The Price

Everett Ross is a member of the US State Department who is tasked with escorting foreign diplomats who are visiting America. He has just recently been assigned as liaison to T’Challa, the king of Wakanda, aka the superhero known as the Black Panther. Presently he is giving a progress report to his superior — and girlfriend — Nikki Adams.

Continuing his story where he left off, the Black Panther had just avenged the death of Jamie Robins, the young girl who was the poster child of his Tomorrow Fund charity. He was then — through a vision — tricked into making out with Nakia, one of his Dora Milaje. Needing to get some air to clear his head, T’Challa was unaware that he was being pursued by two armed mercenaries wearing white versions of the Black Panther’s garb.

As this was happening, Achebe — a Ghudazian refugee who made a deal with the devil — has taken control of Wakanda. After seizing power it became clear that Achebe is insane when he addressed the nation of live television and ordered the people to pray for a dog named Muatu, who was injured in the in fighting between Wakandans and the Ghudazian refugees.

Back in America, the Black Panther are attacked by the two mercenaries, which he identifies as members of the long expelled Hatut Zeraze — or the Dogs of War — a group of soldiers originally formed to eliminate threats to Wakanda by any means necessary. Despite the element of surprise, superior numbers, and military grade weapons, T’Challa is able to defeat the Hatut Zeraze and demands to know where their leader is. That’s when the leader — a man known as the White Wolf — appears before him.[1] The Wolf explains that he sent his men to test T’Challa to prove that they are needed to help resolve the growing political situation back home. Pulling out a Wakandan communication card, the White Wolf shows T’Challa the recent public address made by Achebe. T’Challa refuses the offer for aid, reminding the White Wolf that while his father T’Chaka regularly used the Hatut Zeraze, he never agreed with their methods and ordered them into exile and he is willing to fight. The White Wolf finds this pointless particularly since T’Challa has much pressing concerns, informing him that Mephisto awaits at the king’s rented apartment. Before departing, the White Wolf asks offhandedly if T’Challa has seen Monica Lynn recently. This brings memories of the strange vision he had earlier and how Monica’s image was used to trick him into kissing Nakia.[2] As he departs, the White Wolf warns T’Challa not to keep his demons waiting.

Meanwhile, in Harlem, Sergeant Francis Torq is preparing dinner (fish sticks cooked in a toaster in case you’re wondering) when there is a knock at the door. The person knocking is Delroy Richmond who waives his right to a lawyer and asks to be arrested for the murder of Jamie Robins. Suspecting the Black Panther had something to do with this, he figures he and T’Challa are going to have to have a little talk.[3]

Nikki Adams pauses the story to tell Everett that things are finally starting to make sense. By this time they have returned to his apartment. There, Ross strips off his clothes and suggests they get down (their foreplay involves a banjo for some reason). However, Nikki isn’t in the mood and demands to know what happened next.

Everett resigns to finishing his story and explains how this entire time he was entertaining Mephisto, the literal devil. Having noticed that Ross had lost his pants, Mephisto used his magic to give Everett a new pair. However, when he tries to take them off he discovers that he has been cursed with an unending supply of pants, like some kind of twisted Russian nesting doll. That’s when Mephisto asks why Everett frears him. The government agent points out that its because he’s the devil (duh), but Mephisto insists that he only looks like the devil and insists that he is the master of a realm populated only by himself and the lost souls that he gathers. Everett asks why Mephisto doesn’t leave his realm and is told that Mephisto can’t and his realm are one and the same. The only thing he does now is collect souls, the more pure the better. Everett makes a dumb joke that he knows what that’s like because he works for the federal government. Mephisto retorts that this is exactly the reason why he shouldn’t fear him. Mephisto then calls him by his middle name, Kenny, and this causes Everett to shift backward in time again .

This time, Everett relives an embarrassing moment when he almost drowned during swimming lessons. Returning home, Everett’s mother is outside watching TV while peeling potatoes and orders him inside to do his chores. That’s when Ross snapped back to the present, Mephisto explains that he knows all about Everett’s past not because he can read minds, but because he witnessed it all himself.

