Black Panther (vol. 3) #27
Stürm und Drang: A Story of Love & War, Book 2: An Epidemic Insanity
Lord Ghaur, High Priest of the Deviants, has declared war against the nation of Wakanda. This was after its ruler, the Black Panther (T’Challa), refused to surrender a Deviant resident and her human looking child over to him, as the child would have been eliminated.[1] In response, the Black Panther had deployed six of his massive battle cruisers to occupy the area above the Deviant’s undersea domain of Lemuria.[2][3]
This move has the world on edge and the United States responds by deploying military ships, but claims that they are only running routine exercises and drills. An emergency session of the United Nations has been called to discuss them matter. While the Wasp of the Avengers asks for calm, behind the scenes they are checking in with past and present members to be on the ready should something happen. The President of the United States, meanwhile, is furious and orders someone to get ahold of Everett Ross.
Meanwhile, T’Challa holds a remote conference with the Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie) and Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom) regarding the situation. Namor believes that T’Challa is mad to engage in a conflict with the Deviants over something so trivial, likening it to the Kiber Island incident.[4] Doom thinks Ghaur is an idiot, but dangerous, and believes that a global war over the life of a single child is outlandish. Victor also notes that his non-aggression pact with Atlantis doesn’t mean that Latveria will join it in battle if Namor chooses to join T’Challa’s side. Both men concur that the fate of the Deviant child is none of their concern and they will protect their nations as they see fit. The Black Panther, however wishes to defend the child as it was born on Wakandan soil. Realizing that Namor and Victor won’t join his cause, he ends their conversation.
Elsewhere, Storm (Ororo Monroe) and Queen Divine Justice are riding the winds over Wakanda with the child that T’Challa is willing to go to war with. Queen finds the experience exciting , but feels uncomfortable doing so in the nude. They eventually return to the ground and as Queen begins looking for her clothes, she comes across the unconscious body of Vibraxas (N’Kano). However, when he wakes up, he can’t talk and when he reaches out to grab her she knocks him out for getting grabby with her. When she catches up with Storm, she explains what happened and the two decide to head back to the city without him. Along the way, Queen asks why Storm keeps calling her “princess”. When Ororo realizes that her companion doesn’t know the truth, she decides that it is not her place to say.[5] She also tells Divine Justice why the Deviant child — who has telepathic abilities — might be used by Ghaur to threaten the universe.[6]
In a cave, Klaw (Ulysses Klaw) blasts Hunter — aka the White Wolf of the Hatut Zeraze — with his sonic powers. Hunter takes offense to this, considering the fact that he went through the trouble of bringing Klaw back to life after his recent destruction at the hands of Captain America. Hunter tells Ulysses how he was adopted by T’Challa’s father T’Chaka when his biological parents died in a plane crash. He was raised as the king’s only son until the day that T’Challa was born, a birth that claimed the life of Queen N’Yami and ended T’Chaka’s focus on Hunter. Hunter then reminds Ulysses how — years later — he had killed T’Chaka in order to steal Wakanda’s supply of Vibranium. While T’Chaka died, T’Challa rose up and fought back, destroying Ulysses’ right hand in retaliation. Years later, Klaw underwent a transformation into a being of solid sound in order to get his revenge, but was always defeated.[7] Hunter then explains that he brought Klaw back in order to have him fight T’Challa. The ploy is to get the Panther to focus on what’s best for Wakanda or die, either way, it will be for the betterment of the country. Wanting an opportunity to destroy his old foe, Klaw agrees to help in this scheme and the pair make preparations to go to Lybia.
Back at the royal palace, the body of Nikki Adams is being taken away so she can be laid to rest. Monica Lynne, who is on her way back to America offers her condolences to T’Challa. She feels guilty that Nikki died since Malice — her killer — was aiming for Monica. The Panther explains that this is why he must keep Monica at a distance despite their love for one another. However, Monica is sick and tired of the constant threats to her life and considers their relationship a waste of her time. She no longer wants any part of it and is annoyed to see Storm, yet another one of T’Challa’s former lovers. Ororo apologizes for causing this upset, but T’Challa assures her that he appreciates her friendship.[8] When Monica leaves the room, Ororo expresses her concerns about T’Challa’s current choices. They remind her of another man of great honor who lost his way, the X-Men’s long time foe, Magneto.[9] Storm then says that it her time to leave, and tells T’Challa to be strong and be there for Monica.
Before she departs, T’Challa — just as they did when they parted as children — asks if he could kiss Ororo before she goes. Once again, she tells him that he may do as he wish. This time, however, the Panther kisses her over and over. This is witnessed by Monica who is watching from around the corner and she runs off in tears. T’Challa then whispers to Storm, and admits to her that he is afraid he is not doing the right thing. Ororo tells him that admitting this is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of being human. She, speaking in a normal tone of voice, she says that she believes the Panther will never become like Magneto because he has a friend like Everett Ross. This is overheard by Ross who has just walked into the room and he is shocked to hear her say this.
