Black Panther and Namor team up versus the Avengers ... no, really

Black Panther #13 cover art
Black Panther #13 cover art (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Namor and Black Panther are teaming up!

For an unexpected change...

Namor goes to war with Wakanda in Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in movies theater right now, and as Newsarama has documented, the film is based on their extensive comic book past, where the two superhero monarchs have been rivals and enemies more than friends and colleagues over the decades, particularly during the event storylines Avengers Vs. X-Men and its follow-up Infinity.

But in January 11's Black Panther #13, the two usual adversaries will team up ... and against the Avengers no less.

The unusual pairing happens courtesy of writer John Ridley and artist German Peralta and is depicted on the new "spoiler variant cover" by Miguel Mercado which Marvel just released (and seen here).

Black Panther #13 variant cover (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

In Ridley's current Black Panther run, T'Challa is removed and estranged from the Avengers, is exiled from his kingdom Wakanda, and is "on his own against a threat with deep ties to his past."

In Black Panther #13, T'Challa and the Earth's Mightiest heroes will engage in a heated battle, and according to the publisher, with the Black Panther on the brink of defeat, Namor arrives on the scene, to surprisingly fight alongside him.

"The most bitter rivalry in Marvel Comics reaches a surprising turning point," reads Marvel's description of the issue, "...but will T'Challa accept Namor's help or make him pay for the pain he's inflicted on Wakanda in the past?"

Check out eight surprising comic book secrets about Namor, and learn all about his comics history, powers, and enemies (including Black Panther).

I'm not just the Newsarama founder and editor-in-chief, I'm also a reader. And that reference is just a little bit older than the beginning of my Newsarama journey. I founded what would become the comic book news site in 1996, and except for a brief sojourn at Marvel Comics as its marketing and communications manager in 2003, I've been writing about new comic book titles, creative changes, and occasionally offering my perspective on important industry events and developments for the 25 years since. Despite many changes to Newsarama, my passion for the medium of comic books and the characters makes the last quarter-century (it's crazy to see that in writing) time spent doing what I love most.