From the very beginning of Ultimate Black Panther, Bryan Hill, Stefano Caselli, and Carlos Nieto have been building to a massive battle – not just for Wakanda, but for the Black Panther’s future as well. Ultimate Black Panther #23 finally sees that battle take place, and in all honesty? It was worth the wait. I know I’ve been hard on this series at time, as it sometimes felt like it was nothing but setup, but it turns out that I just needed to be a little patient.
And for a battle this big, the stakes are appropriately astronomical. After being forced to give birth to her and T’Challa’s child, Storm then watched that child be snatched away…but it turns out that this was more of a Rosemary’s Baby situation than an immaculate conception. Turns out that the child is actually a pure force of chaos, and seeks the Vibranium within Wakanda to complete his world conquest. Standing in his way is the Black Panther and all of his allies.
Hill brings in nearly everyone who’s been introduced over the course of this series, and gives them a major part to play. Inan, the Sorceress Supreme, puts her magic to good use. Black Panther is joined by Killmonger, Storm and the Dora Milaje in his battle. Even Shuri starts to make amends for her duplicitous actions, revealing a weapon she built for T’Challa to use. This weapon is appropriately awesome, and makes Ultimate Black Panther #23 worth the cover price, in case you were wondering.
Marvel
Nieto also packs each page full of action, especially in the back half of the issue. The Dora Milaje are shown charging into battle, wielding their signature spears. Killmonger is a force to be reckoned with, cutting down anyone who stands in his path. It’s Storm and Black Panther who are the standouts – Storm for literally weaponizing the weather against her foes (there’s a moment where she uses actual lightning bolts as swords), and Panther for harnessing the power of his new weapon’s Vibranium core and its connection to the Panther God Bast.
The fight scenes also stand out thanks to David Curiel’s colors. Curiel gives the forces of Wakanda a variety of colors, from Killmonger’s royal blue robes and the Dora Milaje’s red armor to Storm’s pure white garb. Likewise, whenever Storm uses her powers, her eyes glow bluish white, signaling the arrival of lightning that’s the same color or jet black storm clouds that pummel her foes. In contrast, the Progenitors are clad in black robes that they quickly shed once they assume their more monstrous forms.
Just as Ultimate Black Panther #23 kicks into high gear, it ends on a rather abrupt note. There’s still one issue to go before the series fully concludes, but nearly all the major plot points have been delivered so it’s not too big of a deal. Ultimate Black Panther #23 is the payoff to almost two years’ worth of buildup, and it more than excels when it comes to its fight scenes.
You must be logged in to post a comment.