Black Panther, Vol. 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates

(Her final days? Well, they didn’t go so well …) Her first days in the latter role are revealed in these issues by Reginald Hudlin and Ken Lashley. She was the hero’s younger sister, and for a brief time, his replacement as ruler of Wakanda and as Black Panther alike. Shuri, T’Challa’s sister is mentioned in the climax of Coates’ first issue.

Don’t worry, Priest is well aware of how problematic the concept is as well. As Coates shows, there are obvious drawbacks to that tradition, but in reality, the Dora Milaje debuted less than two decades ago, making their first appearance in the opening issues of writer Christopher Priest’s fan-favorite Black Panther run. The Dora Milaje play a significant role in the first chapter of “Nation.” They’re the all-female bodyguards of the ruler of Wakanda, and in days of yore, each one selected not only for their physical prowess, but also their availability to be a potential wife for said ruler. Whether Coates’ “Nation” is a conscious echo of this storyline or otherwise, there are curious parallels to be found.īlack Panther Vol. The first solo series for the Panther came via writer Don McGregor, who used the opportunity to create a massively ambitious multipart storyline that not only built out the mythology of the Panther (and the world around him McGregor and artists including Rich Buckler and Billy Graham manage to make Wakanda into a locale with its own history and atmosphere), but presented the character with a challenge unlike those faced by his peers: Returning to his native land after years in the U.S., he finds a Wakanda turning against him, thanks to a revolution being mounted by an enemy he’s not even aware of. The “Golden City” of the new Black Panther series is a very different take on the tribal Wakanda as it made its debut, but the roots of what exists today were very clearly laid down in those first two comic strips.

in terms of technology (as well, arguably, in societal terms, although mileage will vary on that point). The first appearances of the Black Panther (by the Fantastic Four team supreme of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee) established Wakanda as a country that had advanced far beyond the U.S.

Black Panther, Vol. 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates