BLACK PANTHER ("HAPPY PANTS")

Real Name: T'Challa (alternate future)

Identity/Class: Extratemporal (Earth-1145) human mutate

Occupation: Monarch of Wakanda, Adventurer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Balder, Black Panther, Henry Peter Gyrich, Iron Man, Kid Colt, Abner Little, Monica Lynne, Nightshade, Queen Divine Justice, Rawhide Kid, Everett K. Ross, Sundance, Thor, Two-Gun Kid, Princess Zanda

Enemies: Hatch-22, Kiber the Cruel, Loki, Man-Ape, Xcon Iron Man

Known Relatives: Technically, the same as the T'Challa of Earth-616's, including White Wolf (adoptive brother), Ramonda (mother), T'Chaka (father, deceased), N'Yami (mother, deceased), Wheeler (cousin-in-law, deceased), Mary/M'Koni (cousin), Billy (second cousin), Azzari (grandfather, deceased), N'Baza (uncle, deceased), Khanata (cousin), Dr. Joshua Itobo (cousin), Ishanta (cousin), Jakarra (cousin, deceased), Zuni (cousin), Bashenga (ancestor, deceased), B'Tumba (cousin, deceased)

Aliases: "Happy Pants" Panther, "Fruity Pebbles" Panther, "Looney Tunes" Panther, The "Look I Have Pupils" Black Panther (all nicknames bestowed by Everett K. Ross)

Base of Operations: Wakanda

First Appearance: Black Panther III#35 (October, 2001)

Powers/Abilities: The "Happy Pants" Black Panther possesses all of the abilties of his Earth-616 counterpart, including enhanced senses which allow him excellent night vision and tracking abilities. He also has the power of ESP, as the Earth-616 Black Panther once did, and can use this power to read other people's minds.

History: (Black Panther I#4 - BTS) - At the conclusion of the Black Panther's quest for King Solomon's Brass Frog, he seemingly destroyed the object to keep it out of the hands of others. However, unknown to him at the time, the device had brought forth a version of himself from 10 years into the future. He departed from the site of King Solomon's Tomb, and made his way towards Wakanda.

(Black Panther III#48 (fb)) - Some time later, he was found by a hunting party in a remote village of Wakanda, and brought to T'Challa's best scientists, who discovered he was suffering from an incurable brain aneurysm.

(Black Panther III#49 (fb)) - His counterpart at first found it difficult to believe that he was from the future due to his jovial nature, but was finally convinced of it. His arrival disrupted the other Panther's plans for marrying Monica Lynne, delaying them indefinitely. "Happy Pants" presented his other self with a duplicate of one of King Solomon's Frogs, and suggested to him that they might not have been destroyed.

BTS - Unable to treat him, the other Black Panther had his counterpart placed in suspended animation, and hid his body within the Crystal Forest to keep it secret.

(Black Panther III#35) - In the midst of the Black Panther's battle with the Man-Ape in the Crystal Forest, a wave of energy sent forth by Vibraxas released the still-comatose body of the "Happy Pants" Black Panther.

(Black Panther III#38-39 - BTS) - The Black Panther transported his counterpart's body along with him during his battle with the dragon Chiatang, who had been revived by Nightshade.

(Black Panther III#40) - Nightshade stumbled upon the other Black Panther's body, and believing him to be her own time's Black Panther, she revived him, succeeding where Wakanda's greatest scientists had failed.

(Black Panther III#41-42) - The "Happy Pants" Panther assumed his "rightful" place in Wakanda, receiving all the respect the Wakandans normally gave their own T'Challa. He assisted his past self in obtaining one of King Solomon's Frogs by enlisting the aid of Nightshade, Everett K. Ross, Abner Little and Princess Zanda.

(Black Panther III#43) - The Frog was located on Kiber Island, because in its seeming-destruction, it was bonded to the Black Panther's life energies, and Kiber the Cruel had once drained part of the Black Panther's life-force there. With the aid of his allies, the Panther defeated old enemies of his summoned by the frog and took possession of it.

