One of Marvel’s Greatest Heroes Just Gave Birth to Wakanda’s Next Superpower

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John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.

The next great Wakandan superpower has been born, and there is no telling how much damage the child of the Ultimate Storm can do.

In a preview of Ultimate Black Panther #22 (by Bryan Hill, Carlos Nieto, David Curiel, and VC's Cory Petit) from Marvel Comics, readers find Ororo Munroe in the midst of overwhelming labor pains as she births the child she was never supposed to have. Rather than being the product of a genuinely loving relationship, the mystic cult known as the Sisterhood of the Vodu-Khan has kidnapped the Ultimate Storm and turned her into an incubator for a magically empowered entity who could very well be the key to unleashing an entire cosmos of horrors upon an unsuspecting Wakanda. That is, assuming the Wind-Rider doesn't find her strength and stop them before the Vodu-Khan can see their plan to fruition.

Ultimate Black Panther #22

Written by BRYAN HILL
Art by CARLOS NIETO
Colors by DAVID CURIEL
Letters by VC's CORY PETIT
Design by JAY BOWEN
Main cover art by STEFANO CASSELI & DAVID CURIEL
Variant covers by LEE GARBETT & DEAN WHITE and DAVID PARATORE

Like the version of the character fans know best, the Ororo Munroe of Earth-6160, otherwise known as the Wind-Rider or Storm of the modern Ultimate Universe, made her comic book debut last year in the pages of Ultimate Black Panther #1 by Bryan Edward Hill and Stefano Caselli. An incredibly powerful mutant with near-total command over the elements, Storm fought valiantly against Lord Khonshu and Lord Ra's forces as they and their Moon Knight militia attempted to annex various corners of Africa. Together with the likes of Killmonger and T'Challa, Storm has dealt multiple devastating blows to Khonshu and Ra's regime, all while cementing her place as one of her world's greatest heroes.

Back in October, during New York Comic Con, it was confirmed that Ultimate Black Panther will be coming to a close with the release of its 24th issue. Set to arrive in January, Ultimate Black Panther #24 will mark T'Challa's final battle against the dreaded Progenitors. To drive home the finality of it all even further, Ultimate Black Panther will be just the second Ultimate title to reach its conclusion after Ultimate Spider-Man ends in December, and it is just the first to end in 2026.

The Ultimates scribe Deniz Camp, who is also one of the main architects of the current Ultimate Universe, opened up following the announcement, stating, "It's hard to talk about it without getting emotional. It really is the culmination of everything Jonathan began. Everything from my book and everyone else's book are all converging. It's gonna be definitive, it's going to be big. It's going to be emotional, there's going to be death... It's just wild."

Head of Marvel Comics and Franchise Dan Buckley added, "You'll be able to take this journey—the beginning, middle, and end—and digest it for years to come and pass it on to others."

Ultimate Black Panther #22 goes on sale November 12 from Marvel Comics.