Ka-Zar #17
Ka-Zar Vol. 3 #17 marks the debut of Everett K. Ross, the fast-talking U.S. State Department liaison who would become one of the most distinctive supporting players in late-1990s Marvel — and, decades later, a major presence in the Black Panther MCU films as portrayed by Martin Freeman. Writer Christopher Priest used this issue as what he himself called 'a warm-up of sorts' before launching his critically acclaimed Black Panther Vol. 3 series the same month, effectively road-testing the character who would serve as that run's sardonic narrator and audience surrogate. By seeding Ross in a Ka-Zar story set in New York City — where he is assigned to manage the visit of the Plunder family alongside Black Panther — Priest quietly set the architectural foundation for one of the most praised superhero comics of the decade. The issue's seemingly modest role in comic history was radically reappraised after the 2018 Black Panther film brought global attention to Ross's origins.
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Ka-Zar Vol. 3 launched in May 1997 under writer Mark Waid and penciler Andy Kubert; with issue 14, the creative reins passed to Christopher Priest, who brought in penciler Kenny Martinez for the series' final stretch. Issue #17, cover-dated September 1998, was scripted by Priest with art by Martinez, inks by Anibal Rodriguez, lettering by Dave Sharpe, and editing by Matt Idelson under editor-in-chief Bob Harras. Priest conceived Everett Ross as a self-deprecating, bureaucratically overwhelmed everyman modeled on sitcom archetypes — a deliberate narrative device designed to give skeptical readers a relatable window into the world of T'Challa before Black Panther Vol. 3 #1 hit stands that same month.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Everett K. Ross (Earth-616), created by writer Christopher Priest and artist Kenny Martinez.
- Ross is introduced as a U.S. State Department attaché assigned to escort foreign dignitaries — his debut line to Black Panther is 'I'm Everett Ross with the State Department, Highness. The President has asked me to serve as your liaison during your visit here.'
- Written by Christopher Priest (who had taken over the series from Mark Waid beginning with issue #14), with pencils by Kenny Martinez and inks by Anibal Rodriguez.
- Cover-dated September 1998; edited by Matt Idelson under editor-in-chief Bob Harras.
- Black Panther (T'Challa) appears as a supporting character alongside Ka-Zar, Shanna the She-Devil, and Zabu; Foggy Nelson and Matthew Plunder appear as secondary characters.
- Priest described this issue as 'a warm-up of sorts' for his immediately subsequent Black Panther Vol. 3 series, in which Ross became the primary narrator across dozens of issues.
- Martin Freeman's portrayal of Everett Ross in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and the Disney+ series Secret Invasion (2023) traces directly back to this issue's debut.
- The series Ka-Zar Vol. 3 ran 20 issues from May 1997 to December 1998; its first 13 issues were written by Mark Waid with pencils by Andy Kubert before Priest and Martinez took over.
Cast · 10 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Ka-Zar, cleared of the charges against him, seeks help from the Black Panther to return to the Savage Land.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).