Scans_Daily

It came in its turn in the setup of the Black Panther's post-Shadowland status quo.

It began with him describing where he lived and continued with his family.

Then it got into what he did to make his money, and how he now had the opportunity to move up the ladder.

The ladder was New York's criminal hierarchy.

( The rung above was free for him to seize. )

So as you know, Black Panther: The Most Dangerous Man Alive's ending in February.

The current Kingpin vs. T'Challa arc wasn't intended to wrap it up- there's an interview from this year's San Diego Comic-Con where writer David Liss briefly discusses another one to consequentially follow- but the book's sales've been decreasing since its inception post-Shadowland (there was a Fear Itself bump, but only for the issue introducing the somewhat controversial American Panther), clocking in below 20,000 copies moved for the last few months.

I can understand why readers didn't buy into the Panther, especially post-Doomwar (and, of course, post-Hudlin), and I know there're titles more readily captivating. It's just that his book's getting cancelled, just as it was beginning to hit its stride, is quite an unfortunate bit of timing (but understandable; at least Fisk and T'Challa's battle is getting to conclude as intended).

( Especially since its protagonist had also done so, by throwing off some of the more awkward elements of his post-Shadowland status quo. )

Last fall, Daredevil was the latter and so T'Challa became the former; this fall, Matt's the first again and so the Panther's assuming the second legend.

This second transition's marked like the first, by an event and with a tonal shift. It's a lighter one this time, with Daredevil having gone from Maleev to Martin and T'Challa's Most Dangerous Man Alive Francavilla covers looking.. well, like Hell's Kitchen in the evening rather than Zircher and Bianchi's Hell's Kitchen at night in Man Without Fear (that is to say, softer colors).

The stories're likewise flipping the switch: we've already begun to see Daredevil taking up a discarded mindset for his superheroic penance, and now it's the Panther's turn. The change's marked by the events of Fear Itself, and T'Challa's own agent of is a much more personal one- a new Hate-Monger, possessed by and possessing the original's hate powers.

( The one more touted, the controversial American Panther promised to have a 'huge impact'.. he's a subordinate, according to last month's #521. )