Death Riders on the Horizon

The Black Panther, Monica Lynne, and Kevin Trublood take a break from their investigation into the murder of Monica’s sister Angela. At the Lynne home, their recent clashes with the Klu Klux Klan reminds Jessica Lynne — Monica’s mother — about an ancestor who suffered at the hands of the Klan when the racist group was in its infancy.

The year was 1876, the Civil War had come to an end and slavery was abolished. Caleb Lynne lived in a run down farm with his family, trying to eke out a meager existence. However, this was during the early days when the KKK was just beginning to commit acts of violence against Blacks. One day, a group of Klan members arrived outside the Lynne farm on horseback. Their leader accuses Caleb of offending the Confederate soldiers who died on the fields of Shiloh. They then warn Caleb to stay away from the Freeman’s Bureau or the Loyal League before leaving.

Afraid for his safety and that of his family, Caleb went to the Freeman’s association for help. However, the two politicians were more interested in securing Caleb’s vote in an upcoming election, telling him that they can’t do anything unless they are re-elected. When Caleb and his family returned home they were once again accosted by members of the Klan. This time, they used theatrics to try and frighten the family. Their leader was dressed in a red robe and called himself the Soul-Strangler, holding out a skeletal hand to be shook that was likely carved out of hickory.[1] Accompanying him were clan members dressed up to look like undead Confederate soldiers. The Soul-Strangler has come to punish Caleb for disobeying the Klan’s orders. The Lynne family then watched in horror as Caleb was shot, then had a noose thrown around his neck and was hung from a tree.

This is a story that Monica has heard many times in the past and its tragic ending always deeply upsets her. This time, when her mother tells it, Monica fantasies that the Black Panther was there to save Caleb Lynne from the Klan members and the indifferent politicians that did little to protect her ancestor and his family. After Jessica finishes telling the story, everyone notices that Monica mind drifted off. When she and T’Challa go in for the night, Monica tells him about the fantasy she had and how such daydreaming makes complex issues seem so much simpler.

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, KKK (Soul-Strangler), Monica Lynne, Kevin Trublood, Jessica Lynne, Lloyd Lynne, Caleb Lynne (flashback)

Continuity Notes

1. It should be pointed out that the Soul-Strangler will reappear as a spectre in the Modern Age, as we’ll see in Marvel Premiere #52-53.

Topical References

• Caleb Lynne is referred to in this story as Jessica Lynne’s great uncle. However, since none of the Lynne family have extended lifespans, this becomes increasingly impossible due to the Sliding Timescale. As such, Caleb Lynne should now be referred to as a descendant of the Lynne family as opposed to a family member twice removed.

Historical References

• In her recounting of family history, Jessica Lynne states that the KKK started off as a political movement and wasn’t a “racial thing” at first. That’s not entirely accurate. The original KKK started off as a fraternal order that borrowed concepts from the Sons of Malta, itself a parody of serious orders such as the Freemasons. Despite that, the whole white supremacy thing was very much a thing from the start and they were committing acts of violence well before 1870. So much so that the federal government passed the Enforcement Act to try and prosecute the Klan for their acts of violence. But hey, nobody said Jessica Lynne was a history major and I skimmed Wikipedia to write the above.

• In the flashback the Klan members refer to Caleb and his family as Nigras. Which was the racial slur used back then and what eventually evolved into the N-word that is commonly used by racist pieces of shit today. Isn’t history fun?

• The Klan leader mentions Confederate soldiers who died in the fields of Shiloh. This is a reference to the Battle of Shiloh, which was a battle fought during the Civil War on April 6th and 7th of 1862 in southwestern Tennessee. There were 10699 casualties on the Confederate side of the conflict with 1728 people getting killed, 8012 being wounded, and 959 captured or missing. Although the Union faced greater losses, they won the fight. Thanks again Wikipedia!