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Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Black Panther, Vol. 6: The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, Part One
A bold new direction for the Black Panther! For years, T'Challa has kept foreign invaders out of his homeland, protecting his people from everything from meddling governments to long-lost gods. Now, he will discover that Wakanda is much bigger than he ever dreamed...across the vast Multiverse lies an empire founded in T'Challa's name! Jump on now and learn the truth behind the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda! Ta-Nehisi Coates welcomes aboard fan-favorite artist Daniel Acuña for a Black Panther story unlike any other!
COLLECTING: BLACK PANTHER (2018) 1-6
COLLECTING: BLACK PANTHER (2018) 1-6
144 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2019
71 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Ta-Nehisi Coates
285 books17.3k followersTa-Nehisi Coates is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Between the World and Me, a finalist for the National Book Award. A MacArthur "Genius Grant" fellow, Coates has received the National Magazine Award, the Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis Journalism, and the George Polk Award for his Atlantic cover story "The Case for Reparations." He lives in New York with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
September 12, 2019
I'm not really certain why this is book six. It seems completely unrelated to the previous Coates run. This is Black Panther reimagined as Star Wars. At some point, I'm sure we'll find out what this story set thousands of years in the future where Wakanda rules 5 star systems has to do with the rest of Coates run. Unfortunately, we don't even get the hint of answers in these 6 issues. We get little explanation at all of what's going on. We're thrown in with a T'Challa that has lost his memory and is now a slave. He quickly meets up with some rebels and there's lot of lasers firing for 6 issues but little story. It's super decompressed. Coates must have taken his critics to heart. He's edited his words down to the point where the dialogue and narration is almost sparse. The only thing I'm sure of is how it's going to end. The M'Kraan Crystal has made an appearance. Any good X-Men fan knows that's how these alternate realities typically get reset.
November 8, 2022
11/7 Update: I've read this volume three times now, according to Goodreads, and each time I'm astonished that it feels so fresh and new. I must really like it, but for the life of me I can't figure out why my mind becomes a blank slate immediately upon setting it down. Bumped to five stars because it really is so, so good - galaxy-spanning while also being personal, action-packed with numerous small character moments.
Original review:
Black Panther in space! Sweet! But like...really, really in space. This isn't "Black Panther hops on a spaceship and goes to some far-flung galaxy to have adventures." This is "we rebooted Black Panther in a Wakanda-based universe with some really interesting twists."
For example, Wakanda is bad! Or at least, the intergalactic empire that resembles Wakanda is the villain here. And Black Panther himself may or may not be the Black Panther we're familiar with from previous volumes. The entirety of Book 6 finds our hero having memory problems (and generally acting in some less-than-regal ways). It's largely thrilling to see the staid nature of Black Panther comics broken up into something unfamiliar and exciting.
And I do mean exciting - Book 6 is not the traditional Ta-Nehisi Coates gabfest. Issues are often dialogue-free and action-packed. For me, who has never been a fan of the density of Coates writing style, this is a welcome change. If you preferred characters droning endlessly about complex Wakandan politics, you might be less pleased.
However, the one aspect of Book 6 that should definitely please all readers: each issue has end notes describing this new setting and the new characters involved. Yes, please! My biggest complaint about previous Black Panther volumes was the large number of characters who are barely introduced. Am I supposed to recall who Black Panther's great-uncle is and why he's important? Hopefully not! The end notes in Book 6 diminish the need for a perfect memory of Black Panther lore.
This volume isn't perfect, of course - it jams a ton of world-building into six issues, sometimes too much, and the art veers from really cool to really hard to decipher. But it's a radical change from the rest of the Black Panther series and a total breath of fresh air. Can't wait for Book 7.
Original review:
Black Panther in space! Sweet! But like...really, really in space. This isn't "Black Panther hops on a spaceship and goes to some far-flung galaxy to have adventures." This is "we rebooted Black Panther in a Wakanda-based universe with some really interesting twists."
For example, Wakanda is bad! Or at least, the intergalactic empire that resembles Wakanda is the villain here. And Black Panther himself may or may not be the Black Panther we're familiar with from previous volumes. The entirety of Book 6 finds our hero having memory problems (and generally acting in some less-than-regal ways). It's largely thrilling to see the staid nature of Black Panther comics broken up into something unfamiliar and exciting.
And I do mean exciting - Book 6 is not the traditional Ta-Nehisi Coates gabfest. Issues are often dialogue-free and action-packed. For me, who has never been a fan of the density of Coates writing style, this is a welcome change. If you preferred characters droning endlessly about complex Wakandan politics, you might be less pleased.
However, the one aspect of Book 6 that should definitely please all readers: each issue has end notes describing this new setting and the new characters involved. Yes, please! My biggest complaint about previous Black Panther volumes was the large number of characters who are barely introduced. Am I supposed to recall who Black Panther's great-uncle is and why he's important? Hopefully not! The end notes in Book 6 diminish the need for a perfect memory of Black Panther lore.
