Back in September, the New York Times announced that best-selling author and National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates would be writing a Black Panther series for Marvel Comics. At the time, the series was slated for next spring, but now we have a bit more specific release date. Marvel’s Black Panther No. 1, written by Coates and illustrated by Brian Stelfreeze, will debut in April 2016.
“Panther power on the hour from the rebel to you…” Alex Ross variant for Black Panther #1. pic.twitter.com/sQeCYioCSO
— Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) December 15, 2015
“Ta-Nehisi, Brian, colorist Laura Martin, letterer Joe Sabino, assistant editor Chris Robinson, and I have been working on this series for months already, so we’re happy to have a launch date as we’re all anxious to start getting this book out in front of people,” series editor Wil Moss said in an official press release. “We may be biased, but we think it’s something pretty special!”
The April release date is timed nicely with Black Panther’s cinematic debut in Captain America: Civil War, which hits theaters on May 6. Based on that appearance, moviegoers could head to their local comic book shop or digital comics provider looking for more on the character and find this new title waiting for them. The Panther will headline his own movie in 2018, with Chadwick Boseman (42) starring as Prince T’Challa of Wakanda, a fictional African nation in Marvel mythology.
Fans of Coates’ work know that he’s great on Twitter, often posting stuff about comic books. Between now and April, the writer should provide plenty of entertaining, insightful teases about his upcoming comic book.
no. gonna marry him off to one of the kardashians. https://t.co/ZE0WX5HS2e
— Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) December 15, 2015
