Black Panther: Killmonger - By Any Means

Killmonger #1-5

by Bryan Edward Hill, Juan Ferreyra (Artist)

The brutal tale of a man who will stop at nothing...for freedom! One day, years from now, Erik Killmonger will rise up and attempt to steal the throne of Wakanda - the throne he believes he is owed. But long before he became "Killmonger," he was a boy known as N'Jadaka. A boy who was stolen from his home and taught only the world's cruelties. A boy who knew the Black Panther only as a fairy tale, a whisper from strangers. This is the story of a young man driven by revenge. This is where the legend of Killmonger begins! Plus, relive Killmonger's classic first appearance - and a brutal battle against the Black Panther!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Crime

120 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2019

About the author

Bryan Hill is a screenwriter, photographer, tv writer, and director. He is known for his work on the DC show TITANS and for his work in comics, most notably his outings on DETECTIVE COMICS, POSTAL, AMERICAN CARNAGE, KILLMONGER and ANGEL.
His writing is infused with esoteric principles, which can also be found in his photography and music.
He lives and works in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

He mongs kills like a fishmonger mongs fish – it’s the vastly more interesting character than the title character from the Black Panther movie, Killmonger! Bryan Hill and Juan Ferreyra’s origin story shows how Erik Killmonger came to hate Black Panther, Wakanda, etc. and generally turn into a bad egg. And it’s a pretty decent read which shocked me as I’ve come to expect anything Black Panther-related to be near-unreadable!

We see Killmonger’s early life, kidnapped from Wakanda and forced to grow up quickly at the hands of Klaw, a thug who leaves young Erik with nothing but hate and revenge in his heart. His early life working with hitmen Misty Knight, King and Rook to get information on Klaw was interesting – the action is nicely spread out so it’s never overwhelming or becomes mundane. Erik certainly lives up to his surname! And the scene with Bullseye was really fun – he’s such a great villain.

There’s some good Misty Knight stuff here if you’re a fan of hers. Predictably, she and Erik hook up but seeing her early life when she was still a crook and then beginning her path to redemption was entertaining.

Ferreyra’s art is dependably superb. Whether he’s drawing the Dark Horse series Colder, DC’s Green Arrow or his latest work for Marvel, the visuals are always stunning to look at. His experience on Colder especially informs the more fantastical elements of the story like the visions of K’Liluna and Bast.

I don’t think Bryan Hill’s origin is convincing in why Killmonger became the hatemonger he did. His motivations are about vengeance against Klaw, which are flimsy at best as little time is spent on the horrors Erik endured, so his hatred towards Wakanda and Black Panther is just plain baffling. Something about feeling abandoned and/or left out? It’s tenuous stuff. And the obvious parallels between Bast (Black Panther) and K’Liluna (Killmonger) are very forced.

Still, it’s not a bad comic By Any Means (see what I did there?). The story is compelling in parts, if unmemorable and unimpressive overall, with fantastic art throughout. I think Bryan Hill needs to be writing Black Panther instead of the godawful Ta-Nehisi Coates!

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting this to be this good, an action-packed criminal thriller starring Killmonger, a blast to read, packed full of cool characters and moments, with beautifully illustrated panels, totally recommended.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know, the reason why Killmonger didn't win in the Black Panther movie is because his plan for world domination didn't give one iota of a fuck about women, especially Black women. He kills his girlfriend without batting an eye in the movie and throughout shows no regard for women.

It's one thing for a character to espouse that viewpoint. It's entirely another for the comic book writing to kind of, well, back him up on it.

The only female characters we get serve two purposes: One is a white woman Killmonger sleeps with in the beginning (despite her being his college guidance counselor), one is a Black woman on Killmonger's team... whom he eventually sleeps with and wants to make a Queen, and one is a side-character who is married to another team member.

Two of these women are killed to drive Killmonger and another male character's story with revenge. Killmonger even kills a third girl off-screen in the story, just in case you have any illusions about how the comic feels about women.

So, fuck toys and fridge stuffers. Got it.

Again, there's a line between a character feeling a certain way about women, and the story backing up that viewpoint by not really bothering to do anything with them past the aforementioned storylines.

