Black Panther (vol. 3) #31
Seduction of the Innocent, Book 1: Disciple
At a seedy hotel, Malice (Nakia) has seduced a man that works at the Wakandan embassy. She has placed her mark on his neck. As he makes love to her he promises to tell her everything about King T’Challa if she just tells him her name. As this goes on, all Malice can do is think about how she was made a member of the Dora Milaje and dedicated her life to T’Challa.[1] Across the street, on a rooftop, Dakota North — a private detective — snaps photos of the pair in bed. She then takes the photos to her client, the man’s wife, who is devastated to learn that her husband is having an affair.
The next morning, protestors stand outside the Wakandan Embassy. Inside, T’Challa is going over paperwork with Omoro, the head of security at the embassy who poses as a mere butler. In the mail, T’Challa finds a letter written in Hausa mailed from Lhasa, Tibet. It merely states that someone is dead. This is a clear message to him as the letter is marked with T’Challa’s secret code to ensure that he gets it. As he tries to figure out this mystery, the phone rings. It is his cousin M’Koni — the woman who hired Dakota North — She has a called to tell him that she loves him and that everything is fine with her and her husband, Wheeler.[2] Despite her outward assurances, T’Challa knows there is something wrong and decides to go and check in on her as the Black Panther as he suspects that Malice might be behind everything that has been going on recently. While he is having security increased on his other family members, M’Koni takes a lethal dose of sleeping pills.
Meanwhile, Malice is leaving the hotel and is spotted by two beat cops. She is still thinking about her past, about how her love of T’Challa became an obsession. An obsession enough to try and kill his lover, Monica Lynn, an act that got her exiled from the kingdom.[3] They think that she is a drug addict and offer to drive her to a methadone clinic. When she approaches them, she fatally stabs the female officer in the neck while kissing her male partner. The kill puts Malice’s mark upon his neck, making the cop her slave.
At the same time, Dakota North is has become aware that someone has been tailing her motorcycle for the past hour. Suspecting some kind of threat, she pulls her gun and shoots at the limo. However, the bullets lose their kinetic energy before impact as the vehicle is made with Vibranium. This is, of course, the royal limo of T’Chlla and the Black Panther has come looking for Dakota to ask her about her investigation into Wheeler. However, he is uninterested in his in-law’s conduct than he is confirming if his cheating on M’Koni was with Malice. He explains to North the danger Malice poses to those closest to him and that he wants to hire her to keep an eye on Monica Lynn and be obvious about it. When he drops her off again, he hands her a business card with Omoro’s contact information.
Back in Wakanda, Queen Divine Justice pays a visit to her new friend, Vibraxas (N’Kano). He is still waiting around for T’Challa to help fix his malfunctioning powers.[4] Queen suggests that they pass the time by having a little romance. However, when she kisses him he recoils in shock. Queen notices that N’Kano is cracking wood and wiles her way into his pants because she is DTF and doesn’t care about traditions.[4]
Meanwhile, T’Challa continues his investigation and discovers that one of the mailboxes owned by a resident of the Leslie N. Hill Public Housing Project has been overfull. He then heads down to the local US Postal office to asks about what happened to the surplus mail in such a situation. Cross-referencing the postal data with Omoro, T’Challa learns that the missing occupant is Maria Henckel, another woman from his past.[5] When T’Challa goes to her apartment, he discovers the place deserted with no sign of struggles. However, all the utilities have been shut off and there is a lingering scent that belongs to Malice. As he searches the apartment, he explains to Omoro how Henckel always dreamed of climbing the Himalayan Mountains, and that the letter from Malice was cryptic clue to whom she had claimed to have killed. Searching around for more clues, he finds a single blonde hair in a brush that is pointing toward and overflowing laundry basket. Looking at the clothing, T’Challa realizes that he is being summoned to Washington, DC.
In Wakanda, both Vibraxas and Queen Divine Justice are woken up by his god father. Seeing that N’Kano is in trouble, Queen decides that it is best for her to leave. His godfather is furious with him associating with Queen. N’Kano doesn’t understand what hanging out with the king’s cook has to do with anything, particularly since they had done nothing scandalous. That’s when he is told he has not been fraternizing with the staff, but a member of the Dora Milaje![6]
By this time, Omoro (disguised as the Black Panther) has arrived at the home of the late Nikki Adams and finds his friend Everett Ross there waiting for him.[7] Ross is uncharacteristically confrontational as T’Challa searches the apartment for more clues. Checking the laundry closet, the Panther rips open the hot water tank and discovers Wheeler’s body stuffed inside. He reports this to T’Challa who has been hiding among the protestors outside the Wakandan Embassy in New York. Simultaneously, Billy Wheeler tries to wake up his mother but she won’t respond so he cries out for help. At the same time, Malice shows up outside the embassy, prompting T’Challa to drop his disguise and attack her. Unaware of the dynamics at play, the angry mob think that the Black Panther is attacking an innocent woman and begin swarming him. That’s when the police officer under Nakia’s spell arrives on the scene. After the mob beats the Black Panther into unconcsiousness, he shoots all the protestors. The officer and Malice then drag the Black Panther off to her hideout.
