Marvel Unlimited, Marvel’s digital comics subscription service, is currently offering all fans free access to some of Marvel’s most iconic stories from recent years, including now-classic Marvel Comics events and critically acclaimed runs featuring the Avengers, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Captain America, Captain Marvel, and more.
With that in mind, I’ve decided to take a look back at these classic stories and maybe help you decide whether or not you would like to check them out. Our next series sees the king of a broken land mourning the loss of a sibling and attempting to restore his people’s faith in him all while taking on a brand new threat in Ta-Nehisi Coates’ run of…
Black Panther
T’Challa has returned to the throne of Wakanda after his home has suffered one catastrophic event after another. On separate occasions, Namor, Doctor Doom and Thanos’ Black Order have attacked Wakanda, the latest of which saw the death of Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, who was then queen of the nation.
T’Challa was not in Wakanda at the time. Instead he was with the Avengers, protecting the Earth as a whole rather than his home where he is supposed to be the king. The people of Wakanda, still reeling from the recent disasters, resent him for that and trust in the throne is at an all-time low, to the point where even the Dora Milaje have broken off and now oppose the Black Panther.
To make matters worse, Tetu and Zenzi, a pair of revolutionists with mystical powers, are gathering forces to overthrow the king. Zenzi’s ability to make men act on their fears and hatred allows them to amass an army that could bring down Wakanda. T’Challa must rally the few remaining who still trust him to fight by his side, and with any luck, bring back the sister he lost as well.
This is a quintessential Black Panther story. It’s not about T’Challa joining the Avengers in a fight against an intergalactic threat or even taking on some big supervillain with a plan to take over the world. It’s about ruling his country and earning back the trust and respect of his people.
Most fans of Black Panther are likely familiar with the wildly popular film. The story in this comic series is not all that different from that of the film. A threat to the throne and the Wakandan way of life has risen and T’Challa is challenged to think differently than he has in the past in order to lead his nation for the betterment of his people.
There is a great deal of politics involved in this story. If you’re looking for the familiar comic book action, while there is still plenty of it found in these pages, it is not the dominant feature of this story. There are far more pages featuring discussions in boardrooms and offices than there are with punches, kicks and explosions.
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of excitement though. The tension builds from one page to the next, culminating in a fight between T’Challa’s forces and those superpowered revolutionists. Plus, while Wakanda is at odds with its king, T’Challa has to rely on some other friends for help. So, you’ll see some of your other favorite characters pop up here and there.
You can read “Black Panther” by Ta-Nehisi Coates for free now. And be sure to check back as we look back the rest of these classic Marvel Comics stories over the next several weeks.