Here’s an idea, take some random mutants (and Black Panther for some reason), from alternate timelines, put them together…and have them roam through even more alternate timelines! If your first thought is, “That sounds pretty sucky.”, do not be alarmed. It only indicates that you are still sane. I’m a fan of Blink. Loved her in Age of Apocalypse and her miniseries. But who are these other characters? Alternate Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, Beast, Forge, and Polaris. Where are they from? Why should I care about them? These questions and more NOT to be answered in Exiles #5, soon to be canceled at a comic store near you.
Overall: If Dark Beast, Nathan Grey, and Holocaust can come to the regular Marvel U, why can’t Blink? The Exiles idea is just plain bad, so let’s get the only interesting character off that team and put her in X-Factor or something.
Now, here’s a book worth reading. I was surprised to find that the old Black Panther had stepped down and was replaced by Shuri, his younger sister. I find Shuri to be a much more interesting character than T’challa, being the young, naive leader and hero trying to deal with continuing her brother’s legacy and running Wakanda. The only downside to this book is the lack of Storm’s influence in this book. I feel, her marriage to T’challa opens the option to use such a popular X-Man as an enhancement to this book. In these issues, she a more background character.
Overall: This is a great jumping on point for new readers to Black Panther, such as myself.
Cable #16-17
I need to separate these two issues. #16 was an aweful necessity. It’s a setup comic to #17, but it’s a bit boring and not a great starting point for any reader. New readers can’t be hooked by a lull in the story, but I stuck with it and I suggest you should as well. Issue #17 delivers a big payoff for the story and the characters, sinks the hooks in deep, and left me anticipating the next issue. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a time traveling game of cat and mouse featuring Cable, Bishop, and some brat, but #17 cast away any doubts. I’m in!
Overall: Jump into this series before it goes on too long. I have a feeling that the character development in these early issues will be lost on new readers come January.