Ta-Nehisi Coates always has something of substance to say, especially within superhero books. Black Panther and The Crew revolves around the mystery of who killed a prominent Harlem activist. The Crew consists of Storm, Luke Cage, Misty Knight, and Manifold. Modern tensions that exist in the real world ( race, justice, injustice, and policing ) are highlighted. This gives some exposure to issues plaguing us today, and in the past, as the heroes in the book discover. The trade is worth reading, especially for anyone who prefers grittier comics that aren’t so fantastical ( which seems a bit surprising to say, given the full team assembled to solve the case in this book ).

Real world injustices are not often allowed to stand on their own. In the realm of superhero comics, a placeholder is generally used. Thusly, within this context, we have Hydra involved in a manner that works in a surprising way. That said, I wish that none of the usual suspects were involved in a “bad guy / bad group,” to let what is in the book simply be what it is, to be more real, to confront the reader in a tougher manner. The subject matter presented would be better served this way, and allow the reader to have it plainly in their face. Coates is the caliber of writer that I think could deftly craft this tale without using that placeholder.

The art team delivers what you’d expect for this kind of book. Whenever I read a title that is supposed to be more grounded, or exists in the grittier corners of the Marvel Universe [ ala Daredevil, Luke Cage, really anything in that old Marvel Knights neighborhood ], the art style always feels a bit more real, a bit more rough, and bit more raw. This trade had a lot of people handling various art duties, and they were all able to deliver that look and feel. Kudos to everyone on the art team for remaining consistent, as more often than not, having a variety of artists on a book will lead to too much variation in styles. If you are interested in a book that is a bit more substantial and does not require more of a commitment to a continuing series, this trade would scratch that itch.

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