I’m just going to just throw the gauntlet down now. T’Challa, king of Wakanda and the Black Panther, is the most interesting super hero of either of the two major comic book universes, bar none. Not Batman, not Spider-Man, not Iron Man, maybe Doctor Doom—the Black Panther is probably the most creative and well-designed super hero of all time.
Now, I use the words “interesting” and “intriguing” very deliberately here. Is he the most likeable, relatable or my own personal favorite? No, Bucky Barnes, Luke Cage and the Flash are my favorite super heroes, and likeable and relatable are two very subjective terms that I try not to use very often in criticism and analysis. I use interesting because he is an immensely compelling character with a very creative mythos surrounding him. He is among the most unique of heroes, and he always has you guessing what is going on in his mind.
Now, let me educate you on why this is the case.
Firstly, he is the king of the most technologically advanced country in the world. He has the burdens of monarchy placed upon him in addition to being an Avenger. He has to keep his country stable in a time of democracies and republics. He has unilateral control over this nation, and its well-being rides on his every decision. This is a great burden for anyone to carry, especially when, like T’Challa, one truly does care about his or her people.
That brings me to the next point. Black Panther is only a hero insomuch as it benefits his people. His duty as an Avenger rides on how they protect the world. As Wakanda is a part of the world, this protection extends to the country. His time away has hurt his ability to lead their country, but Wakanda is still his top priority.
He loves his country more than his kingship. In the past, when he has felt his leadership is not what his nation needs, he has abandoned the throne to his sister, Shuri. He even became the Man Without Fear in Hell’s Kitchen to go back to basics and rediscover himself.
While he has found personal friends in Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man and Doctor Strange, he is also very capable of holding a grudge. He showed this in his blood feud with Namor the Sub-Mariner. After Namor flooded Wakanda during the "Avengers vs. X-Men" event, the two heroes fought back and forth, killing each other’s people, until each king’s nation was practically wiped out. This came to its crescendo when Panther stabbed Namor and left him on a dying world. Namor took revenge and committed complete genocide upon what was left of Wakanda with Thanos and their Cabal.
He’s also among the eight smartest men in Marvel comics. He is a technical genius, having created a suit sleeker and more form-fitting than even Stark’s fare. He partook in the Stark and Richards’ Illuminati to make sure his opinion and his people’s needs are represented. Not only that, he is among the most skilled martial artists in either comic book universe. He could rely simply on his high tech suits like Stark, but he doesn't.
In the current "Black Panther" title, written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, he’s having to face a revolution in his country. A faction of his people want democracy, and they have killed people to prove it, even badly injuring T’Challa’s mother. This has set Black Panther on a warpath to bring these people down, even soliciting advice from defense representatives of dictatorships. What makes it fascinating is that it’s hard to argue in favor of T’Challa in this conflict, as his people are only striving for representation. However, T’Challa is so compelling, and he is the protagonist of the story. You can’t help but root for him.
Plus, Chadwick Boseman’s representation of the character in "Captain America: Civil War" was amazing.
Was this just me promoting a character and book I like? Maybe, but I stand by my statement at the beginning of this article. Black Panther is more interesting than any Avenger, Justice Leaguer or X-Man. He is original, creative, and just plain awesome.
