X-Men: Worlds Apart

Ororo and T'Challa. A match made in Heaven, destined to be separated by their bloodlines and responsibilities. For Ororo is the mutant X-Man Storm and T'Challa is the king of Wakanda and sometimes Avenger Black Panther. 

X-Men: Worlds Apart was a 4- issue miniseries released 16 years ago in 2008. So, I think I'm not going to spoil much by saying that this story marks the start of the crumbling foundation in Ororo and T'Challa's marriage. When a Wakandan mutant is accused of murdering a high ranking official, it's up to Queen Ororo to head a royal inquiry in T'Challa's absence. 

Tensions in Wakanda are already at an all-time high. Many of the Wakandan people are distrustful of outsiders. They're even more suspicious and afraid of the mutant master of the weather. How dare an X-Man marry into the royal family! Storm discovers that a powerful psychic from her past has returned and was actually behind the murder. Unfortunately, her subjects refuse to let the lad who was manipulated into the death escape mandatory Wakandan execution. So Ororo will cross loyalties from the Queen of Wakanda to X-Men leader to ensure justice prevails. But when the Black Panther suddenly returns, possessed by the Storm's ancient foe, Ororo will have to cross some lines that will forever mar her place in the Wakandan palace and in her bonds of Holy Matrimony with T'Challa.

The main story was tedious to read. Not because of the main plotline taking place in Wakanda. It was the secondary plot involving Cyclops and the those mutated CHUDS, the Morlocks. They've got to be my least favorite part of the X-Men universe. I've never liked the Morlocks. I've always found them to be unnecessary. I thought this was going to be a tale about Storm and T'Challa. Instead, about a third of the main feature involves those annoying sewer dwellers! And it takes place during the X-Men's exile in San Francisco; perhaps the weakest of any of the Marvel mutant eras!

There was a brightspot. This book also includes a team-up of the two lovers from the pages of Marvel Team-up #100 and a late 90s issue of Black Panther. The earlier story was classic 80s Marvel with writing, plotting and art by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Back when Storm was illustrated with those mysterious cat-like eyes. That too brief short story details the origins of the two lovers first meeting as children.

The more modern tale was kinda powerful with its allegory of racism and bigotry. Yet it's also rather absurd with the narration being provided by State Department liaison to Wakanda, Everett K. Ross. True, Ross has always been a sort nervous sort of fellow. But the story was supposed to reflect a report Ross was sending to his supervisors. It was anything but professional with a bunch of jokes that fall flat.

A must for die hard X-Men fans who think the Morlocks are great. However, that's not me in the very least. That's still to not say I wouldn't be open to more stories about Storm and T'Challa. Maybe it's happened prior and I just don't know it, but I would really dig a What If... detailing what would have happened if as youngsters, T'Challa forsook the throne of Wakanda and instead went off to live with Ororo in the Kilimanjaro valley of Kenya. Would Ororo have become Storm at the request of Professor X? Would Klaw or the Man-Ape have claimed the title of Black Panther after the death of King T'Chaka? That's a story I want to read. 

Hey, Marvel... call me! I'm willing to help punch out a script!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Shuri and T'Challa: Into the Heartlands (Family Comic Friday)

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.

Black Panther

I finally got to see Black Panther. 

Last week it just wasn't in the cards as several church and civic groups had bought out all except the latest showings. It was the first time in years I was required to buy my tix ahead of time and it was the first time in decades that I actually had to stand in line to get into the theatres. 

So was it worth the hassle? For the most part, yes.

The film takes place somewhat immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War. King T'Chaka is dead and Prince T'Challa is about to be crowned King. But before he can, T'Challa must entertain challengers to the throne, one of which is threatens to unlock secret sins from the past.

Black Panther is over two hours long and it's essentially two different films. The first hour has T'Challa earning his crown and then going on a mission to apprehend the dastardly Ulysses Klaue. Years ago, Klaue, played masterfully by Andy Serkis, stole vibranium from Wakanda and is seeking to sell some to the highest bidder in South Korea. 

With an exotic casino, alluring femme fatales, and tech from the dreams of James Bond, the first hour of Black Panther plays like a spy movie. This kind of action would make Nick Fury jealous. 

The second hour of the film was a mix of Lord of the Rings and The Lion King. Or maybe Hamlet. Wait a minute, The Lion King was based on Hamlet, so I stick with my earlier assessment. The climatic action takes place in a setting that looks like it was also the scene of a battle between elves and orcs. Plus, the battle rhinos that tossed around warriors like rag dolls looked a lot like the wargs in The Two Towers. 

Anyways, back to the Lion King/ Hamlet element. Well, I can't go too far into that as there's some major spoilers. What I will say is that Michael B. Jordan who plays Killmonger did a fantastic job as the sympathetic villain and has really come a long way as an actor since his days on Friday Night Lights.

The first half special effects were great. But the second half really showed it's CGI age and that's not good for Marvel if they don't start making improvements. This is definitely a film that is not going to look as good on TV as it will on the big screen.

Lastly, it was refreshing to have a more serious Marvel film for a change. The last two offerings, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok were comedies, no question.

That doesn't mean Black Panther didn't have some laughs. But this movie was more action and adventure and it was something that had been missing from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for quite some time.

Black Panther was a very good movie. Pay the extra couple of bucks to see it in 3-D. It won't make you sea sick or give you a migraine like some 3-D movies can. In fact, it might have even made some of that outdated CGI look better than if would have in regular format.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.