Black Panther #1 regular cover by Brian Stelfreeze

Images of the first, second, and third printings of Brian Stelfreeze's cover for Black Panther #1

Brian Stelfreeze produced the regular cover -- as opposed to the variants -- for Black Panther #1, which shows T'Challa taking an imposing stance. There are buildings in the background, presumably a city in Wakanda. The sleek, high-rise buildings correspond to the notion that Wakanda is a technologically advanced African nation. The image also shows smoke and the Wakandan flag burning, all of which foreshadow the turmoil facing Black Panther and Wakanda in Ta-Nehisi Coates's Black Panther series.

The sales for the comic book did really well, which led Marvel to produce three different printings for Black Panther #1. Stelfreeze's image remains the same for the successive printings, just the coloring for the title "Black Panther" changes. 

Related:
• List of Black Panther variants and artists  
• A Notebook on Black Panther