Wakanda (Marvel)
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| Wakanda | |
 Map of Wakanda from Marvel Universe #12. Art by Don McGregor. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966) |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) |
| In story information | |
| Type | African country |
| Notable people | Wakandans |
Wakanda is a fictional nation in the Marvel Universe. It is by far the most prominent of several fictional African nations in the Marvel Universe (others include Azania, Narobia, Halwan and Murkatesh). Wakanda first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
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[edit] History
The Wakandan royal line began with Bashenga, an ancient Wakandan whose first and only appearance was in Black Panther vol. 1 #7 from 1978. Bashenga was supposedly the first king of unified Wakanda, and the first Black Panther some 10,000 years ago.[1]
In the distant past, a massive meteorite comprised of the sound-absorbing mineral vibranium crashed in Wakanda, and is unearthed a generation before the events of the present-day. T'Challa, the current Black Panther is the son of T'Chaka, the Black Panther before him and a descendant of Bashenga. Knowing that others would attempt to manipulate and dominate Wakanda for this rare and valuable resource, T'Chaka conceals his country from the outside world. He sells off minute amounts of the valuable vibranium while surreptitiously sending the country's best scholars to study abroad, consequently turning Wakanda into one of the world's most technologically advanced nations. Eventually, however, the explorer Ulysses Klaw finds his way to Wakanda, and covers up his work on a vibranium-powered, sound-based weapon. When exposed, Klaw kills T'Chaka, only to see his "sound blaster" turned on him by a grieving teenaged T'Challa. Klaw's right hand is destroyed, and he and his men flee.[1]
Wakanda has an unusually high rate of mutation due to the dangerously mutagenic properties of the Vibranium Mound. A large number of these Wakandan Mutates are working for Erik Killmonger.[1]
Vibranium radiation has permeated much of Wakanda's flora and fauna, including the Heart-Shaped Herb eaten by members of the Black Panther Cult (although T'Challa once allowed a dying Spider-Man to eat it in the hope that it would help him deal with his current illness), and the flesh of the White Gorilla eaten by the members of the White Gorilla Cult.
[edit] Panther Cult
After the vibranium meteor fell, a number of Wakandans were painfully mutated into "demon spirits" and began attacking their fellow Wakandans. T'Challa's ancestor, Bashenga became the first Black Panther and closed the vibranium mound to outsiders, forming a religious cult that guarded the mound and fought to keep the "demon spirits" from spreading across the kingdom. The Black Panther is a ceremonial and religious title given to the chief of the Panther Tribe. As part of the cult's ceremonies, a chosen Black Panther is entitled to the use of a heart-shaped herb that grants the person who consumes it enhanced strength, agility, and perception.[2]
[edit] White Gorilla Cult
Wakanda evolved from a hunter-warrior society, and was traditionally ruled by its greatest warrior. The dominant Black Panther Cult outlawed the rival White Gorilla cult's worship in Wakanda.
M'Baku (Man-Ape) of the Jabari tribe is one of Wakanda's greatest warriors, second only to T'Challa, the Black Panther himself. While T'Challa, king of Wakanda, is on a several month leave of absence from Wakanda, the ambitious M'Baku plots to usurp the throne.
M'Baku flouts T'Challa's edicts and revives the White Gorilla Cult, killing one of the rare white gorillas living in the jungles near Wakanda. M'Baku bathes in the gorilla's blood and eats its flesh which "mystically" confers the gorilla's great strength upon M'Baku.[3]
[edit] Lion Cult
Sekmeht the Lion God could possess the form of any human worshippers or the bodies of those sanctified and sacrificed by its worshippers, it transformed these subjects into human avatars of itself. He has a number of other powers, some of which he has demonstrated. Sekmeht could grow in size, move at rapid speeds, teleport itself and others, and alter its specific density. The Lion God possessed superhuman strength and durability, and it was immortal. It can manipulate the minds of the weak willed.
Little is known of the past history of the Lion God. It had apparently lost many worshippers over the years to the Cult of the Panther God, despite the fact that Sekmeht physically manifested before its followers, and the Panther God only appears to its priests.[4]
[edit] Black Panther Allies
- Afrikaa - Afrikaa Ngala first appears in Black Axe #5 Marvel UK. Draws power from a magma pool known as the "Heart of Afrikaa". Marvel UK.[1]
- Black Axe - Scottish ally of Black Panther from Marvel UK.
