Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers #1 – Review

By Reginald Hudlin (writer), Denys Cowan (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors), VC’s Joe Sabino (letters)

The Story: Gabe Jones and the Howling Commandos find themselves in a tough spot on the WWII battlefield. Captain America arrives in time to lend a hand though, and helps them finish the fight. Elsewhere, the Nazis have learned of Wakanda (and, more of interest to them, its supply of vibranium). They make plans to take the kingdom for themselves, and Captain America and the Commandos are sent in to stop them. What neither side has counted on, however, was having to deal with Wakanda’s guardian, the Black Panther.

What’s Good: Quite a bit! I came to this book with relatively low expectations–I’ve always been a huge fan of Cap, but just don’t feel the same way about Black Panther. I was pleasantly surprised. Hudlin’s writing is right on target, making extremely effective use of Jones as the narrator. His voice is just right for the story, and I don’t think it would have been nearly as effective if told from Cap’s perspective. All of the characters fare well here in fact; everyone sounds like themselves, and there are some very nice character moments thrown in for good measure. (The quick scene between Jones and Cap in the dining facility is my favorite, even if it is a little…blunt in getting its point across.) The pacing of the story is also excellent, starting off with a bang, establishing the villains and what they want, quickly coming up for air before the climax, and then pulling out all the stops for the conclusion and cliffhanger. This man knows how to write.