Malaika

Stepping out of the vibrant Copper Age of Marvel Comics, Malaika made her debut in Black Panther #2 (1988), brought to life by the creative team of Peter B. Gillis and the late, great Denys B. Cowan. She's a figure whose world is defined by the rich, complex tapestry of Wakanda's stories, sharing pages with none other than T'Challa himself alongside characters like Sekhem Naville and Ndebele. Though her catalog footprint is intimate, her presence stretches across an impressive arc from 1988 to 2021, and the fact that she's been collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Black Panther speaks to the enduring significance of the stories she inhabits — a quiet mark of distinction for any fan digging deep into the Black Panther's legendary corner of the Marvel Universe.