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.

Doomwar

Doctor Doom unleashes a war on multiple fronts against the tiny, but powerful nation of Wakanda. But the despot can't just openly invade the homeland of the Black Panther, least he have to face an onslaught of UN forces, not to mention the superhero community. So, Doom secretly funds a coup which grants him diplomatic immunity in order for the leader of Latveria to legally claim all of Wakanda's remaining resources of vibranium.

    Since the government of Wakanda changed hands under a peaceful coup, the United Nations has tied the hands of former King T'Challa and his sister, Shuri, the current Black Panther. Even the superhero community cannot get involved to save Storm, accused of witchcraft, from the death penalty, without repercussions.
   
    Secretly, a small handful of X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and even the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool come to the assistance of the deposed royal family in an attempt to wrestle the massive stockpile of vibranium weapons that Doom has amassed. But since T'Challa has been soundly defeated by Doctor Doom time and time again using technology, the former Black Panther may have to use magic infused physics to free his people and reclaim the throne of Wakanda.

     This is my second foray into works by the team of Jonathan Mayberry and Scot Eaton (The zombie epic Punisher Vs. the Marvel Universe was my first.) Unfortunately, I was not such a fan of this work as I was the apocalyptic thriller. The biggest reason for this is that in the first two issues, there is so much going on. There's minimal panelling, so I couldn't follow where the art was flowing. It also didn't follow any sort of set pattern. Sometimes it would go straight across the page. Sometimes it would go counterclockwise and the next would be clockwise. Then vice-versa a few pages later. It was very confusing. 

    There were only 6 issues in this miniseries. So, I'm wondering if there were originally supposed to be 7 or 8 but due to time or economics, the series was reduced to a half-dozen. Thus in order to not really lose any of the story, Mayberry and Eaton just crammed everything in those first couple of issues. I really think this is the case as the last 4 issues really flowed a lot better.

    The art itself was quite good. It was as outstanding as the 'Punisher Vs.' mini. In fact, there were some awesome double full-page spread scenes that featured Doctor Doom's face that were even better than that first series. Sadly, the covers by John Romita Jr. were not so good. They looked amateurish and didn't properly reflect his talent.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Daredevil Volume 2: West Coast Scenario (Marvel NOW!)

   

   Mark Waid continues his epically fun run of the Man Without Fear in this volume that doubles as a tie-in to the 'Original Sin' storyline. In that miniseries, a character called the Orb has caused superheroes to relive their deepest darkest secrets. With Daredevil, he has visions of his beloved father abusing him and his mother, Maggie. Seeking answers, Daredevil learns that his mother has been arrested and extradited to Wakanda without due process. In order to save her, Daredevil will have to call in some favors at SHIELD and pull a few shrewd  legal eagle maneuvers that borderline as an international incident. 

   But before all that, celebrate Daredevil's 50th Anniversary with a special issue that looks at two potential futures and a rather forgettable moment in Matt Murdock's history. The first story takes place in the distant future of San Francisco in which something has caused most of it's residents to lose their vision. Speak about the blind leading the blind... Then in a prose story, a possible wife of Murdock's writes her last will and testament along with some of her personal history with the hero, to her unborn child. It's a chilling story that leaves the reader breathless at the very end. Lastly, while Murdock and Nelson are closing their practice, Reed Richards uncovers the last will and testament of Matt's twin brother Mike. It's a goofy tale taken from a rather goofy time in the life of Daredevil as a way to throw Foggy and Karen Page of the scent that Matt Murdock is really a superhero.

    Then wrapping up this volume is a story involving a villain named the Purple Man. I'm not familiar with this guy, but he's super strong, nigh invulnerable, has wicked mind control powers- oh did I mention he's purple. He just may be my new favorite Daredevil villain. I really would like to find more tales starring this super creepy baddie!

    A lot happens in this volume but Mark Waid and his artist in residence, Chris Samnee, did another marvelous job chronicling another chapter of the Daredevil family. (Okay- the Mike Murdock story was corny, but it ended on a high note.) Secrets are revealed, mysteries finally solved, and a lot of kick-butt action and thrills is had by all players. Another triumph of dynamic writing and cutting-edge art- both of which are lightyears ahead of their time

     Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Fantastic Four Unlimited #1

The Fantastic Four encounter trouble when the arrive in Wakandan air space. It appears that the creature of living sound, Klaw, is making yet another attempt to steal all of that tiny African nation’s vibranium. Included in this premiere issue is a recount of the origin of the Klaw family’s grip with the Royal Family of Wakanda. Two very good stories. I like that Marvel decided to expand on untold tales of the Fantastic Four’s legion of co-stars. It’s about time. Sadly, this series only lasted a dozen issues. It shouldn’t be too hard to get the entire series for cheap. The art is a little too Rob Liefield for my tastes and I still don’t understand Sue’s emblem cutout of the number 4 on her chest. If it’s supposed to be for T&A, then why is it constantly filled in with blue ink? Classic 90s Marvel- filled with great writing and steroid induced art.

Worth Consuming.  

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.