Shout! Factory will be expanding on their previous relationship with Marvel Animation by releasing a series of titles under the Marvel Knights banner.

On July 13, The Super Hero Squad Show will be released on DVD, then it will be followed by releases of the Astonishing X-Men: Gifted motion comic, the Spider-Woman motion comic, the Iron Man: Extremis motion comic, and the previously unaired Black Panther series produced by BET. More titles are still to be announced.

I am really excited about these releases. I watched several installments of the Spider-Woman comic and the first installment of the Astonishing X-Men: Gifted motion comic. Also, I have really enjoyed The Super Hero Squad Show with its “kiddie” versions of Marvel Comics heroes.

However, the DVD release that has me the most excited is the Black Panther series. This series was announced at Comic Con a few years ago and has been airing in Australia. I had begun to give up hope that it would ever air in the U.S. Black Panther has a stellar voice cast (Djimon Hounsou, Jill Scott, Alfre Woodard) and is drawn in an animation style reminiscent of popular comic book artist John Romita, Jr. It looks as if Marvel fans are going to be treated to some great DVD releases very soon.