Black Panther #9 — Nick Peron

Jul 28

Jul 28 Black Panther #9

Black Musketeers

Stranded in the desert of Sudan, the Black Panther if forced to travel its distance by foot, a task made more difficult as he carries the unconscious body of a mobster named Nick Scarpa. Exhausted after miles of walking, T’Challa collapses to the ground and is about to give up when he is suddenly discovered by what appears to be a robot.

Meanwhile, in Wakanda, the nation is being terrorized by T’Challa’s half-brother Jakarra who has been transformed into a horrible monster by the Vibranium Mound. The military keep the creature busy to give time for the Black Musketeers to arrive on the scene. They are T’Challa’s cousins Joshua Itobo, Khanata, Zuni, and Ishanta and they attack the monster decked out in Black Panther costumes as well as personalized weapons. After Khanata rams the monster with his modified race car, Zuni snares it with a metal rope while Ishanta disorientates it with a gas gun. This allows Joshua to climb onto Jakarra’s back and put a mask on his face that constantly feeds the monster knock out gas. To their surprise, the monster topples and is defeated.

N’Gassi — the elder in charge while T’Challa is absent — complains about the cost of outfitting the Black Musketeers with their weapons. However, he is pleasantly surprised when they return victorious and pay tribute to the Panther god for guiding them. With Jakarra now in captivity, N’Gassi insists that the monster must be destroyed.

When T’Challa wakes up he discovers that he had been rescued by the cast and crew of a big budget Hollywood science fiction story. He then meets with the director who tells him that Nick Scarpo has been restrained and the authorities have been called. T’Challa is pleased that Scarpo is being dealt with but insists that he can’t stay for questioning as he needs to get home. When the director and his crew try to stop him, T’Challa sets off a number of pyrotechnic effects that give him cover while he steals a jeep and makes his escape.

Back in Wakanda, Joshua Itobo refuses to kill Jakarra due to his Hippocratic oath to do no harm. He assures N’Gassi that the knock out gas will contain the monster until he is able to formulate a cure for his condition. However, after they leave, Jakarra undergoes the final stage of his evolution, growing discs on his hands that allow him to fire powerful blasts of energy. The monster then begins making his way to the Vibranium Mound, an action that could spell the end for all life on Earth.

While back in the Sudan, a military fighter jet catches up with T’Challa and begins firing warning shots. The Black Panther stops and pretends to surrender, intending to steal their airplane so he can get back to Wakanda faster.