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The Ultimate Universe is back in the pages of Marvel Comics. With that, fans get a look at other universes and other scenarios besides the classic 616 we know and love.
In Ultimate Black Panther #1, we re-meet T’Challa, the king of Wakanda and also the Black Panther, protector of the advanced nation.
The storyline you know from the comics and movies starts out the same. T’Challa wants to continue to keep Wakanda under lock and key from the rest of the world. He wants to be his own King, but he’s not making any rash decisions just yet.
BUT his wife Okoye (yep, that Okoye), has other thoughts about helping those being attacked by mysterious forces, while innocents are being slaughtered.
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We get a little background into the new Ultimate Universe as well to kick things off, as it’s the Maker who has used time travel to reshape the world in his hopes of eliminating superheroes.
The Maker has been detained and locked away, so his associates Konshu and Ra have taken over his council and are continuing to wreak havoc in their name.
Writer Bryan Hill is a master at symbolism and storytelling. The issue starts off with a young boy amidst a slaughter and ends with a similar scene, but with a twist you wouldn’t expect. Or maybe you would!
Wakanda Forever
As we delve further into the issue, we see that T’Chaka is still alive in this universe. He is counseling his son in the ways of the throne.
While T’Challa wants to do things his way, his father urges him to trust in the guidance and support of the Vodu-Khan.
The young King relents and goes to see Matron Imala, who is the sacred Mother of the Vodu-Khan. A tenuous partnership is shown, but that doesn’t look like something that will last very long.
As we’ve seen in other iterations of Black Panther, T’Challa’s army, soldiers and even his sister Shuri all want to act and save those who are casualties of war. But he still wants to wait to go on the offensive.
“I want the enemies of the innocent to fear us,” Shuri waxes. And it seems like an unlikely anti-hero agrees – Killmonger!
“Your Gods … will not protect you”
But Killmonger will. In another scene towards the end of the issue, yet another slaughter of the innocent is about to take place, while Kilmonger steps in with Wind Rider and easily saves the village.
Later we flash to a Wakanda celebration, that is interrupted by a fanatic who yells “for Konshu,” before setting off some kind of bomb.
Yes, this explosion seems to claim the life of T’Chaka, leaving his son with no options.
and with these words, the Ultimate battle has begun.
“Our enemy calls themselves … Moon Knight,” Panther says. “Wakanda is at war.”
Final Thoughts – 9/10
I’M IN is all i can say.
Heart-pumping, action packed … I could go on and on about this book. I can already smell the conflict brewing inside T’Challa and the twists and turns that must come later in the series.
What a ride we can expect my friends!
