The Coal Tiger!

Above is one of Jack "King" Kirby's takes on the Black Panther, at this point referred to as the "Coal Tiger". It's a bright and dynamic design, but one far removed from the costume we eventually get for the character, though you do see in this illustration the origin of the lines which added some design details to the Panther's gloves and boots. 

I first saw this design as a special page in the pages of Jungle Action,a comic dedicated at the time to the adventures of the King of Wakanda.

And finally, here's the costume we know which first appeared in the pages of Fantastic Four. The Panther went from being a member of the colorful cast of FF background characters and became an Avenger where he served faithfully for many years before returning to his duties as King of the Wakandans. These days the Black Panther is one of Marvel's more successful heroes.

The Black Panther appeared on the scene suddenly in the pages of the Fantastic Four magazine during its most fecund era. Lee and Kirby had just given us delightful creations like the Inhumans, Galactus and the Silver Surfer and suddenly we are hit with another hidden kingdom, this one in the depths of darkest Africa.

When Reed Richards gets a present from "The Black Panther", the apparent leader of a remote kingdom named Wakanda, he is at first smitten with the grand technology of the flying machine he receives. This unfortunately lowers his guard and he and the rest of the FF head to Wakanda, a land they find to be a technological jungle of a spectacular nature and come under attack by the Black Panther himself. It appears to be a test of some sort, a ritual hunt which the Panther pursues by isolated the members of the FF and using his advanced technology and extreme agility to capture or momentarily defeat them. But he had not reckoned with the unexpected addition of Wyatt Wingfoot, a college buddy of Johnny Storm, who frees the team and allows them to bring the King of the Wakandans to bay. The issue ends with the Panther making peace with the team.

In the very next issue we get a very Panther centered story as amid the splendor of his rich kingdom we learn of his history. He is T'Challa, son of T'Chaka who was killed by a high-tech robber named Klaw who came for the mysterious metal called Vibranium.

He has trained himself for ten years pending Klaw's return and of course now is the propitious moment. Giant strangely red animals attack hunters in the jungle and soon enough the edges of the Wakandan territory itself. The Panther and the FF alongside battle a giant red ape, a giant red elephant and even eventually the Panther confronts a red panther. These are the creations of Klaw, a master of sound and the creatures themselves are solid sound. But the Black Panther confronts the slayer of his father and destroys his technology ending the threat. In the explosion it seems Klaw is killed but we see he is not as he enters the still operating portal which will alter his tissues. But that story will come at a later time. For now the FF and the Black Panther part ways.

(Unused cover for Fantastic Four Panther debut.)

This is era when the FF stories swiftly moved from one high concept to the next and so the Panther had to make way for the FF's next adventures against the likes of Prester John, Doctor Doom, Blastaar, and the Kree Sentry.

He is little seen for quite some time but does make an appearance along with about all the other FF creations in the Fab 4's fifth annual where the team battles the Psycho Man.

The Black Panther presents a problem for Marvel for sure. For one thing he's their first black superhero, though not an American one. But his name of course doesn't immediately make one think of the King of the Wakandans,

But rather of the somewhat infamous militant political group headed by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. This notorious party came along in 1966 the same year Marvel's new hero debuted. Given the racial tensions all too evident at the time T'Challa's name was problematic to say the least. I'm frankly surprised to see him called the "Black Panther" on the cover of the FF annual because subsequent cover appearances all shied away from his full title and called him merely "Panther" or referenced his name not at all.

Marvel was savvy in that they encased him in a suit which hid his race completely, at least at first so this allowed the character to be distributed in areas of the United States where a black superhero would've caused quite a ruckus if they'd known what was underneath the cover. You'll note the cover which was not used ultimately shows the Panther with a mask revealing his lower face, but that was replaced by one which did. Discounting the fact the latter is a better and more mysterious design, it also had the benefit of confusing the race issue for racists who might give the book a pass if they knew. 

After the Black Panther's debut and subsequent appearances in the Fantastic Four it was probably a great question what to do with him. And so he would become an Avenger, taking a seat at that table of heroes and bringing at long last a bit of racial diversity to a team which while having had mutants and humans had always to that point had only a white face (save for the Hulk of course). But the process to make him an Avenger begins really in the pages of Tales of Suspense and the involves the great Captain America.

The battle begins in Tales of Suspense #97 immediately after Cap has revealed to the world his identity as Steve Rogers. Hard on the heels of that he comes under attack from many in the underworld, and he fights for his life as in Wakanda the Black Panther finds unusually garbed soldiers guarding odd installations on the outskirts of the kingdom. He too comes under attack. Agent 13 (not yet named "Sharon Carter") takes on a mission too and longs to spend time with Cap who likewise misses her. After the Panther's battle he contacts Cap and says his problem is something related to Cap and sends one of his high-tech ships to bring the Living Legend to Wakanda.

