Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Haley Reading Group: Black Panther, Chapter 1


We're reading Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet written by Ta-Nehisi Coates and drawn by Brian Stelfreeze. 

The opening chapter has a couple of running threads, one with T'Challa trying to make sense of a developing uprising and another about the struggles of Aneka and Ayo, as they must challenge the authority of the nation that they were supposed to protect. 

There's also the vibrant and captivating artwork. Brian Stelfreeze and colorist Laura Martin make this project a thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience. 

To get us started, what were you most intrigued by with this opening chapter as you read the story and viewed the artwork? Briefly explain. 

21 comments:

Tracy Long said...

I loved black panther as a movie , this is my first time reading the comic . One of the fascinating things about the book is the art. Brian Stelfreeze put alot detail into this comic and with every panel the color sets helps illustrate what is going on in the story.

Jared Willis said...

This comic book has amazing artwork that is vibrant in color and very attention-grabbing. I feel as though the artwork helps you understand what is going on even more than you would understand in a movie or video. The artwork adds what other people are feeling and not only who is talking.

I feel like this comic is very intriguing because while they may only be talking about one person's feelings, the artwork in the background is showing how everyone else is feeling. We are shown many perspectives through the artwork, not just one.

-Jared Willis

Walter Carroll said...

What I was most intrigued by in this chapter was the current power struggle in Wakanda. After T'Challa returned back to Wakanda from fighting with the avengers, it seemed weird to me that his nation would have lost faith in him. Although I do kinda understand considering how peaceful the Wakandian people are used to being.

The artwork in chapter 1 is very vibrant and paint a great picture of the story that is taking place.

-Walter Carroll

Peyton Payne said...

While reading the first chapter of the comic I really enjoyed the feel of actually reading the comic. As this is my first time reading a comic, I realize that there is a feel from reading the comic that a movie cannot evoke. The comic book art style and story creates an authentic form of the author's story and how they want to portey it.

Aside from the illustrations, the comic has a lot more of a story to put in the comic. With a movie you are limited to a few hours to tell the story as well as create the visual effects. WIth a comic, you can go as long as you want to create an everlasting and impactful story, and whatever you draw, comes to life in the comic book which creates an image only a comic book can capture.

Unknown said...

The thing that intrigued me the most was how after T'challa comes back his kingdom seems to be in shambles. From what happened in the avengers movies to the Black Panther movie its self, I would've thought the kingdom would be more united than ever before. Its going to be interesting to see how this plays out.

-Byron Coulter

Ayo J said...

Ayo J

\\\\\\

I was mostly intrigued by the use of vivid and colorful graphics and designs. These helps to gain a better understanding of what is going on. The graphics shows a fight that is occurring the people of Wakanda nation and King T'Challa who recently returned to rule the Wakanda Kingdom again.

The use of bright colors for some of the backgrounds give me (as a reader) more attention to the details of what is going on in the comic. The use of sharp lines and green colors on the faces of the people to show their facial expression helps me to have a better understanding about how they are angry with the return of T'Challa, who want to rule the Wakanda Kingdom again.

Darius Campbell said...

What intrigued me the most in the first chapter was the chaos in Wakanda. The seems to be a revolution coming while T'Challa is trying to keep his kingdom together. In addition to that, the first chapter brings up the word "hate" often. I feel like this shows that Wakanda is filled with and runs on hate at the moment.

Unknown said...


I never read any Black Panther books or comics I only ever saw the movie, so when I was reading the comic, I was fascinated by how dark the story started out and how many of the different colors were so vibrant in the artwork. All of the chaos that was going on in Wakanda caught me off guard because in the movie it seemed to be a very well put together and wealthy country.

-Richard Haley

Anonymous said...

I’ve never read a comic before I read this first chapter. The one thing I enjoyed very much was the artwork presented in with the text, it really give you that visual you need sometimes. The one thing I find intriguing is how is the power struggle that T’Challa is experiencing and I can’t wait to see how he goes about dealing with it. Kenyon Davis

Anonymous said...

