Back in the 1990s, long before Reginald Hudlin, Christopher Priest was the guy who made the Black Panther cool. As the back of the book says, “Black Panther reinvented as a sharp and witty political satire? Believe it!” Ever wondered who’d win in a covert battle between Wakanda and the world’s intelligence agencies? How about Black Panther vs. the devil, Mephisto? Priest has crafted a slick series combining political intrigue, super-heroics and not-so-subtle pokes at the racial—or racist, as some would say—expectations of popular culture. Many fans of the classic character were a bit turned off by Priest’s approach, not liking the “recreation” of King T’Challa as a savvy, hyper-intelligent political operator. But Priest takes the Panther back to his roots, and hammers home a central point: As the Black Panther, T’Challa is not a superhero; he’s a king, literally born to rule. Although Wakanda is small—like, New Jersey small—the Black Panther is a “monarch from one of the most technologically advanced nations on the planet. And, somehow, we keep forgetting that.” Through point-of-view character Everett K. Ross, Priest teaches the reader that if the Panther declared war on the United States, “what nobody actually realized (is) he was totally capable of fi ghting it…and maybe even winning it.” The art style tends to shift throughout the book: Rich, textured paints; Paul Dini-style lines and colors; classic comic-book styles—you’ll fi nd it all here, as the series underwent a few changes of the art team. Still, the rich, complex plots will keep you going. Fans of TV’s Empire, The West Wing or The Newsroom will love this book.