In July, Marvel Comics announced an expansion of the Black Panther universe (beyond the series that Ta-Nehisi Coates is currently writing). The new series will be titled “Black Panther: World of Wakanda,” and it will focus more on the supporting characters that exist in the Wakandan universe.

Coates will oversee this new series as well. Each story will center on a different new character from the Black Panther universe, and will be written by a different writer.

The first in the series will be co-written by Coates along with author (“Bad Feminist”) and professor Roxanne Gay.

The second story will be co-written by Coates and award-winning poet Yona Harvey.

The first story will center on Ayo and Aneka, two members of the Dora Milaje security force (the personal bodyguards of the Black Panther, recruited from every tribe of Wakanda), who have become disillusioned with the state of things in Wakanda and gone rogue, calling themselves The Midnight Angels. The story will follow what led to their disillusionment, and their decision to withdraw from the established order and form their own squad, when they realize that they are actually in love with each other.

“My agent was not thrilled that I was taking on another project,” Ms. Gay said at the time of the initial announcement, adding, “It’s the most bizarre thing I’ve ever done, and I mean that in the best possible way… The opportunity to write black women and queer black women into the Marvel universe, there’s no saying no to that.”

The second story will follow Zenzi, a female revolutionary who incited a riot in the first issue of Coates’ Black Panther series.

“The women in Black Panther’s life are very, very important,” Coates said of the need to explore these characters in their own comics.

“World of Wakanda” issue #1 with art by Afua Richardson, is due out this November.

All of this should only continue to build on excitement for the upcoming Black Panther movie that Ryan Coogler is directing, with Chadwick Boseman starring. The much-anticipated movie is due in early 2018.

On this week’s episode of the “Women of Marvel Podcast,” hosts Sana Amanat and Judy Stephens welcome Roxane Gay to the podcast for the next installment of the Voices of Marvel – a celebration of the creative voices at Marvel – those who built Marvel’s legacy and those who will continue to push it forward. Listeners can tune in each month for a behind the scenes look as to who they are as artists, storytellers and of course, Marvel fans.

This week’s episode of the “Women of Marvel Podcast” with guest Roxane Gay is now online, in which the writer speaks about how she got involved with Marvel, and what fans can expect from the first “Black Panther: World of Wakanda” story, which will center on Ayo and Aneka, two members of the Dora Milaje security force. Listen to the conversation via the player below: