Have you ever wondered what it would take to become a member of the Dora Milaje? Then you’re in luck; Marvel and The Quarto Group are releasing Protectors of Wakanda: A History and Training Manual for the Dora Milaje! The Root had an exclusive cover reveal of the book earlier this week, alongside an interview with its author Karama Horne.

Everyone knows the Dora Milaje as the protectors of Wakanda’s leader, the Black Panther. They’re an elite team of women warriors with plenty of stand-out moments in both the comics and the Black Panther movie. But the Dora don’t really have a history up until now. Karama Horne set out to change that, creating an in-world training manual passed down from elder Dora to initiates. The book reveals the history of the unit along with their weapons, training and code of honor. It also features entries by Okoye (Danai Gurira), Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) and the Queen Mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett). 

RELATED: Read more about the world of Black Panther in Tales of Wakanda!

In her interview with The Root, Horne said the book shows “we are the elite because of how we train, how we work and how we rest. And I explain that not as an outside observer, but as the voice of a Dora inside the book.” Horne takes on this role as an expert after researching previous Black Panther comics and stories. In real life, she’s a culture journalist for SyfyWire and her own website, TheBlerdGurl. 

Protectors of Wakanda: A History and Training Manual for the Dora Milaje is scheduled for release on September 13, but you can preorder it now directly from Quarto, Bookshop.org or your local independent bookstore.

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