Black Panther, Vol. 2: Range Wars

Black Panther (2021)

by John Ridley, Alex Ross (Cover Art), Stefano Landini (Artist)

Betrayal casts its shadow on the Black Panther's reign! The reveal of T'Challa's darkest secret has led to the Hatut Zeraze hunting him as a traitor, with orders to kill him on sight. The Panther must escape these tireless warriors before he can clear his name, but are even his skills on par for this challenge? And Wakanda's secret police are far from the only force T'Challa has to reckon with as the fallout from his lies explodes in ways he could never have foreseen! The Black Panther returns to the Avengers - but after the situation in Wakanda, Captain America isn't convinced T'Challa's head is in the game. When a dangerous galactic interloper called the Colonialist arrives to conquer the Earth, can T'Challa overcome his current woes and rise to the occasion? Collects Black Panther (2021) #6-10.

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

111 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2022

About the author

John Ridley IV (born October 1965)[2] is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and showrunner, known for 12 Years a Slave, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed anthology series American Crime. His most recent work is the documentary film Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982–1992.


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Reviews

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun conclusion to the political infighting in Wakanda arc, last couple of issues co-starting the Avengers were a little dank but I liked the artwork at least.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as strong as volume 1 but enjoyable none the less.

This time Black Panther comes to his allies for help. After the secrets start burying him, he begins to realize maybe it's to heavy a burden to fight back alone. The war for Wakanda rages here and ends. The next arc is more zanny and weird with a clear message by the end.

It's solid and good characterization for Black Panther and his growth. I also liked his somber moments, his doubts, but conviction being just as strong. A personal dealing with too much but never backing down. Interesting ideas if not fully realized. I think the second half of this book goes too supernatural and should be more grounded.

Saying that still a solid read and a 3 out of 5.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. *sigh* I don’t even feel like writing this review. So after escaping being held prisoner after the accusations, T’Challa gets help from a few people and they are able to turn the tide of this civil that has erupted in Wakanda. Cool. But then the back half of the book was just too weird and zany for my tastes. Just took a hard left for the worst. I also feel like John Ridley hates Black Panther. Felt like he wasn’t represented the best. Getting beat up, getting stripped of being king. I don’t know. I don’t even know where we go with the character from here.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brings to a close the civil war in Wakanda, probably. Moving the country towards a parliamentary democracy is kind of an odd storytelling choice, but one that makes sense in a modern world. There are so few pure monarchies left, and having a king who is often absent saving the world probably doesn't work much as a governmental structure. That said, I don't expect Wakanda to be without a throne for long. Being king is so ingrained in the definition of who T'Challa is that I fully expect that he'll find his way back to some version of the throne eventually.

And then once all this is settled, there's a truly bizarre two part story about a character called the Colonialist, and... I literally don't know what to make of it, especially once another character calling himself the Buffalo Soldier shows up in the second issue. It just feels so tonally different from Ridley's Black Panther and, really, virtually every Black Panther issue I've ever read. Weird stuff.

[Alex Sarll]

When Ridley has T'challa's exasperated ex, Storm, describe him as "the worst kind of person [...] A liar with a good heart", it would be hard to deny that he's got a good handle on his lead. Beyond that, I'm not so sure. It's hardly Ridley's fault if Shuri saying "Sorry, but I trust science" jars with the public statements of her MCU representative, but it does feel odd playing her as Wakanda's answer to Richard Dawkins when she entered this very scene by magically transforming into a flock of birds. And for Wakanda itself, why do so many Marvel writers feel compelled to plunge it into political collapse and civil war, as though being the most advanced state on Earth could never outweigh Western expectations of Africa.

That wraps up the main story from the first volume; the last two issues here then pick up on a subplot from the opening issues, repairing Panther's relationship with the Avengers just in time to put them up against otherworldly entity the Colonialist. Who, as the name hints, is not exactly subtle, but then that's par for the course with the Elders if the Universe. If nothing else, these instalments get great comedy mileage out of the location he seizes: the apparently genuine Texas town of My Large Intestine.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Range Wars closes out Black Panther's battle with Wakanda in dull, talky fashion. Of course, the battle (with Akili and his secret police) might be over, but the war is not won: Black Panther is exiled from Wakanda after the revelation of his network of spies. I mean, what world leader hasn't been kinda shady at times?

This portion of the story essentially serves as introduction to several new characters in the ongoing series. The prime minister of Wakanda (Folasade) and her aide, a new superpowered Wakandan, Tosin (named "The Wakandan"??), former spy (and murderer of Akili!) Omolola. Maybe these characters will offer more going forward, but they basically just serve as dialogue sources here.

