Black Panther (2016) #2 Review

Black Panther (2016) #2

Can Black Panther stop this Wakandan Civil War or will his hatred, pride and doubt will sink him in whole. Lets’ get on this issue and find out. The comic opens up to us with the Shield of the Nation where T'Challa is getting information on who might be behind on trying to start this war. Some of the evidence points to Killmonger but we find out that he is dead now. It was his patience for part he was trying to create the perfect tool to control the hearts of men.

With that, Killmonger’s creation is twisting the minds of men all over Wakanda and even at the Great Mound, where the massacre happened (Black Panther (2016) #1). T'Challa says that he has tracked the witch to the frontier but he will go alone. But his step-mother Ramonda tells him that he won’t be going alone because he is king and who will take over if he somehow dies, the soldiers will go instead. T'Challa explains this is not a fight that is easily resolved with weapons where he can go. It is because; he fought people before who can control someone else’s minds. He’s prepared while the soldiers are not and it will only be a repeat of last time. The blow the people took is on her hand and now a single trick won’t save her from justice.

The Panther is Prepared

Then the story cuts to the northern compound of Wakana where some Jambazi bandits are keeping all the women of a town hostage to which the women are trying to be bravest. Someone will come and save them and one of the guards mockingly tells her not to worry and she will have all the “Saving” soon. That’s when The Midnight Angels; Aneka and Ayo come to free the captured women. The Jambazis are proved no match for their weapons but they wonder if they can be reasoned with as they don’t wanna kill them if they don’t have to. Those fall in deaf ears as the bandits won’t back down.

Midnight Angels to The Rescue

After freeing the captives, Aneka and Ayo try and go over the plan to take over the corrupt chieftains of Wakanda. Aneka thought Ayo had a plan for that when she rescued her from the prison and stole the Midnight Angel armor prototypes but she doesn’t. Aneka on the other hand does and with a map of their targets they can change Wakanda for the better.

How A Plan Looks Like

Then the story shifts to the border where T'Challa remembers his uncle S'Yan had ruled instead until he came to his age. Then he was happy, a bit too happy that he wasn’t king anymore. T'Challa as a child thought it was one of intrigue and scheme but as he found out what it really meant. He offered the young king a single piece of advice that "Power lies not in what a king does, but in what his subjects believe he might do." But what this meant to him is not to show all he’s capable of and to keep the people guessing what he’s really capable of because if he doesn’t, it just shows the world that he isn’t a legend and is breakable. He also wishes that his uncle told him what people are truly capable of, not just kings. After the battle with the guards, T'Challa finally comes face to face with Zenzi, the one who controlled all the people with hatred. He says that it’s over and she can’t control his mind but Zenzi asks, why control the mind when controlling the heart is easier.

Heart Devouring Witch

We then slip to Birnin Azzaria, Hekima Shulē, where the question is asked that, “The injury and the crime is equal, whether committed by the wearer of a crown or some petty villain . . .”. How can the weak punish the powerful with the weak marshal justice? That only when we see Tetu ask Changamire, referring to him as Baba. When asked, what Tetu wants him to do, he answers that he has an answer and the men sworn by the knife to protect Wakanda. But Baba states that the answer’s only a question and the reasonable question are a point.

The Order of Tetu

Back at the frontier, T'Challa is confronted with something worse that, Zenzi made real what lives in the soul. She brings out all the negative feelings hidden away in the heart and a way T'Challa was shown that his heart was filled with might, shame and rage at himself for his failures. He says that they will be brought to justice and your king will provide for you. One of the woman then said that these men were doing that very thing. As the whole plot ends, Shuri awakens and the panel cuts to her memory.

The Queen of The Dead

Black Panther’s been really interesting so far because we see that Zenzi is trying to entice a Civil War against T'Challa and he feels conflicted because he thinks it’s his fault that all of these is happening but it really isn’t. The art’s by Brian Stelfreeze (Domino, Wednesday Comics) is pretty good, the writing of Ta-Nehisi Coates feels awesome. Marvel sure did a great thing by hiring him for the series. I really can’t wait for the next issue to see where it goes next. Hopefully, we will find out who is trying to create a rebellion together with Zenzi and Tetu, as the parts of “A Nation Under Our Feet” still remains to be revealed. Also the plan for Wakanda that’s going to be executed by the Midnight Angels is still under wraps.

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