Ta-Nehisi Coates, the writer behind Marvel’s Black Panther, Captain America, and Warner Bros.’ long-stalled Black Superman project, is under fire for comments he made about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
In a post that has already reached 4.4 million views on X, Coates said:
“I think Charlie Kirk was a hatemonger. I take no joy in the killing of anyone no matter what they said. But if you ask me what the truth of his life was I would have to tell you it’s hate.”
The remarks have sparked heavy backlash online (full video on YouTube), with critics accusing Coates of celebrating Kirk’s murder while hiding behind qualifiers.
Watch the video:
Controversial History
This is not the first time Coates has been at the center of controversy.
9/11 Comments
In a 2001 essay for The Village Voice, Coates said he did not find himself patriotic after the September 11th attacks, writing: “I didn’t feel anger. I didn’t feel pride. I didn’t feel shock. I didn’t feel anything at all.” Critics blasted the piece as unpatriotic at a time when the country was still reeling.
Captain America Run
While writing Captain America for Marvel Comics, Coates was accused of injecting partisan politics into the character, at one point drawing comparisons between conservatives and Nazi-style villains.
Black Superman Project
Coates is also attached to write the script for Warner Bros.’ planned Black Superman film, a project announced in 2021 but still stuck in development limbo, but may have since been canceled because of its woke content.
Many DC fans criticized the decision to race-swap the character rather than adapt existing black heroes such as Icon, Steel, or Val-Zod.
Broader Fallout
Coates’ comments come amid a wider cultural firestorm following Kirk’s death. Figures across Hollywood, gaming, and publishing — from Michael Keaton and Ava Raine to Stephen King and Bethesda — have faced intense scrutiny for their reactions.
Jimmy Kimmel was even pulled from ABC temporarily after mocking conservatives in the aftermath. When he returned his ratings spiked but have since crashed.
Now, with Coates’ comments spreading across X, the backlash adds yet another layer of controversy tying into entertainment, politics, and media.