This volume isn't perfect, of course - it jams a ton of world-building into six issues, sometimes too much, and the art veers from really cool to really hard to decipher. But it's a radical change from the rest of the Black Panther series and a total breath of fresh air. Can't wait for Book 7.
May 23, 2019
The start of an intriguing new mega-arc from Coates, which jumps 2000 years into the future where Wakanda is a massive, oppressive empire spanning five galaxies. T'challa can't remeber his past or how he got where he is, but many believe him to be the legendary hero of the empire from "Wakanda Prime" making his prophesied return. Slave-turned-hero T'challa becomes a warrior for the rebellion led by Nakia and M'Baku, whose presence in this future is also unexplained. It's Black Panther meets Star Wars, and I'm totally on board for that.
April 24, 2019
I slogged through Coates' previous Black Panther books because I was hoping they would bridge to this new series but nope! They have absolutely nothing to do with each other and I wasted a lot of time. In fact, reading that series made me even more confused when reading this.
Well, anyway, this was a lot of fun (it helps that I am a sucker for cosmic stories). And, unlike most of Coates' previous Panther books-which were all talk and little action-this was basically six issues of lasers being fired everywhere and spaceships exploding left and right. If you held your breath while reading this book until the action stopped, you would probably die first.
The only thing that bugs me is that BP is in space with no memory, many of the characters that we know are there but all different, and Wakanda is a massive space empire. there is a little note at the beginning of issue 2 saying that all would be explained but, unfortunately, this is not the volume that they chose to do that in.
Well, anyway, this was a lot of fun (it helps that I am a sucker for cosmic stories). And, unlike most of Coates' previous Panther books-which were all talk and little action-this was basically six issues of lasers being fired everywhere and spaceships exploding left and right. If you held your breath while reading this book until the action stopped, you would probably die first.
The only thing that bugs me is that BP is in space with no memory, many of the characters that we know are there but all different, and Wakanda is a massive space empire. there is a little note at the beginning of issue 2 saying that all would be explained but, unfortunately, this is not the volume that they chose to do that in.
June 14, 2019
This was fun as hell.
Funny enough while some of my favorite writers (Snyder) are going into heavy exposition and overly long storytelling in their stories, Coates is scaling back and learning how to mix actual comic pages with dialogue. After how good Coates Captain America was I had to give his newest Black Panther a chance. So glad that I did.
This is over the top fun space adventure. Our favorite Black Panther hero has lost his memories. He decides to fight on, break out of his prison, and become the hero (and king) of space. After learning the Wakanda empire spreads further than Earth, T'Challa decides to start his own revolution in space and fight back.
This is over the top as hell and fun. Watching awesome sweeping space battles, T'Challa whooping ass, and the art all being pretty solid everything there works well. The storyline is a bit silly and it takes a second to even understand what's happening. The villain is lacking though.
This is overall pretty solid. It's a big step in the right direction. A 3 out of 5.
Funny enough while some of my favorite writers (Snyder) are going into heavy exposition and overly long storytelling in their stories, Coates is scaling back and learning how to mix actual comic pages with dialogue. After how good Coates Captain America was I had to give his newest Black Panther a chance. So glad that I did.
This is over the top fun space adventure. Our favorite Black Panther hero has lost his memories. He decides to fight on, break out of his prison, and become the hero (and king) of space. After learning the Wakanda empire spreads further than Earth, T'Challa decides to start his own revolution in space and fight back.
This is over the top as hell and fun. Watching awesome sweeping space battles, T'Challa whooping ass, and the art all being pretty solid everything there works well. The storyline is a bit silly and it takes a second to even understand what's happening. The villain is lacking though.
This is overall pretty solid. It's a big step in the right direction. A 3 out of 5.
January 11, 2019
"It's not too late for us, T'Challa."
Though I've been one of the apparently few(?) people that have dug Coates' comic book work since the beginning, it seems like 2018 really was the year he started to come into his own as one of the most important and thrilling new voices working in the medium today. Between this exciting new chapter in his Black Panther saga and his soon-to-be seminal contribution to the Captain America mythos, this past year has been the crucial bridge over the gap between Coates' status as a "writer who does comics" and a "comic book writer."
Though I've been one of the apparently few(?) people that have dug Coates' comic book work since the beginning, it seems like 2018 really was the year he started to come into his own as one of the most important and thrilling new voices working in the medium today. Between this exciting new chapter in his Black Panther saga and his soon-to-be seminal contribution to the Captain America mythos, this past year has been the crucial bridge over the gap between Coates' status as a "writer who does comics" and a "comic book writer."
April 24, 2019
This read like it borrowed to heavily from other sci-fi franchises.....ugh.
May 21, 2019
Wow!! This was great!! As it starts off, I was confused as to what was going on, then once I caught on by issue 2 I was all in. N’Jadaka runs the Wakandan empire which owns 5 galaxies. T’Challa, M’Baku and Nakia are part of a rebel group trying to end the tyranny. I’m am so curious about a lot of things like how did it end up like this and what will happen once T’Challa gets his memories back? Absolutely can’t want to read the rest.
April 10, 2020
Siendo honesto creo que lo mejor del comic es el villano,ya que T'Challa me ha decepcionado bastante,y a los demas personajes les falta mas escencia,atreverse a hacer mas y no solo estar alli,y ese salto temporal de 5 años que ocurre no le vi ningun motivo real para que pasara.
Creo que la historia tiene mucho potencial pero no se lo estan dando.
Asi que para mi el villano es lo que salva este comic,mas que cualquier otra cosa.
Creo que la historia tiene mucho potencial pero no se lo estan dando.
Asi que para mi el villano es lo que salva este comic,mas que cualquier otra cosa.
January 24, 2020
I have no idea what’s happening but I love it
March 4, 2019
Black Panther and Star Wars had a baby, and The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda was born. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment of this series. The world in this universe is much more sci-fi than all of the others combined. I was wholly confused when I first started reading. Enough so that I had to start over after a few pages. And then it starts to all make sense. Still, I'd like to know how T'Challa, Nakia, and M'Baku came to be in this empire. Is it a dream? Is the Goddess Bast showing T'Challa some wisdom infused future? I need answers!!!!
Read
November 11, 2019Ta-Nehisi Coates has been writing Black Panther throughout the character's transition from niche fan favourite to worldwide emblem of black pride. So it's ironic that, at the very time 'Wakanda Forever' has been going mainstream as an Afro-futurist rallying cry, Coates' run has been devoted to prodding at Wakanda, and insisting that even SF semi-utopias have their dark side. The opening arc took on the most glaring issue, pointing out that even if you do happen to have a great man in the chair, hereditary monarchy is not the ideal way for a modern state to operate; that was followed by Avengers of the New World, which revealed that while Wakanda may represent unconquered Africa, that didn't mean the Wakandans hadn't themselves stolen it from someone before them. And now it turns out Wakanda has quietly been involved in its own imperialistic expansion. Or will be, because the timeframe, like much else, is not entirely clear here; it's not even certain whether the lead is the original T'challa, somehow displaced in space and time, or a reincarnation, or what. Still, with much of the story told through near-silent action, it's clear that Coates is getting more and more confident working with comics as a form, and its very different demands from the prose which made his name.
March 9, 2019
A crazy saga (in the best possible way). I hope to see what this leads to.
February 24, 2020
I was really torn by this one. Nicely written, but it doesn’t seem to have anything to do anything else from Black Panther or even Marvel. Yes, it’s the T’Challa we all know, except it’s not. Yes, it’s got objects, alien races and other familiar things from the Marvel Universe, but not in any kind of familiar way. It’s rather like a season of American Horror Story with familiar faces, but all in unfamiliar roles. The same actors playing different characters. Perhaps it all gets explained in the next volume, but this was rather confusing and bewildering. I rather felt like the author wanted to do a space opera kind of thing, but was unable to produce everything he needed from scratch, so he just used the building blocks he had to play with. Maybe, after the next volume I’ll have a better appreciation for this one, but right now I’m rather disappointed.
August 29, 2020
I really hope that TNC’s run on Black Panther is one day collected in one big beautiful volume
May 1, 2020
I like it so far. And it's great to finally have a decent artist on this book for once. What exactly is going on here is still yet to be determined, but this is a good story, well-told.
October 27, 2019
Read in two sittings--one at Barnes & Noble, the other at home after getting my hold copy from the library. This is an amazing book. For those who found Coates' writing to wordy through the earlier volumes--those that preceded the series relaunch whose first issues are collected here--that is definitely not the case here. In fact while the story is enchanting, and the worldbuilding is absolutely fantastic, my biggest complaint about the series is that it relies nearly too much on visual storytelling. Not that Acuna isn't effective as a storyteller, because he definitely is. Rather I'm disappointed because when Comics move from a balanced medium (or one that favors the book half of the compound name) to a primarily visual medium with some captions, they lose the unique ability of written narrative to place the reader authoritatively inside the head of the characters. This is not to say that Acuna lacks anything an artist can do to accomplish the same, it's just that there's no way for an artist, sans-language, to communicate the same information the writer can in this area. Ah well.
That said the story that is is incredible. It's a thrill ride of a volume that efficiently and effectively introduces us to an entire new sub-world of the Marvel Universe, re-creating Wakanda on an intergalactic scale. Its a Wakanda where the defense first and only mentality has been abandoned in favor of a position that seems to have initially been similar to Kill-Monger's more aggressive vision in the film, which has expanded by the time we join the story to outright military aggression and conquest. The learning curve is a kick-to-the-head compared to most comic books in the MU or DCU which even when re-relaunching or re-creating characters or series tend to hand out change in dollops of carefully explicated story. Coates, Acuna and Co. throw us in off the deep end of the pool the way the best fantasy and science-fiction stories do and the carefully balance explication and narrative so that narrative predominates, but we never lack the explication to understand what's going on. It's daring and it works, for the most part.
