Photos via: Marvel
On Tuesday, afrofuturist writer, Nnedi Okorafor, took to Twitter to announce that she's writing Marvel's new solo comic book series starring "Black Panther's" Shuri.
Okorafor, both a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning science fiction author, has contributed her literary talents to the "Black Panther: Long Live the King" and "Wakanda Forever" series. Now she and Leonardo Romero, an Eisner Award-winning artist, are joining forces to bring a standalone Shuri comic book series to the Marvel universe.
💥Announcement: I'm writing Shuri. 🤓
— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD (@Nnedi) July 17, 2018
"Black Panther's Sister Shuri Is Getting Her Own Comic Book Series & It's Happening So, So Soon" https://t.co/UkkQYGQci8 pic.twitter.com/bKximMptiD
"Together, Okorafor and Romero will take Shuri on a journey of her very own while the Black Panther has disappeared in space," Marvel said in an official release.
As reported by CNN: "The official Marvel Comics synopsis reads 'Shuri is happiest in a lab, surrounded by gadgets of her own creation. She'd rather be testing gauntlets than throwing them. But a nation without a leader is a vulnerable one — and Shuri may have to choose between Wakanda's welfare and her own.'"
Okorafor also shared the cover art for the first issue. It was illustrated by Sam Spratt, the same artist behind Janelle Monáe's "Electric Lady" album cover.
Here is the illustration for the first issue of Shuri (written by me, art by @Leo__Romero). I love it soooooo much!
— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD (@Nnedi) July 18, 2018
The cover artist for this is @SamSpratt. He did the album cover for @JanelleMonae’s Electric Lady. 😃!!!#WakandaForever 🙅🏾♀️ pic.twitter.com/ptLKUqDnxB
Letitia Wright's portrayal of Shuri on the big screen has already made a huge impact by inspiring the next generation of young women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). We can't wait to see how great of an influence the new comic book series will have.
Okorafor told Bustle that Shuri is "an African, young woman of genius level intelligence who is obsessed with technology and has traveled spiritually so far into the past that she’s seen Wakanda before it was Wakanda. The Ancestors call her Ancient Future. And she’s super ambitious. What do I love about her? Alllll that and more. She's a character in the Marvel Universe who really sings to me."
The Shuri comic book series is set to make its debut this October.