Later, Lord Ghaur appears on the Newslines television program to demand that the Black Panther withdraw his warships from above Lemuria and tries to claim that the Deviants are peaceful people and T’Challa is the real agitator. They quickly cut to the United Nations as the Black Panther has arrived to address the UN over the situation. T’Challa pauses to speak to the press gathered outside, an interview that is interrupted when Warlord Kro accusing him of playing into Ghaur’s hands. The two men almost come to blows had it not been for Karkas and Ransak the Reject who pull Kro away.
As T’Challa is settling in for the council session, Everett coaches him on what to say. At the same time, off the coast of Lybia, the White Wolf has Klaw use his sonic powers to attack the USS Rosous, an American battleship that is in the region. News of the attack is immediately shared with the UN Security council and Wakanda is blamed for the attack.
Recurring Characters
Black Panther, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Doom, Lord Ghaur, Storm, Queen Divine Justice, Everett Ross, Monica Lynne, Avengers (Captain America, Wasp, Scarlet Witch), Warlord Kro, Karkas, Ransak the Reject, Nikki Adams (corpse)
Continuity Notes
The international incident between Wakanda and Deviant Lemuria happened last issue.
Everett Ross states the Lemuria was sunk centuries ago in the “Great Cataclysm” an event that sunk Deviant Lemuria. This was first documented in a book in Strange Worlds #2. However, the Deviants and Lemuria being tied to it wasn’t revealed until Eternals #1.
He also mentions the last time he saw Black Panther’s warships when they were hidden in the Hudson River. That was in Black Panther (vol. 3) #10. He also talks about how T’Challa punched the devil (Mephisto) in issue #4 and Galactus doesn’t scare him. The last comment is reference to the Galactus contingency plan Everett found in T’Challa’s desk in Black Panther (vol. 3) #14.
The Kiber Island incident was an situation where the Wakanda almost went to war with Atlantis. See Defenders #84.
Storm is alluding to the fact that Queen Divine Justice is part of the royal lineage of the Cult of the White Gorilla, as will be revealed in Black Panther (vol. 3) #33.
Storm mentions Lord Ghaur’s last scheme, to create an Anti-Mind to take over the universe. This happened in Heroes for Hire #5-7.
There is a lot of exposition dumped here regarding Hunter’s relation to T’Challa, the origins of Klaw, and T’Challa’s rise to the throne:
The story about Hunter’s adoption by T’Chaka was originally revealed in Black Panther (vol. 3) #10.
The conflict between T’Chaka and Ulysses Klaw, T’Chaka’s death, and Klaw’s injuries were originally told in Fantastic Four #53.
Klaw transformed himself into a being of solid sound in that same issue. He first appeared in this form in Fantastic Four #56.
More recently, Klaw was seemingly killed in Captain America (vol. 3) #22, he was revived by Hunter last issue.
A lot of T’Challa’s romantic history is on display in this scene. The details:
Nikki Adams was in a relationship with T’Challa when the two attended the same university together, as revealed in Black Panther (vol. 3) #6. She later went on to work for the US State Department and assigned her current boyfriend Everett Ross to be the American attaché to Wakanda. This caused problems down the road as Nikki kept her past history with T’Challa a secret from Everett until issue #18. Nikki was murdered by Malice in Black Panther (vol. 3) #24.
Monica Lynn first met T’Challa way back in Avengers #73. They had been in an on-again-off-again relationship for years.
Storm’s past romance with the Panther dates back to when they were adolescents, as first told in Marvel Team-Up #100. Their adventures during this period were expanded upon in Storm (vol. 2) #1-6.
Storm mentions when she was summoned by T’Challa’s friends, that was in Uncanny X-Men #387. She references the X-Men’s longtime foe Magneto, who the team has fought since it was first founded back in X-Men #1. Magneto has flip-flopped between being a good guy and a bad guy for years. At the time of this story, in particular, Magneto had just become ruler of the island nation of Genosha as seen in X-Men (vol. 2) #87. This has put Magnus in a unique position similar to that of T’Challa.
Topical References
In his narration, Everett Ross describes the Deviants as the “Groovy Ghoulies”. Unless you were born prior to 1970 you wouldn’t catch this obscure reference. The Groovie Goolies was a cartoon that ran from 1970 to 1972 and 16 shorts packaged with the Sabrina the Teenage Witch cartoon from 1972-1973. Other than a few obscure crossovers with the Looney Tunes and Archie, they haven’t been seen outside of the 70s. As such, this should be considered a topical reference as a more contemporary example can be used in its place.
The TVs in this story are depicted as CRT models. This should be considered topical as this is an obsolete technology.
Queen Divine Justice refers to Vibraxas a “N****-Fro Lad”, (not that n-word, the one that rhymes with “happy”) which is in reference to his hair, which identifies him as someone of African descent. That said, this terminology coudl be considered racist depending on who is saying it. Since this is a Black character saying it to a Black character in a story written by a Black writer, it would get a pass here I guess? I don’t know, I’m not Black not my place. I know as a white person never to call a Black person’s hair n****, unless I want to get my teeth knocked out. It’s rude, don’t say it.
The host of Nightlines is depicted to resemble news anchor Ted Koppel who was the host of the real world news program called Nightline (without the s) from 1980 to 2005 when he retired. This reference should be considered topical as Koppel is a real person and (as of this writing in December, 2023) is in his 80s, so he’s not long for this world. A more contemporary example can be used in its place.