REVIEW: Black Panther #170

Readers have to wonder whether or not Ta-Nehisi Coates knew that Black Panther #170 ”“ “Avengers of the New World”“ part 11 ”“ would be the issue that would hit comic shop shelves the week immediately following the debut of MCU“s Black Panther film. He must have. But few could have predicted the success of the film and what now must be some added pressure on Coates who is ”“ essentially — the steward of the world of Black Panther comics at the very moment when that world has become the most popular destination in the Marvel Universe.

This can“t be an entirely new feeling for Coates whose 2016 debut on the Black Panther book boasted the highest grossing sales of any other Marvel book that year. People follow the work of Coates because he has availed himself ”“ in magazines, books, and comic books as one of the great writers of our time. He has brought compelling levels of complexity and Black historical depth to the Black Panther comic.

Because of the film“s success, lots of folks might be picking up Black Panther comics this week. That is a good thing, but Black Panther #170 may not be the best onboarding point as it is deep into its story arc. It is a complex narrative. T“Challa is working to lead his country away from its hegemonic past by establishing a constitution. And just as this vital transition is underway, a dear childhood friend of T“Challa“s has been kidnapped and the mysterious figure – Ras the Exhorter – claims that the Orisha of Wakanda ”“ the gods of Wakanda are all dead. BP #170 finds these tensions all coming to head in an epic battle.

You don“t need to know that Orishas originate in ancient west African culture or that they are featured in any number of African diasporic religions; you don“t need to know that “Ras the Exhorter”“ is a direct allusion to a character of that same name in Ralph Ellison“s classic 1952 novel, Invisible Man ”“ a resonant meditation on race and social invisibility in America.

You don“t need to know these things or fully appreciate these allusions to enjoy Coates“ reverent narration of the world of Wakanda. But the presence of these touchstones, are subtle indicators of the power of Coates’ work on and in the Black Panther ethos. Black Panther #170 can somehow stand alone as a great story with incredible build-up and an awesome surprise ending. And it can achieve these things visually and in terms of this particular issue“s story even though it is the 11th installment in a 12-issue arc.

For all of these reasons, people will be entering the world of Wakanda (maybe via the film) through this issue. This is a good thing because if you find the story too far along or if you get frustrated with some of the references that operate just beyond your world of understanding, the interview between Coates and Ryan Coogler published in the letters page ”“ “Down with the King”“ ”“ is well worth the price of the ticket this month. 4.5/5!

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(W) Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) Leonard Kirk (CA) Phil Noto