The Monarch and the Man-Ape!

Hawkeye, the Black Panther, the Vision, and the Black Knight have saved the world from being destroyed by Surtur and Ymir. Doctor Strange’s astral form has just left, leaving the Avengers and their ally to find their own way back to civilization. Luckily, they are near the Black Knight’s kingdom of Wakanda and he summons a ship to collect them all.

They are soon taken into the underground techno-jungle of Wakanda and the others are in awe over the Black Panther’s kingdom. When they land, Hawkeye, the Knight, and Vision are attacked by armed guards. The Black Knight quickly stops the guards from harming his teammates. He then demands to know who gave the soldiers orders to attack and learn that it was given by M’Baku one of the chieftains left in charge in the Black Panther’s absence.

When M’Baku learns that T’Challa is back he orders his loyal followers to prepare a feast for their returning king. However, M’Baku has drugged the Avengers drinks, knocking them all out. When the Black Panther awakens he is shocked to discover that M’Baku is wearing the forbidden garb of the white gorilla. M’Baku, now calling himself the Man-Ape, intends to defeat the Black Panther in battle and seize control of Wakanda. Raising the Black Panther’s idol from its hiding place, the Man-Ape intends to destroy it and replace it with a new idol craved into the shape of the white gorilla.

The Man-Ape then challenges the Black Panther to a battle to the death. Despite the Man-Ape’s superior strength, the Black Panther’s speed and agility makes it easy for him to evade on coming attacks. The battle takes them into the chamber where the atomic flames that power Wakanda are kept. Fighting over the flame, the Man-Ape gets knocked over the edge. However, the Black Panther grabs the Man-Ape’s arm, preventing him from falling into the flames. The Man-Ape responds to this mercy by whipping T’Challa with a live electrical wire stunning him. As the Panther’s allies wake up and start breaking out of their cell, the Man-Ape tries to knock over the Panther idol on T’Challa. However, instead of toppling over onto the king of Wakanda, it instead crumbles on top of him, burying the Man-Ape alive. Assuming that the Man-Ape was killed in the collapse, the Black Panther learned a fatal lesson that brute force has no place in the civilized world.[1]

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Hawkeye, Black Panther, Vision), Black Knight, Man-Ape, N’Gamo, W’Kabi, Aragorn

Continuity Notes

1. The Man-Ape survives being buried alive and will be seen again in Avengers #78-79.

Topical References

• Dated pop-culture references: Barbarella