Rise of the Black Panther #6 Gives Us the End of the Beginning

Writer: Evan Narcisse / Consultant: Ta-Nehisi Coates / Artist: Javier Pina / Marvel Comics Is it too soon to ask for a Rise of the Black Panther: Year 2? It is? Well, the tale of T’challa’s first year as the fabled Black Panther will be missed. It’s been a wild, introspective ride into the workings of Wakanda and T’challa’s quest to move his country into the future. We’ve seen him go toe-to-two with some of Marvel’s greats and struggle to make his country a bigger part of the world. As we reach the end, we gain a deeper understanding of why T’challa is more than a hero – he’s a king. And heavy lays the crown.

We all knew that the final chapter of Rise of the Black Panther would pit T’challa against Killmonger. I will admit, this depiction of their first showdown is a bit underwhelming. Killmonger isn’t much of a challenge for our king. However, the encounter is not completely disappointing. While the situation never seems out of his control, it’s interesting to see T’challa’s reaction to Killmonger’s betrayal. The way writer Evan Narcisse writes the scene, you can see how weary T’challa’s first year has made him. Even worse, you can see the look of disappointment on his face as he comes face to face with Killmonger, a man he thought he saved and would help Wankanda. Instead, Killmonger’s views are the exact opposite of the future that T’challa is striving for and it hurts. It feels like the final test of T’challa’s resolve after all the dissent and challenges he has overcome…