Black Panther, Vol. 7: The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, Part Two

Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates

by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Kevin Walker (Illustrator), Jen Bartel (Illustrator)

When a dissident from the Martian-conquered future, Erik Killraven, threatens to overthrow Wakanda, the disgraced prince must wager what little is left of his soul to save his people! And for years, the Maroons have lain dormant, planning the next stage of their rebellion. At last, it is time to strike - with a treasure hunt for unstable Vibranium! And with the Black Panther once again in their ranks, they're certain of victory. But what will victory cost? When the chips are down, will the Maroons rise to heroism, or are they doomed by the trauma of their past?

COLLECTING: BLACK PANTHER (2018) 7-12

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Science Fiction, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2019

About the author

Ta-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.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is so convoluted that it's hard to make sense of. Having the same characters set thousands of years in the future in the midst of basically Star Wars is odd. Of course, it's more than likely all going to be written away as an alternate reality created by the M'Kraan crystal. (See the X-Men for the gazillion other times this has happened at Marvel.) When each issue has to end with a text page explaining the "history" of this future empire so you can follow all of what just happened in the issue, that's a sign of a real problem with the writing.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun space adventure for Black Panther! I'm honestly thrilled that they've basically done away with boring old Wakanda and instead created a whole new sandbox to play in. That said, towards the end of this volume, Ta-Nehisi Coates does tie events back into the traditional Black Panther narrative - I was tempted to moan "boooo" aloud while reading.

Aside from that small bummer, there's plenty to enjoy in The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda: Part Two. Great action, interesting twists, enjoyable new characters. Kev Walker takes over on art duty - he's adequate, but the previous volume's art was more suited to far-flung space adventures. I'm nervous part three will feature even more of the "real" Black Panther, but for now I'm having a blast.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first stretch of this mega-arc, but this part of the story feels a bit thin, and I miss Daniel Acuna.

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bumped up 2.5*

Convoluted and a bit boring honestly. (Too) many names and characters and a mythology I have difficulties to fully grasp.
Not totally uninteresting though, there's action, and it's a nice attempt at space opera. I simply regret the plot has to be so unnecessarily complicated and characters so pompous 24/7.

[Lekeisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

"So many Empires have fallen, so many Nations have crumbled under the egos of men."


It all makes sense now. I totally forgot about Eden! And while I thought this was some kind of mind f***ery from Goddess Bast, I'm still a little bit nipped by it all. All I'm saying is, if you were perplexed by book 6, you will definitely feel a little better at the end of this one.

The art is very much realistic modern, as opposed to the pop art that comes with so many classic comics. The nuances of panel art still evolves, but I like that old skool feel in the memory panels. Ahhh, nostalgia. Aside from T'Challa looking like the Dark Knight throughout this one, and M'Baku resembling Mr. T, I liked the visuals.

Read it. Enjoy it. I'm ready for some T'Challa/Ororo time. Come back to me!

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this volume was a bit better than the first one. Things are making a little more sense. Coates’ writing is still top notch, and it does still feel more like a vanity project than a continuation of the chronicles of T’Challa, but it is an improvement on the previous volume. The story is definitely a space opera, and it feels like it would have better suited to place in either the Star Wars or Star Trek franchises, but if things continue to improve at the same arc, the conclusion may be spectacular.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as strong as the first arc in this story, but we do get some important details filled in (though no "how did this happen?" as of yet). The art is solid again throughout, which is a nice change from some of the earlier volumes in this series that had a different (and usually inferior) artist on every issue. Still interested in seeing how this all plays out.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

See the single issues for my reviews.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two kicks off straight after the previous book with T'Challa fully part of the rebels and knowing that he is the actual T'Challa from legend! Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two has a frenetic pace to it from the start! The book is brilliant at showing us all the different aspects of the characters! Not only do we get to see the different rebels such as the Commander, Captain Naxia, T'Challa etc but we also get to see things from the N'Jadaka, Nareema and his daughter that gives us insight showing that they don't see themselves in the wrong which makes for great characterisation and event s the hang on the decisions of peoples personalities and motivations!

Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two really gives us a insight into what makes the characters tick as many of them have not recovered their memories and this gets to show us their base personalities which works really! You find yourself speculating on how things will change wants their memories are returned and this underlying tones of mystery add neatly to the books other tones of adventure and action etc from the start! We also get to see what they all made off in this as the action and decisions come at break neck pace! T'Challa's refusal to abandon prisoners at the potential expense of the mission puts into stark light the standards that he expects the others to rise to as well and this makes for great drama but at the same time you can see how T'Challa is earning the Commanders, Naxia etc loyalty and you can see them all gelling as a great fighting force! Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two does a great job of showing us this process and this adds to the tones of the book as world building and the action piles on!

Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two battle are epically staged and like Rogues One people get their feet more than wet! The changing landscapes are brilliantly handled with battles taking place in space, on land and in the water so the technology and the races involved are constantly changing making for a dynamic battlefield that calls for everyone to keep thinking on their toes which will have you working out how it is all going to work out! The book builds it battles brilliantly with each element adding to the ferocious epic nature of them!

T'Challa's memory restoration is neatly handled with Jengu and puts a neat twist on events as he has been developing with Naxia and with the restoration of his memories set things up for future books! Eden also being there add another element n that ties in neatly with mystery of where the Wakandan Empire is actually set as we start to see that there original mission was intentional! Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two answer questions and set new plot points at the same time and throwing the actual Wakanda in and the reappearance of Bast all add neat twists which will keep you guessing as to where things are going to go in future books!


Black Panther Book 7: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda Part Two is epic from the start! The book is full daring do with the Resistance encountering more and more support from those in the Empire but at the same time resistance from the military of the Empire which keep you on the edge of your seat, world building all over the place from Agwe, Planet Bast etc, epic battles that have a clear strategy to them are you cannot tell which way things are going to go illustrating the cunning on both sides, three-dimensional characters from Naxia, moral debates as the Rebels have to learn that they have to keep in mind what they are fighting for. the Commander etc who don't simply follow T'Challa which leads to great character development, dealing brilliant plot points and setting up new ones, adventure as the Rebels zip everywhere trying to bring down the Emperor and the emperor in turn attempts to outflank them, and action! Brilliant Crisp High Five! Highly recommended! Get it if You Can!

[Stewart D. Jenkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure what is happening with this arc anymore. I mean, in reality I do but I just don’t know why.

I wish that Black Panther didn’t turn into some Star Wars/Star Trek space opera. I feel like besides the ideals and motivations of the characters in the story this Wakandan empire feels thin.

I’m also just not a fan of blended the idea of the the empress being a god in a space setting. It is too much and none of it clicks.

I am going to finish Coates’ run because I’m invested but this trade didn’t do much for me. I liked seeing T’Challa doing his own thing in the beginning and I liked getting more information at the end but the rest of the story felt like bloat…

If you have gotten this far you are probably going to finish but if you are trying to decide if you want to drop off this run then just know you aren’t alone.

Edit: Also, what is up with having characters look exactly like the blue guys from Avatar in the comic? F*cking weird.

For these reasons I am giving it a high 2.

[Alex Sarll]

Apparently there are going to be four volumes of this – about as much as Coates' first two arcs combined – which feels a little excessive, but then I suppose a space epic needs to operate on an epic scale. Plus, this time out there's the bonus of visuals from Kev Walker, who thanks to his 2000AD pedigree, has always been better than a lot of US comics artists at doing science-fictional settings which feel solid, lived-in and real. Story-wise, we get our first answers about what exactly is going on, and why T'challa is off in space contending with a society that calls itself Wakanda but has gone horribly awry. There's a real anger here at imperialism, any imperialism, which feels a lot like it could be intended as a rejoinder to the widespread but misguided sympathy for Killmonger's agenda in the Black Panther film.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so things are moving steadily along with our obviously Black Panther yet still Nameless protagonist coming into his own as he and the other Maroon rebels continue to fight the Wakandan Empire. And they are also taking serious steps to figure out how to recover their memories, which they feel is a key part in taking things to the next level - regaining their true sense of self in order to have something more substantial to fight for.

But complications abound as even Bast is having trouble with her symbiote-empowered avatar, resulting in a number of surprises including how this volume ends. We're definitely going further in the direction of better establishing how these characters connect back to the original Wakanda on Earth and I expect (or hope) that the third volume in this arc wraps things up for us.

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this volume from a friend. Simple logic would dictate I read the earlier volumes in order to grasp a bit of storyline, but that was all sorted by the beginning introduction. Though this volume is a hit all over the place, there's enough action to keep one reading. That is until around the 70% mark when Coates pulls what I feel is a total Deus ex machina by making the princess some kind of all knowing, all powerful goddess. Bast no less. The only thing we get in the way of foreshadowing is a brief line about her precociousness on the beginning, but that's hardly sufficient. From then on, I disengaged from this erratic fictive dream.

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there a way to express standing ovations in this review? What Coates continues to do is just...astonishing. It's a Space Opera meets a Fantasy Epic. How he is pulling this off in the tiny confines of a comic book and its panels is just....it's amazing. Now we have the bigger picture of how we got here and it's so endlessly satisfying I can't even explain it. The world he is mapping out can be so richly explored for years in the Marvel Universe. Black Panther has almost become its own comic book universe itself. What a ride so far.

