Def Jam Recordings has teamed with Marvel Comics for a series of Black Panther storylines written by rising stars Saint Bodhi, Kaash Paige and Bobby Sessions. The collaboration — aimed at bringing the voices of young Black creatives into the mix — will find each of the Def Jam artists contributing character-driven stories to the final three issues of the Black Panther “Intergalactic Empire” saga penned by acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates and artist Daniel Acuna.
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As part of a Black History Month celebration, Black Panther No. 23 (Feb. 24), will feature Los Angeles singer/songwriter Bodhi taking on BP’s ex Storm in an “emotional story grounded in tragedy and acceptance,” according to a release. A month later, Dallas native rapper Sessions will tell a story about Black Panther in issue No. 24, and April’s series finale — issue No. 25 — will feature R&B singer Paige tackling Wakandan Princess Shuri and the power of knowledge.
“My album Mad World is a raw, honest, and very personal journey into my life and upbringing in South Central L.A.,” Saint Bodhi said in a statement. “I grew up with a not-so-normal past. I say the things people are afraid to say. I let you experience the ‘mad world’ that is my life.”
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Each three-page story will feature an exclusive one-page Def Jam artist profile as part of the label’s push to promote social, economic and educational equality. “Bringing these two logos together was a dream,” said Def Jam partnerships consultant Jonathan Rheingold. “There was a mutual desire to unite these two great brands for a mission and a cause — leveraging Def Jam’s rising stars and the legendary Marvel characters to tell powerful stories that would make an emotional connection with fans of both cultures.”
Each artist will also find themselves paired with some of Marvel’s most acclaimed book writers and artists, with Bodhi working alongside co-writer Danny Lore (Wolverine, Ironheart), artist Alitha Martinez (MoonGirl and Devil Dinosaur, Cable) and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg (Sword Master, Scarlet Witch) and her story also included in Marvel’s Voices: Legacy No. 1, a celebration of Black voices and artists, which will be on sale the same day.
“Teenage Fever is my debut album and it was important for me to capture my last year of being a teen through my music,” said Kaash, 20, about getting involved in the Marvel project. “This chapter of my life is coming to an end so I wanted to put all my experiences into a document that will live forever.”
Sessions added, “My album Manifest is a guide for people to transform into the greatest version of themselves. A body of work that will lead people to find their inner super hero!”
#MarvelComics joins forces with iconic hip-hop label @DefJam to deliver three incredible stories through the eyes of their rising stars. Learn more about the collaboration featured in the next three comic issues of "Black Panther" here: https://t.co/qidbrfm11G
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) February 17, 2021