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Black Panther: Background

Shuri

By Alexandrea CallaghanPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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With the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever the internet seems to be split into two camps. The sane people loved the movie and recognized it for the genius it is and the sociopaths incapable of critical thinking or emotion hated it. That said, one of the biggest criticisms before the movie was even released was that Shuri was taking up the mantle. However this was in fact a comic accurate event that happened long before Chadwick’s death and the rewrite of the movie. So I thought that I’d jump with some very necessary comics to read with Shuri taking the lead.

Let’s start with Black Panther #5 (2009) this is the issue where Shuri is fully accepted as Black Panther. Against orders she dons a suit and fights on behalf of her brother and of Wakanda and for that reason is accepted as the Black Panther. I think this gives people an excellent jumping off point for Shuri as Black Panther, not just because it really marks her beginning but because the very nature of the issue gives audiences insight into her personality. It really shows just how different she is from her brother both as people and as heroes.

Next up I highly recommend Shuri, really her whole series not one particular issue. It starts with T’Challa missing so Storm and Shuri have to find him, and protect Wakanda. This one is great because it showcases both women, Storm and Shuri. It also is truly the first time that Shuri takes up the mantle of the Black Panther, it shows her strength and her brilliance as well as her ability to take care of her country. This series is very fun and rooted in magic and Wakandan awesomeness. Shuri is also one of upsettingly few women that has received her own solo series so it is more than worth the read.

If you like it better when the comics reflect the MCU then you should try the new Wakanda series. This series is wildly important for two reasons…10) It also includes a history that dictates every Wakandan that has ever held the mantle of Black Panther and 2)The main story is absent of T’Challa and Shuri has to show her country (once again) that he is not the only person capable of protecting their people. If you want a slightly different transition from T’Challa to Shuri then we got in the MCU then this is the series to read. I think the history aspect of it is also important because some people need to be reminded that in the same way that Thor is not the only one capable of wielding Mjolnir, T’Challa is not the only one who is capable of being Black Panther (him being “the best” or your favorite is entirely irrelevant).

If you want a less Shuri centric story but still something that she appears in I will always recommend last year's Marvel Voices: Legacy. Now obviously I hope that we get to a point where we don’t need titles set aside for LGBTQ, Black History month and Hispanic History month but until then the Marvel Voices runs are actually very good, generally speaking.

These are my favorite Shuri stories to read but honestly there are not nearly enough. I only hope that with her picking up the mantle in the MCU that she is granted even more front and center moments and her own ongoing solo series. I’d also like to remind everyone that’s butthurt about her taking the mantle because “it's taking away representation from young black men” that you are directly telling young black girls that they don’t deserve the same kind of representation. And that, quite frankly, invalidates any opinion you think you have. Shuri is an incredible character and I simply can not wait to see what she does in the MCU as well as in the comics.

superheroespop culturemovieentertainmentcomics
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About the Creator

Alexandrea Callaghan

Certified nerd, super geek and very proud fangirl.

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