[Becki Iverson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote a glowing review of Part 1 of this special edition and Part 2 was just as excellent. I am so enthralled with the new direction they're taking the series and I can't wait to see where else Coates will go with this space narrative. Will the two T'Challas meet? The two Nakias? Can the corrupted space world be rectified? This new narrative is so rich with so much world-building potential, and really flips the politics of the original script on its head. I also love the new art style and can't wait to see it continued. 10/10 love this new vein of this awesome series.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ta-Nehisi Coates' Star Wars-influenced story arc continues and it felt like an improvement over the last volume (which I still enjoyed). Despite a shift I still enjoyed the artwork, the story is starting to present the cast with more moral dilemmas, and more of the mystery of how the Empire connects to the main Black Panther storyline/time frame is revealed while still leaving some question unanswered. It may not be Empire Strikes Back good, but Coates' space opera storyline is definitely getting deeper and more unique the longer it continues.

[Vivek · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Like all empires, the empire of Wakanda is counterfeit. It is a confederacy of villains who’ve elevated criminality to galactic law. The empire creates nothing. It enlightens no one.”

This is really good! I feel like in this collection, Coates finally lives up to his promise as a comic book writer. We get answers, moral ambiguity, and learn that this rebellion is being fought primarily to regain memory and sense of self. We also get a brilliant tie-in to some earlier BP stories. I really liked the art on this one more than in the previous volume of this arc. I hope they keep it up!

[Mark Sutherland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume is a bit less Star Wars and a bit more space opera. We are getting chances to see T'Challa's character shine through and the stakes are growing ever higher. Coates seems to have found a balance between action and philosophy that suits him, and the art is pretty good but perhaps a little inconsistent.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hope everyone who was WAKANDA FOREVER at the movie are reading this series because Coates is doing some fun stuff with the entire cast of this part of the MCU. The art is also incredible. Even if you think of it as Black Panther IN SSSPPPAAA CCCEEE!!!!! It still takes a lot to get there... I like that he puts the info dump pages at the end.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, I still don't see the point in this. Characters we know thrust into a space adventure for no reason, at least one that's been established in twelve issues. Kev Walker's art, which I normally enjoy, seemed lackluster. Once again, maybe read as a whole, this might work. As individual volumes, they're weak.

[Adan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m still not 100% sure what’s going on, but it’s fascinating as hell. It’s looking more and more like these people are who they’re supposed to be, but in the future somehow? I’m guessing, and I hope the real Manifold hasn’t been used to do horrible things. As much as I loved Acuña’s art in the previous collection, Walker’s is a lot easier to parse.

[Mr. Stick · Rating 3 out of 5]

"THERE IS TRICKERY ABOUT. HIGH TREASON. A THOUSAND TORTURES UPON THE BETRAYER."
- Emperor N'Jadaka to General Achebe.

A slave revolt is space against a despotic emperor possessed by a Symbiote.
Lots of character development. It seems that T'Challa (is space) might be the real McCoy or a version of T'Challa (from Earth).
Lots of confusion. Three stars.

[Robert Noll · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not too confident I followed the story. I guess the Wakandans sent colonists into space about 2,000 years ago. Now these colonists have an entire intergalactic empire with a group of insurrectionists or terrorist or something.

I think I jumped into the story during the intermission. I guess T'Challa rescues the person who needed to be rescued and they are going back to Earth?

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Panther book 7 is mostly setup, but the big picture is coming into focus. The art is a bit lacking compared to the previous volume, however nothing is outright bad. Worth a read if you are caught up thus far.

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept getting bored and wondering why I was reading a comic where Na'vi from Avatar had invaded the Aquaman movie. Is that a celestial? No? okay. This was mostly lost on me until the final issue, or there was nothing here to get.

[Kavinay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunh. That makes sense, but certainly not what I expected. Clever stuff from Coates and just a wonderful continuation of world/galaxy-building. My only gripe is that some of the action seems a bit drawn out, but that could just be a desire for more advancement of the intriguing meta-plot.

[Kin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still pretty great - Zenzi, N’Jadaka’s daughter and the child-goddess was such a fucked-up character - terrifying and otherworldly. It dragged a bit in the middle, and again at the end, but the metaphors and beauty of Coates’ writing stands strong.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been a bit since I read the previous volume, but I really wasn't expecting to have that much to catch up on. I seem to have the same issue with all of Coates' run - there's so much going on that it's hard to keep track of it all. I can't say I dislike it, but it's not easy to keep up with.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This other Wakanda in a different time and far out into space is fascinating. The evolution from defense to conquering gives one pause. T'Challa starts to learn the truth as Bast helps him see where he comes from.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good second installment of this run. Some interesting new characters are introduced and the last section finally provided some context for how this story connects to other Black Panther Stories (aka why in the universe we are far away in outer space)