This coming January, Marvel Comics celebrates 200 issues of Black Panther with a "giant-sized spectacular."
Next month, Marvel is set to relaunch Black Panther with Academy Award-winning writer John Ridley and artist Juann Cabal at the helm. The third issue in Ridley and Cabal's run -- due for release on Wednesday, Jan. 26 -- also happens to be the 200th overall issue of Black Panther, factoring in legacy numbering. With that in mind, the House of Ideas promises that Black Panther #3/#200 will be "an oversized issue with bonus stories celebrating the past and foreshadowing the future of the Black Panther and the world of Wakanda."
What's more, Ridley is set to "introduce a new hero who rises up to protect the people of Wakanda while T'Challa finds his life and role as Black Panther thrown into turmoil! Fans will be able to witness the beginning of this new hero's journey before seeing him become a key player of Ridley's run in future issues."
On artist Alex Ross' main cover for Black Panther #3/#200, T'Challa/Black Panther is seen paying a visit to none other than his ex-wife, Ororo Munroe/Storm, who is flanked by a number of other powerful mutants. Marvel promises that the celebratory issue will "see T'Challa face off against the X-Men! With assassins closing in and Wakanda's faith in him shaken, T'Challa goes to visit Storm on the newly terraformed Mars. But this will not be a happy reunion as T'Challa has ulterior motives for his visit. And back home, Shuri discovers who is behind the attacks on Wakanda's secret agents -- a revelation that will change everything."
That's just the main story, though. As previously stated, Black Panther #3/#200 will also feature a number of bonus stories, with other writers and artists expected to join Ridley and Cabal on the issue. Moreover, in addition to Ross' main cover, the issue is slated to feature variant covers by Taurin Clarke and Gary Frank, respectively.
BLACK PANTHER #3/#200
Written by JOHN RIDLEY & MORE
Art by JUANN CABAL & MORE
Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant Cover by TAURIN CLARKE
Variant Cover by GARY FRANK
Written and illustrated by Jack Kirby with inks by Mike Royer and colors by Dave Hunt, the very first issue of Black Panther first hit newsstands 45 years ago -- almost to the day -- on Oct. 19, 1976. King T'Challa famously took the Marvel Cinematic Universe by storm in the 2010s, having been portrayed by the late, great Chadwick Boseman in Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a Black Panther sequel that seeks to honor Boseman, is currently in production.
Written by John Ridley and illustrated by Juann Cabal, Black Panther #3/#200 goes on sale Jan. 26, 2022 from Marvel Comics.
Source: Marvel Comics