A Game Of Thrones — Reviewing ‘Ultimate Black Panther’ #17

While the Black Panther is away, the Killmonger will play. Whether that is good for Wakanda remains to be seen.

With the title character away, the plotlines surrounding Wakanda and its secrets begin to unveil themselves with Ultimate Black Panther #17. This potentially game-changing chapter comes from Bryan Hill, Stefano Caselli, David Curiel, and Joe Caramagna.

Now we’re talking.

Seventeen issues into the run we’re getting to some juicy character stuff. To be fair, the sixteenth started the movement from the T’Challa and Ororo side of things. Hill is starting to open these characters up more and show us who they are, moving them from their 616 and MCU cardboard-cutout status.

Ambitions are running high with both Killmonger and Queen Okoye. Their own visions for what Wakanda could and should be are taking point; a deputized figure taking the throne for themselves while the “rightful” King is away. Not to mention, we’re finally uncovering just what shady stuff the Vodu-Khan has been up to. We knew they were not trustworthy off of vibes alone but now we fully know.

At this stage, it feels more like this is a part of the story that Hill has wanted to write. Maybe he just got more comfortable or had more time amidst all his other media work. Whatever it is, this story has really perked up as of late and is really ripe.

Caselli is back again, and he’s doing that thing that he does so well.

Stefano gives the characters depth and space to really move around, having more to capture emotionally and situationally, as the characters are growing and emoting more. Even when they were cardboard, the art stood out. Now it has more to bite onto as we move along.

The first few pages have some of the best setup with the framing, cutting back and forth between Okoye and Killmonger. This allows their back and forth and the rising moments toward danger really stand out.

Slick action wrapped in great character moments really hit the superhero comic vibes. This is boosted by the color palette choices we see Curiel enacting once more. Lots of heavier darker tones frame and enhance the more vibrant splashes. Wakanda remains the brightest with the other spaces leaning to the more medium and heavier colors. Fitting for the darker tone of the Ultimate Universe at large.

Much of the color fits in that perfect middle tone space, allowing things to have a familiar more toned-down feeling to them. This gives the rest more room to pop and dominate.

More emotion means there is more for Caramagna to infuse into the words. He gives them a deeper meaning, volume, and tone along the way, slipping in various modifications along the way for more visual power. It all flows smoothly through the different panels and spaces of the issue.

Ultimate Black Panther #17 is now available from Marvel Comics.