Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda #1 Review

A bizarre collection of obscure heroes make this a fun book for seasoned Marvel readers.

September 18, 2019

[amazon_link asins=’B07XSFS1PJ’ template=’AiPTProductAd’ store=’aiptcomics-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b5442b1a-43a8-41da-aa9b-2dc2254b5183′]

It should come as no shock when I say this is a really weird team. Writer Jim Zub says as much in a letter at the back of this book. It’s a bizarre mix which is probably its biggest appeal. To see so many obscure characters getting full backup from Black Panther and doing thier best to fill in in a world that no longer has S.H.I.E.L.D. is quite a cool thing.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

So what’s it about?

Read the preview.

Why does this matter?

This is a motley crew trying to do their best to defy our expectations. It’s also a team of characters you may not know much about which makes it fun to see different kinds of heroes and what they’re all about.

Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?

Zub and artist Lan Medina open this book with a hilarious villain group that might have you in stitches. Dubbed the Scavengers (pronounced like “Avengers” with a “sca-” at the front), we’re introduced to most of this team via a car chase. It’s an exciting sequence that puts Wasp and John Jameson at the forefront of characters to pay attention to. Wasp is the leader of the group and she doesn’t jive too well with Jameson. The unease seems to be no issue for Black Panther who cuts into the book so as to give the team their next mission ala Charlie in Charlie’s Angels. Soon we’re learning all about Fat Cobra, Ka-Zar, and all the rest. This leads to a full-throttle fight sequence with some satisfying fight scene moments. The book also comes with a cliffhanger that should have longtime Marvel readers talking.

Medina’s style suits the offbeat nature of this team and the types of villains they come up against here. A standout page features Okoye detailing where four of the members of this team are in the world and what they’re up to beautifully. It’s a nicely collaged set of panels surrounding Okoye that is framed with a futuristic metallic structure tying it all together; it also ties well into the hologram tech being used in the scene.

Cool effect there Black Panther.
Credit: Marvel Comics

It can’t be perfect, can it?

The cover is a bit misleading considering two of the five characters aren’t really in the book. Frankly, I’m a bit surprised this isn’t centered on the entire team but instead only a few of them with Wasp leading the charge. The final action sequence also lacks Jameson leaving the heroes to Black Panther, Wasp, Okoye, and Fat Cobra. Given the threat it’s strange this team book is lacking even with the heroes introduced actively on the team here. It’s hard to understand what the focus of this book is with so many of the team members off doing their own thing leaving the identity of the book feeling half-baked.