Marvel announced a Black Panther reboot is coming this summer from writer Eve L. Ewing.
Launching in June 2023, Black Panther #1 comes from Ironheart and Monica Rambeau: Photon's Ewing and Stormbreakers artist Chris Allen. "More than anything, I'm bowled over at the opportunity to write such a marquee character. I see it as a big responsibility," Ewing told ComicBook.com, who exclusively announced up the upcoming relaunch. "Black Panther is a tremendously important legacy character for Marvel fans, but moreover the character has become one of the most important icons in pop culture for people of the African diaspora all over the world. And on a personal note, the title was so indelibly shaped by my friend and mentor, Ta-Nehisi Coates, who is a big part of why I'm even in comics. There are a lot of talented creators working right now and I feel very awed that the editorial team asked me to take this on. It makes me feel really seen as a comics writer, very humbled, and very grateful. It's a big role for me and I take it extremely seriously."
While the series' storyline remains a mystery for now, Ewing said she's embracing a "noir" theme for the opening arc. She continued, "When I had my first conversation with Wil Moss, who edits Black Panther, and I found out where the [John] Ridley run is going to end, I had to laugh. No spoilers, but the status quo is going to be more than a little disrupted," she teased. "But I've always believed that the fun of writing these characters is not completely ignoring or undoing what your predecessor did, nor is it simply continuing with their story line—it's taking the reins from the place where they left the story, and accepting the challenge to make it your own. In this case, I can say that I'm extremely geeked about the ways we're picking up where he leaves off."
John Ridley's Black Panther Comes to an End
Marvel previously announced the John Ridley-written Black Panther, which began in 2021, would be coming to an end in March 2023. The current storyline has seen Black Panther form his own team of superheroes who go head-to-head with the Avengers following a disagreement surrounding T'Challa's best friend from childhood, Jhai. Black Panther #13 -- an issue that led to some fan criticism over Captain America's portrayal and a nerfed T'Challa -- ended with Namor arriving and siding against Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
The final issue in the series, Black Panther #15, releases March 8, 2023, from Ridley and artist Germán Peralta. The synopsis reads, "THE EPIC FINALE OF JOHN RIDLEY’S GAME-CHANGING RUN! Finally, all things must come to a head! Jhai, T’Challa’s best friend and the sleeper agent whose assassination served as the catalyst for all of T’Challa’s recent troubles…is alive. Not only is he alive, but he seeks to seize control of the entire world, all in the name of Wakanda! Still injured, Black Panther rushes forward to take down the man who was once his closest comrade. But T’Challa knows he must still pay his pound of flesh for his role in bringing so much strife to fruition…"
Black Panther #1 features promotional artwork by Rahzzah. The issue releases in June from Marvel.
Source: Marvel, ComicBook.com