Immediately I had recognized the artwork from another comic that the illustrator had drawn, so my eye was already trained so to speak on what parts of each panel that deserve the most attention. I was consumed by the opening of the story, to try and see where on the Marvel timeline this Wakanda was. From what I could gather, T’Challa is past his time as an avenger, so he’s more mature and dedicated as the king of Wakanda. I found it very interesting how the ruling class is in awe at why their subjects wish to rebel, but in the first chapter we already figure out they are lying about the state of Shuri; the kings sister. Sean K.

Anonymous said...

I’ve never read a comic before I read this first chapter. The one thing I enjoyed very much was the artwork presented in with the text, it really give you that visual you need sometimes. The one thing I find intriguing is how is the power struggle that T’Challa is experiencing and I can’t wait to see how he goes about dealing with it.

Kenyon Davis

Olufemi Idowu said...

The first thing that caught my eye upon reading was the great beautiful structures of Wakanda and the detail that was paid attention to them. Another thing that was intriguing to me was how his sister took the mantle of Black Panther after he stepped down, Which I thought was a nice touch. It seems to be completely different from the movie where they praised T'challa

Anonymous said...

What intrigued me most about the first chapter was the amount of different aspects of life we were shown as readers so quickly. We were shown Ayo, T’Challa, Aneka, and more all in their own settings. This chapter basically prepares us for the rest of events to come. The artwork also depicts what’s going on very vividly, and really shows more about emotions than what’s happening.

Ethan Hinds 10/10/20

Kristian Beal said...

One of the first things I noticed was the striking artwork and how it mostly depicted areas with warm colors such as yellow and orange. The content in the chapter gels nicely with the artwork. Everything seems to be spiraling out of control in Wakanda with T'Challa, Aneka, and Ayo all having issues, and it is represented wonderfully.

Kristian Beal said...

One of the first things I noticed was the striking artwork and how it mostly depicted areas with warm colors such as yellow and orange. The content in the chapter gels nicely with the artwork. Everything seems to be spiraling out of control in Wakanda with T'Challa, Aneka, and Ayo all having issues, and it is represented wonderfully.

Kristian Beal said...

One of the first things I noticed was the striking artwork and how it mostly depicted areas with warm colors such as yellow and orange. The content in the chapter gels nicely with the artwork. Everything seems to be spiraling out of control in Wakanda with T'Challa, Aneka, and Ayo all having issues, and it is represented wonderfully.

-Kristian Beal

Philip Bowen said...

What most intrigued to me about the first chapter was the struggle of power and conflict in Wakanda because it always seem to be a peaceful place. Also what was intriguing was how in the beginning you can see that the most important people around the Black Panther are portraying him as an outcast and starting not to view him as one of their own. I also thought that the visual details were amazing and really caught my attention.

- Philip Bowen

Maurice K. said...

What intrigued me in the first chapter was the the design of the artwork since this is the first comic I have ever read. Next thing that intrigued me was how the chapter started off with Wakanda being in turmoil after all the attacks from different foes and the lost of Shuri, who took T'Challa's place as the Black Panther for a while.

Anonymous said...

This was my first time ever reading a comic book. I was most intrigued with the detail in the pictures. I was a little bit lost as I read the first chapter, but I noticed some parts where there weren’t even any words to tell a story, only the very detailed artwork that told the story of what was happening.

Avery Owusu-Asiedu 10/24/20

Anonymous said...

There were a few things that intrigued me in the opening chapter, but the thing that stuck out to me the most were the complex details put into the illustration of the book. Not only were there many vibrant and lively colors there was also an acute attention to detail.

DeAndrea Moulton

Anonymous said...

One of the things that I found interesting about the comic was how it introduced characters that I wasn’t familiar with from the movie. I also enjoyed the artwork and how it very similar to the movie but had visible differences that made certain things stand out.

Dominique Fox 11/10/20