Genre
Graphic Novel
Setting and Context
Set at an undefined time in the fictional kingdom of Wakanda shortly after the first ever invasion of what had previously been believed to be unpenetrable borders
Narrator and Point of View
Graphic novel so no narrator; the point of view is chiefly that of T'Challa aka the king of Wakanda and superhero.
Tone and Mood
Dark and threatening, chaotic and in need of an avenger to right the wrongs
Protagonist and Antagonist
T'Challa/Black Panter is the protagonist, an unseen telepathic invader and also his own citizens in revolt are antagonists
Major Conflict
The major conflict precedes the start of the novel, as Wakanda has been invaded for the first time in its history. The conflict that stems from that is actually domestic as Wakandan citizens revolt against King T'Challa.
Climax
Ayo rescues Aneka from jail and they become an avenging duo who rescue women from abusive patriarchal situations.
Foreshadowing
The invasion of Wakanda in the preceding graphic novel foreshadows the unrest and revolt of Wakanda's citizens who feel their status quo disrupted.
Understatement
Wakanda is described as patriarchal but this understates the level of violence against women and their powerlessness to do something about it.
Allusions
Coates alludes to the previous graphic novel, "Secret Wars", multiple times during this book as he brings in previous situations and characters. He also alludes to the lyric of a Kanye West song that says "no one man should have all that power"
Imagery
The imagery is dark and threatening and entirely visual as graphic novels paint a visual image for the reader that is multi-layered but rarely creates imagery that appeals to any other senses as the visual sense is already overloaded.
Paradox
In most superhero comic books the hero is in the right and his opponents are wrong. The paradox in this book is that although T'Challa/The Black Panther is the superhero he is also sometimes in the wrong and his enemies in the right. This is a paradox because he is wrong but also the "good guy"
Parallelism
There is a parallel between The Black Panther and the Midnight Angels, as they all seek to create a better society in Wakanda and they also all seek to avenge those wronged by evil wrongdoers.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Wakanda is used to represent all individual citizens of Wakanda
Personification
N/A
