A popular MCU character emerges in September's The Last Annihilation specials

The Last Annihilation
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Marvel's latest sequel to Annihilation, one of the modern Marvel Comics' most successful event storylines and something of a precursor to the success of Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU, continues in September. 

That month the new iteration of the event continues in a pair of one-shots The Last Annihilation: Wakanda #1 and The Last Annihilation: Wiccan and Hulkling #1. Both 40-page specials feature a pair of Marvel's cosmic players pitted against traditional Doctor Strange villain Dormammu (who was revealed as the event's adversary last month) and his 'Mindless Army,' in what Marvel calls "a senseless war."

The Last Annihilation: Wakanda #1 is written by Evan Narcisse with art by Germán Peralta and covers by Philip Tan and Ernanda Souza. In the special Black Panther enlists the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda to help stop the Dormammu. And in an interesting twist that calls back to the MCU's Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, T'Challa recruits M'Baku to lead the Wakandan forces. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

T'Challa and M'Baku (otherwise known as Man-Ape) are traditionally bitter, fierce adversaries in Marvel comic books, but M'Baku has been translated into a heroic and popular rival/ally to Black Panther in the MCU. 

Given the fan-favorite portrayal of M'Baku by Winston Duke and the fact the Black Panther throne is vacant in the movies due to the death of Chadwick Boseman (which will be explored in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), it will be interesting to see if the character begins a hero's journey in the comic books to match his MCU counterpart. The solicitation for the special promises the emergence of a "new hero," although the female figure on the cover by Tan might be who that line is referring to. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The Last Annihilation: Wiccan and Hulkling #1 is written by Anthony Oliveira, drawn by Jan Bazaldua with covers by Luciano Vecchio and David López. 

It, of course, stars the newlywed couple, one-half of who (Hulking) is the newly-christened Emperor of an allied Kree/Skrull empire. 

But their honeymoon will be short-lived. 

"Wiccan and Hulkling must split up to simultaneously defend two planets against the Mindless Army!" reads Marvel's description.

The original Annihilation crossover focused on Annihilus, the villainous dictator of the Negative Zone, and his Annihilation wave of devouring insectoids.

Speaking of T'Challa and Wakanda, check out Newsarama's list of the best Black Panther stories of all time.

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.

Read more
Nova's helmet sitting among rubble
Jonathan Hickman will "revolutionize Marvel's galactic canon" in a new event that brings in the Hulks, Black Panther, Nova, and more
Silver Surfer sitting on his board
Marvel June 2025 solicitations: 10 must-have comics to pre-order this month
Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1
Christopher Priest returns to Black Panther after 22 years alongside Marvel Knights architect Joe Quesada for a story that foretells the future of the Marvel Universe
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Avengers: Doomsday concept art reportedly "leaks" to reveal major returning MCU characters
Gold Tiger battles a hoard of zombies.
New Wakandan hero Gold Tiger is the latest to join Marvel's New Champions
The New Thunderbolts leaping into action
Marvel's New Thunderbolts* comic steals the MCU's asterisk, and the reason why is just as big of a mystery
Latest in Marvel Comics
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel may have just sneakily confirmed one of the biggest Daredevil: Born Again fan theories
New Champions #4
Meet Gold Tiger, the young Wakandan hero whose origin will be revealed in New Champions #4
Marvel Rivals: Ignite #1
Marvel Rivals goes manga in a new comic from Peach Momoko and three other Japanese artists that reveals several new in-game costumes
Fantastic Four #30
Thanks to Doctor Doom, Ben Grimm is no longer the Thing and his kids don't even recognize him in Fantastic Four #30
Silver Surfer sitting on his board
Marvel June 2025 solicitations: 10 must-have comics to pre-order this month
Spider-Man swings into action alongside the Fantastic Four and Ms. Marvel.
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four team up in a new story from Jay and Silent Bob creator Kevin Smith
Latest in News
Lunar Remastered Collection
"Will today’s players still enjoy a game from 30 years ago?": JRPG icon Kei Shigema says he was thrilled to see Lunar getting a remaster even after all this time
Nick Offerman as Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank in The Last of Us episode 3
The Last of Us season 2 showrunners tease a "gorgeous" episode akin to season 1’s Emmy-nominated Bill and Frank story: "Just you wait"
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
CD Projekt boss says "cutting-edge single-player games" – you know, like The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 – will "continue to enjoy great popularity" despite industry shifts
Cyberpunk 2077
Despite releasing exactly zero new games, CD Projekt bagged $120 million in profit for 2024 – the Witcher and Cyberpunk studio's third-best result ever
Muse
Daredevil: Born Again midseason trailer teases Matt Murdock’s violent fight with Muse, including a gory scene straight from the comics
Batman looking over the city during Batman: Arkham City, one of the best PS3 games.
The PS2 Batman Begins game was considered such a "disaster" that Christopher Nolan turned down a Dark Knight-inspired game