(Reprints Tales of Supsense #98 - this time with words.)

In Tales of Suspense #98 Cap arrives in Wakanda and in is set upon by the Panther who does so test his mettle and confirm his identity. The two heroes exchange pleasantries and then the Panther fills Cap in on the threat which is a deadly death-ray satellite operated from Wakanda territory.

The two head to confront the enemy and come under attack. Meanwhile Agent 13 assumes the identity of "Irma Kruhl",a deadly agent who delivers vital coordinates to the very villain Cap and the Panther are confronting. The two heroes are captured in a pit and the enemy is revealed to be the thought-to-be-dead Baron Zemo.

In Tales of Suspense #99 Cap is staggered that Zemo, the man who Cap holds responsible for the death of Bucky Barnes, is still alive the Black Panther and he climb out of the pit but are still prisoners. The battle Zemo's forces and furiously so,but eventually are brought low again. Agent 13 has arrived and is forced by Zemo to shoot both heroes. The story ends as she is about to do just that.

Tales of Suspense becomes Captain America with its hundredth issue and the tale concludes. After a brief intro which reprises the events of Avengers #4 in Cap's groggy memory,

Agent 13 is able shoot over the heads of Cap and the Panther as they duck and Zemo is, for the moment convinced of her loyalty. But she quickly turns the tables and produces a flame thrower in her attache case and she and the two heroes battle Zemo's forces once again.

The battle is ferocious but in the end they defeat Zemo and it is revealed that he is in fact not the Baron but his former pilot who stole his identity to gain a following for his schemes. His henchmen shoot him dead and then realizing their plight surrender to the Black Panther's forces.

Cap and the Panther wrap things up as Agent 13 gets rid of the deadly satellite's defenses which allows Nick Fury and SHIELD to blow it up good. On the way back to New York, courtesy of the Panther's high-tech ships Cap suggests the Prince of Wakanda step in and take his place in the ranks of the Avengers. The Panther seems amenable to that idea as the story ends.

It is in the pages of Avengers #52, the very next month that the Black Panther follows up on Cap's recommendation. He arrives at Avengers mansion just in time to find the team at one of their lowest ebbs. Only Goliath, the Wasp and Hawkeye remain as members, and they have been captured by the new menace of The Grim Reaper. The Black Panther is key in defeating the Reaper and proves himself worthy to join the ranks of the Assemblers who welcome him.

The Black Panther serves the Avengers with distinction and plays a crucial role in many stories. Of some note is that the Panther's mask was altered to show some of his face for a few issues, a bold move at the time it's sad to say. It didn't last.

The team even travels to Wakanda where T'Challa must defeat the menace of The Man-Ape who seeks to unseat the absent king.

Later still he finds himself fighting the Sons of the Serpent and the series even takes an issue to give us a closer look at the Black Panther's origin.

The Panther even becomes a frequent partner with Daredevil, The Man Without Fear. Eventually the Panther will play a decreasing role with the team as his responsibilities as monarch loom larger and larger. But that's a whole bunch of other stories.

Note: The current administration might be a dodgy about celebrating "Black History Month", but I wanted to make sure the Dojo did so. 

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Burn Panther Burn!

The issues of Jungle Action which are subtitled "Panther Vs. The Klan" arrive immediately after the incredible epic of "Panther's Rage". Sadly, these final issues are nowhere near as compelling despite a change of setting and a most visceral enemy despite some handsome art by Billy Graham and Bob McLeod.

The reason is simply because Don McGregor's overripe writing was ideal for the mysterious otherworldly yarn of "Panther's Rage" which showcased the many weird landscapes and peoples of Wakanda, giving that story an almost Shakespearean heft. The same McGregor tricks work much less well in Georgia and are not helped by an almost incomprehensible plot.

As far as I can tell the Panther and Monica Lynne have come down to Georgia to visit her parents and check into the seeming suicide of her sister. We quickly meet a sheriff and a reporter who seem both too good to be true, and we meet Monica's parents, each dealing with loss in his or her own way.

The Klan though is not so much in evidence as the title might suggest, sharing villain capacity alongside another gang of ignorant mopes dubbed "The Dragon Circle". They are like the Klan in look, save they like purple and they apparently welcome villains from the African-American community into their ranks. Why they are in this story bewilders me, unless the powers just weren't ready to lay murder onto the backs of a real-world terrorist organization and preferred a fictional one. Seems an unusually light touch for such miscreants.

