Christopher Priest's incredible run on the 'Black Panther' comes to a gun-toting close with rogue NYPD cop Kevin 'Kasper' Cole as the new Black Panther. Kasper only borrowed the costume from lockup for three days to give him that extra, bulletproof edge, but found it more useful than he first thought.
Over the past month, Kasper has taken on the 66 Bridges Gang and found out they kidnapped the son of his crooked boss, Lt Sal Anthony, to coerce him into helping them. His actions also cost the life of his good friend, Sgt Francis Tork, who was mistakenly believed to be the new Black Panther. Kasper has decided to hang on to the Panther costume, bring down 66 Bridges and find Anthony's son...
Kasper's life is also about to intersect with James 'Rhodey' Rhodes. He used to be Tony Stark's best friend. He used to be CEO of Stark Enterprises. He was even Iron Man for more than one period of time, serving a founding member of the West Coast Avengers. And he was War Machine. Now he's flat broke, pining over his failed relationship with Marcy Pearson and pawning his old War Machine armour. When he learns his crack-addicted sister is dead, he takes the investigation into his own hands...
- Black Panther #59-62
- The Crew #1-7
Black Panther #59
The Falcon gives Kevin 'Casper' Cole a frosty reception at Sgt Francis Tork's funeral as he blames Kasper for Tork's death. Later, alongside the rest of the NYPD's Narcotics Division, Cole starts searching for Lt Sal Anthony's son and proof that the 66 Bridges Gang are behind Tork's death. Kasper visits Tork's apartment where Falcon shows up and tries convince him to stop wearing the Black Panther suit, but tags along to help Kasper search for the boy. T'Challa steers them toward the mob-connected doctor 66 Bridges have hired to look after Max Anthony. Falcon disapproves when Kasper kidnaps the doctor and threatens him at gunpoint. They soon come under fire a heavily-armed black helicopter which Kasper Cole takes down. Falcon flies to the 66 Bridges hideout and takes down the whole chapter of the gang, but there's no kid. Falcon leaves Cole to carry on his search but agrees to help him in future. Kasper tells T'Challa he wants to take the Rite of Ascension...Black Panther #60
To pass the Rite of Ascension, Kasper will have to survive a series of confrontations against some of the fiercest warriors of Wakanda. The first comes in the form of Mama - T'Challa's chief combat trainer - and takes Kasper by surprise in his own apartment before spilling out onto the streets of Harlem. Kasper barely makes it through and T'Challa tries to talk Kasper out of it, but gives him a dagger and kimoyo card to help him when he refuses. Kasper doesn't want to rule Wakanda, he just wants the true Black Panther's respect. In a hi-tech battle arena in the Wakandan Embassy, Kasper has to answer questions on Wakandan history posed by the holograms of the High Council of Wakanda while trying not to die at the hands of Ogun and Kunta while secretly getting hints via his kimoyo card. His next opponent is T'Challa's chief bodyguard, Okoye. Due to his lack of knowledge of Wakandan tradition, he kisses her during the fight, ending it by disgracing her. Back in Wakanda, Erik Killmonger - now out of his coma - was advising Kasper via the kimoyo card. Killmonger has the right to the throne of Wakanda and, as stated in Wakandan law, he has to kill Kasper Cole to get it...
Black Panther #61
The Rite continues for another week, ending with T'Challa imploring Kasper Cole to give up, explaining that the heart-shaped herb left killed Erik Killmonger comatose and will no doubt kill Kasper. Kasper follows up on clues sent to his kimoyo, coming face-to-face with Erik Killmonger who offers him a synthetic version of the heart-shaped herb and a place among his acolytes. Killmonger won't kill Cole if he accepts the herb and lets him help find Sal Anthony's kid. Unsure of his next move, Cole heads back to the Wakandan Embassy where Okoye shocks him by kissing him. Returning home, Kasper takes the synthetic heart-shaped herb, only to lose his vision...Black Panther #62
Kasper's mother and pregnant girlfriend rush him to hospital here he has another hallucinatory 'visit' from his dead friend, Sgt Tork. who convinces Kasper to find Max Anthony before Killmonger does and stay out of his debt. Kasper seeks out lawyer Everett K Ross who leads him to Monica Lynne. Monica advises Kasper to stop looking for Max and track him, instead. With help from Ross and Queen Divine Justice, Kasper Cole tracks Max Anthony down and is shocked to discover he's being held by T'Challa. Tork is revealed to be a hologram, having faked his death to go undercover, working 66 Bridges for the DEA. T'Challa rescued Max Anthony and held him only for a short time to test Kasper Cole. Now he wants his costume back! Later, Cole reunites Max with Sal Anthony and receives a gift from Okoye. Having passed the test of character and not left his pregnant girlfriend for her, he can become an acolyte of the true Black Panther as the new White Tiger...