I'm also not entirely comfortable with a white man being the one to finally give Killmonger "permission" to go on his quest of revenge. I dunno, it just left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand that Killmonger is a villain, but readers need at least one character to care about in a story. Killmonger is not that character and none of the supporting characters fit that bill either.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I read this collection because I had the trade on my shelf and I've been trying to read more of my backlog comic collection. Killmonger doesn't necessarily add anything new to the Black Panther universe. We get a brief look into what made Killmonger the character people know from the movie franchise. He's a complex character that doesn't necessarily garner a lot of sympathy. I wouldn't go into this expecting a tale of redemption or a story where Killmonger finds balance. He's a character driven by anger, hatred, and pain; therefore, you find a lot of those same emotions woven throughout the entirety of the story. This ends on a hell of a cliffhanger, but I think that Hill gets his intentions across the each panel.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

FYI - as of this writing, the issues that make up this collected edition are free on Comixology and Amazon. It is well worth checking out.

Part of what makes Black Panther the best MCU movie is because the plot actually makes sense and you have women of color, and you have women who actually speak to each other for more than one line. It's awesome. This isn't to say that the movie is perfect, no movie is, and several people have pointed out Killmonger's causal violence to the woman he was in a "romantic" relationship with. The backstory here deals with that issues. Needless to say this isn't a series about a hero, but about what two societies have done to a human.

What I didn't like was the whole excuse of a "woman he loved done him wrong" and that's way he can kill women he's been linked with. I understand fully that Hill tried to negate this with Killmonger's first sexual encounter in the series as well as the fact that King does not blame Knight for most of her actions until the end. In particular, the concluding part reveal is done, when feels, only to show how much a villain Killmonger has become.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was half super fun and exciting and half...boring.

Killmonger isn't the best character to focus on since he's just a revenge driven dude. But this works for a lot of characters. Killmonger just kind of comes one note, just pure hate and revenge, and acts smarter than he is. That's my biggest thing, him acting smart. Which I guess is on purpose so he can grow but it happens so sudden, and too mystical, it doesn't feel earned.

Slipping into the good though, the art is amazing. Some fight scenes are pure badass, and the scale of them, going through multiple rooms and buildings all looks great. I even liked some of the side characters a lot, hell more than Killmonger.

But the book is uneven. It has moments of awesomeness, even bullseye makes a sweet guest appearance. But then it goes into dull territory with the queen and her meaning to Erik. So try it out, worth reading, but can't highly recommend. A 3 out of 5.

[Billy Jepma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exceptional.

Bryan Hill’s writing was exceptional. It dripped with rage, emotion, and power. Every word was like a perfectly used hammer. Even an inevitably sudden ending couldn’t dull the impact of the story Hill penned here.

Juan Ferreyra’s artwork is exceptional. His work on Green Arrow was masterful, and seeing him choreograph some genuinely twisted and gruesome violence is stunning. His layouts are dynamic and crackling with energy; his colors jaw-dropping; the emotion he packs into every strained expression, every act of bloodshed, is nothing short of iconic.

This is an exceptional comic.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read these as single issues. Really liked Hill's storytelling and "take" on Erik Killmonger's life before he came to Wakanda. This was a rich 5-issue run, recommended for anyone who likes the Black Panther universe. Beautiful art by Juan Ferreyra.

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably one of the best books written and illustrated. The art is so good and like each page is so worth it and the action scenes even better, its like watching a movie in a way its that good. The story is Killmonger year one in a way, he is fresh out of college, people wanna hire him but he wants to destroy Klaw but who is saved by Fisk, and then he is recruited by King, Knight and Rook and has to work with that team. Through the series we have them vs lawyers, Bullseye and even Black Widow has a pivotal role but then betrayals play in and its him vs Knight but he is guided by a new goddess, K'Liluna and through circumstances we have the rise of Killmonger and at the end he returns to Wakanda. Its one of the best origins ever.

[Mike Priestland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very early contender for my graphic novel of the year. Art is amazing and the panel layout choices are visual storytelling at its finest. Story rattles along at pace demonstrating a rather unlikable underdog story that leaves you as conflicted as the man himself

[Damian Galek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has seen or is familiar with the movie Black Panther and the villain of the story, Killmonger. However, what we don't know, is how Erik ( J'Nadaka ), became the assassin that he is. Bryan Hill does a great job making Erik seem real, modern, and understandable to the causes he is after. Bryan shows the reader how Erik went from a young scared boy to a "bloodthirsty revolutionary ".

The pencil by Juan Ferreyra is deep, dark, and does a great job drawing the line between flashbacks and recent events. The details on each panel are enjoyable and easy to read when jumping from panel to panel.

Overall, this is a great pick up for Black Panther fans or to anyone who enjoys good writing and art.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absorbing. I'm not very familiar with the comic book version of the character, but this version pretty clearly takes a lot from the movie version so I don't know that it matters. The focus is very much on Killmonger's earliest adventures, so you can see his rage and drive before he had any experience or tactics to back them up. Sure, the ending is abrupt, but before those last few pages it's both a snapshot of a compelling character early in his career and a series of really cool action scenes.

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. I'm a little lost on where the comic diverges from the film so I'm not sure what I am and am not supposed to be familiar with, but overall interesting.

[Daniel X · Rating 4 out of 5]

He was a small boy taught to kill at a young age and has done many bad things and this is how he became killmonger he clashes with strong foes like black widow, did criminal business with kingpin and barley knowing about the black panther. But as he gets to know more he thinks that the throne is his birthright even if the world and even his God bast is against him.

[Soumya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating- 2.75.

[Aarthika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Idk why I waited so long to read this. It was amazinggggg

[XMCU · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't think of a real reason to give this 4 stars. I really like some parts of this story and I like that it ties into Rise Of The Black Panther book.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Killmonger is not exactly a great addition to a Black Panther universe that's already teeming with spin-off comics. The volume outlines Erik Killmonger's life between his father's death and his eventual arrival in Wakanda in Rise of the Black Panther. Does he do anything interesting? Not really. He teams up with some mercenaries to tackle odd jobs for Wilson Fisk, gets betrayed, acts rashly and angrily. There's very little of the nuance that the Black Panther film added to the character. Killmonger is also oddly bloody, with multiple scenes of decapitations and dismemberment. Recommended only for Black Panther completionists.

[Monique's booklist · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars. I love this comic book. I enjoyed learning how Killmonger can be so hateful and vengeful.

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bryan Hill and Juan Ferreyra are conscripted by the Marvel film juggernaut to put the movie Erik Killmonger into comic continuity with this miniseries. The plot flashes back to the days that young N’Jadaka lost his family to a violent attack. Taken in by Ulysses Klaue, he was trained to be a thief and killer. Upon graduation from MIT, the renamed Killmonger finds himself with a shot at his former abductor, only to be thwarted by a trio of killers. Conscripted by the man called King, Erik joins Rook and Knight in their missions for Wilson Fisk. An encounter with Bullseye leaves the entire squad burned, with Erik being played by Knight and ultimately betrayed once again. Finally free to enact his revenge, the Wakandan exile eliminates his former lover and makes his way back to the homeland he wishes to rule. Hill is given an editorial mandate to connect the Black Panther villain to the comic book world, and does so by ignoring most of the character’s previous history. Instead of a slighted warrior who seeks to restore his lost birthright, this Erik Killmonger is a violent racist who is driven by anger and manipulated by others for their own personal gain. No mention is made of his body mods, his firearms expertise, nor his driving code of revenge. Instead, readers are treated to a whiny man-child who goes bad when things do not go his way. Ferreyra does his best to illustrate the convoluted mess, but his talent can only do so much for this volume. Killmonger: By Any Means was by no means made as anything short of a cash grab.

[Alex Sarll]

It surprised me how many people went past sympathising with Killmonger's plight in the Black Panther film to supporting his plan. Leave aside that simply inverting an unjust system, no matter how tempting it might be, is never the answer - the burning of the herb garden made clear that he didn't really care about his own people either, only himself and his rage. This miniseries may be set in the 616 rather than the MCU, but it still does its best to dovetail with the film version of the character, not least in giving him a definite resemblance to Michael B Jordan, and showing how the pain of abandonment and betrayal corrupted him, how he kept rejecting ways out because he was too determined on vengeance - which perhaps takes things too far the other way, because isn't a shortage of options for him outside Wakanda a key part of his tragedy? Still, it's definitely the best thing I've seen from Hill, a taut crime/espionage thriller where nobody gets away clean. Ferreyra's art is an interesting complement, being neither as house style as that cover nor as noir as the story might suggest. Instead it has an almost pastel feel, muted beauty rising to occasional visionary intensity. Although the less said about the panel where Battersea Power Station looks to be about a mile outside town, the better.

