Warning! Spoilers for Black Panther #3 ahead!
The most recent issue of Black Panther by John Ridley and Juann Cabal, is a giant-sized comic celebrating the Wakandan hero’s 200th issue! This comic kicks off with tension as T’challa still does not know who is targeting his sleeper agents, and his search for clues continues. Aside from continuing the story of Ridley’s run, the issue also contains a side story by Ridley and artist Germán Peralta introducing Wakanda’s own version of the Flash.
Tosin Oduye is a young Wakandan from a village that rejects Wakanda’s use of vibranium and its technological advancement. However, this does not mean that they don’t use vibranium; they use it in a way that has never been seen before. A flashback scene shows an old village elder tattooing a young villager with vibranium-infused ink. Describing it as flowing with vibranium rather than straight up manipulating it, Tosin explains that this method allows his people to defend Wakanda when the time comes.
That time has finally come in Black Panther #3 as a member of the country’s new Parliament defends the Wakandan prime minister from insurgents near the end of Tosin’s introductory story. The insurgents, who appear to be Wakandans themselves, surround the pair and nearly open fire, but not before Tosin rushes in in a burst of blinding purple light, disarming and knocking down several of the insurgents in the blink of an eye. The final panel does a great job portraying Tosin as a young but stoic defender of Wakanda, with his intricate vibranium tattoos glowing with power.
Tosin’s debut was only 10 pages long, but that was enough to show off his cool ability. When considering other heroes with super speed, DC’s Flash is likely the first hero that rushes into the minds of fans. With the help of the Speed Force, the Flash has used super speed to stop numerous foes and travel through time. Marvel has fewer characters well known for their speed than DC does, so Tosin Oduye is a chance for the publisher to grow in that area. If he proves to be popular enough with readers, the maybe someday fans will get to see him race off with the Flash in a crossover event.
Going forward, Ridley promises that Tosin will have a critical role to play in the story. As of right now, it is not clear what other powers his vibranium tattoos give him, if any, or how he will meet up with Black Panther following the attack on the government. From what has been seen of Wakanda’s new hero so far though, he has definitely earned his current title as Wakanda‘s version of the Flash.
