• Written by: Eve Ewing
• Art by: Chris Allen, Craig Yeung
• Colors by: Jesus Aburtov
• Letters by: VC’s Joe Sabino
• Cover art by: Taurin Clarke
• Cover price: $4.99
• Release date: June 14, 2023

Black Panther #1 brings T’Challa back down to Earth in a new series where the former King of Wakanda struggles to find his place as the protector of a kingdom that’s exiled him.

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Is It Good?

I want to like Black Panther #1. I truly do. It’s very clear from the first page to the last that Eve Ewing is writing her heart out, but I don’t like Black Panther #1 for one simple reason – it’s boring.

When last we left T’Challa, aka Black Panther, in John Ridley’s critically drubbed run, the King of Wakanda was exiled for crimes against his people, and rightfully so. Now, T’Challa chooses to secretly continue in his role as Black Panther to protect Wakanda from itself as he visits the less affluent cities of his kingdom to find and root out injustice. Eventually, T’Challa seeks out the counsel of a lawyer, N’Yobi, with family connections in the hopes that N’Yobi can help T’Challa realign his life. N’Yobi, unfortunately, may have organized crime troubles of his own.

On its face, this isn’t a bad setup to put Black Panther on a path toward reinvention. Ewing invests mountains of page space building out whole swaths of Wakanda you may never have known existed. The world-building is extensive and well done, so if you have the desire to learn more about Wakanda, its people, and their way of life with great detail and attention, Ewing’s first issue works.

Conversely, Ewing’s first issue doesn’t work in two areas.

First, this issue is entirely setup and world-building, so much so that Black Panther is almost an incidental narrator in his own comic. In truth, there are one or two brief action scenes, but the rest is introspective narration, conversations (not involving Black Panther), and exposition. As you might expect, the pacing takes a massive hit, and I was checking the page number way too early.

Second, the beauty of Wakanda lies in its wonder and whimsy as a fantastic nation firmly rooted in Afro-futurism. But here, Ewing goes out of her way to ground the less-affluent cities of Wakanda to such a degree that they start to resemble familiar US cities such as NYC or Chicago. In effect, the Wakandan “magic” has been stripped away in an effort to make Wakanda seem more realistic. Consequently, this issue reads like a less-good Daredevil or Batman comic.

How’s the art? It’s pretty good. Black Panther gets a makeover with more tribal markings and adornments, the linework is super clean, the characters’ facial acting is excellent, and Aburtov’s coloring is outstanding, as always. Truly, this is a great looking comic, but the visuals are wasted on a script more interested in telling instead of showing.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Black Panther #1 starts a new chapter in T’Challa’s legend with an issue that builds an amazing amount of texture and detail into the less-frequented corners of Wakanda. However, this issue is almost all exposition and setup with very little action or Black Panther to show for it, resulting in a detailed but ultimately dull comic.

6/10