Making a Splash: Black Panther in Jungle Action, Part One

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! One of Ol' Groove's all-time favorite series is Black Panther from Jungle Action. I dug T'Challa in FF and the Avengers, but man, under the authorship of Don McGregor and artists Rich Buckler and Billy Graham, the King of the Wakanda became one of the most unique, thought-provoking comics in, like, ever, man! While McGregor took the Panther (and comics) in directions we'd rarely, if ever, seen before, the art, baby, kept us salivating for more. Buckler inked by a young Klaus Janson was a-freakin'-mazing! That dyn-o-mite duo supplied the art for Jungle Action issues 6-8 (June-October 1973), the Janson got to ink Gil Kane in ish #9 (February 1974). Buckler came back to help Billy Graham out of a deadline crunch (but didn't do the splash) for JA #22 (April 1976), then laid out the majority of JA #24 (the final ish, August 1976) for another astounding newcomer, Keith Pollard. Seems like Buckler did a lot more than those issues, but I s'pose that's because he made such a huge artistic impact on the series by setting the feel and tone. And of course, knocking each page waaay outta the park!

Next Friday: Billy Graham's JA/Black Panther!