Marvel Games is betting big on Black Panther for years to come. Skydance and Amy Hennig not only have a Black Panther/Captain America game in the works, but Black Panther has a solo title from his EA Games and Marvel Games.
Unfortunately, EA has only released logo images so far, so we don’t know much about the plot or direction of this new game. But that doesn’t mean you can’t guess which classic Black Panther his comic inspired this ambitious action/adventure game. Let’s take a closer look at what we know so far and which Marvel Comics story this game is most likely based on.
What we know about Black Panther games
In the early stages, there are only a few details about the Black Panther game. We know this is a third-person action/adventure title from EA’s new studio Cliffhanger Games. The studio is headed by Eric Stephens and includes veterans of AAA titles such as Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Halo Infinite.
“We are dedicated to providing our fans with a definitive and authentic Black Panther experience, giving them a level of agency and narrative control unlike anything they’ve ever experienced in a story-driven video game. ‘ said Stevens in a press release.
Beyond that, Black Panther fans only have one teaser image to shed light on this new project. However, the teaser hides an important hint. The Black Panther emblem is surrounded by four glowing icons of him that look like compass dots. These icons are probably meant to represent his four major tribes in Wakanda: River Tribes, Border Tribes, Mining Tribes, and Merchant Tribes. A fifth called the Jabari (or Mountain Tribe), who set themselves apart from the rest of Wakanda, worshiping the gorilla god Hanuman rather than the leopard god Bast, as established in the comics and the first Black Panther movie. There is also a tribe of
Based on this teaser image, it’s only natural that the game deals directly with the tribes of Wakanda and T’Challa’s quest to rally the kingdom around a common flag. The game could deal with the political unrest in Wakanda, where villains like Mubaku (not as heroic as they’re portrayed in the MCU) and Erik Killmonger run for the throne. With that in mind, you can start narrowing down the list of possible cartoon stories that could influence your game.
Who is Black Panther?
This graphic novel by writer Reginald Hudlin and artist John Romita Jr. is one easy starting point for anyone wanting to read Marvel’s Black Panther comics. This work has already been adapted into an animated motion comic series and could be the inspiration for a new game.
Who Is the Black Panther deals with the long-running Wakanda conflict. The outside world covets Wakanda’s precious Vibranium, and T’Challa rises to defend his homeworld. The story is notable for pitting Black Panther against a huge list of Marvel villains, including Rhino, Black Knight, Radioactive Human, and his nemesis Ulysses Crowe. Following this approach, the game is given plenty of room for epic boss battles as T’Challa intercepts Crow’s strike force one by one.
This story is also where the reader first gets to know T’Challa’s sister, Shuri. Shuri is now a memorable figure in the Black Panther series, and hopefully Cliffhanger has plans to include her in the game.
panther wrath
Panther’s Rage is, in many ways, the quintessential Black Panther story. It was T’Challa’s first major solo project, and it introduced many of the characters and conflicts that still characterize the series today. Also, this is his one of the first Marvel his stories to act as a true graphic his novel, with the individual chapters all contributing to a larger overarching narrative. It’s hard to imagine a Black Panther game not being influenced by Panther’s Rage in some way.
Panther’s Rage is also notable for the story it introduces Killmonger, perhaps Black Panther’s greatest enemy. If this game is really about T’Challa trying to unite the tribes of Wakanda, it’s hard to think of a better candidate for the main villain.
Marvel Knights: Black Panther
Black Panther may have been created by Marvel luminaries Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, but no creator did more than Christopher Priest in shaping T’Challa into the character he is today. . Over nearly 60 issues of Marvel Knights: Black Panther, Priest modernized T’Challa and his circle of friends and foes. He redefined T’Challa as a monarch first and a hero second, often pitting him against the Avengers and the rest of the superhero community in the process.
The series also introduced many key elements of the Black Panther series, from T’Challa’s overzealous bodyguard Dora Milaje to major villains like Achebe and Maris. The series also featured a clumsy American bureaucrat, Everett K. Ross, who narrated each issue and helped bring a grounded perspective to a story about a greater-than-life king. That’s a perspective the game can definitely take advantage of.
So it’s not possible that a Black Panther game would be somewhat immune to Priest’s Black Panther operations. These stories have far too much of an impact on the series as a whole.
See Wakanda and Death
See Wakanda and Die is a short but beloved Black Panther storyline that ties in with 2008’s larger crossover, Secret Invasion. As the Skrulls attempt a hostile takeover of Earth, they set their sights on the small and seemingly insignificant nation of Wakanda. . But there these alien invaders discover why Wakanda has never been successfully conquered in its entire history.
We don’t necessarily expect the Skrulls themselves to be villains in the game, but it certainly could work. Who wouldn’t want to take control of T’Challa and battle an army of Super-Skrulls wielding the powers of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men? In terms of approach, See Wakanda and Die is a great source of inspiration. Black Panther has rarely been as majestic and mysterious as it is here.
Doomwar
Classic Black Panther villains like Crow and Killmonger might be the most logical choices to build a game on, but the story has turned to one of Marvel’s greatest villains, Doctor Doom. There is always the possibility of working. Doom is the main villain in his 2010 Doomwar, a crossover in which the X-Men and the Fantastic Four defend Wakanda from a hostile takeover by Latveria.
If you’re willing to take a high chance, you’re guaranteed to see the Marvel Universe’s worst tyrant take control of Wakanda’s precious vibranium supply. And Doom would definitely be a worthy antagonist, both for Doombot’s army and for his very complicated relationship with T’Challa.
Another bonus is that Doomwar features both Black Panthers as protagonists. At this point in the Marvel Universe, T’Challa ceded the throne of Wakanda to his sister Shuri. We wouldn’t mind seeing similar dynamics in a Black Panther game. Perhaps the same way players can control both Peter Parker and Miles Morales in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, they can switch between the two Black Panthers.
a nation under our feet
In 2016, Marvel asked author Ta-Nehisi Coates to revise the Black Panther series, and the result was A Nation Under Our Feet. This dramatic storyline explores what happens when a wave of revolution and unrest strikes Wakanda by members of the terrorist organization known as The People and T’Challa’s Dora Milaje. This is a story that explores how even this mighty kingdom finds the appeal of democracy and independence as strong as Wakanda is against outside influences.
The game seems to be about T’Challa uniting the various tribes of Wakanda, and ‘A Nation Under Our Feet’ is a story that could have a big impact on the plot. Its scope is broad and dramatic, but always focused on T’Challa’s quest to become the leader his people need (while also questioning whether one man can truly speak for an entire nation). also available).
In “A Nation Under Our Feet”, Shuri’s role in the series is also redefined, giving her new powers and responsibilities that allow her to coexist better with her brother. Again, Shuri is a character we’d expect to play a significant role in the game, and a cliffhanger could do much worse than look to this storyline for inspiration.
For more on the Black Panther series, see how the MCU has crafted the next generation of Avengers.
Jesse is IGN’s warm-hearted staff writer.let him lend a machete to your intellectual bush Follow @jschedeen on Twitter.