The back half of Range Wars is more interesting, if only because it's more bonkers. As a member of the Avengers, Black Panther tackles the Colonialist, who is exactly the villain that name implies. It's extraordinarily goofy (and kinda fun), though the introduction of new hero, Buffalo Soldier, is fairly stupid. Why would another planet have a race of black males in 1800s soldier garb? And giant bisons?

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somehow less satisfying than the first volume, which I didn't think was possible.

The first three issues here wrap up the story that began in the last volume, bringing it to a close in a way that just makes it all feel kind of pointless. There's nothing gained by anyone, T'Challa gets his ass kicked both figuratively and emotionally, and he still sounds like every other character in the book instead of himself. Why Ridley thought Storm would say okey dokey, I have no idea.

And then second two issues are a two-part story involving an alien that's meant to be a commentary on colonialism, and it's just more of Everyone Hates T'Challa.

At least the art improves. German Peralta joins the series with the second arc, while Stefano Landini finishes off the art for the story from last volume. It's nothing overly impressive, but it's more consistent than last volume, so I'll take it.

I just don't get what the point of this run has been so far. It's depressing, out of character, and bland, which aren't words I ever want to use for a comic.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this second volume, things come to a head in terms of the strife that Wakanda is facing as the attacks on T'Challa's sleeper agents, the new factions in their fledgling parliamentary government and other challenges all turn out to be connected. And the plot is very much one that has begun in Wakanda - just not the one that we considered.

I appreciated the effort to try to redefine Storm and T'Challa's relationship after their divorce during AvX and the bigger change of the birth of the Krakoan mutant nation. The first volume included paying Storm a visit in her new role as regent of the solar system based in Arakko, formerly Mars. They're not getting back together - or at least not anytime soon. But it's pretty mature to see how they're trying to find a path forward, especially given their roles in global and even intergalactic politics.

Not sure if I was totally happy with this book but I appreciate the direction they're trying to take. And really having T'Challa clearly saying that he has no plans of becoming King of Wakanda again. Then there are those who have mastered vibranium from a more organic/natural method that I'm sure merits further exploration.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 'Wakanda In Space' we switch to 'Monarchy Falling Down'...

It looks like Marvel is resetting Wakanda to be less of a monarchy and more of a direct democracy. This throws Black Panther into a place that Captain America was for a few years. He's one man separated from his country and alone. His past is in question and so is his future. They did it well with the Steve Rogers as 'Nomad' run...maybe lightning can strike twice and they can refresh T'Challa.

Bonus: The Colonialist makes an appearance. Way to dance along the line of inappropriateness.
Bonus Bonus: What material is strong enough to pierce Vibranium?

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

After a very strong start in vol. 1, this second one wraps things up and then proceeds to introduce one of the weirdest plots I've read in awhile, with the Colonialist and the Buffalo Soldier, neither of which belongs in any serious story and are largely played for laughs. This is quite jarring after the seriousness of the previous story about Wakandans rising up in protest of T'Challa's authoritarian rule as king. They've had enough and want a true democracy instead. The art is good throughout.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm including issues 12 and 13 since I finished that yesterday and I thought this volume included those issues.

Read this. Frankly, I'd suggest almost anything Ridley has written. This volume builds off the changes Coates made to the character while incorporating some of the best things Priest introduced.

Politics, action, super heroes. fun and character work that makes you think about these characters as people.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was certainly disappointing. The continuation of last volume's manhunt for T'Challa and Wakanda's political ideological turmoil is super bland and done too quickly. Folasade's action made little sense. Storm seemed out of character to me as she was almost cruel, which is unlike her. Everything that was a positive from a writing standpoint was missing in this volume. The second storyline was abysmal. Simply forgettable. The art by a couple artists was solid. Overall, just a mess.

[Allysa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A resolution to the war started within Wakanda over control of the country, and a lot of beating down on T’Challa both verbally and physically. It didn’t really answer all the questions about the war and why democracy in Wakanda but it was okay. Then a weird one off about the Colonialist that was wild. I have no idea what to say about that one but odd.

[Joshua]

This one got WILD!

[Nikolai Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the introduction of the Buffalo Soldier character, as well as the true imperialist history of buffalo soldiers in this country. Hope we haven't seen the end of this character.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Colonizer was a bit meh and felt like filler.

Amazing how quickly the Avengers keep forgiving a liar.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The action was a little boring, but I do appreciate that this challenges T'Challa's rulership over Wakanda and what we see as "fair" for a country's citizens.

[Álvaro González · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me encanta ver a T'Challa ejercer de líder, tanto en Wakanda como con Los Vengadores. Siempre acaba comiéndose toda la mierda de los dos lados, tiene un imán para los marrones.