User blog:Johnnybravo44/Black Panther... the "T" is silent.

Hello this is Johnnybravo here, with 'apparently' my weekly blog, roughly at 5 o’clock each week. Basically I'll be talking about a new event, a certain character, or another important news story from Marvel, or possibly be asking a question, or maybe even a rant (sorry Joker!). So keep your eyes peeled each Friday! :)

Black Panther. Even if you don’t like him, you don’t have a choice. Seriously.

I would first like to say I am not a racist. Still, I wasn’t too big a fan of Black Panther. Luke Cage, he's b.a. Falcon, alright. War Machine, also b.a. But Black Panther? Yes, he’s thrown into too much over time. And yet, this is hardly a "rant". In this post of mine, I promise to do my best to look at everything from both angles. First, I bash him. Then I do my best to say "however..". So please, don’t think I completely hate the guy.

A few years back, X-Men (Vol 2) was my favorite title, now (well, it still is), under the title X-Men: Legacy (and hey, maybe I’ll discuss Rogue and Magneto in another blog..). Anyway, I was loving the book for a long time, especially since the transition back to just X-Men. Then, out of nowhere, he appears.



The Wild Kingdom, it was called. An X-Men and Black Panther mini-crossover. “Decent.”, I thought. “I’m too indifferent on Black Panther.. So this should be good.” Well. Obviously, Marvel was a little desperate to sell the Black Panther book out at the time.. “The X-Men with Black Panther? That’ll sell! Just in case if it doesn’t, let’s throw Storm half-naked on one of the covers.” Said the writers… Although, that is a good start..

Fast forward. 10 issues later, they’re married. (spoiler alert!) Ororo and T’Challa. Way to rushed. “Let’s make him more popular! He should marry Storm!” Said the writers… “Let’s combine him in every crossover. No one can hide! House of M, Secret Invasion, Civil War, The Initiative..” Although, to be fair, they had known each other for a while before. I just feel like it hardly showed them together before or after that much, it was more in backstories after that event.

Fast forward. Somehow, volume 4 of Black Panther ended. But in the middle, he joined the Fantastic Four. The Fantastic Four. Why? Why him? Of course, Storm was there also, so I feel like she was the one who got him on the team. OK, let me be fair. He was introduced in a Fantastic Four comic, and he’s known them for a while, so that explains that.



Fast forward. Shadowland was almost over. It was teased at who would be the new “man without fear”. The options were: Nova, Gambit, Black Panther, Falcon, or Kraven, with a fan speculated Moon Knight surprisingly not in the running. Now, I thought it would be cool to see Gambit in the book, but let’s be real. Marvel obviously is jealous of Gambit (but maybe that is for another blog..). Kraven? Couldn’t see it happening. Nova, Falcon? Same thing. So who was left? Black Panther. Kinda had to be him I guess. And I’ve skimmed over the first few issues, and it honestly isn’t too bad.

People have complained to no end everywhere about the change from Daredevil to Black Panther. They’re acting like this is the first time Marvel has changed a big book to one with another character. It’s happened before, duh. Incredible Hulk to Incredible Hercules. Wolverine to Dark Wolverine. And I know theres more..

Still, I feel like I’m missing a bit. Could someone explain what happened with him and Storm? Are they still married? Why is there a girl Black Panther in volume 5? Who is that? And why the hell he is no longer a king? Nor with vibranium? I obviously missed a bit.

I guess in conclusion, I kinda do like the guy now. Maybe it is from Marvel using him so much. However, I haven’t bought an issue of Black Panther: The Man Without Fear. Read them, haven’t bought them. But that’s just me, I buy about three books a month and that’s it. So maybe Marvel’s idea may have not worked on me.. Has it worked for any of you? Do you like Black Panther? Or.. do you like Daredevil?

--Johnnybravo 44 (talk) 23:28, February 4, 2011 (UTC)