- Black Musketeers - the trio of Dr. Joshua Itobo, Ishanta, and Khanata were all members of the royal family of the African kingdom of Wakanda. They were usually called to assist the king.
- Brother Voodoo - Jericho Drumm. The most powerful houngan on the planet.
- Jiru - Assistant to N'Gassi, loyal warrior.
- Kasper Cole - The third White Tiger.
- Mokadi - A Wakandan mutate who can teleport.[1]
- Monica Lynne - A singer who saved T'Challa from drowning after being bested by Killmonger. His longest love interest, whom he pledged eternal devotion towards.
- Mubaru - Was a Wakandan cabinet member who represented the Mountain Tribes.[1]
- N'Gassi - Advisor to T'Challa, acting regent when he goes away on missions.
- Queen Divine Justice - The street-smart queen of the Jabari tribe of Wakanda, and former ceremonial betrothed/bodyguard of T'Challa.[5]
- Storm - Ororo Munroe, the Black Panther's wife and Queen of Wakanda.
- Vibraxas - ´The master of vibration. A Wakandan noble, and former member of the Fantastic Force. In a relationship with Queen Divine Justice.
- W'Kabi - T'Challa's competent second-in-command, and completely loyal to his liege.
- Zanti Chikane - A black South African gold miner during Apartheid.
- Zuri - A grumpy and gigantic elderly warrior. A close friend of the late T'Chaka, and one of T'Challa's most trusted advisors.
[edit] Black Panther Nemeses
- Anton Pretorius - South African politician and racist during apartheid.[1]
- Baron Macabre - Skull-faced ally of Eric Killmonger.[1]
- Black Dragon - An extra-dimensional dragon from K'un-L'un (Iron Fist).
- Blue Talon - Martial artist and agent of Damon Dran.
- Dragon Circle - A multicultural hate organization.
- Cockroach Hamilton - A hitman who worked with the villainess known as Nightshade.
- The Collectors - A loosely affiliated organization, brought together because of a common interest in obscure artifacts. The Collectors are ruthless and will do anything to get the prize.[1]
- Colonel Klaue - A WWII Nazi with an iron hand who existed in an apparently alternate continuity Wakanda where Chanda ruled during WWII instead of T'chaka.[1]
- Erik Killmonger - A powerful warrior and strategic genius in politics and economics. He has consistently bested the Panther in personal combat.
- Gore
- Hellrazor - Operative of Roxxon Oil with kineto-synthetic powers, killed by Scourge.
- Icon - A Black Panther villain named Dr. A'kurru whose body was made of living wood.
- Jakarra - Former Wakandan General turned world conqueror. Mutated by vibranium into a hulking purple brute. Living generator of sonic vibration, meaning he could generate waves of vibratory force.[1]
- King Cadaver - Wakandan mutate. Had the ability to generate great psychic pain, causing delusions and possibly even controlling the minds of others.
- Kiber the Cruel - Frederick Kiber was a brilliant but mentally unstable black scientist who apparently created teleporter technology in the Marvel Universe. His body was altered by a teleporter accident. Black Panther vol 1 #12.[1]
- Kiber's Guards - Brown-skinned androids with super strength and the ability to phase through solid matter.[1]
- Lord Karnaj - Wakandan Mutate, ally of Eric Killmonger. Used handheld vibranium-powered sonic disruptors that fired destructive energy blasts.[1]
- Man-Ape - Now labeled a villain, M'Baku was Wakanda's greatest warrior second only to the Black Panther. He plotted to usurp the throne with the help of the outlawed White Gorilla cult who were ancient rivals of the Black Panther cult, which basically made them heretics since Panther worship is the state religion.[1]
- Madame Slay - Ally and operative of Eric Killmonger.
- Malice' - Agent of Eric Killmonger, Wakandan Mutate with superhuman strength, speed, and agility.
- Moses Magnum - The ruler of Canaan, a small offshoot of Wakanda.
- N'Gamo - Former aide to the Man-Ape.
- N'Grith - Alien race that experimented on human subjects, attempted to invade Earth.
- Princess Zanda - Ruler of Narobia, admirer of T'challa.
- Reverend Achebe - A grinning, unpredictable, lunatic, warrior-mystic, regularly talking to his mannequin Daki without delusions that it's truly alive, and engineering complex plots of social unrest for profit or entertainment.
- Salamander K'Ruel - A Wakandan Mutate, ally of Erik Killmonger.
