Snakes On A Plain!

We've at last come to the penultimate issue of the "Panther's Rage" storyline in Jungle Action, the calm before the storm which finds central Wakanda's security cells practically overflowing with nearly all of Killmonger's confederates (with the prickly archer known as Salamander K'Ruel being the most recent addition). Yet if you're thinking that this means that Killmonger, the instigator of this coup d'état against the Black Panther, will be more of a presence in this issue than in his sparse appearances throughout this saga--well, that would be a normal expectation to have at this stage. Instead, writer Don McGregor chooses to revisit the first Killmonger operative we encountered, Venomm, and make him the story's focus. In other words, you won't see Killmonger at all; but you will see much more of Venomm and his snakes than you did his first time at bat. If you don't exactly feel giddy at that news, put 'er there, pal.

In a way it feels as if McGregor is trying to close a circle with Venomm that doesn't really exist; yet there is closure that can reasonably be expected from the few segments he's featured in prior installments of this arc where the Panther's communications commander, Taku, has struck up conversations with the incarcerated Venomm and acted as a sounding board for the man's anger and frustration at his circumstances. Not quite a friendship, but more than words between jailer and prisoner. Venomm, however, has warned Taku that he'll eventually break out, and that he wouldn't hesitate to deal with Taku should the man get in his way. Unless there's so much action in the upcoming Part 12 to make it impractical, McGregor could likely have waited until then to pursue (and, if necessary, condense) what he has in mind for Venomm--but by the look of this issue, it seems that he's had this resolution for Venomm cooking in his head long enough for it to merit a story of its own. And perhaps it does feel that way, in McGregor's eyes. Your mileage may vary.

That story begins almost immediately--that is, after the first five pages catch us up with this book's starring character, the Black Panther, having returned at last to Wakanda following his trials in Serpent Valley and the northern region of the white gorillas. There can be little argument that he deserves some down time, even with Killmonger's threat looming--and he and his lover, Monica Lynne, make the most of it, courtesy of resident artist Billy Graham whose full-page work continues to impress.

Suffice to say that you haven't seen down time until you've seen it in Wakanda.

As for Venomm and Taku, they continue their discourse, their conversations generally taking a familiar tack: Taku's idealistic points that seek to challenge Venomm to consider his life in ways other than black and white, and Venomm countering with the world as it is, people as they are. There's no doubt that Venomm has a measure of respect for Taku, as well as an appreciation of his lack of pretense--but after spending a year imprisoned in Wakanda's security wing, it becomes clear that he remains open to any opportunity for escape that presents itself. Should that happen, whether or not Taku becomes collateral damage remains to be seen.

You may have noticed that Taku now converses with Venomm from inside his cell, which to the objective eye makes it seem like he's only an arm's length away from a hostage situation. On reflection, it's curious that we as readers weren't privy to the moment when that step was taken to enter the cell; it's highly doubtful that T'Challa's security chief, W'Kabi, would ever permit it, and it would have been interesting to see how McGregor would handle it, perhaps because of how unlikely it would be for Venomm to not take advantage of the situation, something that McGregor has obviously delayed.

Speaking of which, that moment comes when W'Kabi arrives to question Venomm further--and as Taku briefly moves between the two, Venomm makes his vicious bid for freedom.

The final panels are a bit confusing to follow; in one, the dialog between W'Kabi and Venomm is switched so that it appears as if it's W'Kabi who's the one escaping. It's also not quite clear by following Graham's art just what W'Kabi is doing when Taku is clocked by Venomm--my guess is that Venomm's hit pushed Taku forward just enough to make W'Kabi attempt to dodge the body, giving Venomm the chance to quickly move in and take him out. Yet what seems to stand out the most in this scene is the startling lack of security for this area--no posted guards? No security cameras monitoring? Does Venomm just seriously have a clear path out of there?

As he takes off after Venomm, one thing in the Panther's favor is that Venomm has a likely destination: N'Jadaka, to rejoin his deadly reptiles which were left writhing in their snake pit. They are indeed still there, alive and hissing, even after going without food or water after N'Jadaka was deserted following the raid of Wakandan forces. We know Taku has checked on them as a favor to Venomm, but it was never implied that he actually saw to their well-being; but their inexplicable state of health certainly makes it more convenient for Venomm to pick up right where he left off, doesn't it.

On his way to the village, the Panther encounters another loose thread that McGregor has dangled from time to time--the boy, Kantu, whose father was murdered by Killmonger and who's been kept tabs on in the story due to Monica's persistent efforts to help his mother, Karota. The scene serves little purpose but to strengthen the connection between Kantu and T'Challa, if "connection" is even the right word; there are many Kantus in Wakanda who had family members slain by Killmonger, though T'Challa crosses paths with only one of them on a semi-regular basis.

What makes the scene work is T'Challa's status as Kantu's chieftain which has the sympathy he offers the boy resonating more deeply. If that helps to solidify the connection that McGregor seeks to establish between the two, so be it; but with the clock ticking on "Panther's Rage" reaching its climax, it's reasonable to wonder if Karota and Kantu are players in this story rather than merely characters with no apparent purpose.

As for Venomm, credit where credit is due: he had sense enough to know the Panther would come after him, and that T'Challa would know where to look for him. For whatever reason, McGregor has given Venomm the singular honor of being the one operative of Killmonger to have a second issue of going solo against the Panther, which Venomm's brief scenes with Taku have helped to facilitate; otherwise, if Venomm were simply "reused" here, out of the blue, it would have seemed as if this story was going aimlessly in circles. It's clear that Venomm's status as a deadly foe is still secure; after all, he could have reclaimed his snakes and left to try to rejoin Killmonger, yet chose instead to create a well-laid, fatal trap for the Panther. There's no question that he intends to kill T'Challa, an intent that he almost relishes.

Appropriately, the closure between Venomm and Taku comes at the critical moment when the weakened T'Challa is beset by more of Venomm's snakes. Despite Venomm's bluster to the contrary, Taku's presence makes him relent--which is either because of Taku's steadfast loyalty to his chieftain or because he confronts Venomm on the final page of the issue. What's interesting is that Venomm is still a strong believer in Killmonger's "revolution," unmoved by the futility that Taku seeks to associate with the concept.

It's frankly difficult to see Venomm impacted as deeply as he seems to be in the final panel, as if Taku's meandering words have finally struck home. But we'll only learn the true extent of that by seeing Venomm's display of his own loyalty towards Killmonger when he again fights at his side--if he does so at all.

NEXT:

This is it! Two years in the making--

The conclusion to "Panther's Rage"!

(But you won't have to wait nearly that long!)

Jungle Action #16 Script: Don McGregor Pencils and Inks: Billy Graham Letterer: Janice Chiang