It wouldn't matter much as the Panther battles the enigmatic Wind Eagle, an agent of the Dragon Circle in the last issue of Jungle Action and then the book is cancelled.

It was cancelled to make way for Jack Kirby's rendition of the character, and it is the only time I can remember when I was sad to see "The King of Comics" step in and take over a character. What Don McGregor and Billy Graham had created in the Panther series early on was clearly going to be a comic book classic for years to come.

There is a connection between the Klan and the Dragon Circle more explicitly developed when the story line was picked up many years later by other talents and brought to some conclusion in the pages of Marvel Premiere. Better late than never I suppose, but it would've been grand to have seen what might've been.

Note: This post originally appeared at Rip Jagger's Other Dojo. 

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Tracking The Black Panther!

Went to see Black Panther the other day and even two weeks after its release I was sitting in a packed house. There's no denying the financial success of Marvel's latest entry into its movie universe, but sadly I have to report that it was not the successful effort in terms of its absolute storytelling. This one fell short only in relation to the absolute success of some of its predecessors, and still is an entertaining diversion, but it's not a great adventure movie by all measures. If you haven't seen the movie tread carefully, as SPOILERS are in evidence.

The biggest challenge facing any of these fresh epics is the totality of the background info needed to be absorbed by the audience before they can even get a handle on the wide cast of characters. This movie tries diligently to get the back story of vibranium and the long history of Wakanda into the record, but to my ear failed to get it done cleanly, so I became confused at to when things happened and to whom. This is a multi-generational saga and needs careful attention to the motivations of its characters. Frankly I lost track of exactly who was related to who and why they might've borne a grudge. Enemies become friends and friends become enemies.

Also there's a nagging problem all movies about kings have and that's the implicit endorsement for monarchy that such tales deliver. Wakanda is a modern nation in all respects, a land of secrets and presumably a land in which the citizens do suffer privation or hunger. But still and all, this modern, high-tech nation feels encumbered by myth which cloaks the elevation of certain clans above others. Royal families give me an ache and no less so when they are benevolent rulers, the very notion that some are "better" than others is anathema to me and I groan when I find it lurking in fiction. That might seem weird coming from someone who adores pulp fiction which is rich with such fanciful and often racist notions, but I'm able to parse the attitudes of long ago with those of today. Making T'Challa a king in the modern world gives me pause.

I love "Panther's Rage" by Don McGregor, Rich Buckler and Billy Graham, but I did not see any credit given to these talents for the story on the screen despite the use of Erik Killmonger as the key villain and scenes from "Panther's Rage" being ripped right from the pages nearly intact. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby do get screen credit though and that's not nothing, but I for one wish the Stan Lee cameos would wrap up. They were once delights, little gems to be anticipated, but now they are just dull. This one didn't work for me all that much.

There is plenty of action in Black Panther and that's a plus. I was not happy with Klaw's departure nor with his presentation. Klaue as played by Andy Serkis seemed like a joke villain in this one where as before in the Avengers appearance he seemed far more capable and deadly. Martin Freeman's appearance was mostly a waste of time and effort as he ended up not contributing much of anything necessary to make the story work. Drop him out and almost nothing changes of any real significance. Did love Man-Ape, though of course I realize they cannot call him that. M'Baku (Winston Duke) steals all of his scenes and is the real surprise of the move for me. He has the heft and size I expected of Killmonger. The actor (Michael Jordan) who plays Killmonger is pretty good,but for my tastes I wanted a bigger guy, a more imposing physical figure. But that's a small complaint.

The other actors do creditable jobs and it's all dandy but I just never got all that concerned. To be honest there's no real demise of consequence in the movie though death does touch characters. Danai Guria's character, a powerful warrior loyal to T'Challa seemed a likely candidate or even T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) for a potent demise. But we don't really have that moment and so the cost of the decisions that the Panther makes are not really consequential in the way I felt they should've been to maximize the impact of the story.  And that leads us to Chadwick Boseman who looks exactly like what the Panther should look like, but falls short in scenes of delvering the emotional connection a lead must have.

All the pieces are here, some of them very well delivered, but the sum is not the equal of the parts. The parts though are still pretty diverting and even at times entertaining.

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Panther's Rage - Jungle Kings!

