Nick Peron

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Black Panther (vol. 4) #25

Nick Peron

War Crimes, Part 3: Thunder and Lightning

Credits

Civil War continues from Civil War: Front Line #11…

The civil war over the Super Human Registration Act (SHRA) continues. The Black Panther (T’Challa) has been tasked with helping Captain America (Steve Rogers)’s anti-registration forces break into Prison 42, a penitentiary located in the Negative Zone.[1] To this end, he has Monica Rambeau utilize her energy transmutation powers in a way she has never considered before. Changing into her light form, she is able to shrink down in size and make microscoping alterations to T’Challa’s Kimoyo Card so that it can be used to gain access to Prison 42.

Meanwhile, Storm (T’Challa’s wife, Ororo Monroe) meets with Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) at the Baxter Building to debate the need for the SHRA. Reed notes that T’Challa has never implicitly stated that a law is wrong.[2] In fact, he points out that the free health care in Wakanda includes full genetic tests to determine if any children born there are mutants so they can get proper support for their future abilities. He points to this being a noble cause, evoking the name of Storm’s mentor, Professor Charles Xavier, and his work on human/mutant rights. Storm counters this by pointing out that the United States is recruiting superhumans to become soldiers. Reed says that this is why he and Iron Man (Tony Stark) are running things, to avoid it from being simply that. Ororo then chides him over this, saying that their noble intentions did little to stop the death of Goliath (Bill Foster).[3] Richards admits that this was a tragic loss but it shouldn’t stop them from attaining their ultimate goal. Storm disagrees, saying that Foster’s death should have caused them pause to reflect if this is the right thing to do.

Reed pushes back, trying to suggest that because Wakanda has very few superhumans — unless there is a secret army of mutants he doesn’t know about — proves that T’Challa supports the idea of controlling superhumans, if not the methods of doing so.[4] Hearing all this pontification and a speech about how information is power, Storm sarcastically admits Reed must be a genius, since she lacks the imagination to come up with the rationalizations he has. Seeing that this conversation has gotten her nowhere, Storm decides it is time to go as her husband needs her.

Meanwhile, the Black Panther joins Captain America’s “Secret Avengers” in infiltrating the prison on Ryker’s Island. The team includes T’Challa, Storm, Cap, the Falcon (Sam Wilson), Invisible Woman (Sue Richards), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew),[5] and the Patriot (Elijah Bradley). While this is going down, an automated message is sent to the Wakandan embassy. The staff quickly begin destroying all records and pile into a shuttle to take them back to Wakanda.

Shortly thereafter, a team of pro and anti-registration heroes are teleported outside the embassy by Cloak (Tyrone Johnson). While the others fight one another, the Panther tells Storm to help with the embassy evacuation to make sure their people get to safety. Combatants on the scene include anti-registration heroes also includes Dagger (Tandy Bowen), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Luke Cage, Hercules, Monica Rambeau, the Invisible Woman, Falcon, Vision, and Daredevil[6]. On the pre-registration side are Iron Man (Tony Stark), Doc (Leonard) Samson, the Taskmaster (Tony Masters), (Lucas) Bishop, Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond) and She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters).

As the ship tries to leave the Wakandan Embassy, a group of military helicopters arrive and order the ship to remain on the ground. Before Storm can deal with this threat, the pro-registration side unleashes their ace in the hole: The clone of Thor![7] Since the Wakandan embassy has automatic defenses that can protect the leaving embassy workers, Storm breaks off to face Thor herself, wanting to pit her weather controlling mutant powers against the clone’s stolen divinity. Storm manages to hold her own, and in the ensuing fight, the Wakandan embassy gets damaged. Watching from the sidelines, the Black Panther makes a point of telling Iron Man that this can be considered an act of war against Wakanda.

Eventually, Thor becomes fed up of being matched by Storm and unleashes a powerful bolt of lightning against her. Luckily, the Invisible Woman steps in with an invisible force field to protect Ororo from the blast. Storm then lures the Thor clone into the air, giving her time to tap into the electrical impulses that power this abomination and shut them down. Suddenly, the Thor clone becomes lifeless and collapses to the ground. There, Hercules pummels the impostor mercilessly.[8] Confident that Hercules doesn’t need any help, Storm and Sue go looking for their respective husbands.

Later, as the civil war has come to its conclusion, Storm assesses the damage done to the Wakandan Embassy and laments. She is joined by her husband, T’Challa, who sneaks up on her. He tells her the bad news: Captain America has surrendered to authorities and they are now on their own![9]

… Civil War continues in Civil War: The Initiative #1.

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, Storm, Thor clone, “Secret Avengers” (Captain America, Spider-Man, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Hercules, “Spider-Woman”, Falcon, Cloak, Dagger, “Daredevil”, Luke Cage, Vision, Hawkeye, Patriot), Iron Man, Doc Samson, Bishop, Nighthawk, She-Hulk, Mister Fantastic, Sentry, Taskmaster, Thing, SHIELD

Continuity Notes

  1. This story takes place during the Civil War event, which primarily takes place in Civil War #1-7 as well as various cross-over issues and limited series (see below for a full list). Specifically, this story occurs between the events of Civil War #6 and 7.

