The Black Panther, a character that has no doubt grasped the attention of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans thanks to his awesome portrayl in the live action films.
For myself, I have been a Black Panther fan and while I don’t own his first appearance in comic books (“Fantastic Four” issue #52), I do have his second appearance in “Fantastic Four” issue #53.
But I have always been a big fan of the character but he was not a character that was utilized effectively until the last decade and I feel that “Black Panther” has rised above just comic books but despite being a fictional character, has become a hero for African Americans.
When you think about it, as Marvel Comics has Black Panther, Falcon, War Machine (James Rhodes), Luke Cage, Blade and X-Men character Storm as the six notable superheroes that are Black and DC Comics had Cyborg, John Stewart (Green Lantern), Steel, Static Shock, Black Lightning and Vixen. For the most part, Black Panther is the most popular in today’s society because of how Marvel paid its respect to its character and the character’s lineage.
T’Challa (Black Panther) was a leader of royal lineage, a man of science and technology, but also the people of Wakanda. Again, while fictional, it was a positive on-screen depiction of a nation that was powerful, rich in resources and not poverty-stricken as many films tend to show of Africa.
But along with the strong men, you also saw many women who were just as powerful and intelligent.
But for those who don’t remember what happened when the “Black Panther” film was released, the film that made $200 million in the box office, made over $1.349 billion becoming the highest-grossing film directed by a black filmmaker and also the ninth-highest grossing film of all time at that time. Also proving to the world that a film with an all-Black cast can draw a huge audience.
So, there are so many positives which came from “Black Panther”, the superhero. But to better understand the cultural significance of the character, one should read “Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration” by Ytasha Womack.
This book is not just a book that pays respect to the superhero character but also notable Black leaders, characters on television and more.
But for each portrayal throughout the numerous decades, Black Panther has been featured in different writers from the ’60s-’80s and also showcasing the character through the first Black writer for “Black Panther”, Christopher Priest in 1998 to filmmaker, Reginald Hudlin’s “Black Panther” comics of the 2000s and Ta-Nehisi Coates from 2016-2021 to John Ridley’s “Black Panther Legends” starting in 2021 and Eve Hewing becoming the first woman to write “Black Panther” starting in 2023.
And Womack also covers Wakanda, to the toy line featuring Black Panther as well.
If there was a book about Black Panther’s history and how it ties into cultural identity of America at each time period and further exploring the cultural impact thanks to the characters, the land and its positive depiction, makes “Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration” by Ytasha Womack a magnificent book paying the ultimate respect through thorough research and captivating writing.
I absolutely love this book and I highly recommend it!
