The Dora Milaje are a household name after the massive success of Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. Now, Wakanda’s group of elite warrior women is stepping into the spotlight in a Wakanda Forever trio of one-shots teaming these female fighters with Marvel’s most popular heroes. Writer Nnedi Okorafor wrote a fantastic exploration of Wakanda in the Black Panther: Long Live The King miniseries, so it’s exciting to see her get an opportunity to venture into different aspects of the Marvel universe and tackle characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Avengers. She’s working with a different artist for each one-shot, partnering with Alberto Alburquerque and colorist Erick Arciniega for next week’s Wakanda Forever: Amazing Spider-Man. One of the best things about Okorafor’s previous Black Panther story was the sense of humor she brought to T’Challa’s interactions with his colleagues, and she gets to push those comedic muscles even further as she tackles Spider-Man, Marvel’s quippiest hero.
This exclusive preview of Wakanda Forever: Amazing Spider-Man introduces the story’s big threat: Nakia, a former member of the Dora Milaje who became the supervillain Malice after her advances were denied by her king. She’s attacking the citizens of New York City with a cloud that morphs into a tentacled blob when she pounds a drum, and Spider-Man shows up just as Malice activates her weapon. Alburquerque’s artwork captures the mania of Malice’s character with big exaggerated facial expressions, and her lanky, emaciated body makes her look especially unhealthy. It gives the impression that her obsession with T’Challa is so intense that she’s stopped taking care of herself, and the only thing she cares about is getting the Black Panther’s attention. She does end up on his radar, but instead she’ll have to face off against her former sisters in the Dora Milaje, setting up a conflict with intense personal stakes for everyone involved.