It's also the reason this incredible volume gets a four from me rather than a five. I'm enjoying this, it's a great series, but it also completely isolates Panther from the rest of the Marvel Universe without giving the slightest hint as to why/how in the entire volume. Is this an alternate timeline? An alternate reality? One of the other universes restored by Reed after Secret Wars? We don't know. How did we get from where we last saw T'Challa to this point? We don't know. Is this our T'Challa time and space displaced, or a reincarnation, or what? We don't know. I love what they're doing, but felt like I was owed some answers to these questions by the end of the volume and didn't get any of them. Our only hint of explanation is the presence of the M'Kraan shard, apparently a fragment of the potentially reality-warping/reality-creating M'Kraan Crystal from the Shiar imperium and X-Men notoriety. Still it doesn't tell us anything concrete...or anything at all other than a point for speculations to perhaps begin. I just hope they don't erase all of this with a cosmic power-sourced return to normal. I hate when powerful stories are rendered moot by total erasure in that fashion. If that's where this is headed I wish it had stood alone as a Marvel answer to DCU's Elseworld books.
That said the story that is is incredible. It's a thrill ride of a volume that efficiently and effectively introduces us to an entire new sub-world of the Marvel Universe, re-creating Wakanda on an intergalactic scale. Its a Wakanda where the defense first and only mentality has been abandoned in favor of a position that seems to have initially been similar to Kill-Monger's more aggressive vision in the film, which has expanded by the time we join the story to outright military aggression and conquest. The learning curve is a kick-to-the-head compared to most comic books in the MU or DCU which even when re-relaunching or re-creating characters or series tend to hand out change in dollops of carefully explicated story. Coates, Acuna and Co. throw us in off the deep end of the pool the way the best fantasy and science-fiction stories do and the carefully balance explication and narrative so that narrative predominates, but we never lack the explication to understand what's going on. It's daring and it works, for the most part.
It's also the reason this incredible volume gets a four from me rather than a five. I'm enjoying this, it's a great series, but it also completely isolates Panther from the rest of the Marvel Universe without giving the slightest hint as to why/how in the entire volume. Is this an alternate timeline? An alternate reality? One of the other universes restored by Reed after Secret Wars? We don't know. How did we get from where we last saw T'Challa to this point? We don't know. Is this our T'Challa time and space displaced, or a reincarnation, or what? We don't know. I love what they're doing, but felt like I was owed some answers to these questions by the end of the volume and didn't get any of them. Our only hint of explanation is the presence of the M'Kraan shard, apparently a fragment of the potentially reality-warping/reality-creating M'Kraan Crystal from the Shiar imperium and X-Men notoriety. Still it doesn't tell us anything concrete...or anything at all other than a point for speculations to perhaps begin. I just hope they don't erase all of this with a cosmic power-sourced return to normal. I hate when powerful stories are rendered moot by total erasure in that fashion. If that's where this is headed I wish it had stood alone as a Marvel answer to DCU's Elseworld books.
June 18, 2023
Estaba más emocionado por esta historia de lo que me pareció tras leerla. A mi si me gustó mucho el run original de Coates en Black Panther, si bien no tenía mucha acción, los diálogos y las conspiraciones me parecían muy buenas. Si, a ratos parecía más un ensayo sobre la monarquía y el poder que un cómic de súper héroes pero eso no debe de ser malo.
El cómic no retoma lo que construyó en los cinco volúmenes anteriores. Despertamos 2000 años en el futuro, Wakanda es ahora un imperio galáctico, entre las minas de una de las colonias despierta un hombre sin memoria. Le ponen el nombre de T'Challa, pero aunque te dan pistas de que probablemente se trate del mismo T'Challa de los Vengadores, nunca nos lo confirman.
Este cómic es lo opuesto a los otros volúmenes del mismo autor. Pocos diálogos, mucha acción. Cuando construye a Nakia y a T'Challa, es hermoso, pero son pocas escenas cerca del final donde Coates hace eso. El resto del cómic tiene unas fuertes vibras de Star Wars. Es muy interesante ver a Black Panther en la galaxia.
El final no me quedó muy claro pero creo que el segundo tomo podría mejorar bastante. Creo que la historia se está moviendo lento y podría moverse un poco más rápido.
El arte es bastante bueno, las caras con sus sombras me gustan mucho y tiene un gran vibra espacial
El cómic no retoma lo que construyó en los cinco volúmenes anteriores. Despertamos 2000 años en el futuro, Wakanda es ahora un imperio galáctico, entre las minas de una de las colonias despierta un hombre sin memoria. Le ponen el nombre de T'Challa, pero aunque te dan pistas de que probablemente se trate del mismo T'Challa de los Vengadores, nunca nos lo confirman.
