Fantastic Four Unlimited Vol 1 #1 - CGC 9.8

Black Panther Appearance

Invited to Wakanda, the Fantastic Four's ship is suddenly struck out of the sky. Trying to contact T'Challa, Mister Fantastic fails to get a direct signal, but they realize that something is very wrong. The Thing tries to get the ship under control but the controls break and the ship suddenly comes apart in mid-air, forcing the team to begin evasive maneuvers to try and get to the ground safely. While the Torch is able to get to the ground under his own steam, Mister Fantastic uses his body to create a parachute for his wife to land safely. While the Thing just slams into the ground but is unharmed. The Fantastic Four are then attacked by men wearing strange body armor and high tech weaponry, capturing the Thing and the Torch. Reed and Sue manage to evade capture when Sue turns them in invisible so they can see what their mystery attackers are up to. Suddenly before the mercenaries can detect Reed and Sue with their heat sensors, the Black Panther and his Panther Posse suddenly leap from out of the jungle and attack. With Ben and Johnny freed, Reed and Sue make themselves visible and join the fight as well. As the battle rages, Reed gets to postulating some theories on the nature of the mercenaries unique armor. Getting a Vibranium knife from one of the Panther Posse, Mister Fantastic tests out his theory by using it on one of the soldiers causing his armor to harmlessly explode. Realizing the armor is made out of solid sound, the Panther Posse come at their attackers with their Vibranium weapons, forcing them to flee. Suddenly they realize that the Black Panther's old foe Klaw is the on responsible for this invasion of Wakanda.

Travelling through the jungle, the Black Panther tells them how he wasn't sure who was responsible for taking over his land as he was out in the jungles working on his own experimental project when they were suddenly attacked. Meanwhile in the Wakandan palace Klaw learns how his men failed to stop the Fantastic Four and is furious. He wonders what he is paying them for and why he went through the trouble of crewing a new sonic blaster with Vibranium, allowing him to create the solid sound armor they are wearing. His questions are all academic though as he kills the soldier he is questioning and then orders the rest of his men to find the Black Panther and the Fantastic Four and destroy them. Klaw accompanies his men on this trek into the jungles and they are soon ambushed by the Human Torch. While they are busy, Black Panther and Mister Fantastic emerge from the jungles with a weapon they have constructed together. Klaw is prepared for his foes as he uses his new device to create Sonimals, animals composed of solid light that are even more deadly than his old creations.

While the rest of the Fantastic Four are busy fighting these creatures, the Black Panther manages to get close enough to Klaw to affix an attractor device to his back allowing Reed to use the newly constructed Sonic Disruption Cannon. The device works, causing Klaw extreme pain, but as a side effect it causes his sonic claw to malfunction causing it to spit out countless horrific monsters comprised of solid sound. While the Fantastic Four battle this new menace, the pain is driving Klaw insane and he begs to be killed. Black Panther instead takes their incapacitated foe and brings him to the Vibranium mound. There he buries Klaw's sonic weapon in the ground, negating its power and causing the horrific creatures to suddenly vanish. Although Klaw is grateful that the Black Panther saved his life he is still driven by his age old vendetta. But before he can attack he is knocked out by the Black Panther and taken prisoner. With Klaw and his minions defeated, the Fantastic Four are impressed by T'Challa's humane treatment for the man who murdered his father. The Panther tells them that in Africa life is considered precious, even that of a murderer like Klaw. As he is being taken away, Klaw vows to get revenge against the Black Panther. Although the Thing is less than happy to hear that Klaw is going to be delivered to the United Nations, T'Challa reminds him that he is also obliged to follow international law.