Marvel might have overtaken DC Comics in the movie department. But DC has the clear advantage in graphic novels for teens and young adults. However, in the past year, Marvel has been making some strides in that deficiency. One of the House of Ideas most recent additions for readers aged 8-12 is the original Black Panther graphic novel Into the Heartlands.
Shuri is the youngest member of the Wakandan royal family. Her half brother T'Challa, is being trained to become both the ruling king and next Black Panther. Uncle S'Yan is the current protector of Wakanda and mother Ramonda is the queen regent. That all leaves very little for Shuri to do except work on her inventions and hopefully stay out of trouble. However, when Shuri and T'Challa get in a fight during an important ceremony, a sacred site is damaged. Even worse, Ramonda and several others who attending the event have become sickened by a mysterious virus. Could Shuri and her brothers actions have brought a curse down among her people?
Finding record of a special stone that was believed to have special healing properties, Shuri and T'Challa sneak off in order to help their ailing parent. The clock is ticking and the siblings must act fast. A lot is riding on the search for an artifact and an untraveled area of Wakanda; both of which might not even exist!
I think Marvel was super smart to make Shuri the focus of this graphic novel instead of T'Challa. With the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman, Marvel is going to focus mostly on the women of Wakanda in the new live-action film Wakanda Forever. Producers are staying pretty quiet about the specifics of the film, only that it will deal with the African nation after the unexpected death of King T'Challa. Personally, I think Shuri will become the next Black Panther. So, to have a book that has her as the main focus for younger readers is a good introduction/re-acquaintance to Shuri.
Not only is this a great adventure story, it also has a lot of elements of mystery to it. Keen eyed readers need to really pay attention to the first act in order to solve some of the mysteries uncovered by Shuri and her brother.
The story is split into 3 sections with a different artist for each act. I understand why the art changes from act 1 to the second. After the children enter the Heartlands, the setting is more of a fantasy spirit world that the ghosts of Wakanda dwell. I wasn't quite so sure why the art changes again in act 3. Though now as I write this review, I think the art changes again as it reflects the different way Shuri sees her homeland and maybe her place in it after her time in the Heartlands.
I must say, even though the artwork is different, it's really hard to tell if you don't really look at it. I think that's because of the seamless storytelling by Roseanne A. Brown (Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting). Cris Peter's (Astronauta Magnetar) palette mix of traditional African tones blending with more futuristic darker pastels throughout the book helps those transitions almost unnoticeable.
This book also includes a bonus chapter into the forth-coming Captain America: The Ghost Army (2023). It too is for readers aged 8-12. I'm a huge fan of Cap and the Howling Commandos, some of which appear in the extra segment. Thus, I am so psyched for that book. But there's also an ad for the Black Panther Legends miniseries in the back of this book and if you ask me, I'd think a sneak peak of it would be more of draw to perspective readers than a Captain America book set during World War II.
Alas, I don't work for Marvel's advertising department.
An enjoyable starting point for perspective new fans of this holiday season's Black Panther sequel and a fun place for established fans to get refreshed with a majority of the film's major players. It's completely full of Wakandan history and lore and a great tale about moving forward with healing in the light of past wrongdoings instead of resorting to cancel culture.
Worth Consuming.
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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