New concept art for Killmonger’s suit in Black Panther draws from the titular animal for a look that will, hopefully, make in on-screen someday. The success of Marvel’s newest film has been staggering, as Black Panther keeps breaking records. After a huge debut, the film has continued to dominate every day of the week as well as beating The Avengers when it comes to box office milestones. There’s no telling where the film will end up, but it’s poised for another big weekend around the world.

The film’s unique approach seems undeniable, with the biggest debates surrounding Black Panther focusing on which character is the best. Fans can’t wait to see Shuri in Avengers: Infinity War in which  the young genius just might go a few rounds with Tony Stark’s intellect. Meanwhile, M’Baku is winning admirers thanks to Winston Duke’s portrayal of the humorous anti-hero. But across the internet, it’s clear that Erik Killmonger is among the MCU’s best villains and is certainly one of the strongest characters in the movie. And although his own Black Panther costume in the film resembled T’Challa’s, it could have been even better.

Marvel concept artist Ryan Meinerding shared an unused design for Killmonger’s costume in Black Panther. Interestingly, it pulls away from the Golden Jaguar look and ends up appearing much closer to the character in the current Ta-Nehesi Coates run designed by Brian Stelfreeze.

The most striking aspect of the design is the mask, which uses the eyes, snout, and ears of an actual panther as inspiration. It also lines up with the current comics, giving the suit a distinct look and further distancing it from Batman’s own cowl. In fact, this costume would be quite fitting for T’Challa in a future film. Of course, it brings to mind Killmonger, thanks to the raised lines and bumps, mirroring the scarification of the character. All told, it’s a fantastic concept and it’s a wonder it wasn’t used in the movie.

This new suit is bound to excite fans and make some waves online, as most anything involving Killmonger tends to do. In fact, social media went wild when Killmonger’s Vegeta-inspired suit was fully understood. Ruth E. Carter’s costume design for the movie was superb, with Killmonger and the other characters managing to stand out even when not in superhero suits. And it’s that attention to detail that has made Black Panther such a hit with fans, critics, and even its comic creators.

More: Every Record Black Panther Has Broken

Source: Ryan Meinerding

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