Kasper's mother and pregnant girlfriend rush him to hospital here he has another hallucinatory 'visit' from his dead friend, Sgt Tork. who convinces Kasper to find Max Anthony before Killmonger does and stay out of his debt. Kasper seeks out lawyer Everett K Ross who leads him to Monica Lynne. Monica advises Kasper to stop looking for Max and track him, instead. With help from Ross and Queen Divine Justice, Kasper Cole tracks Max Anthony down and is shocked to discover he's being held by T'Challa. Tork is revealed to be a hologram, having faked his death to go undercover, working 66 Bridges for the DEA. T'Challa rescued Max Anthony and held him only for a short time to test Kasper Cole. Now he wants his costume back! Later, Cole reunites Max with Sal Anthony and receives a gift from Okoye. Having passed the test of character and not left his pregnant girlfriend for her, he can become an acolyte of the true Black Panther as the new White Tiger...
James 'Rhodey' Rhodes was never close to his drug-addicted sister. But now that she's dead, he feels it's his duty to avenge her. After selling his War Machine armour, Rhodey heads to Little Mogadishu - the most dangerous part of Brooklyn, filled with gangs, drug lords and prostitutes - to find out who killed Jeanette 'Star' Rhodes. His aggressive approach quickly earns him the attention of a Muslim minister called Josiah X who had previously tried to help Rhodey in his search. Plain clothes narcotics cop Kasper Cole finds the men Rhodey believes to be responsible, all beaten up and ready for their arrest. The next day, Rhodey finds out the men have all been released. He decides to stick around to find out who their bosses are. And Kasper's going to be watching him...
Kasper spends a week observing Rhodey's activities in Little Mogadishu. Later, in his White Tiger guise, he follows a lead to the derailed 'Money Train' carrying the 66 Bridges gang's payoff cash for crooked cops, judges and politicians. Still struggling to come to terms with the new abilities given to him by Erik Killmonger, he quickly finds himself in the middle of a war zone beneath the city, caught between rival gang members trying to get the money and cops trying to contain the situation. Did Rhodey cause the train crash?
The Crew #3
The Crew #3
The super-powered genius Junta (Danny Vincent) hopes to get back in with the 66 Bridges Gang to prove to the US Government that they should re-employ him as a spy. 66 Bridges leader Triage hires Junta to protect the derailed Money Train under Little Mogadishu, only for him to cross paths with the White Tiger and get taken down by Rhodey disguised in stolen SWAT armour. Rhodey ties Junta and the White Tiger together and leaves them for the army of cops descending on the crash site...
The Crew #4
The White Tiger uses his anti-metal claws to free himself and Junta. Junta to immediately abandon the White Tiger to the cops. His capture would signal the end of Kasper Cole's career, but he manages to escape. Rhodey and White Tiger track Junta to Josiah X's mission to find X has already subdued Junta. Rhodey recruits Junta and the White Tiger against 66 Bridges. Later, Josiah X returns home and removes his shirt to reveal chain mail armour that looks very much like Captain America's...The Crew #5
In the early 1950s, genetic samples were taken from Isaiah Bradley (the black Captain America) and his wife Faith Bradley and given to a surrogate who gave birth to a child. The surrogate escaped the government facility with the baby who grew up in an orphanage run by nuns, with the government unable to locate him. The child grew up, fought in Vietnam and rebelled against his racist superiors, except his arrest led to tests that revealed his nature as a 'super-soldier'. He was freed from incarceration by his surrogate mother again, joined the rebel group the Black Panthers, took the name Josiah al hajj Saddiq and eventually met his genetic parents. Unfortunately, the process that gave Isaiah Bradley his abilities had eaten away at his mind. A year ago, Faith Bradley mailed her husbands chain-mail armour to Josiah al hajj Saddiq - now Josiah X - to mark him Isiah's successor as the black Captain America. Now, James Rhodes wants to recruit Josiah X into his Crew...
