Black Panther is a fictional character

appearing in American comic books published by

Comics. The character was created by iarv
writer-editor Stan Lee and artist-coplotter Jack Kirby. Ine
character first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover-dated
July 1966) in the Silver Age or Lomic
Books. Black Panther's real name is
T'Challa, and he is depicted as the king and protector of the
fictional African nation of Wakanda. Along
with possessing enhanced abilities achieved througn
ancient Wakandan rituals of drinking the essence
of the heart-shaped herb, T'Challa also relies on
his proficiency in science, rigorous physical
training, hand-to-hand combat skills, and access to
wealth and advanced Wakandan technology to combat
his enemies.
Black Panther is the first superhero of African
descent in mainstream American comicS, having
debuted years before early black superheroes such as Marvel Comics' the Falcon (1969), Luke
Cage (1972), and Blade (1973) or DC Comics' John Stewart in
the role of Green Lantern (1971). In
one comic book storyline, the Black Panther mantle is handled by Kasper Cole, a multiracial New
York City police oficer. Beginning as an impersonator, Cole would later talke on the moniker
of White Tiger and become an ally to T'Challa. The role of Black Panther and leadership of Wakanda
was also given to T'Challa's sister Shuri while he was in a coma for a short time.

Black Panther, comic strip superhero created for Marvel Comics by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack
Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four no. 52 (July 1966).

Seeking to address the dearth of Black characters in comics, Lee and Kirby created T Challa, a
member of the royal family of the fictional African country of Wakanda. Wakanda was depicted as a
peculiar mix of futuristic technology and traditional life, a dichotomy produced by the presence in
the country of Vibranium, a rare and nearly indestructible meteoric ore. After the death of his father
at the hands of the villainous Ulysses Klaw, TChalla claimed the throne as well as the mantle of the
Black Panther. Upon becoming the Black Panther, TChalla was exposed to a mystical herb
that enhanced his strength and agility to near-superhuman levels. After meeting the Fantastic Four,
T'Challa decided his powers would be put to best use in the service of all humanity, although
Wakanda traditionally had been closed to the outside world, and so he flew off to New York, leaving
his people behind.

The late 1960s was a tumultuous time for America both domestically and abroad. The events taking
place outside U.S. shores, such as the Vietnam conflict, began to affect domestic unrest in already
existing social movements, most notably the Civil Rights Movement. Although President Lyndon
Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law on August 6, 1965, which banned discriminating
voting policies, just five days later, riots broke out in Watts, a section of Los Angeles, centered
around police brutality toward African Americans. Times were indeed tense, and the issues of race
were at the forefront. The fires that burned in Southern California were not solely about one
incident per se, but a response to continued systematic oppression. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, who,
by this time, was venturing outside of the Jim Crow South to address poverty in America's ghettos
in urban centers like Chicago and Los Angeles, called the emerging riots the "language of the
unheard."
The larger implications of socioeconomic inequality were now part of a larger critique of what
America was and was not. This was the backdrop that Marvel Comics' Stan Lee and Jack Kirby used
to create their new character, Black Panther. The character's alter ego, King T'Challa, was ruler of
the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda. He was the first black superhero to debut in American
comic books.
Originaly conceived of as the "Coal Tiger" Black Panther cannot be separated from the timesin
which he burst onto the comic book scene in Fantastic Four #52 in July of 1966. Prior to the release
of the comic, Lee and Kirby, according to writer Sean Howe, were very much aware and influenced
by an article in The New York Times that discussed the formation of the Lowndes Country Freedom
Organization (LCFO), which had as their emblem a black panther.[2] Howe attributed that article as
the impetus for changing the name of the character that Lee and Kirby had been working on for
months.

The media referred to the LCF0 as "The Black Panther Party," after its formation in 1965 under the
direction of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) field secretary, Stokely Carmichael
(Kwame Ture). Carmichael believed that African Americans' political power resided in the will and
political self determination of local people.13] This was his organizing principal for the voter
registration work that he was engaged in. However, that was easier said than done. "Bloody
Lowndes," as it was commonly known then, earned that unflattering nickname from decades of
violence and terror inflicted on African Americans to disenfranchise them. To have a clearer
understanding of just how dire things were in 1965, we must grasp the fact that no African
American had successfully registered to vote there in over sixty years. Additionally, 86 white
families owned 90 percent of the land.[4]

he Black Panther comic book exhibit can teach us a great deal about the medium and its larger
impact on society or vice versa. The character, Black Panther, was born out of the cultural and social
revolutions of the 1960s, and what impact and meaning that has on our understanding of the series
and subsequent characters is left to the visitors, patrons, and scholars. However, what better time
to talk about comics and their influence in popular culture than at this very moment, when the
Superhero film genre is arguably at its apex?

