Because publishers want you to buy their product every month, comics are typically serial in nature. However, occasionally (and more often nowadays than ever before) publishers launch a comic title that is only meant to last for one issue. While ongoing series often have multiple chances to hook in new readers, the comics highlighted in this ongoing investigations only had One-Shot At Greatness!
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: November 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Kyle Hotz
This is one of several one-shots that envisions what the Marvel Knights relaunches would have been like if they were published in 2099. In this future version of the Marvel Universe, the government re-enacted the Mutant Registration Act. The super-heroes joined together to defy the government but were eventually overpowered and went underground.
The Black Panther bloodline has been disrupted ever since the death of T’Challa’s son. A council was formed to keep order and prevent every citizen from attempting to usurp the kingdom of Wakanda. However, it appears that the council has grown corrupt over the years and newly appointed councilman, K’Shamba, doesn’t like it. At their latest meeting, they were attacked by a horde of Doombots and within a mere six weeks, Wakanda was completely conquered by Doctor Doom. However, a resistance force has grown over this time, one which K’Shamba has joined and been quickly promoted to leader.
In the bid to inspire more Wakandans to join the movement, K’Shamba dons the sacred uniform of the Black Panther. And, inspire, it does! Within mere weeks, the Wakandans have driven Doom from their homeland and K’Shamba has been fortified in his new position as the Warrior King of Wakanda. But, Doom always has another plan for conquest…
Kirkman & Hotz have put together a future that doesn’t look all that different than today’s world. Their tale of a leaderless nation, banding together to find a new leader and to oust their newly-enforced dictator was well done and could have easily been decompressed into a six-issue storyline with a lot more characterization. But, one-shot’s all we’ve got so, once you get over the disappointment that it’s not set within the original 2099 universe, you can begin to enjoy this tale of freedom.
On Ebay: Black Panther | Robert Kirkman | Kyle Hotz
On AtomicAvenue: Black Panther