Avengers, The #62

Issue Details

Synopsis

"The Monarch and the Man-Ape!" Picking up where last issue left off, we find the Avengers, Hawkeye, Vision, Black Panther and their associate the Black Knight stranded in the Antarctic. Black Panther summons a vessel and flies his friends with him to Wakanda. There, they are greeted by an army of Wakandan troops who attack the other Avengers with guns until Black Panther stops them. When asking them who authorized them to carry such weapons, they tell the Panther that it was his chosen stand in -- M'Baku -- who made the order.  Angered, Black Panther calls M'Baku to answer to him. Having dinner, M'Baku explains that he ordered the troops to carry weapons because he had heard reports that Klaw was back in Wakanda. During their meal, Black Panther, and his comrades are knocked out because M'Baku had drugged their meals in hopes of taking over the nation of Wakanda.  Waking up from his drugging, the Black Panther finds himself in costume, faced with M'Baku who is dressed in the garb of a white gorilla -- such an outfit being forbidden in Wakanda. Calling himself the Man-Ape, M'Baku explains that he will kill T'Challa and take over the kingdom and have everyone worship the white gorilla instead of the panther god.  A battle wages on through the village of Wakanda, taking them to the atomic fire pits that power the small nation. There the Man-Ape almost falls into the pit, but Black Panther grabs him and as he is pulling up his foe, the Man-Ape attacks and knocks him out.  Later, the Panther regains consciousness to find himself strapped to an alter beneath the statue of the Panther god. Man-Ape then attempts to knock the statue onto the Black Panther in an effort to kill him and destroy the idol. Meanwhile, the other Avengers come too and break out of their prison cell thanks to Vision's density powers enabling him to smash the walls. While outside, the Man-Ape's plan backfires, as his efforts to knock down the statue cause it to crumble and fall on top of him while the Avengers free T'Challa from his restraints.  With T'Challa free, and the Man-Ape apparently deceased, the battle is declared over.