Alternate ‘Black Panther’ Concept Art Reveals Classic Cape For T’Chaka

With Black Panther roaring towards a monstrous second weekend at the box office, it’s no secret that Marvel Studios has another hit on their hands. Throughout the two hoursBlack Panther ran, moviegoers were treated to Wakanda and its rich, vibrant history. Now, concept art of some of the movie’s characters has begun to surface online.

Thanks to Andy Park, a Visual Development Supervisor at Marvel Studios, we now have a look at some of the early artwork for T’Chaka’s Panther costume, and it sure is a treat.

The concept art provides a fresh update to T’Chaka’s iconic comic uniform, including a cape and cowl. With a cape in tow, the concept art is nearly identical to the end result we saw in the movie, particularly when a younger version of the king (Atandwa Kani) visited his younger brother N’Jobu (Sterling K. Brown) in Oakland.

Comics-wise, T’Chaka debuted along Ulysses Klaw within the pages of Fantastic Four #53 (1966). He was eventually killed by Klaw — Black Panther‘s archenemy — within the pages of the same issue.

Although T’Chaka met his untimely demise within the events of Captain America: Civil War, the character played a prominent role — both in flashbacks and in the present via a form of the astral plane — in Black Panther.

Black Panther is currently in its second weekend in theaters. T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Shuri (Letitia Wright), and the rest of Wakanda are next slated to appear in Avengers: Infinity War.