Sunday, February 6, 2022

The King and I

"... kings just rule and most are never understood" - KRS-One (My Philosophy)
The new Black Panther run by John Ridley is in full swing. It is a run that is only 3 issues thus far. However, it is shaping up to be an exceptional run on the Black Panther character. Yet, of course like some things that are amazing; There is a glitch in the matrix. This glitch however comes in the form of the previous run by Ta-nehisi Coates in the Intergalatic Republic of Wakanda. This particular run and its mix of coming of age with Afro futurism gave Black Panther comic heads a massive headache. While I do believe that time will be kind to this run, right about now its something a lot us just assume forget about. T'Challa is a slave at the beginning of that run and he ends up being the emperor. Yay T'Challa! But... At the cost of being the head of an Intergalatic Empire, T'Challa is King in title but not in teeth. Wakanda made the decision to experiment with democracy. A decision that T'Challa is respecting but clearly is annoyed by the bureaucracy that democracy affords. This transitory position has placed T'Challa in a bizarre space. It is clear that Wakanda still needs him to be the king but they do not want kingship governance. Which is like telling the Black Panther to be that ferocious cat just do not use your claws. You know how it is in the hood we all know that cat who is feared and is ferocious. He is the dude you go get when its time to set it off. However, you really don't want the guy around you for that same reason. T'Challa is that guy. He has protected Wakanda and though he is still respected, he is not the authority. He still holds influence but this new government which is in its infancy is experiencing growing pains. Therefore, T'Challa's wisdom is still coveted by certain leaders.
In the midst of all the pandemonium, an attack occurs on a couple of T'Challa's agents in the earth. We have specify earth because of T'Challa's galactic realm jurisdiction. One of the agents killed is T'Challa's best friend. So begins the journey of T'Challa making his way around the world to where his secret agents are located. These secret agents are "sleeper cells". T'Challa is fighting an enemy he does not know. Yet it is clear they know him. T'Challa is making his way to each agent to shut down the cells. He wants to protect those who he has enlisted but also he wants to make sure Wakanda and his antics are not exposed to the world at large. Each cell was to embed themselves into where they were and live their lives as regular citizenry. These plans have been in place for years and certainly before the change in power. T'Challa isn't the calm and cool cat we know him to be. Now he is paranoid, burdened and full of grief. Some have questioned the writing on the run because we see citizens who once adored the King come off as very disrespectful. Oh how the mighty have fallen! You cannot talk to your sovereign just any kind of way. He is the king. There is no way you live and talk to the king in a disrespectful manner. Yes. You are right but even a broken clock is right twice a day!
Yet, what is the big idea? Why is Ridley writing and allowing such uncouth behavior from those once loyal to T'Challa? Is it deconstruction? Is it just a lack of respect? I think it is both. Here me out. T'Challa is a mystical figure for intents and purposes. He is very smart. He is very powerful and rich. He is a hero among heroes. Steve Rogers and Reed Richards count him among their closest friends and ally. He is the most powerful and resourceful Black hero on the planet. So, is he a god? No. He is just a man. However, he is the man. He is cat you go get when its going down. However for all the wonderful attributes that T'Challa posesses. He poses as a threat. Steve Rogers wonders out loud where his allegiance lies. His secrets run deep. His own sister is baffled by it. Who is he loyal to? He visits Storm to get some air and bask in her presence but it only seems he was there to deactivate a cell at Arakko. He is a complicated man. PLus he is Black. Why bring that up captain obvious? We who are descendants of kings and queens are royalty. Yet we are not respected as royalty. Your teachers may know you are the children of the first civilizations but you are treated like third world peasants. You see those citizens who look like you as less than. You call them Negroes who are necro. Is it a wonder that one of T'Challa's titles is King of the Dead? We abuse another, harbor secrets and wonder why we are disrespected. T'Challa mourns in silence, which is what many Black men do. He cannot trust even those closest to him to be transparent. He has to act as if everything is fine and all he does is because he is a king. The man is dying inside and cannot be truthful with those he loves because the truth will injure them. Gentle iniates a hug in one panel of issue #3. The scene is riveting because Gentle loves T'Challa and he needs to express that love. T'Challa happily obliges because he too loves Gentle and he needs to express something because he is wounded. He is the Black Panther but wounded nonetheless. There are very few things more dangerous than a wounded animal. While I do not compare T'Challa to an animal perse'. I recognize his avatar. We, like him, if we are honest are wounded beings. I will stop short of saying you need therapy and healing. Not because I know you need it but each man and woman has a right to decide what is best for them. However, I will say that as Black Panther run continues; think about yourself. What would you do? Who are you? King? Queen? Negro? Nobody. For me. I see life for what it is in comics. In this case, I will think on T'Challa, the King and I.

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