Este cómic es lo opuesto a los otros volúmenes del mismo autor. Pocos diálogos, mucha acción. Cuando construye a Nakia y a T'Challa, es hermoso, pero son pocas escenas cerca del final donde Coates hace eso. El resto del cómic tiene unas fuertes vibras de Star Wars. Es muy interesante ver a Black Panther en la galaxia.
El final no me quedó muy claro pero creo que el segundo tomo podría mejorar bastante. Creo que la historia se está moviendo lento y podría moverse un poco más rápido.
El arte es bastante bueno, las caras con sus sombras me gustan mucho y tiene un gran vibra espacial
March 9, 2019
I have no idea what's going on here, but I do know that Black Panther in Spaaaaace is amazingly fun to read. There's something of a mystery at the core of this book. Why are we in space? Is this the future? Alternate reality? Is this even real? Coates is doing a great job of stringing me along, keeping me asking questions without getting frustrated with a lack of answers, yet. I can't wait to see where he's going with this.
September 23, 2020
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One throws Wakanda into a different direction that you will not see coming! Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One shows us a Wakandan empire that has grown up since a group of colonists left Wakanda and formed the Empire that has gone onto conquer the surrounding people and is still expanding! The idea of a Wakandan Intergalactic Empire is brilliantly handled! The various stratified classes of people that we see act as a contrast to the honourable people of Wakanda that we know!
The Wakandan's are unable to keep everything under control and are dealing with a rebellion that may or may not have had the actual T'Challa on side! This addition of their own mythic figure of T'Challa is brilliantly handled and adds tones of mystery to the books tones of adventure, action etc! The fact that T'Challa himself cannot recall who he is except at random instances that show Storm and other elements of Wakanda also adds intrigue as it starts to be revealed that T'Challa may actually be the real deal!
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One also has you head scratching in a great way from the beginning as you work out how the Wakandan's actually got this Empire and no one back in Wakanda Earth seems to know about it! The story is brilliantly handled and Coates puts his characters through the wringer! The different classes in the Empire as well as the conquered aliens incorporated into it really go to show the extremes that the ruling Wakandan's have gone in order to keep themselves in power! At the same time it it is perfectly clear that they know and respect the about the legend of T'Challa aka the Black Panther that as a consequence also gives a tone of dichotomy as they supposedly hold themselves to the ideals of Wakan society but they still behave in the way conquering way that they do! This acts as a great contrast to T'Challa gang who have clearly not slipped from those ideals as well as incorporating people of different origins into their society!
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One delves, amongst all the brilliant adventure and action, into equality and excepting people and the conflict against those who would have power of everything and the order they have established so the story has complex issues and the divergent sides really serve as a great contrast and show what can happen when people don't hold themselves for right over wrong and makes for great character conflict with the Wakandan Empire being really stretched by the rebels making for a great good versus bad battles! :D
The art is brilliant perfectly dovetailing with the script! The makes for a epic quality to the book with all the characters and action up there on the page! The panels are laid out is such away giving them a cinematic quality that marries up perfectly with the script! Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One has an epic feel from the beginning and all the elements come together in a script that will keep you guessing as to what is going on, what is going to happen etc from the start! The pace from the beginning is relentless and and engages in world building from the start and turns things about the Wakandan's and the space they inhabit on their head!
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One is crazy brilliant epic ride from the start! Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One is full of of epic issues that the characters are dealing with, epic battles that are dynamic epic, heroics that you can really see what the rebels are fighting for and why they so easily fight for freedom, mystery as you see how T'Challa got there and he rediscovers things and rises in the ranks with the rebels, world building the Wakandan's have an empire and all the alien races, adventure as the rebels and the Wakandan's hunting them fly across the universe and relentless action! Brilliant Crisp Galactic Shenanigans, Heroics Adventure and Action! Crisp High Five! Get it if You Can! :D
The Wakandan's are unable to keep everything under control and are dealing with a rebellion that may or may not have had the actual T'Challa on side! This addition of their own mythic figure of T'Challa is brilliantly handled and adds tones of mystery to the books tones of adventure, action etc! The fact that T'Challa himself cannot recall who he is except at random instances that show Storm and other elements of Wakanda also adds intrigue as it starts to be revealed that T'Challa may actually be the real deal!
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One also has you head scratching in a great way from the beginning as you work out how the Wakandan's actually got this Empire and no one back in Wakanda Earth seems to know about it! The story is brilliantly handled and Coates puts his characters through the wringer! The different classes in the Empire as well as the conquered aliens incorporated into it really go to show the extremes that the ruling Wakandan's have gone in order to keep themselves in power! At the same time it it is perfectly clear that they know and respect the about the legend of T'Challa aka the Black Panther that as a consequence also gives a tone of dichotomy as they supposedly hold themselves to the ideals of Wakan society but they still behave in the way conquering way that they do! This acts as a great contrast to T'Challa gang who have clearly not slipped from those ideals as well as incorporating people of different origins into their society!
