The man who would later be known as Erik Killmonger was born N’Jadaka in the hyper-advanced nation of Wakanda. Exiled from his birthplace due to his family’s ties with the invader Klaw, N’Jadaka blamed King T’Chaka for the misery his family endured. Taking the name Killmonger, he trained to be the perfect vessel of revenge against Black Panther.
Author Bryan Edward Hill and artist Juan Ferreyra present a further look behind Killmonger’s motivations in this origin run. Long before he became “Killmonger,” he was a boy known as N’Jadaka, a child who was stolen from his home and taught only the world’s cruelties. A boy who knew the Black Panther only as a fairy tale. Until a new purpose set him on a path of vengeance...
Black Panther's defining origin by writer Evan Narcisse. Loyalty. Patriotism. Sacrifice. Bound by love of his country, Killmonger moves to make the world fear the newly revealed nation of Wakanda. T'Challa faces the darkest moment yet of his young kinghood. Read through issue #6.
Read through issue #25! On Earth, Erik Killmonger is the Black Panther’s deadliest foe. In the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, Killmonger’s namesake, Lord N'Jadaka, rules as the Black Panther. He is the chosen son of Bast, but N’Jadaka has also joined with a Klyntar, one of the symbiotes from the same race that spawned Venom. And, in this issue, he takes some shocking steps to shore up his power.
Killmonger's first appearance! Asserting himself as a contender to Wakanda’s throne, Killmonger takes his fight directly to Black Panther…even involving a feral leopard in the fray!
Resurrected by the Mandarin, Killmonger teams with super-criminal Madam Slay to make an attempt at Wakanda’s throne! After kidnapping James Rhodes and seemingly killing T’Challa, the villains claim victory and Killmonger declares himself the new Black Panther and Wakandan regent!
After years of fighting and manipulating, Killmonger faces T’Challa in ritual combat to determine who will rule Wakanda – and Killmonger wins! But when the time comes to ingest the Heart-Shaped Herb to gain the Black Panther’s powers, Erik realizes a fatal error too late! Read through #25 for this cross-continental arc guest-starring Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, the Avengers and more!
During Kevin “Kasper” Cole’s tenure as the Black Panther, Killmonger approaches him with a deal: giving up the mantle of Black Panther in exchange for a synthetic version of the Heart-Shaped Herb developed by Killmonger. Officer Cole accepts, and uses his newfound powers to become the White Tiger!
Following a coup in the nation of Nagana, Killmonger inserts himself as their new despot leader and proceeds to kidnap Black Panther’s sister, Shuri! T’Challa is left with little choice but to lead a Wakandan invasion of Nagana’s borders. Read through #38 for Black Panther’s final confrontation with Killmonger, a bitter, last-ditch fist brawl that features a saving grace from an Avenger!