Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. As Marvel’s Civil War mega-event continues on, this week we’re looking at the Black Panther issues from the crossover. This might not seem to be that connected to the Fantastic Four, but by the time this is over, you’ll see these will be big events for the FF.

Black Panther had recently married Storm of the X-Men, naming her Queen Ororo of Wakanda. Then, they courted controversy in a series of diplomatic meetings turned into fights with Namor, the Inhumans, and even Dr. Doom – all while the US government watches nervously.

Then, in issue #22, we catch up with Jim Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine, who is now in charge of the government’s Sentinel program. With the Earth’s mutant population reduced to a few hundred in The 198 crossover, Sentinels are now stationed around the X-Mansion, ostensibly for the mutants’ safety. Black Panther and Storm, meanwhile, are in England meeting with Captain Britain, who is not a mutant but associated with the mutant team Excalibur. Black Panther states he’s against the US’s superhero registration, and that he doesn’t intend to sit on the sidelines. Captain Britain says that Storm being anti-reg will make things harder for mutants, and she responds, “Not at the cost of wholesale injustice.”

Panther and Storm do a bunch of charity work for good PR, while Agent Ross of the CIA plots to use their PR against them. Storm meets with Emma Frost of the X-Men, who insists on the mutants’ impartiality in the superhero civil war. The couple then visit the White House, except the president refuses an audience because Storm is not registered.

When anti-reg protestors outside the White House start getting out of control, Panther and Storm try to stop the violence, only to be attacked by Jim Rhodes piloting a Sentinel. Iron Man shows up and joins the fight, with Black Panther donning an Iron Man-ish armor suit of his own. They fight for a bit, only for Rhodes to break them up. Black Panther walks away from the battle saying that the US needs his help, and he’s not leaving.  

In issue #23, Panther and Ororo visit Giant-Man’s grave, along with Giant-Man’s family/supporting cast. We see how Giant-Man’s death further divided the superhero community, and the US at large. Agent Ross and a bunch of US government goons continue to watch Panther and Storm’s moves from a distance. Our heroes visit the Wakandan embassy where we catch up with the series’ supporting cast. Black Panther’s advisors want him not to get involved in US politics and maintain Wakanda’s isolationism. Panther fears that Wakanda cannot keep its borders closed forever. Then there’s a media campaign questioning just what the Panther and Storm are doing in the US, and who’s side they’re really on.

Panther sneaks out at night, using his bodyguards the Dora Milaje to keep Black Widow off his trail. He finds Captain America, in Cap’s new secret identity as a mailman. Cap is suspicious, so they fight for a bit. Black Panther says Cap’s side doesn’t have the resources to fight Iron Man’s team, so he offers Cap some Wakandan tech – strictly under the table, of course. Cap then asks Panther for help breaking into the enemy’s newly-built prison in the Negative Zone. At the new Baxter Building, Black Widow and Iron Man talk about what to do about Panther and Storm, with Iron Man saying, “Time for the big guns,” revealing the Thor clone is still up and about.

Issue #25 begins with Iron Man showing up at the Wakandan Embassy, where Storm refuses to let him inside. Storm creates a (what else?) storm, but Iron Man and his troops maintain their positions around the embassy. Black Panther, meanwhile, is meeting with Captain America in the resistance’s underground HQ. He meets with FF’s own Susan Richards, who’s trying to stay strong despite being separated from her kids. Panther gives her the smell test (ew) to determine her loyalty, and then determines she’s a good choice for a spy. He also meets with Falcon and Monica Rambeau, the former Captain Marvel who now calls herself “Photon.”

Storm leaves the Wakandan embassy to visit her grandparents, who conveniently live in the US. Then she flies to the new Baxter Building, demanding an audience with the FF’s own Reed Richards. Inside, she sits down and says to him, “We need to talk, Reed… about registration.” Although the next issue continues this scene, it also crosses over with the big finale in Civil War #6, which means we’ll have to hit the pause button and get back to this series in a few weeks. In other words…

To be continued!

Unstable molecule: Reed is seen at the new Baxter Building, working on the Thor clone in hopes of making the clone more obedient. (Not a good look, Reed.) These issues depict the Baxter Building and not Stark Tower as headquarters for Iron Man and the New Avengers.

Fade out: Sue asks Black Panther not to talk about her children, because she’s been crying over missing them. Harsh.

Clobberin’ time: Ben appears in a one-panel flashback to T’Challa and Storm’s wedding.

Fantastic fifth wheel: Black Panther and Storm initially visit the Inhumans to resolve an issue involving Quicksilver and some stolen terrigen crystals, in hopes the Panther can resolve the conflict diplomatically. Crystal is the one who reveals this crisis to the Panther and Storm. Later, the Panther reveals the real reason for their trip to the moon. Medusa requested a special vibranium room where Black Bolt can speak normally, just for him and Medusa to chat in private. The Panther said he’ll work on it.

Tigra, who was once part of the short-lived “Fantastic Seven” in the 70s, is shown hanging out with Sue in the anti-reg headquarters. Tigra doesn’t know that Black Panther is there meeting with Sue, Falcon, and Monica.  

Trivia time: What’s with the Black Panther/Storm marriage? The big event took place in Black Panther vol. 4 #18, right before Civil War started. All the big superheroes attended, with the marketing calling the wedding a “Civil War cease-fire.” But from what I can tell, the marriage was before Civil War #1. T’Challa and Storm became Marvel’s power couple for a while, until they split up during the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover.

This is the second time during Civil War that a superhero fight has taken place at the White House, with the first being the Cable and Deadpool issue. We don’t see the Oval Office in the Black Panther issues, so there’s no way to know which battle happened first. But it says a lot about the extremity of Civil War that this has happened multiple times.

Fantastic or frightful? Hollywood writer Reginald Hudlin, of Everyone Hates Chris and The Bernie Mac Show, manages to find parallels between real-world politics and the made-up superhero registration politics, perhaps better than the main Civil War series tries to do. But Hudlin also leaves the artists multiple pages to go for it in the fight scenes. This is super-heroing on a truly global scale, and it’s interesting to see.  

Next: Viva la France!

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