Disclaimer: I’m about to nerd out, so bear with me.
Since "Batman vs. Superman" was a major failure, let me give you a superhero you can be excited for.
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I’ve low-key always been a little nerd. Whether it was making a Godzilla movie for the fifth grade talent show or buying my first comic book at the sixth grade book fair, playing "Pokémon" or loving "Dragon Ball Z." The neediness has been there, whether it was in private or open. These things could either be an escape from the world or be a metaphor for something greater.
One thing that has drawn millions of fans to comics and movies about these characters is they found something they could resonate with. A character that looks, acts, loves, dresses and whatever else we find important about ourselves. That is what makes these characters super, their ability to have similar appearances and struggles as we do yet still impact the world. Something I have always struggled with is finding a character that looked like me. A character that talked, had family members like mine and had his own narrative. There was always a lack of black characters that had their own narrative and story, and were not the backseat to another hero’s story. That was until a close friend of mine suggested I look into the Black Panther. I had always heard of the Black Panther but I had never really looked into him.
The Black Panther's name has no tie or connection to the activist group; in fact, he actually came before. The Black Panther debuted for Marvel in 1966 in a "Fantastic Four" comic book series. What makes this character so appealing and intriguing is his narrative. The Black Panther is a king of a fictitious African nation called Wakanda.
Wakanda is the most advanced civilization in the world, primarily due to a rare resource only found in their village. Vibranium, which is one of the strongest materials in the world (it is the same material that Captain America’s shield is made of). The Black Panther, or T’Challa, is there to protect his people and the nation of Wakanda. He is the greatest of warriors from a nation of warriors. This is a hero in its truest form. He has no “super” powers other than just being the greatest fighter in the world. But aside from the hero aspects, the Black Panther narrative is something to be spoken for.
As a history major, I love to study about the once great African nations and tribes prior to the slave trade and colonization. Wakanda is the universal black dream.
A nation where blacks have been free from oppression, plight and are seen as the most advanced civilization in the world. The people are seen as beautiful and everyone wants a piece of what they have. T’Challa is what we have always wanted in black leaders. Someone who has his people’s best interest in mind and will go to whatever measure to see those things accomplished. But along with protecting his people, he's a leader that wants to see a greater change in the world as well. These are the moments when heroes can be more than just fragments of our imagination but possibly even inspire us. With all that said, I am super excited for the coming year, for the Black Panther is getting a revamp.
On April 6, a new Black Panther series is coming into publication and the writer is none other than 2015 National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates. And if comics aren’t your thing, T’Challa is getting his big screen debut later this year. The Black Panther will be making his debut in the upcoming "Captain America: Civil War." He will be representing the people of Wakanda in grand fashion as he helps the group of Marvel heroes determine what it really means to be a hero. So if you haven’t found a character that you connect with, I encourage you to do so, because they might just save your world.
