Black Panther vol. 3 #34

Title: "Gorilla Warfare Book 1 of 2: Hell(o), I Must Be Going”

Writer: Christopher Priest

Penciller: Jim Califore

Inker: Livesay

Colors: VLM

Editor: Mike Marts

THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

Everett K Ross wakes up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. He bumps his head on the doorframe and wonders who lowered it. He goes to the bathroom. Ross says that his feet are getting wet and the burning sensation can’t be good news. Ross looks for an aspirin and turns on the bathroom light. He looks into the mirror and sees Mephisto’s face looking back at him. Ross says that he bets this isn’t good. He looks over at the toilet to find it melted. Ross gets back into bed and says that when he wakes up it will all be back to normal. Ross’ phone rings. The voice on the other end asks if he knows who this is. Ross replies, “Ah… the Devil?” Henry Gyrich is on the other end and says that he doesn’t think this is very funny. Gyrich says that he has come for his sit with the king and he is late. Ross says that the king isn’t late. He says that he has either been detained or he is making Gyrich wait. Gyrich asks why the devil would he do that. Ross says for Gyrich to get used to that question because he will be asking it a lot. Ross hangs up and says that he wants his mommy as his giant red feet stick two feet off the bottom of his bed.

PROFILES

T’Challa walks off a bus. He apologizes for keeping Gyrich waiting, but that he was detained. Gyrich says that T’Challa is travelling pretty low rent. T’Challa says that given the anti-Wakandan sentiment in America that he thought he would keep a low profile. Gyrich asks T’Challa if his people have located his stepmother and the Brown girl. T’Challa commends Gyrich’s resources for knowing that, but says that he guesses he should expect no less from the Avengers’ former liaison. T’Challa says that they have been found in the Crystal Forest. Gyrich brings up that the area is known for the white gorilla and the cult that worships them. Gyrich says that T’Challa outlawed that cult. Gyrich says that he suspects that it is the work of Man-Ape. Gyrich says that T’Challa will probably want to leave immediately, and says that he already has airspace cleared for him. T’Challa says that is not necessary, and suggests a cappuccino.

JOURNEY OF THE DARNED

Ross eventually gives up the idea that he is just having a bad idea. He says that he forgot to ask Gyrich where he was meeting Panther, and since Gyrich wasn’t returning his calls Ross decides to take the direct approach. Ross gets up and rides the subway. He says that getting a cab to stop for you when you’re seven feet tall and red is very difficult. Ross tries to get to the Wakandan Embassy, but the cop tells him to get lost figuring he is just another protestor.

GOVERNMENT WORK

Gyrich says that he doesn’t remember Panther being so cold-blooded. Gyrich says that his stepmother and ceremonial “wife” are in danger and he just sits there. T’Challa says that they are in no danger. Gyrich asks if he is so sure of that. Gyrich says that his “dust-up” with Namor cost him a pound of the indifference he likes to wear like kevlar, and that it brought Gyrich to his door. Gyrich says that Ross obviously wasn’t getting the job of keeping T’Challa on a leash. T’Challa says that Gyrich is only there because he is being punished for his mishandling of the Omega-32 compound. Gyrich tells T’Challa to notify him when he plans to return. T’Challa says that won’t be necessary. They walk out the back of the coffee shop where a jet is waiting for them. T’Challa says that Gyrich is going to accompany him to Wakanda. Gyrich says that there is no chance of that happening.

AND SPEAKING OF HELL…

Ross in Mephisto’s body is standing outside a store when he sees “himself” on television. The Ross that looks like Ross says that he is now working on the Ryan case. The real Ross shouts that it was his case, and that it is his life. The storeowner comes out and tells Ross to quit fogging up the glass.

SPIES LIKE US

Despite his strong objections, the OCP green lights Gyrich accompanying T’Challa to the Crystal Forest. Gyrich makes a mental note to run a check on his boss. He tells T’Challa that if he didn’t know better that he would think T’Challa was trying to stick it to him. Panther says that Queen Divine Brown is an American citizen, and that this falls within Gyrich’s job description. Panther tells Gyrich that he should get dressed and hands him a coat. Panther tells the pilot to set down on the southern border so the fuel doesn’t freeze. Panther and Gyrich eject from the jet. As they land on the ground, Panther says that they have to hurry as he may be in grave danger. Gyrich says that he thought the women were in no trouble, but T’Challa clarifies that he meant the driver of the crashed sky sled- Vibraxas.

Vibraxas walks up to the Gorilla Palace, a giant crystal-looking building, that is the stronghold of the Jabari tribe.

AVENGED

Ross is reading an issue of People at a newsstand with his picture on the front. Later, Ross is standing outside the Avengers mansion. He talks to Jarvis from the fence intercom. Ross introduces himself and says that he is Panther’s man in the state department. Jarvis lets Ross in, but then the security system identifies Ross as Mephisto. The mansion’s defenses start attacking Ross. Ross somehow uses Mephisto’s powers and manages to break free and fly away. As he flies away, Ross tries to remember the magician’s name and guesses at Dr. Weird who lives in the village.

