Shuri #1

Got this one at Double Midnight Comics in Manchester NH USA during our Christmas visit to the US.

Title: Shuri
Issue: 1
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Date: March  2018
Writer: Nnedi Okorafor
Artist: Leonardo Romero
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: VC's Joe Sabino
Editor: Wil Moss
Cover: Sam Spratt

I only knew the character of Shuri from the Black Panther film, and the introductory page of this book did a nice job of bringing me up to speed on the character's place in current Marvel comics continuity. Apparently, she had a stint as the Black Panther, and spent some time Dead-In-The-Marvel-Universe (which as we all know, has very little in common with being actually dead).

Now her brother has gone missing on a space mission, and Shuri is trying to figure out where her priorities need to be. Meanwhile Queen Ramonda has convened the Elephant's Trunk, a secret council of women who meet when trouble threatens Wakanda.

The depiction of Shuri here is good. Her energy and positive outlook shine through even as she worries what has happened to her brother, and whether she could be responsible. The visuals of Wakanda, and of Shuri flying with nanotech wings are excellent, and the Elephant's Trunk is an intriguing group of characters.

My one disappointment was that the final outcome of the issue put the story into what felt like the most obvious and least interesting direction that it could have gone it. Hopefully the plot will get some more unexpected turns as the series progresses.

Rating: 6.5/10