Broken Frontier

The servants of the Serpent come in many shapes and forms, and in this issue of Black Panther: The Man Without Fear, that servant is the Hate-Monger. This new Hate-Monger, out on the curb after losing his job and wife, is given a boost of power from the arrival of the Serpent, and goes out into the world to spread chaos in his name. It is up to the Black Panther to put his hatred to an end, amidst the evil of Fear Itself.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the Black Panther before this series by David Liss. I always felt he was defined too much by where he was from and what he represented, rather than who he was as a character. Thankfully, David Liss has stripped T’Challa of his royalty, his wealth, his nation, and through that, made him a leaner, tighter character. Through Liss’ writing, T’Challa has become a hero who wants to earn the respect of those he protects. We see a hero who does not just run around in a costume to right wrongs, but rather uses all his skills to aid him. In fact, T’Challa would rather treat the sick and wounded from Fear Itself, as much as he would love to jump rooftops and stop the bad guys. And with the Hate-Monger on the prowl, T’Challa is going to need more than a costume to beat him.

Francavilla’s art is moody and colorful, with a slight cartoonish angle that does not take away from the story, but only enhances it. Whether it’s the slightly more sinister guise of the Hate-Monger, or the faux-heroic pose of the “American Panther,” Francavilla’s art manages to convey enough drama and weight through its style without ever becoming hokey. I have to applaud his use of color especially; the pages are laced with crimsons, blacks, and oranges, so much so that it feels like the chaos is coming off the page.

In Black Panther: The Man Without Fear, Liss has given us a hero who, when stripped down the bare minimum, is a worthy and honorable man, doing his best to stop the forces of chaos from hurting innocents. With Francavilla’s lush art and colors, I’m with this series for the long haul.