X-Men/Black Panther: Wild Kingdom (Comics) | Review

Crossover events promise fireworks. Franchises colliding, characters interacting, stakes elevated beyond storytelling boundaries. Reality rarely matches expectations, especially when coordination between teams becomes more important than narrative coherence.

Wild Kingdom arrived during a transitional period for both franchises. Peter Milligan (Sub-Mariner: The Depths, X-Men: Blood of Apocalypse) was building his X-Men run, Reginald Hudlin (Boomerang, Serving Sara) was establishing his blockbuster take on Black Panther and Marvel editorial saw an opportunity to capitalize on both.

The execution reveals every seam. Alternating between X-Men and Black Panther issues means alternating between writers, artists and tonal approaches. What should feel cohesive instead reads like two separate teams working from the same outline without talking to each other.

Cerebra detects a mutation spike in Niganda, a fictional African nation neighboring Wakanda. The X-Men squad consisting of Storm, Wolverine, Gambit, Iceman, Rogue, Polaris and Havok investigates reports of mutated wildlife attacking civilians across the region.

Storm leads the team but seems distracted and emotionally conflicted throughout the entire mission. Her complicated romantic history with T'Challa surfaces immediately, creating tension that overshadows the actual investigation. She admits avoiding the entire African continent for years just to dodge encountering the Wakandan king.

The mutated animals turn out to be genetically enhanced bio-organisms, products of sinister experimentation. Giant alligators, enhanced predators and creatures terrorize Niganda's population. Source traces to Dr. Paine, a scientist with Genoshan connections and ambitions.

Black Panther appears investigating the same disturbances. His protective interest in neighboring Niganda puts him directly in the X-Men's path. Initial cooperation quickly deteriorates into conflict when T'Challa refuses to let the team access his computers.

This leads to the most memorable sequence in the entire arc. T'Challa systematically dismantles several X-Men team members, demonstrating that Wakandan technology and combat training outmatch mutant powers when properly deployed. The fight establishes respect through force.

Dr. Paine's plan involves using stolen Genoshan technology to create super-powered animals as weapons. His ultimate goal remains predictably megalomaniacal: control through biological superiority and dominance. The Genoshan connection adds weight given that nation's history with mutant exploitation and brutal enslavement.

Red Ghost and his Super Apes join as Paine's muscle. Dragon Man appears as additional firepower. The villain roster feels assembled from available pieces rather than organic story needs. They serve functional purposes without memorable characterization.

Storm's romantic history with T'Challa dominates character moments throughout the entire arc. Flashbacks reveal their complicated past relationship and unresolved feelings. Her admission that he broke her heart creates emotional stakes separate from the crisis. Their chemistry remains strong despite mutual pride.

The X-Men come across surprisingly incompetent throughout. Polaris gets captured despite her formidable powers. Gambit and Iceman deploy their abilities poorly, causing more problems than solutions. Havok constantly seeks validation for his leadership authority.

T'Challa treats the team like undisciplined children in several tense exchanges throughout the story. His tactical superiority and advanced technological advantages allow him to easily control situations the X-Men stumble through clumsily. The dynamic reverses typical team-up formulas where heroes meet as equals and mutual respect.

The climax involves stopping Paine's biological army before it spreads beyond Niganda. Storm and Black Panther must reconcile personal differences to coordinate effectively. Their working relationship gradually shifts from antagonistic to cooperative as stakes escalate.

Salvador Larroca (Invincible Iron Man: Stark Disassembled, Spider-Man: House of M) handles X-Men issues with his signature blocky style. His action sequences carry kinetic energy, though character expressions sometimes feel stiff. Panel layouts emphasize movement over emotion, which suits Milligan's focus on spectacle and banter.

David Yardin illustrates Black Panther issues with smoother, more detailed linework. His character work shows greater emotional range. T'Challa moves with regal authority while Storm's conflicted feelings register clearly. The stylistic shift between issues becomes jarring.

Milligan's scripting prioritizes witty exchanges and relationship dynamics over action and spectacle. His X-Men feel younger and more dysfunctional than other contemporary portrayals in comic-books. Dialogue sometimes lands awkwardly, with forced quips that don't match established character voices or situational gravity.

Hudlin's Black Panther chapters carry more weight and political subtext throughout. His T'Challa commands respect through intelligence, capability and strategic thinking. The tonal shift from Milligan's lighter approach creates inconsistency that undermines overall narrative flow.

Wild Kingdom accomplishes its primary objective: reuniting Storm and Black Panther while setting up their eventual marriage arc in future storylines. The romantic tension between them generates genuine heat and undeniable chemistry, culminating in a final passionate kiss that promises future developments and complications.

Everything else feels perfunctory. The villain plot lacks imagination. The mutated animal threat never generates real danger. Dr. Paine embodies mad scientist clichés without depth. The X-Men appear unusually incompetent to elevate Black Panther's capabilities.

Coordination between creative teams remains the biggest weakness throughout this entire crossover. Alternating writers and artists creates severe tonal whiplash. Character portrayals shift dramatically between issues. The story never achieves cohesive momentum or sustained pacing despite individual moments working well.

Worth reading primarily for Storm and T'Challa completists tracking their relationship evolution closely. Casual readers can skip this without missing essential developments. The crossover exists mainly as connective tissue between more significant and important storylines.

X-Men/Black Panther: Wild Kingdom is available in print through major retailers, along with the original single issues if you prefer hunting them down. The full storyline is also easy to grab digitally on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology, Marvel Unlimited and other e-Book platforms.