EGO AND THE ID

Gyrich tells Panther to slow down as he rockets along on the sky sled. He says that they are in the forest and that it is night. Panther says that he knows everything about his father’s land, and that it isn’t night. He says that the nights are much darker. Gyrich says that he should at least turn the headlights on. Panther says that he sees better without them. Gyrich recalls Panther’s night vision. He asks Panther if he isn’t worried about patrols. Panther says that he is following Vibraxas’ path, and he will have taken out the patrols.

Queen is asking the two women in her room if they have television. The women do not even know what the “plug” is that Queen is talking about. Vibraxas’ vibrates through the wall. Queen rushes and hugs him. Vibraxas asks why Queen did not tell him that she was the Dora Milaje. Queen says that everyone knows that, but Vibraxas says that he didn’t. Man-Ape’s fist plows through the wall and into Vibraxas’ face. Vibraxas looks up at Man-Ape and says that he has heard about him. Vibraxas says, “But can even M’Baku withstand the unfettered fury of he who is the master of vibration?” Vibraxas has a bucket of water dumped on his head by one of the women in Queen’s room. M’Baku grabs Vibraxas’ headband off, and the other women knocks Vibraxas out with a vase to the head. M’Baku walks away and says, “Apparently, yes”. He tells the women to kill Vibraxas. Queen tells M’Baku to hold it. She says that he doesn’t think that she is going to play along with his illusions if he starts killing her friends. M’Baku pauses and says that she really is that taken with him. M’Baku has Vibraxas placed in a Kurieto mud cloth that will negate Vibraxas’ powers. He asks Queen if she knows that it could never be between her and Vibraxas. Queen says that Ramonda told her how it would affect her tribe. She says that is incredibly stupid. M’Baku says that in a subjective western sense it is, but that Queen has to understand that two thirds of the world live under a primitive oral tradition. Queen adds that the women are enslaved and mutilated. M’Baku adds again that it is as defined through western eyes. He says that their people, the Jabari, became on outlawed tribe when T’Challa disavowed the worship of the white gorilla and made this a forbidden land. Queen asks if that is why M’Baku wants to kill him. M’Baku says that what he wants is a sanctuary here in this forbidden land. He says that T’Challa and Wakanda can go to hell for all he cares. He says that the Jabari will settle there and there will be peace. Queen asks if that is why M’Baku kidnapped her. M’Baku says that he hasn’t kidnapped her… he brought her home. He says that Malice freed him because she knew that killing Queen wouldn’t hurt T’Challa nearly as much as Queen simply learning the truth. Queen asks what truth. M’Baku says that Queen’s parents were exiled from Wakanda and eventually killed by edict of the king.

DEFENDED

Ross stands at Strange’s door. Valkyrie has answered the door. He says that he knows this looks bad, but that he is not who he looks like. A voice from inside warns Valkyrie that she is looking at the spawn of evil. Valkyrie draws her sword and cuts Ross’ head off.

MUCH

Someone calls in to Queen that the ceremony is about to begin. Queen is still awestruck at seeing herself in a dress of diamonds. T’Challa appears in Queen’s mirror. She tells T’Challa that they have Vibraxas. T’Challa says that he knows, and Queen says that she forgot who she was talking to. She says that Man-Ape told her something about her and her parents, but that she didn’t believe him. T’Challa looks down and says, “There is much that I should have told you beloved…” T’Challa disappears from the mirror. M’Baku says that it is time for the March of Lights to begin. A cloaked figures stands next to M’Baku as he says that Queen is going to make her people strong, and that soon Wakanda will be theirs. Queen says that before they do that she wants to make it clear that she is not marrying “Magilla”. M’Baku says that they are cousins. Queen says that this is not Arkansas, and that there will be no “boots” for him. The cloaked figure says that this is not a marriage, but a declaration of war. The cloaked figure slashes at M’Baku with a glowing knife. The other Jabari in the room shout to protect the Queen. Queen shouts for them to wait and the men all drop to their knees before her. Queen says that she could get used to this. T’Challa pulls the cloak off. He points his scabbard at M’Baku and addresses the Jabari. He says that they have disgraced themselves. He says that they are Jabari, but that they are still Wakandan, and that he is Wakanda. T’Challa says that the girl is his, and so they will obey him. M’Baku asks if they will. He says that T’Challa knows the true reason that he outlawed the Jabari and made the Crystal Forest forbidden land. He knows why he exiled and murdered the Jabari chieftain, and then selected his daughter as his concubine to sully her and crush her people. Queen says that M’Baku is saying T’Challa murdered her parents. T’Challa tells her not right now, and tells M’Baku to make his claim. M’Baku says tribal challenge, and Panther agrees. M’Baku says that T’Challa is lucky because his queen has commanded that he not destroy him. T’Challa says that if that is the case then he says that this will be challenge by proxy. He claims Henry Gyrich as his champion. Gyrich looks up as Man-Ape lunges at him.

Wakandan Embassy rating: 9.5 out of 10

Maybe the highest rating you’ll ever see for a set up issue. The writing makes me wish that the next issue were already out. It’s interesting, mysterious, and funny. Califore does a fantastic job as usual. Everyone should be reading Black Panther! Now do it!

RETURN TO BLACK PANTHER ISSUES

RETURN TO MARVEL KNIGHTS

RETURN TO LEADER'S LAIR