- Sekmeht the Lion God - Leader of the Lion Cult of Wakanda. Believes he is an actual god, opposed to the Panther Cult whose worship diminished his own followers. Banished to another dimension by Iron Man and Mantis.[1]
- Six-Million-Year Man - A being named Hatch-22 who hailed from an alternate future in which human beings have evolved into nearly unrecognizable forms and live beneath Earth's surface in numbered hatches.[1]
- Solomon Prey - A villain and enemy of the Black Panther, he possesses bat-like wings that enable him to fly. Also has razor sharp claws.
- Sombre - An agent of Eric Killmonger and enemy of the Black Panther. Sombre's touch is highly corrosive and painful.
- Sons of the Serpent
- The Soul Strangler - An evil supernatural creature that referred to itself as the master of the Ku Klux Klan.
- Supremacists - Agents of the Azanian government, promoted apartheid and invaded Wakanda. The members were Barricade, Captain Blaze, Harrier, Hungyr, Voortrekker, and White Avenger. Appeared in Black Panther vol. 2 #2.[1]
- Ulysses Klaw - Murderer and betrayer of T'Chaka and personal archenemy of T'Challa. A powerhouse with near-absolute control of sound.
- Venomm - Horatio Venomm was a hideously-scarred human snake charmer with a corpse-like face.
- Vibranium - The former king of Canaan. Baru was deposed by Moses Magnum and transformed into living vibranium by the villain Diablo.
- Wheeler - Former member of the Wakandan Air Patrol a group of armored warriors. Married T'challa's cousin M'Koni. Used his Air Patrol suit to rob a bank in order to pay off gambling debts, but reforms by the end of the story. Appeared in Daredevil vol. 2 #245 (1987).[1]
- White Avenger - Leader of the Azanian Supremacists, blindly patriotic national symbol. His powers included superhuman strength and durability, flight, enhanced vision, infravision, and hyper-awareness.[1]
- White Wolf - T'Challa's adopted elder brother and the former leader of the Hatut Zeraze, the espionage elite police of Wakanda. Exiled by T'Challa, due to using recurrent torture and assassinations in his zeal to root out potential threats to national security.
- Windeagle - Wore an anti-gravity costume which enabled him to fly and glide on wind currents.[1]
[edit] Faux Africa
- Azania - A faux South Africa with its own white supremacist superheroes. First appears in Black Panther vol. 2, #1-4.[6]
- Canaan - Ruled by Moses Magnum, it is apparently a small offshoot of Wakanda located to the west. First appears in Deathlok #22, 25.
- Genosha - Former mutant homeland. Was first seen in Uncanny X-Men #235.
- Ghudaza - Appears in Black Panther vol. 3, #3.
- Halwan - Country that Brillilae attempted to invade with the Black Tiger's help. Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu # 20.
- Imaya - Appears in War Machine #1-4 and Night Thrasher vol. 2, #17.
- Kwarrai - The small South African nation from which Vibrania hails. First appears in Marvel Super-Heroes III #4.
- Murkatesh - Homeland of Brillalae, which means "She Who Glistens". She attempted to recruit Abe Brown of America as the new Black Tiger. Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu #20.
- Narobia - Homeland of Princess Zanda. Black Panther vol. 1 #4, 11.
- Niganda - Neighboring country with deep enmity for Wakanda. Black Panther vol. 4, #5.
[edit] In other media
[edit] Features
- Wakanda appears in the straight-to-DVD animated feature Ultimate Avengers 2 as a central location and the focal point for the Chitauri invasion. Here the country is portrayed as extreme isolationist nation who views all outsiders as enemies. This is due to a previous attack on their nation by the Chitari decades ago for their vibranium mound here portrayed as a large mountain going great depths. Despite claims made by the new Black Panther T'Challa that they need help, the Elders believe, to the point of arrogance, that they can defend themselves. When T'Challa seeks help from the Avengers he is stripped of his power by the Elders. After the Avengers and Black Panther stop the invasion however, Black Panther's power is restored.
- Wakanda appears in the "Prey Of The Black Panther" episode of the 1994 Fantastic Four animated TV series where the Black Panther lures the Fantastic 4 to Wakanda to test them if they were worthy enough to help him fight Klaw.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Marvel Universe Appendix: Black Panther
- The Religion of Black Panther
- Marvel Atlas Project
- Marvel Universe Appendix: Lion God
- Marvel Directory: Man-Ape
- Marvel Universe Online: Queen Divine Justice
- The Museum of Black Superheroes
- Black Panther series index
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