History & Training Manual Reveals the Art of War of the Dora Milaje

GayNrd Editors February 27, 2022

Learn what it takes to become a member of the Dora Milaje—Wakanda’s elite, all-female guard—with PROTECTORS OF WAKANDA, the exclusive in-world history and training manual.

The world of Wakanda, a technologically advanced society with a deep history and culture, prides itself on tradition, honor, courage, and strength. There is no greater symbol of that strength than Wakanda’s leader, The Black Panther. But protection of that symbol is tasked to the Dora Milaje—a team of women serving as Wakanda’s special forces.

Dora Milaje — “adored ones,” an all-female military group that protects the King and the fictional nation of Wakanda — are perhaps the most obvious example of female strength. The Dora Milaje were introduced in Black Panther comic by Christopher Priest, who took over as lead writer of the series in 1998; since the series’ relaunch in 2016, they’ve become much more central to the plot. (The title character, who was Marvel’s first African-American superhero, was created in 1966.) In their initial appearance, Priest’s narrator describes the female bodyguards as “Deadly Amazonian high school karate chicks,” who were also the King’s “wives-in training.” While many have speculated about the inspiration behind these warriors, it is clear that one of their main antecedents was the famous all-female African military corps of Dahomey, West Africa (now The Republic of Benin), whom the French dubbed “Dahomey Amazons” after female warriors in Greek mythology.

Step inside Marvel Comics’ Black Panther universe and follow the elite society of women warriors to discover what it’s like to train as member of the Dora Milaje. Recruited from across all tribes, the selected initiates undergo intense training, both physical and mental.

Passed down from elder Dora to initiates, with entries by General Okoye, Princess Shuri, and Queen Mother Ramonda, Protectors of Wakanda reveals not only the history and foundation of the unit, but collects the strategy, weapons, and combat training as well as the code of honor and nuances of service required to protect the Black Panther and the nation of Wakanda.

Added commentary and guidance from notable warriors, such as Mistress Zola, Ayo, Aneka and M’yra, fill the margins of this treasured text.

Find out if you have what it takes to become a member of the Dora Milaje and bring honor to your tribe!