"Panther's Rage" comes to a climax in issue seventeen of Jungle Action as Erik Killmonger finally launches his all-out attack on the heart of Wakanda. Leading his assembled troopers and a multitude of giant dinosaurs he brings destruction and mayhem to the settled and industrialized center of the kingdom. It has been a full year since the Panther returned to Wakanda and first confronted Killmonger atop the great waterfall. Since then he's had to do a lot of soul searching and confront many weird menaces, some created wrought by Killmonger's science and some the result of palace intrigue within his own ranks. But now T'Challa is galvanized, no longer plagued by doubt or second guessing and owning his own responsibility in the rise of the rebel Killmonger. So it is with a righteous anger on behalf of his suffering subjects which motivates the king to battle the usurper. The fight as the injured W'Kabi and his family see destruction rumbled toward them and Taku comes under threat but Venomm steps in. Some of Killmonger's allies are killed but many more are captured and atop the falls where it began the war between T'Challa and Erik Killmonger comes to an end and a small boy, still grieving over his lost father has a role to play.

Two months later in the epilogue we find the kingdom of Wakanda still recovering from the events of the war with Killmonger. Taku takes Venomm home to America and W'Kabi's family still leaves despite their developing understanding of how they feel.  But the danger is not over as the mistress of Killmonger seeks some measure of revenger and aided by her mute giant ally captures the Panther. It is W'Kabi, now possessing a metal arm to replace the one he lost in the war is instrumental in saving the Panther and despite some rough treatment T'Challa emerge triumphant again, his kingdom safe for the moment, but as we now know that is all the safety any of us has.

In the end "Panther's Rage" is a massive story told over the course of two real calendar years and over one year of literary time which attempts to explore the feelings and thoughts of people dealing with change and living up their own responsibilities. We meet T'Challa, a man less certain of his own goals and ambitions, a sign of maturity, but also something of a deficiency in a leader who appears to dither. He is surrounded by advisors, some who are overly intellectual and some who rely to heavily on emotions, but few who are able to blend these aspects of human nature to full effect, that is until the end of the story when he has been tempered by the many battles he has fought.

Erik Killmonger is a fascinating figure, a charismatic and brave leader who like most of his ilk has limited regard for his acolytes and an overweening confidence in himself. He wants revenge for what was taken from him and fights the Panther and all he stands for to attempt to balm that hurt. Out of that anger and sense of betrayal his rebellion has taken over the thinking of the those around him and consumes the concerns of everyone in the kingdom.

In the end McGregor's writing is so luxuriously dense that it's a chore to consume, his overly rich descriptions becomes a little bewildering as your eye rushes to decode the pictures which drive the story ahead. "Panther's Rage" is a work of art more significant because of how it is structured, a long continuing tale with a heavy reliance on interior analysis, than how effectively it does what it does. Now it seems all stories are like this, but then it was a relative rarity to find a story that pushed ahead so relentlessly month after month.

It was very very memorable though and one of Marvel's highest achievements during the Bronze Age of Comics.

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Panther's Rage - Serpent Kings!

In the fourteenth issue of Jungle Action by Don McGregor and Bill Graham things really kick into a higher gear. The artwork to my eye improves as Klaus Janson (who had done a fine job establishing mood and atmosphere) is replaced first by Pablo Marcos, then Dan Green and finally what appears to be Graham himself on inks. The art is lush and has a real flowing movement to it.

(Unused cover for issue fourteen by Graham)

The Black Panther pursues Killmonger and his forces into Serpent Valley, an isolated world surprisingly close to the heart of Wakanda but unknown to its residents. It's a strange world where time has stopped and ancient beasts from Earth's long past still roam the swampy mists. Dinosaurs are the target of Killmonger and his men as they seek to capture several behemoths who have descended from Brontosaurs.They hope to use these giant creatures as part of their ultimate attack on the central section of Wakanda. The Panther follows Sombre but has to switch plans when the latter dies in quicksand. Later the Panther battles a Tyranosaur-like monster and is able to use his skills to defeat the inhuman monster.

Left behind by Killmonger's forces he attempts to follow them again but is stopped by another of Killmonger's transformed allies, this one a thorn laced enemy named Salamander Kruhl.

After being struck by an arrow he is strung out and made helpless for an attack from above when Pteranosaurs descend upon him.

He actually displays great skill in not only surviving the attack but actually seems for a moment to wrangle the flying monster before dashing out its brains in a perilous descent to the ground. He finally heads for home.

Finding his way home at last the Black Panther recovers from his many many wounds and as time passes he and Monica Lynne renew their love affair.

Meanwhile Taku continues to try and develop a friendship with Horatio the man code-named Venomm by Killmonger. But both Take and W'Kabi are unable to stop Venomm from escaping after long months of capture and W'Kabi is seriously injured.

The Panther pursues Venomm to his lair where he keeps his snakes and the two battle it out. But the fight is a stalemate when Taku is able to convince Venomm to leave the Panther alive as the villain stalks off.

And that sets the stage for the exciting climax of "Panther's Rage" which lands tomorrow.

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