Share this
The Avengers #20
Writer – Jed MacKay
Artist – Farid Karami
Colorist – Federico Blee
Letter – Cory Petit
Cover Artists – Valerio Schiti & Federico Blee
The Story:
The Black Panther is all alone and facing an uphill battle as he attempts to rescue the beings stuck inside of the pocket dimension of Meridian Diadem. Can he unite the refugees under one banner, or will this be a futile effort?
The Writing:
This is a very well written issue, it’s that simple. To take a team book and only focus on one character, in a completely different setting than the rest of the series, and pull it off? That is a massive task! However, Jed MacKay shines as he puts the reader into the mind the Black Panther, highlighting what makes him such an interesting and intense character. MacKay also pulled off the difficult task of making me care about these refugees that are stuck inside this horrible creature. The world building was well done, setting up multiple factions and having them interact in a believable way. This really was a shining example of what a great writer Jed MacKay is!
The Art:
This issue has the interesting task that many comic books have, how do we make something look otherworldly and still familiar? Artist Farid Karami and Colorist Federico Blee knocked it out of the park. The alien designs were fun and strange without being distracting and the action throughout was fantastic! I really enjoyed the muted colors that made the world feel desolate and full of despair. I also just cannot get enough of the Black Panther design. The costume, claws, shield, and spear all topped off with the long scarf cape is beautiful. The cover is truly excellent as well with that perfect Black Panther action pose looking like he’s going to come right off the page.
The Verdict: 8/10
While I truly enjoyed the art and story in this book, the fact that it is an Avengers issue that only features one hero put me off a bit. I love Black Panther and this was a great peek into where he is mentally, I found myself missing the rest of the team by the end of the issue. Of course, the book itself was still great but the fact that we never got a single cutaway to what was happening with the rest of The Avengers keeps me from giving this one a higher rating.
