You should be reading Black Panther: Man Without Fear!

I just read some direct market sales figures for June... and Black Panther: Man Without Fear is selling under 20,000. So I'm taking it upon myself to personally rep this book and try to get more people interested in it. Why? Because it's the only mainstream superhero book that I'm thoroughly loving right now. It's noir. It's street-level. It's clever. It's intelligent. It's breathtaking to look at. It's a joy to read. The Fear Itself tie-ins read seamlessly with the series even if you're not reading any other Fear Itself books. It stars a complex-yet-relatable (not to mention de-powered) T'Challa living and working in NYC, protecting Hell's Kitchen. To me, the art and storytelling are reminiscent of 80s Daredevil and Batman: Year One. The writing is crisp and refreshing, spending more time focusing on the intriguing personal struggle of the protagonist rather than getting caught up in superhero plot cliches. And you can enjoy this story regardless of how many Black Panther comics you've read in the past. It's a goddamn good comic book!

An Under the Radar Week in Comics

Some weeks – like last week – I pick up big titles like Mighty Avengers and Justice League of America on the same day. Those books get talked up and down, left and right. They’re good. I love to read them. But they don’t satisfy my comic book addiction the same way that a quieter, regular release with out of sight content satisfies my need for must-read sequentials.

Here’s a quick peek at four books that run the full range of moderate popularity to nearly obscure. I’ll be picking these issues up this week in my “under the radar” comic purchase fest:

Casanova #10 – As indie titles go, Casanova has a decent name for itself. The book deserves it. To me, it’s the future of comics: frenetic, punchy, witty, visceral, and cerebral. All in 17 pages for $1.99. Matt Fraction’s “backmatter” making of text following the story is almost worth the price of admission alone.

Black Panther #31 – This is a mainstream book with niche appeal. I love the character of T’Challa. Then there’s Storm. I’ve known Storm longer than most of my friends and some of my loved ones. Having her in here month after month is just another reason I gotta have this book. I’ve already read this issue and reviewed it over at Comics News Int’l. But that won’t stop me from buying it today. Two words: X-Men orgy.

Thunderbolts #117 – This isn’t obscure by any means, but it’s also not a household name. Buzz on this book has largely gone quiet now that Civil War feels like a distant memory in the collective hive mind of weekly comic book readers. Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato Jr. are doing some standout work that continues to blow my mind a little more with every new issue.

Tales of the TMNT #39 – This is now the sole monthly ongoing series produced by Mirage Studios. It treats the Ninja Turtles mythos like an open ended universe with endless possibilities for chronological modification. The story could slip in between two issues from the 1980s or take place in a far distant future that has never been seen before. It’s handled by a wide range of different creators that tend to do great done-in-one stories.

Larry Stroman on Black Panther

UPDATE 1: Dreams can come true. Larry Stroman is drawing the Black Panther Annual coming out in February 2008, called "Black to the Future."

ORIGINAL: I wish. But the great thing is that Larry wishes he was on Black Panther too.

"[Characters] I want a shot at drawing? A lot of the Marvel Heroes actually. Characters like Black Panther, the Fantastic Four, the Inhumans, Captain America and Daredevil."

Now I know that other people may see some of his following choices and focus on those. But I saw T'Challa up there first and it was like an epiphany. Imagine Hudlin's Panther series drawn by Larry Stroman... AWESOME.

Also, in other related Black Panther news, I just read part of Panther's Quest for the first time today. It was wonderful. It's inspired me to start an extremely special Panther's Quest project. More news on that soon...

Quarter Bin Flashback Attack: Over the Edge

Anyone remember this series? It didn't run too long. It was about 10 years ago, when Marvel Edge was the precursor to what would become Marvel Knights.

This was their budget book at $0.99 with done-in-one stories. Imagine Marvel Adventures with more mature themes featuring a cast of Marvel's moodier heroes. It's actually a great series, although I normally I find that these sort of books don't read well.

The art was by Robert E. Brown and Stephen B. Jones (they eventually alternated on issues). It was great post-McFarlane pre-Bachalo's-modern-style stuff. What happened to these guys?

The best part is the writing by guys like Ralph Macchio, Mark Gruenwald, and more. They have excellent introspective narration by Elektra, Dr. Strange, Daredevil, Black Panther, etc. They fit in continuity as well.

My favorite issue is Over the Edge #6 featuring Black Panther and Daredevil vs. Klaw and (the return of) Erik Killmonger. A close second is OtE #8, an issue featuring Elektra as she encounters a complicated assignment.

Where's My Rage, Marvel?

The Panther's Rage story arc from Jungle Action (by Don McGregor, Rich Buckler, and Billy Graham with Gil Kane covers) is well recognized as the grandaddy of superhero graphic novels; an early example of comic books for the long format. It has superb script with rich and detailed art.

Why hasn't Marvel collected this in a glossy TPB (or any TPB ever), or an Essential Black Panther volume with a few of T'Challa's Fantastic Four and Avengers issues included? Is there a reason it's been omitted by their collections department, while Essential Dazzler exists?!

Here's what Dwanye McDuffie has to say about Panther's Rage:

"This overlooked and underrated classic is arguably the most tightly written multi-part superhero epic ever. If you can get your hands on it (and where's that trade paperback collection, Marvel?), sit down and read the whole thing. It's damn-near flawless, every issue, every scene, a functional, necessary part of the whole. Okay, now go back and read any individual issue. You'll find seamlessly integrated words and pictures; clearly introduced characters and situations; a concise (sometimes even transparent) recap; beautifully developed character relationships; at least one cool new villain; a stunning action set piece to test our hero's skills and resolve; and a story that is always moving forward towards a definite and satisfying conclusion. That's what we should all be delivering, every single month. Don McGregor and company did it in only 17 story pages per issue."

Update 1: Obviously, other people agree with me.

Update 2: Apparently, here's my rage.

Update 3: And now there's finally Essential Black Panther v1, containing Panther's Rage and the best of the Kirby solo series. Here's my review of it on Amazon.