Black Panther (vol. 2) #2
For Duty, For Honor, For Country!
After reports of a panther creature slaughtering government officials in apartheid Azania, the people of Wakanda have begun to question if their king, T’Challa the Black Panther, is still fit to be their leader. After it was revealed that his friend Mosie Bomvana secretly helped him win the Ordeal of the White Ape, T’Challa has been asked to step down as king while the tribal leaders determine his fate.
Watching the news, T’Challa hears about the latest attack by the Panther of Azania and how General Magnus Moorbecx blames the Black Panther for these attacks as part of a communist conspiracy to overthrow the white government. He vows that his government will deal with the threat posed appropriately. Having seen enough, T’Challa decides to go for a walk, but has to be escorted by the palace guard. As he walks past his throne, he sees that a tribal shield has been placed on its seat, signifying his loss of power and wonders if it will ever be lifted.
Meanwhile, in Azania, its resident superhero team the Supremacists — the White Avenger, Voortrekker, Captain Blaze, Harrier, Hungyr, and Barricade — are training for their upcoming mission. This training session soon breaks down into bickering between its members until General Moorbecx calls them to order and tells them that they are being deployed to Wakanda to destroy the Black Panther. The six white supremacists smile with glee as they look forward to matching their abilities against someone they view as an inferior.
Elsewhere in the country, the military is moving the population of a black shanty town out of their homes in search of the communist insurgents they believe are fueling dissent among the community. Although some of them want to fight back against their oppressors, one of the elders cautions against this as it will claim more lives and accomplish nothing. That’s when the Panther creature appears and attacks the soldiers. This encourages the locals to try and fight back, however the elder’s warnings come true as the entire village is mowed down by the soldier’s machine guns.
This latest slaughter is cause for concern for the tribal council of Wakanda who begin to debate on how their country should react. Even though he has no more authority, T’Challa once again stresses that Wakanda needs to deal with their apartheid neighbor with peaceful means, such as political sanctions. Growing tired of the endless debate a warrior named T’Swana wants to put the issue of T’Challa’s leadership behind them by challenging him to a battle. T’Challa accepts and the two spar against one another. However, before a victor can be determined, the Supremacists come crashing into the royal palace looking to kill the Black Panther. Out numbered by his overpowered foes, the Black Panther is forced to retreat to avoid defeat. The Supremacists look at this as a victory and begin laying waste to Wakanda’s capital city. Watching from the sidelines, T’Challa realizes that his people will suffer unless he does something and decides to strike bakc.
Meanwhile, T’Challa’s friend Mosie Bomvana has been exiled from Wakanda after he tried to help his friend win the Ordeal of the White Ape. Still believing that T’Challa needs his assistance, Moise travels to Paris and meets with Malaika, a member of the Order of the Panther who acts on behalf of Wakanda outside the country. He has come to warn her about Morobecx’s attack on Wakanda and learns that his warning has come too late. However, there is an even larger threat that he needs to get back to T’Challa.
Back in Wakanda, the Supremacists continue hunting for the Black Panther. Captain Blaze takes perverse joy in burning down local huts, however his enjoyment is soured somewhat when he almost kills a child. By this time, the Black Panther has returned to the fight and lures the Supremacists into the underground technological jungle he has constructed under the city. Here, T’Challa uses his wits and the various technology of the jungle to finally defeat his foes.
His defeat of the Supremacists convince the tribal council that the T’Challa is still fit to rule them and a celebration is held in his honor. It’s here that T’Challa gets word from Moise, who sends a dire warning that Azania is planning to launch a nuclear missile at Wakanda. When he tries to warn his people of this coming threat, nobody stops to listen to him. Remembering how he was told by Mendinao that he had lost his voice on the council, the Black Panther heads off to deal with this threat, deciding that he will leave a writ of abdication on their desks tomorrow.
Recurring Characters
Black Panther, Panther, Supremacists (White Avenger, Barricade, Captain Blaze, Harrier, Hungyr, Voortrekker), Mendinao, Mosie Bomvana, Magnus Morobecx, Malaika,
