Of Kings And Generals — Reviewing ‘Ultimate Black Panther’ #14

The war with gods might be over, but things are no less hard for the country of Wakanda, or their king. A whole new mystery and dreadful power is causing chaos within and without.

With Vibranium no longer trustworthy, it’s time to go a bit old school as T’Challa begins a new journey with Ultimate Black Panther #14. The latest chapter in this alternate universal saga from Bryan Hill, Carlos Nieto, David Curiel, and Cory Petit.

Let’s turn back the clock, shall we?

In the beginning of this series, I was quite tough in the reviews. While there are a lot of good things offered in this new universe, the Black Panther corner felt too familiar. “Each issue is essentially a series of events” and “Cardboard cutouts that resemble versions we already know, with shiny new paint jobs.”

Those are just a few of the less than favorable ways I described this series and its lacking character.

Over time things have gotten better. There are still holes, and some characters who we have seen for fourteen issues are still mostly those cutouts in some regards. That being said, the latest stuff does feel like Hill is finding a voice for this world.

This still resembles a Black Panther sphere we’re familiar with, but the differences have become markedly more distinct over time. T’Challa and some others are feeling more unique and kind of showing more emotional and character developing traits. We even get some Killmonger and T’Challa bonding moments, after the former spent most of the last six months rarely in the book.

Vibranium being sentient and there being a force that has emerged bringing destruction is a new idea. One that has some potentially intriguing fruits to bear. So far, the book is still kind of moving at a very slow pace, laying out a thing or two each issue before leaping in time again, but it’s at least moving. So there is that.

Nieto is listed as a guest artist for this issue. Having now done five of the fourteen issues of the series, he might be more than just a guest.

Credit title semantics aside, Nieto’s art kind of works well for this series.  There is more action and beats to draw this time around than his last issue. Outside of that, there is a lot of energy and focus put on the characters and their emotions and overall being. Which was very much on display the last time Nieto moved through this particular world.

Much like the usual art in the series, this is a style very fitting for more superhero related things. Smooth, slick, but with some rougher textures sprinkled throughout to give it a more grounded feeling.

A chunk of this issue features some soldiers and mercenaries brutally gunning each other down. It’s swift and devastating, Nieto showing the ways bodies are destroyed without getting too gory. Sure, we see body parts torn and holes appear but the shadows and angles make sure it’s not overly graphic.

Color palette choices come into play there as Curiel plays into the darker colors as well. Chiefly because these scenes take place at night, with just some natural and unnatural light to really highlight things. This plays into what Curiel has done well through the series, allowing spaces to feel naturally lit but also creating dynamically different aesthetics for each space we visit here.

From the brighter and lighter feeling Wakanda to the rougher feeling surrounding this mysterious Nigerian complex, everything has plenty of personality and overall depth and feeling.

Now that characters are showing a bit more…well character, Petit has a little less heavy lifting to do. He’s always doing tons of, awesome work, but without the emotional beats the words had to work a bit harder. Now they can work with the script and overall story to convey what we’re meant to get from these characters. Beyond them just dumping exposition at us.

Plenty of tones, volumes, and meaning are felt through the words as presented. Giving us a real sense of where things are standing for this chapter in the Black Panther story.

Ultimate Black Panther #14 is now available from Marvel Comics.