Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book 1

I am not the person who knows the ins and outs of comic books. I've read various ones over my life, but I am in it for the pretty pictures and the stories and don't really care too much about it as an art form. I just want you to know this out the gate so you can understand that I don't have much to say that's constructive (or possibly even helpful?).
I read this in about 30 minutes. I wasn't bored and the art IS beautiful! But something about this just didn't quit click for me. I'm going to read the second one to see if it all comes together, but I am cautiously optimistic.

I'm not a long-time Black Panther fan, so I feel like I'm missing a lot of con- and subtext in this series. Even without understanding all of the nuances, this book presents an interesting exploration of political power and responsibility, considering questions of responsibilities of the governed and governing. I am interested to see where the series will go with Coates as the writer.

Who knew comics could be this sophisticated? It's not often that I pick up a graphic novel, by the way, and I am in awe of this collaboration between stunning artwork and intriguing plot. Well done!

This trade is so short that it really feels like set up for the actual story. Yeah, it's fun to have all those variant covers collected in the back, but another issue or two of the actual comic would have been great.

As it is now, this is firmly in the land of "promising, but not great yet".

If you're new to the character due to CA: Civil War, I'd suggest reading some of David Walker's run first. Those are perhaps a better introduction to the character.

I've read a good five to ten graphic novels in the last couple of years, but I think superheroes aren't my thing. I'd very much like to read more of Wakanda - don't know how much of that environment is the creation of Coates - but I didn't connect with the characters or the action.