Writing Black Panther: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Representation Struggles
Howard Rambsy II
May 2026 · Bloomsbury US Audio · Narrated by Greg Lockett
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7 hr 34 min
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Bloomsbury presents Writing Black Panther by Howard Rambsy II, read by Greg Lockett
A timely look at contemporary African American creative works through the lens of Ta-Nehisi Coates's ground-breaking entry into the comic book industry.
Writing Black Panther traces Ta-Nehisi Coates’s presence in comic books from 2015-2023, focusing on his contributions as the writer for Black Panther. His ambitious 50-issue run of the Marvel comic coincided with ongoing and multifaceted debates concerning diversity and inclusion – what we might call representation struggles – at a key moment in the history of comics with respect to Black writers. Howard Rambsy II locates Coates’s contributions at the intersection of African American literary studies and comic book studies, showing a dynamic convergence that redefines both fields and broadens the scope of Black creativity.
Writing Black Panther demonstrates key aspects of Coates’s comics narratives that overlap with major themes and topics in African American literature. These include the depiction of multiple Black characters, exploration of intra-racial and interracial conflicts, excavations of Black histories, displays of Afrofuturist aesthetics, and attention to cultural geography.
As a prominent essayist, bestselling author, and popular comic book writer, Coates stands out as a notable gateway figure who bridges multiple genres. His time as a comics writer constitutes an important, defining phase of his professional career. And as this book shows, Coates’s work on Black Panther went a long way to dispelling the myth that “diversity doesn’t sell” in the comic book industry.
A timely look at contemporary African American creative works through the lens of Ta-Nehisi Coates's ground-breaking entry into the comic book industry.
Writing Black Panther traces Ta-Nehisi Coates’s presence in comic books from 2015-2023, focusing on his contributions as the writer for Black Panther. His ambitious 50-issue run of the Marvel comic coincided with ongoing and multifaceted debates concerning diversity and inclusion – what we might call representation struggles – at a key moment in the history of comics with respect to Black writers. Howard Rambsy II locates Coates’s contributions at the intersection of African American literary studies and comic book studies, showing a dynamic convergence that redefines both fields and broadens the scope of Black creativity.
Writing Black Panther demonstrates key aspects of Coates’s comics narratives that overlap with major themes and topics in African American literature. These include the depiction of multiple Black characters, exploration of intra-racial and interracial conflicts, excavations of Black histories, displays of Afrofuturist aesthetics, and attention to cultural geography.
As a prominent essayist, bestselling author, and popular comic book writer, Coates stands out as a notable gateway figure who bridges multiple genres. His time as a comics writer constitutes an important, defining phase of his professional career. And as this book shows, Coates’s work on Black Panther went a long way to dispelling the myth that “diversity doesn’t sell” in the comic book industry.
Bloomsbury presents Writing Black Panther by Howard Rambsy II, read by Greg Lockett
A timely look at contemporary African American creative works through the lens of Ta-Nehisi Coates's ground-breaking entry into the comic book industry.
Writing Black Panther traces Ta-Nehisi Coates’s presence ...
About the author
Howard Rambsy II is Distinguished Research Professor of Literature at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA, where he specializes in African American fiction, poetry, and comic books. He is the author of The Black Arts Enterprise (2011) and Bad Men: Creative Touchstones of Black Writers (2020), and he is creator of Remarkable Receptions, a podcast series on African American literature.
Howard Rambsy II is Distinguished Research Professor of Literature at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA, where he specializes in African American fiction, poetry, and comic books. He is the author of The Black Arts Enterprise (2011) and Bad Men: Creative Touchstones of Black Writers ...
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