Black Panther will launch their biggest mission in 60 years in 2026. The first Black superhero, Black Panther, celebrates 60 years of being a trailblazer next year, and to celebrate, Marvel is releasing a special one-shot featuring a bevy of top talent, each telling a new story. The one-shot also arrives just as Black Panther enters an exciting new status quo.
Marvel announced the Black Panther Anniversary Special this week, featuring new stories set at various points in T’Challa’s career. Among the assembled talent is legendary Black Panther scribe Christopher Priest, as well as Evan Narcisse, who provides the one-shot’s framing sequence.
Black Panther 60th Anniversary Special COVER
Fans can look forward to a team-up with the Blue Marvel and a fight with Magneto.
The Black Panther’s Debut Was the Highlight of an Acclaimed Comics Run
The Black Panther Is the First Black Superhero
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s 1960s Fantastic Four run ranks as one of the greatest in comics, thanks in part to the innovative concepts the pair cooked up, including the Black Panther. Debuting in 1966, just as the Civil Rights Movement was reaching its peak, Black Panther broke new ground as the first superpowered Black character.
As detailed in his earliest appearances, Black Panther was more than just a costumed adventurer. He was also royalty, ruling over the isolated but technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda. Thanks to their exclusive hold on the rare element Vibranium, Wakanda managed to not only survive the horrors visited upon their continent, but thrive as well.
Wakanda has expanded its borders even more, extending into the deepest reaches of space. During his acclaimed, mid-2010s run on Black Panther, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and his collaborators revealed that, centuries before, a group of Wakandan astronauts founded an intergalactic empire built on conquest. Black Panther is now trying to reconcile the two Wakandas.
The Black Panther Has Risen Through the Marvel Ranks
Recent Years Have Been Rough for Black Panther
T’Challa prowls as a vigilante in the dark in Black Panther #1 cover
Since his first appearance, Black Panther has become one of Marvel’s best known characters. He has been a regular member of the Avengers, and was even chair at one point. He made the leap to live action in 2018 as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which only increased his profile even more.
The Black Panther has experienced a great deal of changes in the past few years. Wakanda, which had been a monarchy for millennia, transitioned to a democracy, negating the need for a king. Without a role to play, Black Panther has been cast adrift. Later Black Panther comics have also forced T’Challa to confront past sins.
Top Flight Writers and Artists Are Helping Black Panther Celebrate His 60th Anniversary
The Black Panther Has Inspired Generations of Creators
Black Panther prepares to fight in front of a red background
Against this backdrop comes the Black Panther Anniversary Special. As he strives to reunite a fractured kingdom, he also seeks to restore a part of himself. The creators Marvel has brought together for this one-shot are some of the best working today. In some instances, such as Christopher Priest, they have a profound impact on the character.
Christopher Priest’s Black Panther was one of the earliest offerings from the Marvel Knights imprint.
Anniversaries are the perfect occasion to reflect on a character’s legacy, and Black Panther’s is extensive. The creators working on the Black Panther Anniversary Special were no doubt inspired by T’Challa’s adventures, and now they have the opportunity to repay the favor. Black Panther’s most important mission in 60 years has begun, one that will push him to his limits.
Black Panther Anniversary Special is on sale February 11 from Marvel Comics!