T’Challa’s influence as Black Panther can be traced back to his inception in 1966 and since then, he’s made countless appearances in film, television, animated series, and more. Some of his most iconic outfits and costumes come from the Silver and Bronze age of comic books, with memorable suits like the classic all black ensemble with gloves and boots to match featured in 1976’s Jungle Action (Vol. 2) #23.
T’Challa’s flair, ferocity, and finesse typify the sleek overall design of some of his other more standout outfits. From the cowl featured in earlier Avengers volumes, to the legendary high-collared cape of his ‘80s Black Panther comics, T’Challa’s outfits have transformed with the times. In 2018’s blockbuster hit Black Panther, we finally saw the marriage of futuristic technology and African culture basically perfected, with a costume design that Marvel character designer Ryan Meinerding said was inspired by “the sacred geometry of Africa.”
Now, with Marvel’s Avengers: War for Wakanda on the horizon, Square Enix is looking to double down on the influence and flair found deep in the fabric of the king’s wardrobe. Today they revealed four incredible outfits coming to the new DLC and broke down the creative process behind these iconic suits. Evan Narcisse, Narrative Consultant for Crystal Dynamics, the developers of Marvel’s Avengers, also commented on how influential the Rise of the Black Panther comic series was on War for Wakanda and it clearly manifests in the outfits as well.
The following suits and descriptions come from the blog post shared by Square Enix and can also be found here.
Most Dangerous Man Outfit — Inspired by the comics, this noir-style outfit was front and center when Kasper Cole briefly took on the mantle of Black Panther in New York City. We made sure to include distinct outfits from the comics like this one and can’t wait for you to see more.
King T’Challa Outfit — This is another Crystal Dynamics original where we wanted to design a regal look that was still functional. We thought about what T’Challa would wear when he wasn’t donning the Black Panther suit. If you look closely, you’ll see that he has finger rings on, which act as claws in battle.
Damisa-Sarki Outfit — This outfit is a reinterpretation of Jack Kirby’s drawing of Black Panther and how he first appeared in the comics back in 1966. Meaning “The Panther” in Wakandan, the Damisa-Sarki Outfit shows Black Panther in a short cape, which we saw was a much-requested outfit on social channels. Black Panther has worn a cape many times in the comics, so we wanted to pay homage to that. The cape adds a layer of surface detail and three-dimensionality to the outfit that gives it an ancient warrior feeling.
Strategist Outfit — This outfit is inspired by T’Challa’s look in Black Panther: Man Without Fear #513 where he temporarily replaces Daredevil as the defender of Hell’s Kitchen. Since he had no superhuman abilities, he had to rely on his training and strategic intellect to defeat the many enemies that came his way.
I’m absolutely loving the strategist outfit, which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
