Art by Brian Stelfreeze
The New York Times reported earlier this week that acclaimed journalist and author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, will write the upcoming Black Panther comics series.
The new series will be part of Marvel’s “All-New, All-Different” initiative that promotes diversity on the comic page and behind the scenes with creators from various backgrounds.
Coates is the national correspondent at the Atlantic, where he has covered the subject of race in America with tact and careful analysis. This year has been big for him with the release of his book, Between The World and Me, garnering critical praise and a nomination for the National Book Award’s nonfiction prize.
Coates has proclaimed his love for comics and his enthusiasm for Marvel in particular. He will be joined by legendary artist, Brian Stelfreeze, who will be providing interiors and covers on the book.
https://twitter.com/nytimesarts/status/646375930194206721/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The book will focus on Black Panther dealing with an uprising in the fictional African country, Wakanda. The story arc is described as a yearlong plot line titled, “A Nation Under Our Feet,” that deliberately references the 2003 Steven Hahn book with the same name. Wakanda will be dealing with a new terrorist group called The People, who will be giving Black Panther fits as a politician and a hero. This threat is the only announced antagonist in the series so far, but characters like Namor the Sub-Mariner and The Fantastic Four are likely to appear bringing new issues to deal with.
As of now, the book does not have an official release date but it should be on shelves next spring.
