With Black Panther set to debut in the definite blockbuster Captain America: Civil War in 2016 (aligned with Team Tony, to boot) Marvel’s pulling out all stops to ensure that the first black superhero gets the respect he deserves.
After all, nothing less for the most regal of Marvel’s superheroes… (though I’d bet Namor disagrees.)
So it’s with little surprise that Marvel is excited to announce the inclusion of Ta-Nehisi Coates as the writer of the new Black Panther series along with legendary artist Brian Stelfreeze.
The indomitable will of Wakanda — the famed African nation known for its vast wealth, advanced technology and warrior traditions — has long been reflected in the will of its monarchs, the Black Panthers. But now, the current Black Panther, T’Challa, finds that will tested by a superhuman terrorist group called The People that has sparked a violent uprising among the citizens of Wakanda. T’Challa knows the country must change to survive — the question is, will the Black Panther survive the change?
“Wakanda is really the light of the world, in the Marvel Universe. And yet it’s a system of governance that has not advanced beyond the idea of blood-rule,” says Coates. “It’s always seemed to me that T’Challa was aware of this discrepancy. Among the monarchs of Marvel –Namor and Doctor Doom for instance– T’Challa has always been distinguished to me by his discomfort on the throne, and with the problems of one-man rule. I am very much looking forward to exploring that tension.”
Black Panther #1
Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Art & Cover by Brian Stelfreeze
On-Sale Early 2016