Review by Frank Plowright

Other young adult graphic novels featuring Marvel characters, yet published by Scholastic’s Graphix imprint have featured teenage superheroes. Keeping to that theme, Into the Heartlands spotlights T’Challa in the days before he became the Black Panther, and his sister Shuri, already a technological genius. That, though, is her downfall when she brings a gadget to a sacred ceremony where technology is forbidden, and it’s down to her and T’Challa to rectify the damage it generates. That involves a journey to the Heartlands to retrieve a possibly life-saving substance. Older and wiser heads, though, consider it a myth.

Although it’s the Black Panther name that appears above the title, Shuri is the leading character here, generating almost all pivotal moments, with T’Challa just along for the ride. Roseanne A. Brown supplies plenty of character, both connected to a bickering relationship between brother and sister and Shuri’s ambitions, while also making good use of Wakanda’s technological background. Perhaps the idea of a techno-organic virus is a little beyond the understanding of a young audience, but the visuals convey the danger. At the other end of the scale, the small companion the siblings acquire provides both visual and verbal contrast.

Dika Araújo (sample art) draws the set-up sequence emphasising personality, while Natacha Bustos reduces the size of the eyes when illustrating what happens in the Heartlands. She also draws the cover in her lively, decorative style. Geoffo provides layouts for Claudia Aguirre’s briefer closing scenes during the clever revelation. Their style doesn’t mesh as well with the other artists, but neither is it too jarring. All artists impress.

Brown provides mystery and adventure in a learning journey also disclosing some relevant Wakandan history and taking the first steps toward putting something right.