Recurring Characters
Black Panther, Malice, “Everett Ross”, Dakota North, Queen Divine Justice, Vibraxas, Omoro, M’Koni, Billy Wheeler
Continuity Notes
The flashback seen here is showing how Nakia was chosen to become her tribe’s representative in the Dora Milaje. This was first told in Black Panther (vol. 3) #6.
T’Challas asks about Billy’s drinking and gambling. This was a problem he had when they first met. With the help of Daredevil, T’Challa helped get Wheeler back on the wagon and debt free. See Daredevil #245.
Nakia’s obsession with T’Challa began when he was tricked into kissing her by Mephisto in Black Panther (vol. 3) #3. Her obsession built until she attempted to kill Monica in issue #11. When T’Challa found out, she was exiled from the Dora Milaje in issue #12. From there, she was found by Erik Killmonger and became Malice as we saw for the first time in Black Panther (vol. 3) #23.
Here it is mentioned how Vibraxas’ powers have been on the fritz, that has been the case since Black Panther (vol. 3) #24. Also mentioned is how he was used by the White Wolf to resurrected Klaw, T’Challa’s mortal enemy. A being of solid sound, Klaw was trapped in the Vibranium Mound in Captain America (vol. 3) #22. The White Wolf used Vibraxas to revive him as part of an effort to push Wakanda into war with the rest of the world. This plot failed, see Black Panther (vol. 3) #26-29.
Maria Henckel was a student who was taught by T’Challa during his time under the identity of Luke Charles and working as a school teacher. See Marvel Two-In-One #39.
Here, we get a brief run down of Vibraxas’ past activities:
First, the Vibranium accident that resulted in him getting his powers and how he was sent to the Fantastic Four to learn how to control his powers. That was back in Fantastic Four #391.
It is mentioned how N’Kano had help found the Fantastic Force, because at the time the Fantastic Four were disbanded. This happened in Fantastic Force #1. As for the FF being disbanded at the time, this was around Fantastic Four #392-399, when the alleged death of Reed Richards (among other things) led to the group splitting up for a time.
It is also mentioned here that Fantastic Force disbanded after the Black Panther cut funding to the team. This followed the group’s final appearance in Fantastic Four #416.
Topical References
One of the sub-titles to this story reads “She’s Dead, Jim” which was a catch phrase used by Doctor Leonard McCoy (played by DeForest Kelly) on Star Trek a science fiction series that air between 1966-1969. Since this sub-title isn’t part of a character narrative it wouldn’t necessarily be considered a topical reference. Another one reads “Meanwhile, back at the ranch” is a catchphrase that has endured from films about the American Frontier back in the silent film era. It has been so commonly used that it is often done as a cliché.
One of the protestors has a sign that reads “T’Challa = Saddam”, this is equating the Black Panther to the late Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussain.
When shooting at her tail, Dakota North refers to T’Challa as “Puffed Daddy”. Puff Daddy was the stage name used by rapper Sean Combs when this story was first published in 2001, at the height of his popularity. This should be considered a topical reference as it can be replaced with a more contemporary reference.
Dakota North figures that T’Challa would be the type of person who would call Pizza Hut from his table at McDonalds. This should be considered a topical reference as these are real world businesses.
This story is where Queen Divine Justice starts jokingly calling Vibraxas “NFL”, because his costume resembles the type of padding that is commonly worn by athletes in the National Football League. Typically, a real world commercial organization like this would be considered topical. However, making it so in this instance could make the joke no longer work. Also, I don’t think the NFL is going to disappear in my lifetime so you do the mental gymnastics to sort that out if you’re reading this in some future where the NFL no longer exists.
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, that’s not my place. Never use the word to describe someone’s hair if you want to keep your teeth in your head.
Queen asks N’Kano not to go all “Rush Limbaugh” on her over their mutual attraction to one another. Rush Limbaugh was a popular conservative radio talk show host at the time this story was originally published in 2001. He was an inhuman monster who justly died of lung cancer in 2021 for all of the vitriol and hatred he spewed for decades. Fuck him. Also, the reference here should be considered topical as (sadly) this can be replaced with any number of more contemporary far-right rage baiters that pollute our cultural ecosphere.
Queen also uses a can of Fritos as a euphonism for N’Kano’s erection, which is a weird analogy. Like, does it corkscrew somehow? Doesn’t matter, focus. This is another topical reference as this is a real world brand.
N’Kano’s room is depicted as having a CRT television that requires an antenna to pick up signals and he has a Nintendo Game Cube hooked up to it. This should be considered topical as all of these electronics are long obsolete.