[Lateef Amodu · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book covers Erik Killmonger's life before returning to Wakanda. It doesn't go into great detail on his life as child/teen (e.g. being raised by Ulysses Klaue after killing his father). It gives just a short prelude on his childhood in the first couple of chapters. It mostly covers his early adult life, in a mercenary group with (first appearance) characters King, Knight and Rook; all working for Kingpin. This series also has appearances from Black Widow and Bullseye. The story mainly about Killmonger working for Kingpin, via King, in order to get to Klaue and avenge his father.

I thought it was okay. A lot of action and violence in this. Nothing that blew me away. Not a must read, but may be interesting for someone curious about what Killmonger might have been up to before entering Wakanda. I haven't read any of the post 2016 Black Panther comics (i.e. A Nation Under Our Feet), but I believe he makes appearances in those comics. If I'm correct, then this serves as a prequel to his arc in the comics.

Also, the artwork is really good. The standout thing about this comic. Excellent detail with characters' facial expression and overall illustrations.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The killmonger in the movies is not the same man featured in the comic. The comic has vague references to the events that take place in the movie but its clearly not the same story. Eric goes on a different path that butts heads with a few classic marvel villains and even shield before eventually making it to wakanda. I'm thankful that this author focused on telling killmongers story rather than relying too heavily on the marvel canon like some black panther comics. This Killmonger is just as spirituality aware as Tchalla, maybe even more so, which makes for an even more perfect rivalry between the two. Unfortunatly we dont get to see that. I almost wish they had used this back story for Killmonger in the movie, if only to show the diversity of wakandan spirtuality.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erik Killmonger takes centre stage for this flashback tale that straddles the line between the Marvel Universe and the Cinematic Universe.

Hill's story is fairly solid, though it feels a little predictable. There's plenty of double-crosses and betrayals, but it all feels kind of wrote. The delves into the mystical side of Wakanda are more compelling - and the artwork's definitely a huge draw, because Juan Ferreyra's always superb. There's a fight scene in issue 4 where the space between the panels become more and more integral to the proceedings as it goes on which was very neat.

Hardly reinventing the wheel, but decent enough.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid story based on the Killmonger character from the Black Panther movie. For a book spinoff book from a movie, I was impressed. Action-packed. This takes place prior to what happens in the movie. Erik joins a gang that works for Wilson Fisk, only to have the crew disbanded when Fisk is done with them. I had read the first issue a while ago; I'm glad I got the chance to finish it. I haven't read any other books about this character, so I can't say how it compares. The artwork was good and the layouts were interesting.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Killmonger's time away from Wakanda before he returned is very interesting. This however just didn't have enough Killmonger. It wasn't bad but there were some strange logic steps. Why did Erik have to wait to get his degree before attempting to get his revenge on Klaw? Why did his feelings for Knight fluctuate so easily? Same for her actions? Some odd choices. I liked the group he became apart of but it didn't matter. The art was very good especially the fight scenes. Overall, a story of what could have been. It needed more Killmonger, plain and simple.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting attempt to harmonize the movie Killmonger with the comicbook Killmonger.

The "young hustler on the rise"/betrayal/etc. arc could have been its own movie. But it feels like it runs on a separate track from the Killmonger/Klaw/Black Panther track, which has a weird spiritual/hallucination dimension that Killmonger never seems to have. Comics Killmonger has no religion but personal dominance as far I know.

[Freddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthy beginning, presenting an engaging origin story with some stirring art, especially in its cinematic embrace of graceful action sequences and high angles. The Kingpin, moreover, is presented in all his chilling glory. The plot concerns all-consuming revenge, and Hill’s dialogue is worthy of the task. Even the supporting cast is presented with psychological depth.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Killmonger stays villainous which I appreciate in this HOW'D HE GET THAT WAY tale. Modern convenience with wealth and power doesn't lift everyone as we are learning in Wakanda. So why wouldn't some people just be full of anger? A good companion to the film. I like that Erik isn't wrong, he just thinks how Wakanda advances should be different...