That’s when the Black Panther came bursting into the room and much to Everett’s surprise manage to sucker punch Mephisto, knocking the demon out. Relating this story to Nikki later, Everett explains that the entourage that T’Challa brought with him from Wakanda were some of the most brilliant minds in Wakanda. They were apparently monitoring Mephisto’s little visit and used their technological expertise to create an energy field that cut the demon off from the source of his magical powers, making him vulnerable. This only lasted for 8 seconds, but it was long enough for T’Challa to use his Vibranium claws to rip out Mephisto’s heart and toss it into Everett’s hands. Disgusted by the sight of the deformed organ, Ross dumped in into a jar of pickles. The Black Panther then begins interrogating Mephisto to get answers. The demon confirms that Achebe sold his soul for the power he now wields, however he didn’t give Achebe Wakanda, T’Challa did. Mephisto then says that he can give the Panther his kingdom back. T’Challa says that without his heart, Mephisto will be dead in moments, solving the problem for him.

The devil merely smiles and says that a lot can happen in a moment. Next thing Everett knew it, both he and the Black Panther were teleported to the gates of Hell itself!

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, Mephisto, Everett Ross, White Wolf, Zuri, Francis Tork, Achebe, Nikki Adams, Delroy Richmond

Continuity Notes

1. The identity of the White Wolf is expanded upon in later issues. His real name is Hunter, and as a baby he was the only survivor of a plane that crashed in Wakanda and was adopted by T’Chaka and treated him like a son. Hunter later became the leader of the Hatut Zeraze and served T’Chaka loyaly until his death. When T’Challa took the throne, he ordered the Hatut Zeraze into exile and he did not agree with their methods. See Black Panther (vol. 3) #10, 12 and 27 as well as Rise of the Black Panther #4-6, and Black Panther: Legends #1-4.

2. Monica Lynn has been a long time ally of T’Challa dating back to when he saved her from the Sons of the Serpents in Avengers #73. T’Challa proposed to her in Black Panther: Panther’s Prey #3. However, by the time we see her again in Black Panther (vol. 3) #8, T’Challa had called off their engagement. It’s revealed in Black Panther (vol. 3) #48-49 that this was due to the fact that T’Challa met a future version of himself that was dying of a brain aneurysm that he himself was just in the early stages of. Seeing that he had no future to offer Monica was the reason why he broke off their engagement, although he kept the reason why a secret.

3. Delroy Richmond was exposed as the man who murdered Jamie Robins last issue.

Topical References

• When making suggestions on what Mephisto could do other than dwelling in his domain, Everett suggests that he become the bassist for Marilyn Manson. Marilyn Manson is an American rock musician best known for its shocking lyrics and on and offstage antics. His self titled band (originally called Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids) got their start in 1989. Manson's music is usually critical of American institutions, particularly religion, focusing on the hypocrisy of these groups. He was at the height of his popularity in the 1990s and was the target du jour of the religious right at the time. While believed to be a Satanic band, the group (like most contemporary Satanists) don’t actively worship Satan, but use the iconography of the Devil as a tool to point out Christian hypocrisy. This should be considered a topical reference.

• Everett also likens Mephisto’s obsession with souls to his compulsion to collect DVDs. Digital Video Discs were a video format which quickly replaced VHS as the dominant format in the late 90s and early 2000s. While it is still around today, it is slowly falling out of favor for other higher quality formats such as Blu-Ray and Ultra HD as well as streaming platforms which are slowly replacing ownership of physical media. Since DVDs area on their way into obsolescence their reference here should be considered topical.

• In his trip into the past, Everett’s mother is depicted as having a CRT model television that requires an antenna to pick up television signals. This should be considered topical as this is an obsolete technology.

• Everett’s cell phone is depicted as an analogue device with push buttons and an visible antennae to pick up signals. This should be considered a topical reference as these types of mobile phones are now obsolete.