Things We Saw Today: ‘Wakanda’ Series Explores Alternate Leaders for the Country, Starting With Shuri

One of the must-read rising talents within comics right now is writer Stephanie Williams. While many were introduced to her work during this past year’s Nubia & the Amazons (plus various Nubia: Queen of The Amazons and her crossover contribution to Trial of the Amazons), I first became acquainted with her wildin’ out comic memes on Twitter and fan-made, mini-Marvel comic Living Heroes. With the announcement of Wakanda, Williams will join Marvel (officially, for the second time) alongside other artists and writers in the new series.

This six-issue run, starting October 12, will follow John Ridley’s Black Panther story in which T’Challa is no longer welcome in his homeland. While I’m not going to spoil the comic series, I will say that this ruler-less Wakanda mirrors the real-world challenges facing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, since Chadwick Boseman’s passing occurred before the Black Panther sequel was complete. While I’m not in favor of a recast, many are, and this anticipation of how Wakanda should move forward is present both on the page and in real life.

Each issue of this run will focus on a different character’s story and perspective, with Williams and artist Paco Medina taking on Shuri first. On Marvel.com, Williams wrote, “It’s truly an honor to kick off the new series with the Shuri story I wrote. I hope I can add to her and Wakanda’s already impressive lore.”

In addition to each character issue, each entry will feature a History of the Black Panthers story that Marvel describes as “a definitive overview of all the Wakandans who have held the mantle of the Black Panther.” This is something we can look to for clues on what might happen in the upcoming movie, or at least open people’s mind to the many options for who should lead. Unless there’s another delay, this limited series is set to end just three days before the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits movie theaters on November 11.

(via Twitter, featured images: Marvel)

Here are some other bits of news we saw today:

• Hollywood’s on-set Covid-19 protocol union agreements have been extended through the end of September. (via LA Times.)
• An Iowa library is unable to operate after most staff quit following censorship pressures over LGBTQ+ books. (via Iowa Starting Line.)
• First-edition autographed Harry Potter novels failed to sell at Christie’s—even for a fraction of the price they sold at two years ago. (via Wizarding News)
• A lawsuit charges that Skittles are unsafe for consumers. Of course, the chemical involved is allowed in the U.S. but not in the E.U. (via USA Today)

The world of Italian opera has been shaken following the continued tradition of Blackface. Angel Blue resigns in protest of the practice. (via Huffington Post)

What did you find on the internet today, Mary Suevians?

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