Black Panther
Vol.2, No.41
"Mirror, Mirror"
(Enemy of the State II, part 1 of 5)
Writer: Christopher Priest
Pencils: Sal Velluto
Inks: Bob Almond
Note no.1: This story arc guest-stars Iron Man and Wolverine, and each is handled with a depth, intelligence and realism too few writers have approached them with.
Note no.2: While this is a sequel to an early story arc in the series, one doesn't need to have read the earlier story. While not everything is spoon-fed to the reader in the first few pages, Priest has proven himself very capable of filling things in as he goes. Once one gets an issue into BP if there's something you're not getting, chances are you're not meant to just yet. After all, we read these stories in search of something interesting, entertaining, and a surprise here or there.
I'm enjoying the launch of this new storyline, but wading into a multilayered international political and corporate intrigue partially involving what Kirby did during his bizarre 70's run of Black Panther made this initially a little difficult to enthusiastically recommend to new readers. I know it'll all pan out and fit together brilliantly by the end of part 5, but here at part 1 even I'm feeling a little at sea. Still, what good is a series if it doesn't challenge the reader a little? So long as there's a payoff it's what one wants, and Priest always pays off. So, please, consider this an enthusiastic recommendation.
It's nice that Priest's trying to take Kirby's run and make it work by revealing that that was a different T'Challa - and he's having fun doing it. Tony (Iron Man) Stark and T'Challa have been at odds over a variety of political intrigues, so it was fun watching Tony taken aback as the normally taciturn Panther greets him with bombastically over the top Kirbyesque greetings. Tony's off-balance as he's momentarily sure that this must be sarcasm, but that doesn't fit with T'Challa's character either.
As with so many things, though, I fear much of the immediate fun is lost on anyone who doesn't have some of the history in hand. Ultimately Priest makes it all very accessible, and it's worth the effort and time to get there, but how many readers are that patient these days? I'm hoping that enough are to help get the circulation on this series up.
The art team of Velluto and Almond continue to give us solid visual storytelling, too, though I do wish Bob would ease up a little on the inks and let more of Sal's fine linework come through.
As I've mentioned in other places, this title (along with Captain Marvel and Spider-Girl) have the dubious distinction of being Marvel's three lowest-selling monthlies, and are all flirting with cancellation. Joe Quesada and Bill Jemas have come up with an interim stay of execution by announcing that the cover price of each will be going up 25 cents so as to keep the titles afloat for another year. Some view this cynically, as good as a death warrant for the title, but I don't see it that way. Do I expect the title to be around a year from now? Honestly, no, but I'm open to a happy surprise. More to the point, though, I appreciate a move that should at least allow the series to go on for another year. While Marvel could be flush with green a year from now, owing to the direct and peripheral (as in effective marketing for the comics) effects of a successful Spider-Man movie (May 3rd!), for now they're still riding close to the financial abyss. The pressure to cut off comparative non-performers must be high. As has been the case all along Quesada genuinely appears to be trying to give as many of the readers what they want, trying to keep his decisions open to more than just the bottom line of sales figures.
So, the time to check this out is now. To the best of my knowledge two trade collections ("The Client", covering the early issues, and "Enemy of the State") are available if you find yourself wanting to more directly fill yourself in on the series.
Comments? Drop me a line or post something for all to see on the messageboard.
---Mike Norton