The biggest conflict in Ultimate Black Panther hasn’t been between Black Panther and Moon Knight, or even between magic and science. It’s faith. Moon Knight has presented himself as a god to the people of Africa, while Black Panther’s faith in Wakanda has been tested. Everything starts coming to a head in Ultimate Black Panther #11, where the forces of Moon Knight offer a challenge to Wakanda: Black Panther and Moon Knight will engage in single combat, and to the winner goes Africa!
But before he accepts his opponent’s challenge, T’Challa takes the time to reflect upon his enemy’s methods…and how Wakanda’s isolation has, in part, led to Moon Knight’s powers. Bryan Hill’s scripting is at its strongest here, taking the time to showcase T’Challa’s thoughts. “I rule a kingdom in a land where I am a stranger,” he muses, in what’s probably one of the best pieces of dialogue in the issue.
Carlos Nieto doesn’t shy away from the looming battle; in fact, his opening pages feature Wakanda and Moon Knight ready to go to war. The forces of Moon Knight are legion, bearing superior technology and numbers. But Wakanda’s people know the way of the land. Case in point: When Moon Knight’s emissary presumes that Shuri is alone, she winds up summoning the Dora Milaje and gaining the upper hand. From that point, every panel Nieto draws is laced with tension – you don’t know what’s going to happen next.
Marvel
David Curiel’s color art also helps sell the upcoming conflict. While T’Challa and the rest of the Wakandans wear robes of various colors, Moon Knight’s forces are decked out in jet black armor. In a way, it’s as if they represent the encroaching darkness of the Maker tightening his grip on the world – compared to T’Challa, who wears a lighter black and refuses to hide in the shadow.
While Ultimate Black Panther is still mostly setting up for the final battle to come, there’s one sequence that has major ramifications: Black Panther encounters a group of mercenaries that are hijacking a medical convoy. The creative team fires on all cylinders here, with Nieto delivering a intense, bone-breaking action sequence; Curiel punctuating the action with flashes of red; Hill pens a sequence that underlines the work T’Challa has yet to do.
Ultimate Black Panther #11 shows how faith, or lack of it, shaped the conflict between Wakanda and Moon Knight. It also sets the stage for the conclusion of the book’s first year, though I’m honestly excited to see what comes next after T’Challa’s revelation.
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