The History of the Black Panther: 1973-1974

For more than 50 years, the Black Panther has stood at the forefront on the Marvel Universe. With T’Challa appearing on the big screen again this year in both Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” take a look back at over five decades worth of comic book adventures for the King of Wakanda!

Captured by the Space Phantom and his temporary ally the Grim Reaper in AVENGERS #107, the Black Panther witnessed the two villains’ temptation of the Vision and their plans to secure a new body for the android. After being freed by Captain America in AVENGERS #108, T’Challa and his teammates welcomed help from the cosmic Captain Marvel to defeat the Phantom and the Reaper as well as the hordes of Hydra.

Following that adventure, the Panther faced off against the gigantic Imus Champion in AVENGERS #109 and received Hawkeye’s resignation from the team. When the team rallied again to aid the X-Men in their battle with Magneto in AVENGERS #110, T’Challa found himself buried under rocks by the mutant villain, prompting a scouting mission in DAREDEVIL #99 to secure assistance for another fight.

Avengers (1963) #112

• Published: June 10, 1973
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 19, 2012
• Writer: Steve Englehart
• Penciller: Don Heck
• Cover Artist: Don Heck, Rich Buckler

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With Daredevil and the Black Widow at their side, the Black Panther and the Avengers finally put down Magneto’s latest scheme in AVENGERS #111, and welcomed the Widow into their ranks. Her tenure lasted briefly, though, for she left following T’Challa’s harrowing confrontation with the Lion God in AVENGERS #112.

The Panther served masterfully in helping his teammates operate on a wounded Vision in AVENGERS #113, and in another bout with the Lion God in AVENGERS #114. In AVENGERS #115 he secured a surrender from the dreaded Troglodytes and in AVENGERS #116 discovered the presence of the mystical Evil Eye in the mystery of the Black Knight’s disappearance. T’Challa found himself pitted against Doctor Strange during the search for the Evil Eye in DEFENDERS #9, and rejoined with his teammates to witness the final moments of a Thor-Hulk clash in DEFENDERS #10.

After the so-called Avengers-Defenders War wrapped up with a big battle involving both teams as well as Loki and Dormammu in AVENGERS #118, the Black Panther returned to his native Wakanda in JUNGLE ACTION #6 to meet the revolutionary called Erik Killmonger and suffer defeat at his hands. Later, in JUNGLE ACTION #7, T’Challa looked into an illegal vibranium mine to gain a new foe known as Venomm.

Jungle Action (1972) #7

• Published: November 01, 1973
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: February 05, 2018
• Writer: Don Mcgregor
• Penciller: Rich Buckler
• Cover Artist: Rich Buckler

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The Black Panther welcomed Captain America’s partner The Falcon to Wakanda in CAPTAIN AMERICA #169, and by CAPTAIN AMERICA #171 provided the hero with a high-tech rig to grant him the power of flight. Later, T’Challa stopped a new menace known as Malice from invading the royal palace to free the Panther’s prisoner, Venomm, in JUNGLE ACTION #8.

Erik Killmonger directed Baron Macabre to send his undead against the Black Panther JUNGLE ACTION #9, while T’Challa’s friend Monica stood accused of murder. Macabre joined forces with Kind Cadaver in JUNGLE ACTION #10, but faced defeat at the hands of the Panther. Killmonger stole weapons from the Wakandan armory and directed King Karnaj to attack T’Challa in JUNGLE ACTION #11, and dumped an unconscious Black Panther into the wolf-ridden Land of the Chilling Mists in JUNGLE ACTION #12.

Returning to the States and the Avengers, the Panther aided Spider-Man in a conflict with Stegron the Dinosaur Man in MARVEL TEAM-UP #20, then joined with his teammates in battle with the Collector in AVENGERS #119, and a long campaign against the Zodiac in AVENGERS #121–123. In the aftermath of that fight, T’Challa helped activate a Zodiac weapon that unfortunately brought the dreaded, dragon-like Star-Stalker to Earth in AVENGERS #124.

Avengers (1963) #126

• Published: August 01, 1974
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: July 23, 2013
• Writer: Steve Englehart
• Penciller: Bob Brown
• Cover Artist: Bob Brown

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Next, the Panther served valiantly in an immense struggle between the mad god Thanos and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in AVENGERS #125, and then a rematch with his old foe Klaw and the energy-charged Solarr in AVENGERS #126.