Avengers #66 (2003)
James Rhodes did derail the train. His end goal was to tag the money onboard with a chemical tracer that will show who's been taking 66 Bridges payoffs. Josiah X turns out to be one of those people, accepting donations to his mosque. Rhodey tries to use this as leverage to make Josiah help the Crew, but he refuses. Later that night, Rhodey sends Junta and White Tiger across New York, outing politicians and judges connected with 66 Bridges. When they're confronted by dirty cops on the roof of a theatre, Junta and White Tiger are knocked off the building by a chopper. White Tiger lands gracefully thanks to his vibranium mesh armour, but Junta is caught by Josiah X in his Cap-style get-up...
The Crew #7
The Crew #7
Each member of the Crew is forced to make a tough choice as the face the final battle with 66 Bridges and Triage. Rhodey joins the fight directly, using a gauntlet from his War Machine armour to break Triage out of his armoured car. The helicopter Triage calls in to attack the Crew, ends up destroying a rail bridge instead. Triage stabs Rhodey and tries to make his escape. Josiah X leans into his role as Justice, rescuing civilians. White Tiger opts to save innocents over capturing Triage to earn his promotion. Junta apprehends Triage as well as the helicopter pilot to testify against him. Two days later, Junta's still wondering if he'll get his old job back. Kasper Cole is reunited with his pregnant girlfriend. Josiah X ponders what to do next. Rhodey visits his sister's grave and has started a new relationship with Officer Marcy Howard...
T'Challa is revealed to have fully resumed his role as the Black Panther and rejoined the Avengers.
Avengers #501-503 (2004)
James Rhodes stands alongside the Avengers again as War Machine (though there's a change he could be an illusion created by the Scarlet Witch) during AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED.
Young Avengers #1-6 (2005)
Josiah X's nephew Eli Bradley becomes Patriot of the Young Avengers.
Young Avengers #7-8 (2005)
Faith & Isiah Bradley return; it's mentioned that Josiah X hasn't contacted the Bradley family in over a year; Sarah Gail Bradley is revealed to have moved to Arizona; Patriot's superhuman abilities are revealed to be from Mutant Growth Hormone (MGH) during SECRET IDENTITIES.
Young Avengers #10-12 (2006)
After sustaining serious injuries, Patriot receives a blood transfusion from Isaiah Bradley, gaining 'super soldier' abilities in the process.
Sentinel Squad O*N*E #1-5 (2006)
James Rhodes is employed by the Office of National Emergency (O*N*E) as the Direct Command Officer and combat instructor of Sentinel Squad O*N*E during DECIMATION.
Daredevil #78 (2005)
A new White Tiger (Angela del Toro) emerges, though she has no connection to the Black Panther or Kasper Cole.
Black Panther #18 (2006)
Kasper Cole attends T'Challa and Storm's wedding during CIVIL WAR / WEDDING OF THE CENTURY.
Civil War: Battle Damage Report #1 (2007)
The 50-State Initiative considers Junta and the White Tiger for recruitment during CIVIL WAR.
Avengers: The Initiative #1 (2007)
James Rhodes returns to his War Machine identity with brand-new armour during THE INITIATIVE.
Black Panther #35-38 (2008)
Erik Killmonger is revealed to have become a despot in Niganda.; Killmonger captures the Black Panther's sister, Shuri; the Black Panther leads Wakandan invasion forces into Niganda; Pulsar (Monica Rambeau) kills Killmonger by flying through his chest.
Last Defenders #3-4 (2008)
Junta is briefly recruited into the Initiative's Defenders line-up.
Dark Reign Files #1 (2009)
Norman Osborn considers recruiting Triage during DARK REIGN.
Black Panther #6-8 (20162017)
The Black Panther (T'Challa) heads up a new Crew (consisting of Blue (Ororo Munroe), Luke Cage, Misty Knight and Manifold).
Black Panther: World of Wakanda #6 (2017)
It's revealed that Gwen (Kasper Cole's girlfriend) kicked him out of their apartment before their child was born, denying him access; Kasper accepts an offer from T'Challa to train in Wakanda and upgrade his costume.
Black Panther #19-20 (2020)
Killmonger is returned to life using the Resurrection Altar and bonds with Emperor N'Jadaka's Symbiote with the intention of housing N'Jadaka's soul, only for N'Jadaka and Killmonger to fight for control of their body.
Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection vol.4
Black Panther #50-62
The Crew #1-7
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