A Nation Under Our Feet Vol. 1 (Black Panther (2016-2018))

Black Panther has always been a deep character. Ta-Nehisi Coates has elevated the scope of the characters story to one that invites the reader to dive deeply into the culture of Wakandan life and does not seek to gloss over the land as utopian but a completely developed country, full of intrigue, intelligence and yes sometimes violence.

After his introduction in Captain America Civil War finally the rest of the world are aware of his existence... this volume is such a great start and very political. Coetes is taking this very personal. can't wait for more!

Amazing. More Wakanda, more difficult political decisions for Panther (many of his opponents have valid points). Lots to love here. I can't wait to read more from this author. The Midnight Angels are my new favorite thing.

Ever since this year’s release of “Captain America: Civil War”, we finally got to see the first introduction of the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans were impressed with his badass prowless on screen and has his own film coming out some time in 2017. I’ve been reading the fabulous Black Panther run from Christopher Priest for the character, so I had high hopes for the character and it also it means a new solo comic series and written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a current writer/journalist in the field of politics that make for a perfect choice with veteran artist Brian Stelfreeze. While I think this is a promising creative team and opening book, I feel it still needs time to improve.

BLACK PANTHER VOLUME 1: A NATION UNDER OUR FEET BOOK 1 collects issues #1-4 and Black Panther’s first appearance in FANTASTIC FOUR #52. The people of Wakanda are restless. They've been stirred up by a group called The People and some of them have become dangerous due to the upheavals across the land, which Black Panther tries to quall the uprising but it blows up in his face. Meanwhile one of the Black Panther's Dora Milaje (his personal/elite guards) is sentenced to death for doing the right thing because of growing corruption in Wakanda. Her fellow Dora Milaje and lover will not allow her to be killed and steals experimental armor to free her. Too many factors are pulling Panther apart for him to focus on restoring Wakanda. Desperate times call for desperate measures…

Writer and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates is a current writer for good reason as to give a more policial savvy to match the characters backgrounds and gives a whole new audience for those geared in his writing, those who like/want to know more about Black Panther, or both. The story that Wakanda has problems that need to be solved immediately is reasonably well done as it shows the many factors Panther has to do as reigning king of Wakanda. He’s taking information from his mother, his generals, his people, and people responsible for this uprising. This all happens with a great amount of metaphors on politics and philosophy to make things somber. The other story plot revolving around the Dora Milaje who escaped from Wakanda with experimental Midnight Angel armor is, to me, the better part of the book as it pushes the narrative forward. It’s just two wanted lovers on the run from their problems, but they are building blocks to a larger narrative that I hope to see more of in the following volumes.

I have no complaints regarding artist Brian Stelfreeze. It’s lush, detailed, and just cartoony enough to not make this series too dark in its tone.

Because of the small amount of issues collected here, Marvel at least included some decent array of extras including an entire map and layout of Wakanda, seven pages of sketches, artboards, and even some commentary by artist Brian Stelfreeze; numerous variant covers, and finally three pages of Black Panther chronology for those who want to know more about the character in comics.

So why am I giving this a 3-star rating, deeming it ‘fair’ by the store? I feel as if it had a few flaws in itself. This being Coates first foray into comics so he’s not familiar with it just yet, as some of his character dialogues come off clunky and pacing is rough transitioning from one place to another. I get it that Coates is making his anagram for conflict a wide-spread ordeal and confusing thing, yet it felt too much jumping around. Another aspect is I also could not connect with T’Challa himself, as this comic hits the ground running and we never get any alone time to T'Challa as he is scared and frustrated regarding what's happening, but little of his persona is shown or his long history of trying to deal with Wakanda history (which confusingly comes off here and there). This makes it so new readers will be lost of those connections. There is also a great deal of philosophy and political undertones here that give a smart and in-depth insight for some readers, but I felt it too much of it and not propelling the story forward. Lastly, I thought it was a bit underwhelming having only four issues here and the first appearance to pad things out.