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One delves, amongst all the brilliant adventure and action, into equality and excepting people and the conflict against those who would have power of everything and the order they have established so the story has complex issues and the divergent sides really serve as a great contrast and show what can happen when people don't hold themselves for right over wrong and makes for great character conflict with the Wakandan Empire being really stretched by the rebels making for a great good versus bad battles! :D
The art is brilliant perfectly dovetailing with the script! The makes for a epic quality to the book with all the characters and action up there on the page! The panels are laid out is such away giving them a cinematic quality that marries up perfectly with the script! Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One has an epic feel from the beginning and all the elements come together in a script that will keep you guessing as to what is going on, what is going to happen etc from the start! The pace from the beginning is relentless and and engages in world building from the start and turns things about the Wakandan's and the space they inhabit on their head!
Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One is crazy brilliant epic ride from the start! Black Panther Book 6: Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part One is full of of epic issues that the characters are dealing with, epic battles that are dynamic epic, heroics that you can really see what the rebels are fighting for and why they so easily fight for freedom, mystery as you see how T'Challa got there and he rediscovers things and rises in the ranks with the rebels, world building the Wakandan's have an empire and all the alien races, adventure as the rebels and the Wakandan's hunting them fly across the universe and relentless action! Brilliant Crisp Galactic Shenanigans, Heroics Adventure and Action! Crisp High Five! Get it if You Can! :D
February 27, 2019
Coates has really found his stride by now, and, after establishing intricate political and spiritual turmoil in and around Wakanda for the past several years, he has now introduced a totally new Empire spanning at least 5 galaxies!
This book pretty much discards anything you thought was happening in the world of Black Panther as we know it (or DOES IT?!!?). The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda is a platform for telling an allegory about imperialism and colonization. The various classes of ship names reference historical figures such as Mansa Musa (the ruler of Mali from the early 1300s who remains the wealthiest person in history!), François Mackandal and the Maroons (who together orchestrated "the only successful revolt by black slaves in history" - the Haitian Revolution of 1791), Shaka Zulu (who is credited with having unified the clans of southern Africa more than anyone else, through the brutal militarizing and expansion of the Zulus), and probably several others I didn't pick up.
I have a couple theories about the underlying cause of this whole situation, and whether or not it's A. all in T'Challa's head, B. in Earth 616 or another parallel dimension of the multi-verse, C. a sinister plot to take several key figures out of play in the Wakanda we know, or something else. I won't bother sharing them here, because I'd rather just wait for the second volume of this arc to come out and read it myself!
This book pretty much discards anything you thought was happening in the world of Black Panther as we know it (or DOES IT?!!?). The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda is a platform for telling an allegory about imperialism and colonization. The various classes of ship names reference historical figures such as Mansa Musa (the ruler of Mali from the early 1300s who remains the wealthiest person in history!), François Mackandal and the Maroons (who together orchestrated "the only successful revolt by black slaves in history" - the Haitian Revolution of 1791), Shaka Zulu (who is credited with having unified the clans of southern Africa more than anyone else, through the brutal militarizing and expansion of the Zulus), and probably several others I didn't pick up.
I have a couple theories about the underlying cause of this whole situation, and whether or not it's A. all in T'Challa's head, B. in Earth 616 or another parallel dimension of the multi-verse, C. a sinister plot to take several key figures out of play in the Wakanda we know, or something else. I won't bother sharing them here, because I'd rather just wait for the second volume of this arc to come out and read it myself!
December 18, 2018
I was disappointed by Coates' original run on Black Panther. It felt like he was suffocating under the weight of so much continuity baggage and just couldn't get out of his own way to tell an engaging story or even hit upon a theme with any force.
In contrast, what a brilliant idea the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda is! It does two magical things right off the top: clear the deck of Marvel canon and allow Coates to really create and explore a setting that's baked-in with a lot of the ideas of his political work.
Empire, Imperialism, Colonization. These are all issues that are difficult to do with a contemporary Black Panther without being really on the nose. That Coates' Afro-future turns this on it's head, with Wakanda as the conquerors for "pre-emptive peace," is just so much the more intriguing.
Also, whereas previous BP books were basically monologues with little to advance the plot, Coates cleverly relies on Acuña's stellar art for kinetic panels that convey so much action and emotion clearly and effectively.
BTW, holy crap, a Venom tie-in that isn't crap!
A really exciting start. I genuinely hope this setting gets a long and fruitful run.
In contrast, what a brilliant idea the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda is! It does two magical things right off the top: clear the deck of Marvel canon and allow Coates to really create and explore a setting that's baked-in with a lot of the ideas of his political work.
Empire, Imperialism, Colonization. These are all issues that are difficult to do with a contemporary Black Panther without being really on the nose. That Coates' Afro-future turns this on it's head, with Wakanda as the conquerors for "pre-emptive peace," is just so much the more intriguing.
Also, whereas previous BP books were basically monologues with little to advance the plot, Coates cleverly relies on Acuña's stellar art for kinetic panels that convey so much action and emotion clearly and effectively.
BTW, holy crap, a Venom tie-in that isn't crap!
