laissezfarrell's review
3.0
Takes a few issues to find its feet (or maybe to train me to read it) but got more engaged once the plot rhythm kicked in. Didn’t love the art in the first few issues much either but Velluto’s and Manley’s issues I liked quite a bit.
laissezfarrell's review against another edition
3.0
The dense plotting pays off as the story goes, but the dates elements (especially how the Dora Milajae are described throughout) really cast a pall over my overall reaction.
grandmoffgavin's review
3.0
It's painfully fine. I don't think I'm a fan of how Priest goes about telling the story because I'm almost always toeing the line between bored and mildly interested.
The art is hit or miss as well, and right now the book isn't near interesting enough for me to slog through. I might pick it up again in the future though, if I'm so inclined.
So for now, I'm dropping this BP run.
The art is hit or miss as well, and right now the book isn't near interesting enough for me to slog through. I might pick it up again in the future though, if I'm so inclined.
So for now, I'm dropping this BP run.
matt4hire's review against another edition
4.0
This one's worth reading, if only because it reprints The Crew, one of the best "canceled too early" comic series you'll ever read.
crookedtreehouse's review against another edition
2.0
Do you like learning how a superhero's actions effect the economy? Are you a hug fan of the Mr. Socko era of Mankind in the WWE, but wish he was a comic book villain with no interesting dialog? Do you wish there were more stories that took place on the astral plane and featured D-list Marvel characters doing uninteresting contrived spiritual blahdeblah? How about books where, instead of the hero you like, their role is filled by an enemy who wears their outfit? What about a comic interpretation of a trial where an annoying attorney talks and talks and talks, and makes references to jokes from over a dozen comic issues ago?
If so, hold on to those pants that Christopher Priest keeps referencing, ha, a ha ha, a ha ha ha, because this graphic novel will knock your socks off and write a hacky stand up comedy routine wondering where those socks went.
I would recommend this to people who make dad jokes, and write "ironically" unfunny non-jokes on peoples' Facebook statuses.
If so, hold on to those pants that Christopher Priest keeps referencing, ha, a ha ha, a ha ha ha, because this graphic novel will knock your socks off and write a hacky stand up comedy routine wondering where those socks went.
I would recommend this to people who make dad jokes, and write "ironically" unfunny non-jokes on peoples' Facebook statuses.
crookedtreehouse's review
2.0
If you ever wondered "What would The Black Panther be like if it was a snappy 90's comedy with mediocre writing and terribly dated art?" then this is the book for you. Feel free to take my copy. I won't be rereading it.
Texeira's art hasn't aged well, but that's nothing compared to Christopher Priest's writing style. The danger of writing "satire" that's heavily dependent on Clinton (the one who was President, not the one who should have been) and En Vogue (the 90s R&B group of models who were roped together like a hotter, more talented Monkees, not the term meaning "in fashion") jokes is that it will be excruciating to read at any point that isn't 1998.
I look at [a:Mark Texeira|54522|Mark Texeira|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]'s panel work, and see that he has talent. 1998 was a time when artists were toying with new technology. And, like CGI monsters from the same period, some of it looks wonky now, but you can see how it was cool at the time.
Priest's jumbled sense of narrative where he tells a story from thirty-five different angles, none of which truly ever get to the point, was probably just as frustrating thirty years ago as it is now.
I can only think of recommending this to Black Panther completists, or people who collect really old Mad Magazines and laugh at The Lighter Side Of Beanie Babies.
Texeira's art hasn't aged well, but that's nothing compared to Christopher Priest's writing style. The danger of writing "satire" that's heavily dependent on Clinton (the one who was President, not the one who should have been) and En Vogue (the 90s R&B group of models who were roped together like a hotter, more talented Monkees, not the term meaning "in fashion") jokes is that it will be excruciating to read at any point that isn't 1998.
I look at [a:Mark Texeira|54522|Mark Texeira|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]'s panel work, and see that he has talent. 1998 was a time when artists were toying with new technology. And, like CGI monsters from the same period, some of it looks wonky now, but you can see how it was cool at the time.
Priest's jumbled sense of narrative where he tells a story from thirty-five different angles, none of which truly ever get to the point, was probably just as frustrating thirty years ago as it is now.
I can only think of recommending this to Black Panther completists, or people who collect really old Mad Magazines and laugh at The Lighter Side Of Beanie Babies.
ayoung720's review
3.0
I have to be honest, the first few issues were difficult to get into due to the flashback structure, which I initially found quite frustrating to follow. The use of Ross as the narrator, and an unreliable one at that, was a bit overdone; while it is a good idea, sometimes his ramblings went on for so long that I got lost. Ultimately, however, that structure allows for some nice reveals to happen throughout the book and I think it ended especially strongly. If you're looking for a Black Panther similar to the film then this is not him, but it is an interesting look into the character from a more grounded perspective. I'm looking forward to reading Vol. 2 because now that I'm familiar with Priest's writing style I think I'll be better able to get into the story from the start.
This book isn't one you read straight through, as it requires a lot of thought and flipping back and forth. I think I'd enjoy it even more on a re-read now that I know the basic story, but despite all this, if you're a Black Panther fan then this book is definitely recommended.
This book isn't one you read straight through, as it requires a lot of thought and flipping back and forth. I think I'd enjoy it even more on a re-read now that I know the basic story, but despite all this, if you're a Black Panther fan then this book is definitely recommended.
seeyf's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first Black Panther comic; my only prior introduction to the character being the 2018 film. Coates’ plot is dense and complex, and at times there were too many characters and subplots referencing previous plot lines that made it difficult to follow. Here, the villain is not a simple external threat, but a challenge to the traditions of Wakanda itself, in particular monarchy as a form of government. Coates inventively asks why the most technologically advanced nation in a world — a near utopia — would use one of the oldest structures of power, and the moral responsibility that comes with being not just a king and leader, but also a fighter and protector. At one point, Edmund Morgan’s “American Slavery, American Freedom” is referenced with slavery compared with monarchic rule, connecting to Coates’ nonfiction writing and adding depth and realism to the superhero plot. The plot devices of having T’Challa enter the realm of the dead to consult previous kings, and Shuri’s immersion in the old stories of Wakanda also intensify the tension between tradition and modernity, and questions how rulers should respond to change.
livani's review against another edition
3.0
A beautiful book, but as a volume one, it’s rather confusing! Not a great jumping off point for the character, unless you’re all caught up in the Marvel universe!
dryden's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5