Overall, Gay complexly and artfully stitches together the narrative through quick-witted humor and touching moments of sincere intimacy.Īlitha E. The central point of dispute between Aneka and Ayo, Aneka’s sense that she is betraying her duty to make herself romantically available to T’Challa and her desire to hide her and Ayo’s relationship, becomes tedious at times as it is returned to again and again from the moment the two become involved.
Gay sustains interest and uncertainty throughout the series as the two grapple with larger questions of challenging tradition, navigating the pressures of work and a relationship, and outing themselves to their superiors and peers. You would sooner marry a shoe than a man,” in #4. Their tension finds beautiful release through humor, like the line, “Stop with this nonsense of marrying T’Challa! I see how you look at me. Gay creates romantic anticipation early on through Aneka and Ayo’s flirty banter and competitive quarrels. Dialogue, rather than description, propels the narrative forward for the most part, and well-timed thought bubbles add depth and complexity to the characters, illuminating subtle nuances, hidden meanings, and unspeakable desires. Gay’s writing smoothly falls into the rhythm of the serialized comic and avoids some of the lengthy exposition that plagues the early Black Panther issues as Ta-Nehisi Coates experiments with and adapts to the medium. I love and respect this series for the way it portrays a believable, non-fetishized, moving lesbian romance alongside action-packed scenes in which a community of women are the real warriors and protectors of Wakanda, not a single male hero. The story centers the experience of two queer black women warriors who fiercely love their country and each other, fight for those Wakanda has forgotten, particularly women and the poor, and challenge the traditional structures of the Dora Milaje, such as the expectation that the women willingly offer themselves as potential wives to Black Panther.
The series follows Aneka, a captain in the Dora Milaje, and Ayo, a new initiate, as they navigate their romantic feelings for each other, defend Wakanda from various attacks, and ultimately decide to leave the Dora Milaje and go rogue. The comic features women, predominately queer women and women of color, both in its pages and behind them in its creative team. World of Wakanda occurs just before (#1-4) and during (#5) the events of Black Panther #1. Ayo helps Aneka escape a death sentence for enacting justice upon a village chieftain who uses his power to imprison and sexually abuse women and girls, and two become the Midnight Angels in order to love each other freely and defend those who fall through the cracks of Black Panther’s protection and Wakanda’s social net.
The Midnight Angels, Aneka and Ayo, are introduced in Black Panther #1 as two fugitives who leave the Dora Milaje-the group of women warriors who devote themselves to serving and protecting Black Panther and Wakanda’s royal family. In fact, when discussing Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Black Panther with a friend, I told him, “I’d rather read a story about only the Midnight Angels.” Only a few months later, my wish was fulfilled when Marvel released World of Wakanda written by one of my favorite feminist authors and critics, Roxane Gay. I was initially drawn to this series because of my dissatisfaction with Black Panther and my deep desire to read the Midnight Angels’ story.
While Roxane Gay’s name holds a certain shiny promise, it was not her alone that drew me to Black Panther’s World of Wakanda. Black Panther: World of Wakanda #1-5 Roxane Gay, Ta-Nehisi Coates (Writers), Alitha Martinez, Afua Richardson (Artists), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist), VC’s Joe Sabino (Letterer)