Marvel fans are in uproar after the debut of a controversial new storyline that reimagines Black Panther’s legacy—with a shocking twist: his successor appears to be white.
The premiere issue of Marvel Knights: The World To Come dropped Wednesday and introduced a new character named Ketema, whom T’Challa, prince of the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda and the original Black Panther, refers to as his son.
According to BleedingCool.com, the comic reveals that T’Challa fathered Ketema with his early love interest Monica Lynne, a character pulled from earlier comic arcs.
But in a major shakeup, Ketema grows to resent his father and ultimately challenges him for the throne.
After defeating T’Challa in battle, Ketema removes his mask—only to reveal blond hair, blue eyes, and distinctly Caucasian features.
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Marvel fans are in uproar after the debut of a controversial new storyline that reimagines Black Panther’s legacy—with a shocking twist: his successor appears to be white; (Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o and Michaela Coel attend the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere in 2022)
The character of T’Challa was famously portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman in Marvel’s Black Panther films, celebrated for honoring African culture and representation
The reveal sent social media into meltdown.
‘They looked at this and thought it was a good idea?’ one user fumed.
Another quipped, ‘Life is a horror movie in 2025.’
The character of T’Challa was famously portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman in Marvel’s Black Panther films, celebrated for honoring African culture and representation.
Now, fans are questioning whether the latest storyline undermines that legacy.
‘Black Panther having a white son would be ridiculous,’ one person posted, while another raged, ‘Black Panther is WHITE! Marvel actually did the unthinkable and it’s INSANE!’
Some even speculated about which actor might play the character in a future film.
‘I guess he looks a little like Ryan Gosling,’ one fan wrote.
The reveal sent social media into meltdown
Another added, ‘What if Ryan Gosling is coming into Marvel to play the Black Panther after all?’
Meanwhile, others online were quick to clarify that the writer behind the new comic is Black.
‘Lol stop letting these non-Black people touch Black Panther. They do silly stuff like this,”’ one critic commented—prompting another to respond: ‘The writer is Black.’
Indeed, Christopher Priest—who co-created Marvel Knights: The World To Come alongside Joe Quesada, Richard Isanove, and Richard Starkings—is widely recognized as the first Black writer-editor in mainstream comics.
He previously served as editor of Spider-Man in the mid-1980s and later penned major titles at DC, including Green Lantern.
Still, one disgruntled fan claimed: ‘If there would be any writer who would try to give the Black Panther mantle to a white person, of course it would be Christopher Priest—the man who made it his job to shove white characters into Wakanda’s mythos lol.’
The Marvel Knights: The World To Come issue kicks off with T’Challa’s death, but the real twist comes as the story rewinds to reveal how he got there, according to ComicBookMovies.com.
After the death of his wife Storm, T’Challa attempts to preserve his legacy by fathering a child with Lynne, one of his earliest love interests in the comics.
Meanwhile, others online were quick to clarify that the writer behind the new comic is Black; (Chad Boseman as Black Panther)
That child, a son named Ketema—whose name means “fortified encampment”—grows up to challenge his father for the throne of Wakanda.
Wearing the full Black Panther suit, Ketema defeats T’Challa in combat but spares his life.
Then comes the jaw-dropping reveal: he removes his mask to show that he is, in fact, white.
The big question lingering for fans is how T’Challa could possibly have a white son.
Some readers are now speculating that Monica Lynne might not be the boy’s mother after all, per the outlet.
Instead, attention has turned to Nicole Adams—a character who seems to appear on the cover of Issue #3—as a more likely candidate.
Although Nicole was believed to have died back in 2000, long-time comic fans know that death is rarely permanent in the Marvel universe.
Regardless of how the lineage shakes out, one thing has stunned readers across the board: the Black Panther mantle now appears to belong to someone who presents as white.
