• Written by: Eve L. Ewing
• Art by: Chris Allen, Mack Chater, Craig Yeung
• Colors by: Jesus Aburtov
• Letters by: VC’s Joe Sabino
• Cover art by: Taurin Clarke
• Cover price: $3.99
• Release date: December 27, 2023

Black Panther #7 finds T’Challa on the run from a vengeful mob daughter after Kivu’Ma claims his next victim. Out of leads, T’Challa immerses himself in the culture of Biti to give Fate a chance to do its work.

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Is Black Panther #7 Good?

Eve Ewing’s latest entry in the grounded Black Panther series takes its foot off the gas to consider and reflect on what it means to be part of a people instead of ruling over a people in Black Panther #7. Ewing continues the expansive world-building to cast Birnin T’Chaka as the Wakandan equivalent of Gotham City, with all its rich culture and eclectic citizens, but the plot involving a boiling Gang War and a demonic force goes nowhere fast.

When last we left Black Panther, readers learned the rich, detailed history behind the supernatural force known as Kivu’Ma and how it began as a Wakandan citizen who turned to dark magic through a lust for power. That dark magic eventually consumed him. Now, Kivu’Ma continues to exert its influence by killing Baba Nkisu, leading Baba’s daughter Aliiya to believe that Black Panther killed her father. Out of leads and options, T’Challa turns to N’Yobi for advice on how to proceed. In return, N’Yobi suggests taking in the sights and the people to see if an opportunity presents itself, and it does.

In effect, Ewing sets up a scenario where T’Challa has to let go of control and allow the universe to present what it has to offer by being open to the world around him. Admittedly, this issue has a decidedly New Age feel to T’Challa’s detective work, so Ewing is finding ways to differentiate T’Challa as something besides a Batman knockoff.

What’s great about Black Panther #7? Taking an “open your mind and let the universe speak to you” approach to solving crimes is not necessarily new, but it is new for Black Panther and could signal an opportunity for character growth.

What’s not so great about Black Panther #7? Despite the new approach to crime fighting that does bear fruit, the issue is largely dull and barely moves the plot forward in any direction. After seven issues, T’Challa still has no idea what’s happening, who’s behind the disappearances, or what to do about it if he did. In effect, T’Challa is still in information-gathering mode, which is a heck of a lot of time, money, and patience to ask of the readers.

How’s the art? Odd. Allen, Chater, and Yeung construct a world with plenty of visual detail and points of interest, but the facial consistency is all over the map. When T’Challa is moving about Biti in his Ize disguise, he almost looks like a different person in every panel.

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 #7 takes the slow train to find out who’s behind the simmering gang war and the disappearances and makes it slower by sending T’Challa on a cultural tour of Biti to get in touch with the people. Ewing earns high marks for the expansive world-building in a fictional city, but after seven issues, the plot is barely formed, and T’Challa is still in information-gathering mode.

5.5/10