I think Christopher Priest's style requires patience, as he throws a lot of things up in the air and you have to wait for these things to fall in place. Don't be worried that you don't get what T'challa is doing because even Tony Stark doesn't know what the Panther's doing. Don't be worried about who that "other" Black Panther is because even Agent Everett Ross doesn't know who that is. Don't be worried about why Wakanda is suddenly exercising its right over a piece of land in Lake Superior because even the world doesn't know the answer. In short, do not be worried if the characters in the stories are just as mystified and confused as you are because it usually means that the mysteries are intentional and the questions are meant to be unanswered for now.
Their work last issue was better, but Velluto and Almond's art continues to amaze me. The realism in the art and the nice contrast used for the Kirby-esque characters, as well as the good storytelling, make for an engaging read. Like Priest, though, Velluto and Almond seem to have a problem with Iron Man. Maybe it's because the design of the new armor fits (Iron Man artist) Michael Ryan's cartoony style and not Velluto and Almond's realistic renderings.
I'd like to end this review on a more personal note. I really fought to get this review gig for "Enemy of the State II" to do my share in promoting Black Panther. Thus, I appeal to all who would read this review to take my advice and try out this title because it really deserves a place in your reading list. If you're a fan of Iron Man, you have a nice Tony Stark role here. If you're a fan of Wolverine, this is one instance of a non-gratuitous Wolvie appearance. If you're one of the remaining Alpha Flight groupies, you may want to start with this issue as a lead-in to their full appearance in subsequent issues. Or if you're just a plain fan of very good writing and comic book art, then Black Panther is definitely for you. Last issue and this issue are good jumping-on points. Don't let the Black Panther escape your grasp. Don't let the Black Panther become extinct. Do your share. Save the Black Panther.
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xhalf.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xhalf.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xhalf.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!