Rise of the Black Panther #5

The fifth chapter of Rise of the Black Panther carries a striking cover by Brian Stelfreeze that layers the Black Panther — mask removed, eyes gleaming with intensity — against the massive, sun-wreathed visage of a long-haired adversary looming overhead, her expression cold and imperious. Below them, a gathered assembly of Wakandan warriors and figures from across the nation's history stand bathed in an otherworldly green light, spears and shields at the ready, suggesting the weight of an entire people behind every decision made in this story titled "Power Show." With Coates and Narcisse co-writing and Paitreau's vivid color work inside, this 2018 issue feels like a chapter where the stakes for Wakanda's throne are anything but abstract.