A really exciting start. I genuinely hope this setting gets a long and fruitful run.
January 10, 2021
Part 1 of Tan-Nehisi Coates's "The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda" storyline. Like with Volume 5 of Coates run, I picked up this volume and felt lost, although this time by design as Coates wants us to ask how/why/when Wakanda transformed into a space-faring empire, how this T'Challa relates to the T'Challa we know, etc.
It goes without saying that the Star Wars similarities run rampant, going beyond simple story parallels and almost directly lifting plot points and character traits from one of the most popular/beloved franchises of all time. The similarities are annoying and at first does feel like a Black Panther-Star Wars fan fic. As the story progresses though, Coates does do some cool stuff with the storyline and similarities (i.e. the Vader/Palpatine expy is basically Killmonger with a Venom symbiote). Because of this, I wouldn't mind Coates making the transition one day to working on an official Star Wars project.
All in all I did enjoy this storyline's first part. The artwork was good, the backstory that has been revealed is fairly thought-out, and I'm intrigued by the mysteries Coates has laid out.
It goes without saying that the Star Wars similarities run rampant, going beyond simple story parallels and almost directly lifting plot points and character traits from one of the most popular/beloved franchises of all time. The similarities are annoying and at first does feel like a Black Panther-Star Wars fan fic. As the story progresses though, Coates does do some cool stuff with the storyline and similarities (i.e. the Vader/Palpatine expy is basically Killmonger with a Venom symbiote). Because of this, I wouldn't mind Coates making the transition one day to working on an official Star Wars project.
All in all I did enjoy this storyline's first part. The artwork was good, the backstory that has been revealed is fairly thought-out, and I'm intrigued by the mysteries Coates has laid out.
April 30, 2022
You know how sometimes you sit down and watch a political drama, let’s say the West Wing, and you turn on the TV and you find that you are watching the West Wing but all the characters are different and it is now Star Wars?
Yeah, that has never happened before until I read this “continuation” of Coates’ Black Panther.
So now we are in space and T’Challa is there but doesn’t remember anything but Storm but is fighting like hell because that is what T’Challa does.
Listen, for a sci-fi comic this book actually does pretty well but I’m just confused on where all the political plots are now that we have jumped to this story? Was Coates going to continue that? Will he?
I want to give this book a 2.5 or something right under a 3 but for the times that the book worked it kept me hooked and I think it was worth the time throughout the run to get to this point.
For these reasons, I am give this a loose 3.
Yeah, that has never happened before until I read this “continuation” of Coates’ Black Panther.
So now we are in space and T’Challa is there but doesn’t remember anything but Storm but is fighting like hell because that is what T’Challa does.
Listen, for a sci-fi comic this book actually does pretty well but I’m just confused on where all the political plots are now that we have jumped to this story? Was Coates going to continue that? Will he?
I want to give this book a 2.5 or something right under a 3 but for the times that the book worked it kept me hooked and I think it was worth the time throughout the run to get to this point.
For these reasons, I am give this a loose 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2019
Ta-Nehisi Coates continues to be amazing. The beauty of his writing: memories and cultures and names lost as a metaphor for slavery stealing these things from African-Americans, how T’Challa has become a legend, his adventures immortalized,
the sick irony in Wakanda, the unconquered country meant as a utopia for Black people, becoming the villains, the spacers and genociders themselves. I’m getting chills just thinking about it.
I had problems earlier with how T’Challa was written: in the first issues, trying to hold onto a country that didn’t want him, he seemed more like the villain than the hero we recognize. But here: this is T’Challa at his finest. Nakia and M’Baku and new characters like Taku and Dauod are good, but no one stands out like he does.
Except for maybe N’Jadaka: the issue where he talks to the panther goddess Bast was my favourite. A fantastic comic.
the sick irony in Wakanda, the unconquered country meant as a utopia for Black people, becoming the villains, the spacers and genociders themselves. I’m getting chills just thinking about it.
I had problems earlier with how T’Challa was written: in the first issues, trying to hold onto a country that didn’t want him, he seemed more like the villain than the hero we recognize. But here: this is T’Challa at his finest. Nakia and M’Baku and new characters like Taku and Dauod are good, but no one stands out like he does.
Except for maybe N’Jadaka: the issue where he talks to the panther goddess Bast was my favourite. A fantastic comic.
April 12, 2021
“Do you know what it is to be haunted? The empire doesn’t just steal our past, they steal our futures. Even as I have escaped, I am captured, held fast by these questions. Who am I? What promises have I made? And to whom? How can I move forward knowing not what I am leaving behind?”
I am excited for what this is setting up, as it seems like Coates is going to use this new BP story to work through his thoughts on imperialism, subjugation and enslavement, memory, resistance. It is a little confusing in this first volume, but I also feel excited to see Coates telling this story though sci-fi.
I was a big fan of Daniel Acuña’s art when I first experienced it a few years back on the Sam Wilson Captain America run by Nick Spencer, but in this book I feel like the color choices (dark, muted, somewhat monochromatic?) make it harder to appreciate.
