One of the most talked about American authors and journalists of the past year is turning a page in his career — and beginning a stint as comic book writer.
Ta-Nehisi Coates, the author of "Between the World and Me," began his 11 issue run as the writer for "Black Panther" last week. In an article published in The Atlantic Magazine, Coates discussed what was involved in writing the comic series.
"Despite the difference in style and practice of storytelling, my approach to comic books ultimately differs little from my approach to journalism. In both forms, I am trying to answer a question," he wrote.
According to Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, it "worked out beautifully" in getting Coates to write for the series.
"When he interviewed one of my editors, Sana Amana, at an Atlantic Talk, we swooped. We reached out to him to see if he'd be interested in writing for us, it just so happened he was," Alonso told NBC News.
Black Panther was the first black superhero in American mainstream comics, having made his debut in 1966. In the comic series, he rules the highly advanced and fictional city of Wakanda in Africa through his alter ego of T'Challa.
According to Alonso, Coates' yearlong storyline, drawn by Brian Stelfreeze, is a stand-alone event, "with no other Marvel titles tying into it."
"That said, the new ongoing series -- as well as T'Challa's role in the upcoming Marvel event, 'Civil War II' -- will position the Panther as a huge character in the Marvel Universe moving forward," Alonso continued.
Black Panther is also set to make his film debut in May 2016 with his featured role in "Captain America: Civil War," where he will be portrayed by Chadwick Boseman. A standalone film is planned for 2018.
The story line is titled "A Nation Under Our Feet" and is inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name.The story follows Black Panther as he deals with an uprising in his country set off by a superhuman terrorist group called "The People."
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Coates was awarded a 2015 MacArthur Grant for "extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction," as the foundation says in it's mission statement. His book, "Between the World and Me" was awarded the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction.