Rise of the Black Panther #2 Review

Writer: Evan Narcisse / Consultant: Ta-Nehisi Coates / Artist: Javier Pina / Marvel Comics Rise of the Black Panther continues its look into the Black Panther Legacy, this time chronicling T’Challa’s early years holding the mantle. It’s amazing how quickly this book is shaping into must-read material for anyone who needs an introduction to the character. And that just goes to show how well Evan Narcisse understands the nature of Wakanda and its politics. Wakanda is a nation isolated from the rest of the world, which in turn has kept it unconquered for decades. However, how long before that isolationist mentality becomes their undoing? This is the question that weighs heavy on T’Challa’s heart as he begins his rule.

Give Us The Back Story! One of the things that I like about this series is that it’s not just a retelling. It’s more like a documentary of Wakanda’s most pivotal moments, analyzing the country’s struggle to remain protected yet find its place in the world. It gives you an understanding of the country’s big dilemma. It’s a catch-22. On one hand, you can’t really blame Wakanda for being so standoffish when plenty of surrounding African countries have been stripped of their resources and hurt by invaders. Yet, on the other hand, it almost feels selfish for an advanced society such as Wakanda to separate itself when the rest of the world is suffering. One of the first issues that T’Challa confronts is a case of missing Wakandans. This puts him right in the path of Mar…