I split this article up into two parts because these two eras of comics were separated by many years of marvel storytelling. Along with that it’s important for me to allow the joyous aspect of the union between Storm and Black Panther to resonate. I’m sorry to say that their union did not last a lifetime, as the ceremony would have let us to believe. Years after the original writer, Eric Jerome Dickey, who wrote the marriage into Marvel history he was taken off of the story. In 2010 new writers, Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron picked up the storyline and drive it into the completely opposite direction, immediately stripping Black Panther of, not only his wife, but also of his kingdom.
Black Liberation Attacked
Black Panther the hero was coincidentally was given the same name as the Black liberation party that gained influence and significant attention for their radical tactics during the 80s and 90s. Due to this coincidental parallel between the heroic political party that liberated oppressed people in the United States and the comic book character that reigned over a nation of liberated, self-governing African people, the hero was used as a symbol by Marvel writers to retaliate against the Black Liberation movement.
Many readers spoke out about the harsh divorce between the two. Black Panther and Storm’s unprecedented marriage union between the most popular two Black characters in Marvel’s comic books was iconic. The failure of their marriage, for many, felt like a low jab. So low that readers organized a petition campaign advocating for a reunification of the two. Many who were offended by their seemingly sudden divorce in the formally joyus storyline cited other comic couples whose marriages withstood conflict. For example, Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman fought a Civil War against each other and are still together to this day.
Storm, as a part of X-men, saw her commitment to the team has her number one priority. In a sense, her allegiance was to her employer. A critical turning point was uncovered when the X-men went to battle with the Avengers. During the battle Namor, a sub-mariner member of the Avengers, released a blow that destroyed Wakonda, the country that had never been conquered. While this was not the intention of the battle, the situation resulted in a complete breakdown of the relationship between the X-men and King T’Challa. Sadly, that included his wife. In the most heartbreaking series of speech bubbles as Storm attempts to console her husbands in the ruins of their country, T’Challa rejects his wife Ororo Iquadi T’Challa and single conducts their divorce internally.
Black Sovereign Nation Attacked
It’s ridiculous that’s a writers felt the need to not only split up the unprecedented union between their most iconic Black superheroes, but they chose to do so in a very violent and aggressive way leaving T’Challa without a queen and his country in ruins. Storm, not at all involved in destroying Wakanda, unintentionally betrayed her husband. T’Challa hurt by the outcome of events refuses to forgive his wife and the unity we celebrated between the two dissolves. Yes, we continue to see throughout marvel comics Storm serving as a part of the x-men seemingly completely unaffected by the destruction of the country for which she formerly reigned as queen. While there had been some pushback from readers who spoke against the cruel extension to the couple’s story, it definitely was not enough for there to be any resolve. Panther remained a single King and Storm remain the single female character. Sadly, though we continually see the goddess, former queen, passed around the Marvel universe. Following her separation from Black Panther she was written into unstable and pejorative relationships with several characters including Nightcrawler, Forge, Beast, Cyclops and her boss, Wolverine.
Black Love Attacked
As I mentioned earlier, there have been other comic book couple that have passed the test of time, even in conflicting battle. Even if the writers were trying to add some drama to their story, this was not a couple to play with. There are many other couples that have much less cultural significance that would have been easy to squeeze drama out of. The writers at Marvel Comics are obviously capable of showing a couple’s ability to withstand trials and tribulations, staying together in spite of war, death and catastrophic calamity. The choice not allow this iconic African couple to be another example of a strong heroic marriage is obviously intentional. To make the story even more offensive, Storm betrays her husband in not only the unintentional destruction of Wakanda but also intentionally sleeping with the man who burned down their country. This type of plot twist screams hate and retaliation.
It’s extremely unsettling to see this unprecedented and most iconic Black superhero couple be forced apart due to circumstances beyond their control is a story we know like a broken record. How is it that even our heroes, in a fantasy universe, are forced to succumb to the weight of white supremacy? The storyline, after being snatched from Black writer, was taken and stripped apart. It’s as if T’Challa was put into his place after riding such a high wave. Imagine had their marriage continued, King T’Challa and Queen Ororo Iquadi T’Challa could have taken over the world effortlessly. While many may think that the comic series is just a bunch of meaningless stories, we must remember that there are many Black kids who have no example of what a happy marriage looks like. As a child I couldn’t name more than two or three Black people that were married in my own family. Being able to read a story that tells the tale is powerful, especially one between superheroes in a universe where the possibilities are endless, the message is empowering. Sadly, that’s not the type of power that Marvel Comics wanted to instill in our children. Fortunately, now that we have ownership over our own, the story isn’t over.