(Black Panther III#44) - On his way to rendezvous with the other Black Panther, "Happy Pants" visited Monica Lynne, and brought her along with him, wanting his other self to make amends to her as he knew his life was short. He met with the other Black Panther at Stark Enterprises, in the middle of his counterpart's encounter with Iron Man. Uncertain of whether they could trust Iron Man or not (fearing he might have been replaced with a double by Xcon), "Happy Pants" knocked him out with sleep gas.

(Black Panther III#45) - As they raced against time to bring the frogs to Washington, "Happy Pants" traded uniforms with his other self, and fought Xcon's Iron Man in personal combat. He ultimately defeated him by using a cryptograph which fed Ultronic code (used by Ultron to change bodies) into his artificial heart. In the course of the battle, he suffered grevious injuries, but was then immediately flung back in time to Alberdeen, Texas, in 1875 along with Henry Peter Gyrich, Queen Divine Justice, Ross, Lynne, and the other Black Panther.

(Black Panther III#46) - Upon their arrival, Ross was mistaken for his own grandfather, a gambler named "Sundance", and placed in jail. While the others attempted to fabricate the means to free him, "Happy Pants" snuck out and wired the Rawhide Kid in Rawhide, Texas, who brought Kid Colt and the Two-Gun Kid to the scene to assist. Learning that Ross had been mysteriously sprung, "Happy Pants" pretended to join the posse pursuing him, but its leader Loki, in mortal guise, took over his mind. Learning from him that his father Odin would die in the future and Thor would assume the throne, Loki became all the more determined to succeed in his plot to deprive the Asgardians of the Golden Apples of Idunn.

(Black Panther III#47) - Unable to overcome Loki's dominance, "Happy Pants" was forced to combat his other self, and brought his allies to Loki in Asgard. Loki then removed him from his thrall and sent the heroes to be slain by his Trolls, but by wearing the magic cards Loki had given Sundance for protection, they were able to escape the Trolls, and assault Loki. Ultimately, the Asgardians were restored, and Loki defeated.

(Black Panther III#48) - After returning to Earth with the aid of Balder the Brave, "Happy Pants" collapsed from his aneurysm, and was returned to suspended animation by Nightshade, while they attempted to find the means to treat him. However, before this could be accomplished, the Man-Ape crushed his body, killing him to shatter his counterpart.

Comments: Created by Christopher Priest, Sal Velluto and Bob Almond.

Images were graciously provided by Bob Almond.

Most of us assumed that the "Happy Pants" Panther was from T'Challa's past, and that it was a clever way to explain his goofy dialogue in Kirby's Black Panther vol.1. It was rather surprising to learn he was actually his future self.
Actually, I thought "Happy Pants" was the version we saw through all of Kirby's run in the original series. I thought Happy Pants had come back in time to Black Panther I#4, and was active for Kirby's run, and only then went into suspended animation. The version in that run had the ESP that Happy Pants demonstrated, which hasn't really been seen elsewhere...maybe an early appearance in the Fantastic Four?
--Snood.

Although in the comics, "Happy Pants" is treated as the Black Panther, I've chosen to treat him as a separate character because: A) Futures glimpsed or mentioned in comics rarely come to pass and B) It's doubtful any of us will still be alive when the Black Panther of Earth-616 ages 10 more years Marvel-time.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
The "Happy Pants" Black Panther should not be confused with:

• T'Challa, Black Panther of regular continuity, @ Fantastic Four I#52
• Bashenga, first Black Panther, @ Black Panther I#7
• Chanda, T'Challa's grandfather and one-time Black Panther, @ Fantastic Four Unlimited#1
• T'Chaka, T'Challa's father and one-time Black Panther, @ Fantastic Four I#53
• Erik Killmonger, who briefly bore the Black Panther mantle, @ Black Panther III#21
• Black Panther, unnamed man who took T'Challa's place for a time, @ Black Panther I#8
• Kasper Cole, police officer masquerading as T'Challa in New York, @ Black Panther III#50

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