  2. The Black Panther has been finding more diplomatic ways to fight against the SHRA out of concern the US might try to enforce such laws globally. See Black Panther (vol. 4) #22-24.

  3. Goliath was killed in a battle between pro and anti-SHRA factions in Civil War #4.Time of this writing (Feb, 2024) he is still considered among the deceased.

  4. Reed mentions some of the Wakandan superhumans that were known at the time. While not an exhaustive list (as there are many who are omitted, likely for brevity) he identifies:

    • Vibraxas (N’Kano), a young Wakandan boy who gained vibrational powers after getting involved in an accident involving Vibranium. He was first seen in Fantastic Four #391.

    • Man-Ape (M’Baku), the leader of the exiled Jabari tribe. He has enhanced strength and abilities. He gained these abilities from eating the flesh of the white gorillas worshiped by the Jabari. See Avengers #62.

    • Reed says “maybe” Erik Killmonger has enhanced abilities. Killmonger is a displaced Wakandan who seeks to conquor his homeland because he believes he was abandoned by his people, as per Jungle Action (vol. 2) #6. The first time it was mentioned that Killmonger might be a superhuman was in Black Panther (vol. 3) #16. According to Killmonger #1-5, he had gained these abilities by consuming a synthetic version of the heart shaped herb that gives the Black Panther his powers.

  5. The woman who appears to be Spider-Woman is actually a Skrull sleeper agent named Veranke. She took Jessica’s place circa Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1 as part of a planned invasion of Earth. This attempt at conquering Earth and the revelation that “Spider-Woman” is actually a Skrull will be revealed in Secret Invasion #1-8.

  6. The man masquerading as Daredevil is not Matt Murdock. In fact, it is Danny Rand (aka Iron Fist) who has been posing as Murdock while he is away in order to maintain Matt’s double identity. See Civil War: Choosing Sides #1.

  7. This clone was created on the pro-registration side in Civil War #3-4, it ended up killing Bill Foster. A clone was needed because at the time of this story, the real Thor was dead following the events of Thor (vol. 2) #80-85. He will be resurrected in Thor (vol. 3) #1.

  8. This is not the last we see of the Thor clone, it will turn up again in Avengers: The Initiative #20.

  9. Captain America, seeing that the majority of ordinary people were cheering on Iron Man’s side and not his, decided to surrender in Civil War #7. His fate will be depicted in Captain America (vol. 5) #25.

Civil War Reading Order

Road to Civil War: Amazing Spider-Man #529, 530, 531, Fantastic Four #536, 537, New Avengers: Illuminati #1

Main Event: Civil War #1, She-Hulk (vol. 2) #8, Wolverine (vol. 3) #42, Amazing Spider-Man #532, Civil War: Front Line #1

Civil War #2, Thunderbolts #103, Civil War: Front Line #2, X-Factor (vol. 3) #8, New Avengers #21, Wolverine (vol. 3) #43, Amazing Spider-Man #533, Fantastic Four #538, Civil War: Front Line #3, Thunderbolts #104, Civil War: X-Men #1

Civil War #3, Cable & Deadpool #30, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1, Civil War: Front Line #4, X-Factor (vol. 3) #9, New Avengers #22, Wolverine (vol. 3) #44, Amazing Spider-Man #534, Fantastic Four #539, Civil War: Front Line #5, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #6, Civil War: X-Men #2, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #1, New Avengers #23, Wolverine (vol. 3) #45, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #2, Cable & Deadpool #31, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #7, Civil War: X-Men #3

Civil War #4, Wolverine (vol. 3) #46, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #2, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #3, Civil War: Front Line #6, Captain America (vol. 5) #22, Cable & Deadpool #32, Amazing Spider-Man #535, Civil War: Choosing Sides #1, Fantastic Four #540, Civil War: Front Line #7, Civil War: X-Men #4, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #8, Wolverine (vol. 3) #47, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #3, Captain America (vol. 5) #23, New Avengers #24

Civil War #5, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #4, Iron Man (vol. 4) #13, New Avengers #25, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #1, Civil War: Front Line #8, Amazing Spider-Man #536, Black Panther (vol. 4) #22, Captain America (vol. 5) #24, Civil War: War Crimes #1, Civil War: Front Line #9, Iron Man (vol. 4) #14, Fantastic Four #541, Black Panther (vol. 4) #23, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #2

Civil War #6, Civil War: Front Line #10, Amazing Spider-Man #537, Fantastic Four #542, Civil War: The Return #1, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #3, Black Panther (vol. 4) #24

Civil War #7, Amazing Spider-Man #538, Civil War: Front Line #11, Black Panther (vol. 4) #25, Civil War: The Initiative #1, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #15, Mighty Avengers #1, Captain America (vol. 5) #25, Civil War: The Confession #1, Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Fantastic Four #543-544, Avengers: The Initiative #1