In Black Panther (2018), we see T'Challa don a new suit that differs from the one he wore in Captain America: Civil War (2016). That earlier suit was his own design, which Shuri describes in Black Panther as functional but outdated. Her upgraded version can absorb kinetic energy, store it, and release it later as a shockwave of purple energy.
This feature appeared more recently in Captain America: Brave New World (2025), where Sam Wilson's Captain America suit, made of vibranium and gifted by the Wakandans, has similar energy storage and release capabilities.
It also appears even earlier in the animated series Eyes of Wakanda (2025), which shows vibranium weapons with similar capabilities in 1260 B.C.
When did the comics first depict vibranium weapons or armor storing and releasing energy in this way?
