Black Panther #2

History

Hudlin came to Marvel through a chance introduction by storyboard artist Paul Power, who connected him with editor-in-chief Joe Quesada and editor Axel Alonso; what began as a casual meeting ended with Hudlin being handed a six-issue Black Panther assignment. Determined to pair himself with an artist of genuine stature, Hudlin specifically sought out John Romita Jr. — then known for extended runs on Wolverine and Amazing Spider-Man — insisting on him until Marvel agreed. The creative team worked with inker Klaus Janson, colorist Dean White, and letterer Chris Eliopoulos, all under Quesada's tenure as editor-in-chief. Hudlin has since revealed that Shuri's creation was partly personal — he wanted a character both his son and daughter could dress as for Halloween — an origin story that reflects the broader cultural ambition running through the entire arc.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance of Shuri (Princess of Wakanda, T'Chaka's daughter and T'Challa's younger sister), created by writer Reginald Hudlin and penciler John Romita Jr.; she appears in flashback during the Black Panther succession contest.
• First appearance of S'Yan (T'Challa's uncle), the regent who held the Black Panther title after T'Chaka's assassination and whose defeat by T'Challa is dramatized in this issue's flashback sequence.
• Second chapter of the six-part 'Who Is the Black Panther?' arc — the opening story of Hudlin's run — which simultaneously advances Klaw's mercenary assault on Wakanda in the present-day timeline and reveals the ritual origins of T'Challa's kingship in flashback.
• Interior art by John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Dean White (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters); cover painted by Esad Ribić, who also supplied variant cover art for the series.
• The 'Who Is the Black Panther?' arc — including this issue — was adapted almost panel-for-panel into the 2010 Marvel Knights animated mini-series of the same name, produced by Hudlin Entertainment and BET; Shuri was voiced by Kerry Washington in that production.
• The arc and issue were collected in the trade paperback Black Panther Vol. 1: Who Is the Black Panther? (ISBN 0785117482), which gathers issues #1–6 of the 2005 series.
• Shuri's debut here seeded a narrative arc spanning four years: she eventually assumed the Black Panther mantle during the 2009 Dark Reign era (Black Panther vol. 5), and later received her own solo series in 2018 written by Nnedi Okorafor.
• Letitia Wright's portrayal of Shuri in the MCU — beginning with Black Panther (2018) and culminating in her taking the Black Panther title in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) — draws directly from the character's comic-book origin in this issue.

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