T'Challa as the Black Panther was firstly brought into the comic book universe when he was
featured in the 52nd edition of the Fantastic Four comic book series, which came onto the market in
early 1966. The Fantastic Four, who gave their debut on the comic book market in 1961, were the
first superhero team that was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and proceeded to be one of the
most-known superhero groups from the comic book universe of the 20th century.

The aforesaid edition was also the first story that was featured in the Black Panther's "Epic
Collection"' and told the story of the "fabulous E.F" being "trapped in the incredible realm of the
Black Panther" (McGregor 6). The Black Panther, in his first appearance in the Fantastic Four
storyline, is not being brought in as an insignificant support character, but rather as an extremely
powerful individual, or even an antihero at first.

The story introduces the Black Panther as a chieftain who is inviting the group of the Fantastic Four
"to be his guests in the kingdom of Wakanda" (McGregor 8), which is being introduced asa
mysterious hidden area in the African jungle. The Fantastic Four find it hard to believe that a "plane
that flies by magnetic waves" (McGregor 11), which the Black Panther gave to them as a gift, "could
have come from a land with no sign of technology" (McGregor 13). This matches the stereotypical
representation of Africa as a poor landmark with little to no industrial development, that especially
Americans or people from the Western world in general would have agreed with at that time. Yet,
Stan Lee manages to break up these stereotypes in his comic books by portraying Wakanda as a
'man-made jungle" (McGregor 14) full of technological innovations.
When the Fantastic Four arrive in Wakanda, they realize that they have only been lured
all o
kingdom because the Black Panther wanted to test his combat abilities by fighting them at
Four, mentioning tnae e
He sees tihis fight as a game and suddenly appears in front of the Fantastic
(McGregor 15). I he bl
invited them for "the hunt" and that it is them "who shall be hunted"
Fantastic Four members and taheo
Panther then proceeds to exploit the weaknesses of each of the ngnt,
on one by one, using the familiar Wakandian terrain to his advantage. During the
them him ana
superheroes "prey" (McGregor 17), which dehumanizes
TChalla calls the group of his
Fantastic asks if his wire is
seem more like an actual Panther as a predator. When Mister (McGregor 13),
makes him females to be fair game"
doesn't "consider
safe, the Black Panther points out that he later stories due to the
fact that his closest
doesn't his portrayal in
taking a
showing sexist behavior. This
fit
female characters, as we will see when
army turns out to mostly consist of
and most 1oyal
look at the other fictional texts.
the
outnumber him and convince him to surrender
finally manage to powerful character,
Although the Fantastic Four portrayed as an extremely intelligent and at the
fight, the Black Panther is
still being
its time. Especiallyif you take a look
way ahead of series was
managed to create an empire that is the Fantastic Four comic book
who edition of
from the time the 52nd black, non-American
historical circumstances powerful representation for one ofthe first TChalla
actually is a than his strength, it stands out that
released, this rather is ended"
focus on his mindset out that "the game
superheroes. Yet, when you arrogant in his first appearance. He points sake of his
as kind of exploiting the Fantastic Four for thestereotypes,
is being portrayed fight, admitting that
he was
managed to break the
(McGregor 25 after the appearance, the Black Panther
first
amusement. Throughout his about him and his kingdom Wakanda.
Four had
which the Fantastic already carries a
Fantastic Four storyline
in the how his
appearance of the Black Panther aware about his backstory and
While the first be chapter of the
ofTChalla, it is importantI to take a look at the second
meaningful portrayal do so, am
going
Four comic book
series. In "The
were formed. In order to the Fantastic
characteristics edition of Black Panther"
contains the 53rd the secret of the
Collection, which Four "learn
Epic 1966, the Fantastic
way it began", from August
killed by Klaw,
(McGregor 29). seen his father get
how he has became
Fantastic Four the story of his own eyes. When TChalla
Panther tells the Vibranium, in front of but one
thought"
The Black Wakanda for its source of sworn that he would only "live with
who invaded his young
years, he
chieftain in death.
the new avenge his father's
(McGregor 36), to