Following the massive success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Black Panther, the book is set for a relaunch alongside Marvel Comics' expansive “Fresh Start” initiative that will see T’Challa and his people found the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. The new story will see Ta-Nehisi Coates return as writer. He will be joined by Daniel Acuña, who also illustrated a story in Black Panther Annual #1, Newsarama reports.
The new Black Panther comic is set to hit shelves May 23. The first glimpse of an Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda was seen in Marvel Legacy #1 released last year, when Ta-Nehisi Coates imagined a future for Wakanda in outer space. Now, Marvel has revealed that the writer will dive right into that rich storytelling pool and explain the mysterious Empire. With rumors of Black Panthermovie sequels already beginning to build momentum, this new addition to the Wakanda universe is very welcome indeed.
“I can’t emphasize enough how clean of an entry point this is for new readers. Readers are going to be learning about this mysterious Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda right alongside T’Challa, so everyone is going to be on the same page," series editor Wil Moss said. "And oh man, is Daniel Acuña delivering the goods! He ‘gets’ the character of Black Panther like no other, and his designs for the Intergalactic Empire are…well, they’re out of this world!”
“T’Challa has a life of his own—he’s full of personality and charisma," said Acuña. "He can be a mysterious silhouette or a powerful warrior. It’s so inspiring. I really, really hope people can see this new and personal vision of Black Panther—and I’ll still follow the brilliant lead of Brian Stelfreeze’s design and settings. My inspiration is T’Challa’s legacy, the unique history of the character, and the amazing artists that have come before. I feel like I’m a part of something very different to what I’ve done until now. This is a very significant work that I hope lasts a long time.”
The Marvel “Fresh Start” campaign will include “new series, new creative teams, new direction, new beginnings.” Marvel’s chief creative officer Joe Quesada explained in a video (above) that the new initiative will help bring new fans into the comic book world.
“New fresh ideas, new fresh creators, really are taking that perspective, which is, ‘If you haven’t read a comic before, if you’re an old lapse fan and you want to come back, its the perfect opportunity to do it,’ because [the stories] start and start and they are great jumping on points,” Quesada said.
