Review: ‘Ultimate Black Panther’ Vol 1 Doesn’t Add Much To The Conversation

Alternate universes provide a way for creators to shake things up, and explore new facets of long-established characters and universes. The Ultimate Marvel universe was reborn for this very reason, given a modern shiny coat of paint.

While some books jumped fully into the realm of different possibilities, others have struggled to stand apart or out. That is the case for Ultimate Black Panther Vol 1: Peace And War from Bryan Hill, Stefano Caselli, David Curiel, and Cory Petit.

The world of this Ultimate Comics attempt is different because of the Maker’s (evil Reed Richards) meddling. Various powerful entities have “secretly” carved up the world, owning whole swaths of continents and countries. Ra and Khonshu are down in the trenches with suits and ties controlling most of Africa, going by the moniker of Moon Knight. Storm and Killmonger are freedom fighters, and Wakanda is at war with Moon Knight and its own people.

Very little character development or growth is given in these first four issues. Each issue is essentially a series of events, as the jump a month for each comic gimmick of this new universe is used in the worst way possible. A series of events that relies upon the reader’s familiarity with the regular 616 versions (or MCU) of these characters. Minor shifts and the overall Ultimate Universe plotlines being the only way to tell the difference between this and any standard 616 Black Panther comic (also the title and trade dress I suppose).

If Hill announced that he actually pitched this as a 616 Black Panther story before it became ‘Ultimized,’ I would give a swift “Oh that tracks” style nod.

Elements of what Hill is attempting with the series are interesting. Unfortunately, there is so little actual connective tissue that it’s not holding up. After four issues, and many months, in universe, every character is still just an empty shell, a caricature.

Cardboard cutouts that resemble versions we already know, with new shiny paint jobs. Emotions are there, sure, but nothing is behind them to give them weight or provide a reason for the reader to honestly care. Not enough time is taken to make the characters feel real, again relying on the idea that we know the character’s mainstream versions well enough.

Visually Casselli’s work gets the job done, even if the style and tone don’t always match.

Caselli has a style that is very much superhero friendly. It’s got the presence and dynamic that many of these stories require. There is a bit of a more whimsical styling mixed in, which in this case doesn’t quite fully fit what is on the page. Pages of explosions, people being burned alive, and dire grimness that doesn’t hit with the full impact.

That being said, whether action or talking head pages, he finds ways to at least keep the pages moving and adding some fluid energy into the mix. Characters may be semi empty inside, but on the outside, they are at least very solid and expressive. I can see that they have emotions and reactions to things, even if beyond that I can’t really feel much from them.

In a way having this sort of standard type of style fits the fact that this book is pretty much standard Black Panther fare. There is enough detail and depth to allow the characters to form on the page and let the moments of action soak up power.

I do like the color palette that Curiel is using though. Giving some vibrant life to the various spaces that the characters are moving through. Allowing them to feel lush, or lifeless, or cold, or whatever else with just a few shifts. Increasing or decreasing the heavier shadows to make sure the sharper harder aspects of the story are felt at all times. Half of what is on the page is given a sort of muting effect, pulling it back so that other poppier flashes of color have room to stand out.

Unfortunately though, just as there is little variety in character personas, skin tones are pretty much one uniform choice no matter the characters or place they are from. It’s not washed out, as many Marvel books have had issues with over the years, but it’s still pretty monotone in a way.

Characters do a lot of talking and expositing, they have to fill us in since the book is skipping months. Petit makes it flow and frames the artwork quite well. Again, there isn’t a lot of that emotional energy that Petit is known for within those words. Not for lack of trying though.

Finding a way to squeeze juice out of a piece of dehydrated fruit. A descriptor that feels a bit mean in some respects, but also sadly accurate.

Ultimate Black Panther Vol 1: Peace and War is now available from Marvel Comics.