Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of our Fathers #1 (June 2010)

With the film Wakanda Forever coming, I thought this week I'd take a look at a comic that explored the legacy of the Black Panther. In the comics, the Black Panther is a legacy character. T'Challa's ancestors have all held the mantle of Black Panther at some point. One of those was King Azzuri, who was the Black Panther during WWII.

Azzuri was introduced in Fantastic Four Unlimited #1 (January 1993) as "Chanda". Yeah, it's kind of an issue this miniseries has, I'll talk more about that later. The title is presumably an homage to the 2000 book by John Bradley and Ron Powers, which would get adapted into a 2006 film. It's an appropriate title as like the book/film, this comic miniseries was set in WWII. So, let's take a look at the first issue of Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of our Fathers! 

The cover is a Denys Cowan and Klaus Janson piece. It's pretty good, if a bit on the basic side. It just shows Captain America and Black Panther posing. Cap's pose is amusing as it's almost like a cheerleader cheering on the team while Azzuri looks like he's ready to kick some Nazi heads. 

"Part One"
Writer: Reginald Hudlin
Penciler: Denys Cowan
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colorist: Pete Pantazis
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Editors: Sebastian Girner, Alex Alonso
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada.

The story begins in 1941 with Gabriel "Gabe" Jones. 

Who is Gabe Jones? Why, he's one of Nick Fury's legendary World War II-era Nazi-stompin' unit known as the Howling Commandoes. His narration talks about how he understandably doesn't like Nazis very much. His fellow Howling Commandoes feel the same way. When Nick Fury put together his Commandoes, he was allowed to pick any soldiers he wanted for the unit...even men of color. The Army hadn't integrated yet at that point, but Fury didn't care. He wanted men who could kick Nazi heads in, and skin color was no issue to him. 

The Commandoes are pinned down by those nasty Nazis, but luckily, the Commandoes got some very special backup.

"Here I come to save the dayyyyyyyyyy!"

The appearance of the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan throws the Howling Commandoes off for a moment, but eventually, they're able to rout their Nazi foes. Over at Nazi High Command in Berlin, Adolf Hitler is none too happy about this. You see, with help from Captain America, the Howlers were able to set back their missile program half a year. The goal is to create an ICBM, which would allow them to blow up the White House from all the way in Europe. 

One of the Nazi commanders states that there is a substance out there that can help make the missile a reality: Vibranium. The alien metal's ability to absorb vibrations can be very handy, as it can ensure a missile can't be knocked off course. 

Thing is, it's only found in the African nation of Wakanda. Little is known about the country, as it's very closed off from the rest of the world (It is logical to assume Wakanda declared itself neutral during the war). The Nazis aren't too worried about heading there and getting the metal. After all, as far as they know, this nation has no nasty surprises, just stereotypical spear-wielding tribesmen. Wolfgang Von Strucker is assigned to lead the operation into Wakanda.

On a ship in the Atlantic Ocean, Cap joins the Howlers in some lunch on board the ship. Fury asks if Rogers keeps in costume all the time, including staying masked. Cap basically tells him yes, as it's part of his job as a symbol. One of the cooks announces they made a special meal for Cap, but they need some silverware for him. Cap's not bothered. He asks Gabe if he's using his. Gabe is done with his meal, so Cap takes his fork. Gabriel is amazed. Keep in mind, this is set in the 1940s. Most white people would not use a fork that was just used by a black man then. But Cap does without issue. It leaves Gabe wondering one thing: "Who is this guy?"

Eventually, Cap and the Howlers themselves on the way to Africa on a mission of their own, presumably related to Wakanda and its Vibranium Mound. When Cap parachutes down, he gets...a scary greeting. 

"Oh my God, they decapitated Kenny!"

Well, that's not intimidating.

The heads once belonged to a bunch of Nazi soldiers who trekked into Wakanda. A survivor reports to Baron Strucker that they were picked off one by one by traps, straight out of a horror movie. They made the survivor apologize then sent him back to Strucker's camp as a warning. Strucker has the survivor killed to avoid panicking the camp. Meanwhile, Cap makes a new friend.

"I am a very pretty kitty."

This isn't T'Challa under the suit. As I said earlier, this is the "Golden Age" Black Panther, Azzuri. Cap naturally wants to ask about the heads, but Azzuri basically says "Bye", and tries to leave. Cap confronts the monarch but finds himself surrounded by Wakandans armed with guns. The Howlers watch this in disbelief. Azzuri deduces that like the Nazis, the Allies want Wakanda's Vibranium. Cap points out the world is at war, and Wakanda needs to choose a side. Azzuri tells him they have: Their own. Cap and Azzuri end up fighting.

Azzuri may be a king, but like Black Panthers before and after him, he's also a scrapper. He's able to match the super-soldier very well in battle. The Howling Commandoes watch the fight and prepare to move when they get surrounded themselves by Wakandans. 

This just ain't Nick Fury's day...

At the Nazi camp, Baron Strucker calls in some help to take on the secretly-advanced nation. 

"What is this 'One Piece', and why does everyone say I look like I stepped out of it?!"

The Red Skull is in town, and his idea of painting the town red? Spreading the blood of the Wakandans all over Africa. 

I personally enjoyed this comic. I think that the idea of both the Axis and the Allies having an interest in Wakanda during WWII is actually a clever idea and one that does make perfect sense. After all, as the comics and the MCU have shown, the alien metal that comprises the Great Vibranium Mound is a wondrous substance, and whoever controls it could likely turn the tide of the war. I also think that the usage of Gabe Jones as the narrator is a good choice. Jones is an African-American soldier in the 1940s, so seeing his thoughts on the advanced world of Wakanda would be quite interesting.

As I said, the biggest flaw with this miniseries is that it's hard to place into canon. For example, as I said earlier, Fantastic Four Unlimited #3 established that T'Challa's grandfather was named "Chanda", but here, it's Azzuri. Neither the Marvel Handbooks nor the Marvel Atlas provided any clarification. This miniseries is also meant to be the first meeting between Captain America and the Howling Commandoes. However, Sgt. Fury #13 (December 1964) and Captain America #383 (March 1991) both establish that they met in France. Also, Wolverine: Origins #18 (December 2007) established that Nick Fury knew Cap before the USA officially entered WWII. 

I struggled to figure out how to describe Denys Cowan's art for this comic. I think it has a nice bit of grit to it, which works for a war story. I also think the muted coloring is a nice artistic choice. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!