Marvel Reveals First Two Imperial War One-Shots Featuring Black Panther and She-Hulk

Marvel Comics is gearing up for a major cosmic conflict with the upcoming Imperial War one-shots. These new stories are part of the larger Imperial (2025) event series, which promises to reshape the Marvel Universe’s cosmic landscape. The first two one-shots, Imperial War: Black Panther and Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk, will hit shelves this August.

The Imperial (2025) series is a four-issue event crafted by writer Jonathan Hickman and artists Iban Coello and Federico Vicentini. It will explore a galaxy-spanning conflict that dramatically changes the cosmic side of Marvel’s storytelling. To expand on this epic saga, Marvel is releasing five Imperial War one-shots.

Each will focus on specific characters or teams as they navigate the chaos unleashed by the intergalactic war.

One of the first one-shots, Imperial War: Black Panther #1, is written by Victor LaValle, known for his work on Wolverine: Sabretooth War, and illustrated by CAFU of Venom fame. This story dives into the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, now under attack from all sides. T’Challa, the Black Panther, finds himself blamed for assassinations that sparked the galactic conflict.

To clear his name, he must first survive a brutal attack from both the World-Breaker Hulk and Amadeus Cho—all while his spaceship hurtles towards disaster.

LaValle shared his enthusiasm for the project: “Working with Jonathan Hickman on an interstellar epic—who wouldn’t be thrilled by that idea? I’m excited to start working on the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda because there’s not enough stories about Black folks in outer space. There could always be more. By the time I’m done, T’Challa and Shuri will have constellations named after them, in some distant galaxy.”

The second one-shot, Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1, is co-written by Stephanie Phillips (Phoenix) and illustrated by Emilio Laiso (Godzilla vs. X-Men).

In this story, Jen Walters (She-Hulk) is left behind on New Sakaar to maintain peace. However, things spiral out of control when a brutal war of succession breaks out. Jen must channel both her skills as a lawyer and a fighter to survive the chaos.

Phillips expressed her excitement about writing She-Hulk: “She-Hulk’s voice just came naturally to me from the first line—she’s so sharp, funny, and confident. It’s been incredible getting to bring her story to life as part of Imperial and see what this talented lineup of creators is building together.”

Both one-shots are set to release on August 20. Fans can preorder them at their local comic book shops. As the Imperial (2025) event unfolds, readers can expect more one-shots featuring different Marvel characters. Stay tuned for more announcements from Marvel in the coming weeks.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!