Even if I am giving this 3-star rating, BLACK PANTHER VOLUME 1: A NATION UNDER OUR FEET BOOK 1 is a decent start under writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. I think it is reasonably smart and he does have the makings of a strong story being told down the line, but it’s a slow and rough start with Coates limited comic writing and overindulgence in heavy speeches. I am truly looking forward to the next volume to see things pick up and start coming together as I have high hopes for the creative team and this comic series.

NOTE THAT the store HAS ATTACHED THE REVIEWS OF THE PAPERBACK EDITION (issues #1-4) TO THE HARDCOVER THAT COLLECTS THE ENTIRE 12-ISSUE STORY.

My reviews of the three 4-issue paperbacks are included here:
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This volume collects the first four issues of the latest (volume 6) series of Marvel’s Black Panther comic. The last Black Panther solo series I can remember was Jack Kirby’s, back in his last term at Marvel, and, prior to that, Don McGregor’s back in the 1970s.

Strangely enough, this series reminded me a bit of both; the artist has adopted a few Kirby stylistic touches, though maintaining his own realistic style, and the range of characters reminded me of McGregor’s cast of characters drawn from all strata of Wakandan society.

I know nothing about the writer, other than that he is a celebrated Black American writer, but he has done his homework, because this story is rising out of a deep foundation in Marvel continuity, with reference to ‘recent’ events, such as Doctor Doom’s invasion, Atlantis’s attack, and Thanos’s devastation. T’chala also references the lead-in to the Secret Wars in a way that indicates that he is aware of the rebirth (though that might be in the next volume, which I have just started to read). The scripting and characterisation is also very good, and the writer certainly knows how to write comics – which is not the same as knowing how to write non-comic books – just look at the recent Green Arrow series, written by a novelist who hasn’t quite got the hang of the difference between the two forms, though he is improving as he goes.

The story itself sees Wakanda in the throes of civil unrest, with, despite the alleged highly advanced nature of the society, is portrayed here as a deeply divided culture, with the soaring towers of the capital, and workers toiling in the Vibranium mines in apparently primitive conditions (though being Welsh, I may be used to seeing different mining techniques at work), as well as a number of other socially-divided components of the culture. This is a bit reminiscent of modern China, with its coastal cities, rural farmlands, and industrial/mining regions.

One problem American comic-book writers have is how to portray kings and the like; they seem to believe that the Divine Right of Kings was, and still is, a real ‘thing’, whereas in Britain at least, James I (and 6th) was the first to seriously propose it, and his son Charles I (and 1st) was the first to disprove it (though with help from the New Model Army and the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant).

Since those days, kings were seen, as they were in previous times, as people with important roles to play in society, and in fact, were the cornerstones of society and order; or to be more precise, the role of king was the cornerstone of order. Oliver Cromwell’s lasting problem was finding an alternative to a king for the English republic, though his political successors finally did in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, a solution which has lasted successfully to this day.

The problem Wakanda has, is that Americans writers are trying to reconcile a dictatorship and/or tribal societies with democratic principles – a problem that American politicians have failed to reconcile in recent years in the Middle East and Central Asia, and are not going to do in Wakanda with any conviction unless they learn the lessons of history.

All that aside, this is an interesting story, with several threads interweaved, showing the various facets of Wakandan society, and how they are fragmenting due to the lack of trust with the central government.

This might be an allegory for America, or it might be a serious examination of some modern states which contain tribal societies, but it is entertaining and not at all preachy. None of the factions are particularly attractive at the moment, and, as always “the poor man pays for all”.

This is also a good, entertaining comic book that is firmly entrenched in Marvel continuity, and I look forward to seeing how the writer deals with the problems he is illustrating.

Black Panther – A Nation Under our Feet 2
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This volume collects the second instalment of this Black Panther storyline, issues #5-8 (and note that there is a hardcover collection of the first 12 issues due later this year).

I wrote a rather long review of the first volume going on at length about the politics of Wakanda, so I will be briefer here.

This is an excellently-written story, with above-average artwork. In the second volume, we see the darker side of the revolutionary movements (well, one of them anyway – the more traditional (western) revolutionary one), which descends into terror to promote its agenda, as do most revolutionary movements under dictatorships/undemocratic states, where there is no alternative method of protest (and those in democratic societies who represent a minority, or only themselves). Here however, terror can be met by high technology (thanks to Doctor Doom’s leftovers from his invasion) and the Black Avengers (they’re still quibbling over a name), though the Panther himself is not unaware of the problems inherent in an autocratic state.

That is only one of the strands though, as T’chala and Manifold set off into the Beyond to look for T’chala’s lost sister, long believed dead (or something – its complicated), and we get more hints about the Panther’s knowledge of the “Secret Wars” event and its aftermath.

In this volume, after concentrating on Wakanda and its culture in the previous one, we get down to superheroing and scientific adventuring in the great traditions of the Fantastic Four, from where this series has its roots, and it looks like the net volume will see the two strands brought together, though to what end, I have no idea.

While being a solid stand-alone storyline, this is also a story that has been referencing Marvel continuity quite clearly and deliberately, in the best traditions of Marvel comic books. This Black Panther knows his place in both the storyline and in Marvel history, and this is an excellent, and entertaining volume.

Black Panther – A Nation Under our Feet 3
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Volume 3 collects issues #9-12, ending the opening story of this post-Secret Wars series. There are pre-Secret Wars stories also collected – sections of New Avengers #18 & 21, and the entirety of the 30-page New Avengers #24, which highlight the Black Panther’s (and Wakanda’s) story leading up to “the end of everything”, as T’Challa refers to it in the main story here.

I wrote a rather long review of the first volume going on at length about the politics of Wakanda, and continued in the second volume’s review with a look at modern revolutionary movements; now we come to the conclusion, and the triumph of American liberal democratic principles riding roughshod over local conditions and cultures.

To begin, this is an excellently-written story, with above-average artwork throughout the twelve issues. It is also a good, entertaining comic book that is firmly entrenched in Marvel continuity.

It began as an interesting story with several threads interweaved showing the various facets of Wakandan society, and how they are fragmenting due to the lack of trust with the central government.

This might be an allegory for America, or it might be a serious examination of some modern states which contain tribal societies, but it was entertaining and not at all preachy until the second volume. None of the factions were particularly attractive up to then, and, as always “the poor man pays for all” – the lower levels of society were the ones who had to suffer or fight for their oppressors of all stripes.

The third volume, while still being entertaining and full of Marvel continuity, now falls foul of American liberal philosophy – the belief that the American way is the right and only way.

The writer, being a liberal American (as far as I know – he certainly hasn’t shown any Republican tendencies) is trapped by his own upbringing and education, and has to find a way to reconcile all the factions and bring everyone to an agreement – a way that has worked so well in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia over the years.

Before you start marching, I must point out that I, too, would like to see liberal American values triumph, as they have done in Europe since the Second World War and again after the fall of the Soviet Union. However, where they triumphed was in nation-states that had a fairly common set of values. Where there was tribal unrest, such as Yugoslavia and other countries created by Western statesmen, they didn’t take so well.

Now, in the heart of Africa (literally – there’s even a map in the hardcover collection putting Wakanda squarely in the “Heart of Darkness”) all the liberal American dominoes are set up and fall, just like in so many American TV series involving liberal (Democrat or Independent) presidents, unlike in the real (or Republican) world.

The writer really didn’t have a choice, for the Marvel Universe is founded on those liberal values, and most of us readers share those values. There’s a reason why there’s only one Punisher, and Batman still doesn’t carry a gun. It’s what we want to read, even if we can’t quite have the real world work the same way.

“Live long, and prosper.”

