Friday Night Fights: Always Bet on Black

I've missed out on dog-piling on with the mighty Bahlactus's weekly Friday Night Fights over the past month, so hope he doesn't mind a little stuffed bull tentatively climbing over the ropes into the ring, falling flat on his stuffed bottom and overtipping the spit pail...because it's smackdown time, baby!

Now, I do know you're asked to change the balloons on the panels you post to get in some trash-talkin', but I stared and stared and stared at this splash panel until my little button eyes were dazzled by every detail and still I could not think of a better word balloon than a defiant boast cut off in mid-gasconade: "I'm not through yet—ugh!" Haw! Take that Boasty! 'Coz nobody kicks more ass than the Black Panther, and the Black Panther never kicks ass harder than when he's written and drawn by Jack Kirby!:

All panels in this post are from Black Panther #8 (March 1978),
written and drawn by Jack Kirby

You think that's action? You think that's fighting? You think that's high comic art? You think that's a kick to the teeth? Well, think again, big man, because turn the page and Kirby socks you between the eyes with a double-page spread that'll have your teeth flying and those little birds 'n' stars flyin' around your head!:

Click this panel to King-size!

That's amazing, huh? That's pure visceral action that you can't stare at for too long or your eyes start to swell up, huh? Well, that isn't even the most awesome part of it. Y'see...that ain't T'Challa in that Black Panther costume! That's his guardian and regent, and that's T'Challa in the homemade Rorshach mask in the lower right hand corner. And as soon as he's done mopping the floor with his predecessor, how can you do anything but stand up and chant the name of the new King of Wakanda along with his royal subjects?:


Shout it along with me: "T'Challa! T'Challa! T'CHALLA!"

The moral of the story? Always bet on black. An' even more important: always bet on the King.