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The Black Panther joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War" and returns tonight in a self-titled movie.
And he's bringing his extended family and kingdom of Wakanda into the spotlight.
Wakanda is an African nation whose rich supply of the metal vibranium (what Captain America's shield and Ultron's would-be new body were made of) makes it technologically advanced and independent, as well as a target. Reginald Hudlin's "Black Panther" series, beginning in 2005, established the concept that Wakanda had never been conquered.
Prior to Hudlin, writer Christopher Priest crafted one of my favorite comic runs of all time, updating many aspects of the Panther's mythos. Among these was the introduction of the Dora Milaje, a ceremonial group of wives-in-training representing different tribes in the nation who serve as bodyguards for the king. Not only will they be portrayed by Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira in the Panther movie, they've also shown up in trailers for May's "Avengers: Infinity War."
The Dora Milaje have been the source of multiple stories, including Nakia's descent into madness and villainy after the Black Panther (King T'Challa) kissed her while under the influence of a demon. This led to the induction of a streetwise American teen of Wakandan heritage, who went by the name Queen Divine Justice, into the order.
In the recent series by National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates, rogue members of the Dora Milaje helped lead a revolution in Wakanda.
One character who looks to be a breakout in the movie is T'Challa's sister, Shuri. In the comics, she always yearned to be the Black Panther, but it was her brother who received the honor. When he fell into a coma following an assassination attempt by Doctor Doom, Shuri got her chance, continuing in the role even after T'Challa was revived.
As T'Challa worked behind the scenes with other heroes to stave off a grave threat to all of existence, Shuri continued to rule. She even stood her ground against the cosmic villain Thanos' invasion of Wakanda, ultimately sacrificing her life in the lead-up to Marvel's "Secret Wars" event. Afterward, in the new Panther series, it was revealed that -- stop me if you've heard this one before -- she wasn't dead but still clinging to life as her brother searched for a way to revive her.
The Panther's antagonists in the movie will include Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), an orphaned Wakandan raised in America who has staged multiple coups against T'Challa, and Klaw (Andy Serkis), a mercenary who killed both T'Challa's father and Killmonger's parents.
Death wasn't enough to stop Killmonger the first time around, and during Priest's run he defeated T'Challa in ritual combat and took his title as Black Panther, even attempting to join the Avengers. Even when T'Challa manages to emerge victorious, he has never actually defeated Killmonger one on one. The trailers suggest one of their classic battles at Warrior Falls will be central to the movie.
Klaw utilizes sound as a weapon, eventually being transformed into a being composed of living sound. Though often a lackey or second-tier villain in other stories, he remains an arch-enemy and significant threat to the Panther because of their shared history.
Klaw has also already been seen in the MCU as the weapons dealer who lost his arm in "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Look for that arm to be replaced with some sort of sound-blasting prosthetic in the movie.
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Recommended Reading
* "Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection" Vol. 2 -- Black Panther faces off with Killmonger, Klaw, Man-Ape and the former Dora Milaje member Malice. Plus his father's World War II encounter with Captain America and a little Deadpool thrown in for good measure.
* "Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?" -- Retelling the Panther's origin and Wakanda's history, this story is a likely influence on the movie.
* "Black Panther: Deadliest of the Species" -- The first arc in which T'Challa's sister, Shuri, takes over as the Black Panther.