I picked this up with high expectations because of Mr. Coates skillful writing as an essayist. It is hard to convey the depths of my disappointment in his work on Black Panther. The characters are one dimensional - T'Challa is worried about his people and struggles with the burden of ruling. We've read this before - it feels like Peter Parker struggling to pay rent and worrying about Aunt May. It's stale and is the type of character trope that all comic writers tackling characters from Marvel and DC should be avoiding - much less an award winning writer of Mr. Coates's stature (again though, success as an essayist is no guarantee for success as a comic book writer).

The dialogue is weak. The characters are not interesting. The plot is weak. There is a challenge to T'Challa's rule and the people are angry. Mr. Coates may be writing an allegory for Trump voters here, and that would be welcome, but he mucks it up by not explaining what the people are angry with. There are rebels with superpowers...two of them have noble motives (they kill men who have been raping women en masse) but they are one-dimensional characters. He should have flushed them out better.

Mr. Coates has written one character who is profoundly interesting though. A dissident philosophy professor. He reads Locke and talks to his students about the faults of rulers. He's well rounded and has excellent lines. The problem is that he appears in less than 5% of the panels. Mr. Coates should write a comic with him as the star. Sadly, he has not and we are stuck with a one-dimensional Black Panther and a story that we have read many times.

There are moments where he tries to be poetic and nostalgia inducing - it falls flat. As of now, Mr. Coates does not have the lyrical ability to pull it off.

I am glad that Mr. Coates is writing this though, and I hope he continues at it. He may very well improve (and then one day look back at this an wince in pain).

I had an opportunity to see and hear Junot Diaz (Pulitzer prize winning author of "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," lover of comic books and supporter of Marjorie Liu) at the local community college last month. I asked him about some of the terrible writing with new female and minority characters that Marvel has been parading out in the past few years. I made the point that it isn't enough to have a female or black character - that they should be interesting and well written. Mr. Diaz retorted that white people have been allowed to produce terrible comics since comics were first written, and that they have a privilege to produce shoddy work and keep producing it. While he too wants to read quality stories, it takes a long time and a lot of writers to get to even a few quality books or runs. It was an interesting point and one that I have absorbed well.

The comic-industry tradition of inviting a celebrated author from outside the medium to craft and guide stories in the hopes of adding a new direction to an older, existing character and, more importantly for the business, of capturing the attention, and funding, of a new audience has met with mixed responses over the years. However, the introduction of new blood is generally viewed favorably. Judd Winnick worked in pop-drama, Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker had high-crime sensibilities, while Kevin Smith was… slow. And, sometimes that outsider’s vision must be tempered and edited to mix in with the established beat of the channel. Consumers sometimes do not get that instant gratification as the writer produces a slow burn. Here then, is Ta-Nehisi Coates’ introduction to Black Panther in A NATION UNDER OUR FEET.

Coates goes forth and makes the Panther’s home nation of Wakanda the central character, going so far as even providing a map of the fictional locale. He questions the idea of a monarchy and postulates the beginnings of revolutions, be they philosophical or physical. He asks how a nation recovers from tragedy, and how it dreams of grandeur. Pretty lofty and exciting ideas for a mere comic book. However, in doing so, Coates nearly neglects the title character, the Black Panther himself. The result, is a slow, political read with flashes of action, like John le Carre set in Africa.

Coates’ story is tempting. How often does a superhero, and a member of the Avengers at that, have to deal with true-to-life democracy? Certainly, other established monarchs, such as Namor and DC’s Aquaman, spend much more time off the throne than actually on. The story can also be confusing with many elements and discussions occurring off-panel, the establishing of new players without full introductions. and the setup, coming off previous storylines, can especially be puzzling for new readers to the character.

However, Brian Stelfreeze’s magnificent artwork aside, the tease to the upcoming pay-off does tease well and provides insight into Coates’ long-play. Hopefully the end game will be worth it. And, maybe, we will get to see King T’Challa in the jungle action adventure he deserves.

What begins as a clunky, confusing work slowly develops into something far more intriguing. I admit that I picked this up based on the reputation of Ta-Nehisi Coates.His lack of comic book writing experience, though, shows early on. The opening was disorienting. T'Challa, the king, was attacking his own people, claiming a witch was controlling them. And then we meet his mother sentencing a woman warrior to death for breaking the rules, and then mother and son talk, and then we meet the witch. The story cuts between plotlines at rapid-fire speed, not giving the reader a chance to take it all in.

So yes, at first it is pretty overwhelming. It takes some time to get to know who is who (and even by the end of the fourth issue, I'm still having trouble with some of the major players). I think it helps to view the series as a story about a leader struggling to keep control of his country. Just like any leader, he faces outside challengers and he faces a people who increasingly believe he is too aloof. And, really, he is not a perfect leader. We get hints that he spent time away from the country, battling major threats to the world, and this cost him the love of his people. The fact that he is attacking and killing his own people, even if they are being influenced by another, is troubling as well. This is a series about a leader who must learn how to be a better leader.

To add to the complexity is the question of whether he truly is the best leader for Wakanda. His opponents want to do away with the monarchy of the nation and make it a country ruled by Wakandans. Yet their methods are also suspect. We have a pair of women who have betrayed their ruler and a couple of people who have extremist views. Part of the sophistication of the work rests on the fact that it isn't entirely clear who is truly good or evil, which ideology would best serve the nation. Coates does not turn his Panther into a righteous man who is clearly good, and even his "villains" are not clearly evil. T'Challa is a man who is struggling with what it means to do the right thing and his choices don't always appear to be the right ones. I'm curious to see where Coates takes this.

Brian Stelfreeze's artwork is quite good. Highly detailed but not hyper-realistic. Stelfreeze adds some cartoon flourishes to dampen the impact of the violence. While the content may be mature in terms of the depth of themes, the artwork is not mature in terms of the detail of its violence. The impact of blows is either darkened to avoid seeing blood or just not shown. While Stelfreeze's artwork is great, I think it's also important to praise the coloring by Laura Martin, who really helps the characters and background pop.

I feel this is a series that will build into something terrific if Coates keeps up the momentum this book ends on. Coates appeared to be growing as a comic book writer in the later issues of the book. Or maybe I was finally piecing things together and realizing what Coates is trying to accomplish. I agree with some reviewers that the characterization could be better, but that too appears to be developing with time. I'm looking forward to see where Coates takes the Black Panther.

Black Panther (T'Challa) governs Wakanda at a terrible time. A terrorist group called The People is raising an army to overthrow the government. Some of the Dora Milaje (the elite all-female military force) are in rebellion and raising their own army, also to overthrow the government. The two factions have an uneasy alliance. The country has already been weakened by attacks from Prince Namor's Atlanteans and mad Titan Thanos's Black Order. One of the top political professors in Wakanda has also been agitating against the monarchy in his own scholarly way. If that wasn't enough on T'Challa's mind, he also feels guilty about his sister Shuri who had been reigning as queen and died in a fight where he could have saved her. She's not quite dead, though, she is under the living death devised to take down Thanos,. He has a chance to bring her back. The Black Panther has plenty of civil unrest and personal unrest to deal with.

The book suffers from the multitude of plot threads introduced. In addition to the two main factions and the political philosopher and the king plot lines, Shuri is in the Wakandan astral plane called the Djalia (which was depicted quite well in the movie) and has her own storyline apart from T'Challa's attempts to revive her. If I had been reading this in individual issues month by month, I probably would have quit due to the scattershot storytelling that's hard to pull together until well into the story. The references to previous events (e.g. Namor and Thanos attacking Wakanda and the fallout from those) are slim and a bit frustrating having not read those earlier stories. This volume contains twelve issues and lots of storytelling. After the first third I was pretty unsatisfied; by the end I was very satisfied.

The political philosophy mostly focused on revolutions as the tool for political change and how they always require death, even of non-combatants, and how that's bad but necessary. The book just assumes monarchy is bad and democracy is good without any attempt to look at the good and bad aspects of each. It ends with the promise of establishing a constitutional, freely-elected government. Happily, Black Panther has other things to do, so the book won't bog down in future constitutional ceonventions.

Recommended.