Nerd Processing

Holland at his writing studio where he penned Black Panther. Photographer Jordan Woods.

Prince George’s Suite Magazine Cover Story Features Bowie-Based Comic Book Lover Turned Marvel ‘Black Panther’ Book Author: Jesse J. Holland

By Raoul Dennis

We all remember the ‘Black Panther’ movie mania last February. The only thing longer than the lines at theaters to see the third highest grossing movie in Hollywood history were the number of jaws dropping across the film and business industries as a film with a predominately black cast pulled $1.3 billion worldwide.

For author/journalist Jesse J. Holland—and millions of Marvel comics lovers like him—the breakout success of the movie was a dream realized. Growing up in Holly Springs, Miss, Holland spent his leisure time reading the Black Panther, among dozens of other comic titles. Reading so much inspired his writing and it came as no surprise that he became a journalist (for the Associated Press) and an author.

But when the call came with the opportunity to work on the novel for Black Panther, there was something different.

“I didn’t need to go far to research the character,” Holland told Prince George’s Suite magazine from his Bowie, MD home. “I still have the comics.”

The writer focused on making characters and cultures within the Black Panther’s world relevant to today’s. He also wanted to give adult readers a deeper understanding of the Black Panther without giving away the movie story.

“I took the same story in the in the comic book that was accessible to understand the movie,” he says. “It wouldn’t spoil the movie but you would know a lot more about the character than anyone else. But if you have seen it, you can read the novel to better understand the origin.”

Holland’s own story and how the Prince Georgian family man came to be connected with the film are in the summer/fall edition available now.  Click here.