Iron Man and the Black Panther

VaultMan · 12-02-2006, 08:17 PM

After reading the latest issue of Black Panther (this title is back on my pullist, by the way. What a compelling read this month

), a question came to mind...

Why does Tony Stark have such a problem with the Black Panther?

This issue notwithstanding (it is Civil War, I get it) but all through the years we have evidence of the disrespect of the Panther by Tony Stark.

I remember as a kid reading the last issue of the Bride of Ultron when Tony pretty much told the Panther to shut up (Issue #161, or 162? I dont know why T'Challa went for that but oh well). That always burned me up...fast forward to Avengers Red Zone and that little exchange bwteen the two over the antidote for the "redmist" (that was classic Panther, and one of Geoff Johns finer moments).

Could it be that he's jealous of the King thing? Or the worldwide respect he gets? Could it be that Wakanda sits on all that Vibranium and the Panther refuses to use it for military purposes? What?

I know this forum will have some great thinking on this topic. Thanks guys!

-VM

Tet, a NO-PRIZE to you my friend if you can post all the comic moments I just talked about!

lord odin · 12-02-2006, 08:52 PM

Tony can`t buy or bully T`challa he never could.
Also T`challa joined the avengers to keep an eye on them and Wakanda is neutral.

Tetragrammaton · 12-03-2006, 01:06 AM

I would be guessing, but I think Tony is bothered by the fact that Wakanda has historically kept its technological advances for itself rather than share them with the world. As an engineer, Tony sees technology as the answer to all the worlds problems, knowing that isolationist-Wakanda could potentially be concealing these answers must trouble him.

Also, Tony tends to know more about what's going on than he lets on. I would not be surprised if he assumed or discovered T'Challa's original true intentions for joining the Avengers. This would go a long way in explaining his general distrust of the Panther.

Tetragrammaton · 12-03-2006, 10:46 AM

While I understand your point, I have not really been that aware of the disrespect from Tony towards T'Challa. As often with Cap, I think he disagrees with some of the Panther's thinking, but I don't see it to the degree of being disrespectful. Lastly, Tony's used to getting his way and being the smartest guy in the room, with T'Challa this isn't the case. Maybe, in the end, they're simply too much alike.

Tony Coca · 12-03-2006, 11:51 AM

Stark is a prick.He's like a second away of using the N word in all those situations.

Tetragrammaton · 12-03-2006, 11:56 AM

Tony is not racist. Some of his best employees are black.

bat_collector · 12-03-2006, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetragrammaton

Tony is not racist. Some of his best employees are black.

Exactly, his EMPLOYEES. Black Panther ain't his employee or dependent on him and his technologies as others are. There is an equalness, maybe even superiority, that I think Tony dislikes.

lord odin · 12-03-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tetragrammaton

Tony is not racist. Some of his best employees are black.

And metal.

moon_knight1971 · 12-03-2006, 12:11 PM

I'm not sure what their differences are but I love the tension and dynamics it creates. Maybe Hundlin will write a flashback story of an earlier untold encounter with Iron Man where BP kicks his a**, much like the Cap story earlier on in the series....

Tetragrammaton · 12-03-2006, 12:29 PM

While I do admit that Tony has a superiority complex, it is from being a CEO of several major international corporations, one of the world's foremost electrical engineers, and a super hero. I really do not see how an argument, well at least an intelligent argument, can be made to say that he's racist.

I don't think that Tony thinks he's better than the Panther (or Cap), and certainly not because of race, but I do think he sees himself as being morally right and possibly smarter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon_knight1971

I'm not sure what their differences are but I love the tension and dynamics it creates. Maybe Hundlin will write a flashback story of an earlier untold encounter with Iron Man where BP kicks his a**, much like the Cap story earlier on in the series....

The Black Panther has kicked the nuts and bolts out of Iron Man on a couple occassions during the Enemy of the State II storyline.

First, he disables Iron Man's field modulation system that provides his armor's resistance to damage allowing both him and Wolverine to rip into shellhead.

Then when Iron Man employs a specialized non-metallic stealth armor, the Black Panther again figures out how to defeat its capabilities and put Iron Man down.