Ultimate Black Panther #5 doesn’t waste any time – it immediately starts unveiling the mysteries of why Khonshu and Ra have started to attack Wakanda, including a mysterious element that acts as a counter to the Black Panther’s Vibranium. But while T’Challa prepares for war, the Moon Knight’s forces have gathered to raise their own kingdom and burn Wakanda to the ground.
Something I’m appreciating about the new Ultimate Universe is how each book fits into a specific genre while still keeping that superheroic flair. Ultimate Spider-Man is a family drama. Ultimate X-Men is a horror/coming-of-age manga. The Ultimates is a sci-fi blockbuster with brains. Ultimate Black Panther falls into the “political thriller” subgenre due to the war between Ra/Khonshu and Wakanda, and Bryan Hill’s measured sense of storytelling.
Hill is great at showcasing the friction between various parties – not just from Black Panther and Moon Knight, but from T’Challa’s conflict with the Vodu-Khan. He refuses to hear the entreaties of the Vodu-Khan’s Matron Imali, instead demanding the truth about why Ra and Khonshu seek to topple Wakanda. There’s also the good old fashioned superpowered combat, when Khonshu sends yet another soldier to attack Shuri. Hill might have kept this story arc on a slow burn, but now it’s racing to a explosive finish.
He’s joined this issue by guest artist Carlos Nieto, who’s stepping in for two issues. Nieto’s artwork looks surprisingly close to Stefano Caselli’s, to the point where if it weren’t for a few key angles you’d be fooled into thinking Caselli wasn’t taking a two issue break. Nieto also has the same flair for intense action sequences that Caselli does, with a brutal fight taking place in the back half of the book. Another sequence details the origins of Wakanda, with David Curiel coloring in lush green forests and the ebony fur of…well, a black panther witnessing a meteorite hit Africa.
Ultimate Black Panther #5 paves the path for a massive conflict between Black Panther and Moon Knight, while leaning more into the book’s political thriller angle. These first few issues have been about the setup, and now it’s time for the payoff.
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