I am excited for what this is setting up, as it seems like Coates is going to use this new BP story to work through his thoughts on imperialism, subjugation and enslavement, memory, resistance. It is a little confusing in this first volume, but I also feel excited to see Coates telling this story though sci-fi.
I was a big fan of Daniel Acuña’s art when I first experienced it a few years back on the Sam Wilson Captain America run by Nick Spencer, but in this book I feel like the color choices (dark, muted, somewhat monochromatic?) make it harder to appreciate.
June 9, 2022
I had waited to compile all parts of the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda arc for Black Panther before reading and that still didn't prepare me for how inside this book would actually be. But I mean that in a good way - it's a strikingly bold direction for the title that takes us away from the main continuity and jumps us forward to a weird future. This has a bit in common with efforts like King Thor, but is still distinctly Black Panther in its story structure.
It's hard to tell if we're truly in the future or maybe an advanced civilization in Earth's past, especially since we have themes related to reincarnation and people fulfilling the same roles over and over again. This first volume is a lot of set up as we all need to acclimate to this very different reality. But I'm still very excited for where it will go and to see just how far Coates will push this concept.
It's hard to tell if we're truly in the future or maybe an advanced civilization in Earth's past, especially since we have themes related to reincarnation and people fulfilling the same roles over and over again. This first volume is a lot of set up as we all need to acclimate to this very different reality. But I'm still very excited for where it will go and to see just how far Coates will push this concept.
April 1, 2025
The problem with comics is, sometimes you just don't know where to start. There are SO many stories. I picked this up from the library because it promised itself as a PART ONE.
Only to get to goodreads and see that it is actually a VOLUME 6 of a series!
Sigh. Anyways, it did deliver as a PART ONE of a future world, or what I think it is the future. It may actually be the past and the Avengers movie on Earth came much later.
It had heart, I give it that. I liked the art too, the punches felt solid, lol. The aerial fights were not really much to write about, but, meh, they got the message across. I also like how the characters seemed to bouce of each other,and no one seemed to be overshadowing the others. It is also the first comicbook I did not see any white face...although Taku was sorta white...
Only to get to goodreads and see that it is actually a VOLUME 6 of a series!
Sigh. Anyways, it did deliver as a PART ONE of a future world, or what I think it is the future. It may actually be the past and the Avengers movie on Earth came much later.
It had heart, I give it that. I liked the art too, the punches felt solid, lol. The aerial fights were not really much to write about, but, meh, they got the message across. I also like how the characters seemed to bouce of each other,and no one seemed to be overshadowing the others. It is also the first comicbook I did not see any white face...although Taku was sorta white...
April 9, 2025
"T'CHALLA, WHOSE NAME IN OLD WAKANDAN TRANSLATES TO... 'HE WHO PUT THE KNIFE WHERE IT BELONGED.'"
- Nakia to Captain N'Yami.
Dude! So, two thousand years ago, some wakandans left Earth and founded an empire in a distant galaxy. Now the Empire is ruled by a despot, seemingly possessed by a Symbiote, and he speaks directly to the Orisha (the Wakandan gods who seem to have abandoned Earth in previous volumes).
Meanwhile, there's a rebellion against the Empire led by many enslaved species. Each slave has their memory erased and is therefore "nameless." Upon joining the "Maroons," the nameless take common/famous wakandans. So, our heroes are named T'Challa, Nakia, and M'Baku.
I much prefer this to the "earthbound" title.
One of the best Marvel space adventures that I've read so far. Four stars.
- Nakia to Captain N'Yami.
Dude! So, two thousand years ago, some wakandans left Earth and founded an empire in a distant galaxy. Now the Empire is ruled by a despot, seemingly possessed by a Symbiote, and he speaks directly to the Orisha (the Wakandan gods who seem to have abandoned Earth in previous volumes).
Meanwhile, there's a rebellion against the Empire led by many enslaved species. Each slave has their memory erased and is therefore "nameless." Upon joining the "Maroons," the nameless take common/famous wakandans. So, our heroes are named T'Challa, Nakia, and M'Baku.
I much prefer this to the "earthbound" title.
One of the best Marvel space adventures that I've read so far. Four stars.
February 20, 2019
This is definitely an exciting and intriguing path for the Black Panther. I love the extra boost of SciFi (SPACE WAKANDA) to the already afrofuturist story of BP. This series as a whole isn't as verbose as Coates's first run, which I did miss a little. Nevertheless, the story seems pretty tight and fast moving. I am glad I am continuing this run, as I am excited to see where this goes. Acuña had a neat art style, especially for the trippier, more colorful panels. Sometimes the art style got a little lost and muddled, but overall it was a great choice for these characters and this arc. I adore the cover art for issue one, I liked the homage to Stelfreeze’s first issue. I also loved Bartel's art for issue 6, Bast and the other Orisha looked killer.
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