This article is about a comic book character. For other uses of the term black panther, see black panther (disambiguation).

The Black Panther is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Fantastic Four #52. He was one of the first major non-caricatured black comic book characters, and was the first major black superhero. His name predates the use of the term by the Black Panther Party.

Publication History

The Black Panther had his first starring role in the pages of Jungle Action , written by Don McGregor . That series was abruptly cancelled to make way for the first Black Panther series, written and illustrated by Jack Kirby, with a correspondingly abrupt shift in tone away from McGregor's more grounded Panther to Kirby's trademark High Adventure. McGregor later returned to the Panther to tie up some of his loose ends, in Marvel Comics Presents and two subsequent miniseries.

The character was then significantly revamped by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira , playing up the more manipulative side to the character seen in his first appearance but largely abandoned under McGregor and Kirby, in the award-winning Black Panther ongoing series, which was under the "Marvel Knights" imprint for it's first year. Despite the critical plaudits, however, sales of the comic were never high. An experiment for the last twelve issues (#50-62) saw the main character replaced by a New York policeman, with T'Challa relegated to a background character, but sales only faltered still farther. This Black Panther, now the White Tiger, was placed in The Crew series, running concurrently with the final few Black Panther issues, but this was cancelled with issue #7 due to low sales.

In February 2005, a new Black Panther series was published under Marvel Comics, written by filmmaker Reginald Hudlin and drawn by artist John Romita, Jr., with the first arc set immediately after the character's first appearance.

Fictional Biography

The Black Panther is the title given to the ruler of the fictional African nation of Wakanda and to the chief of the various tribes that comprise the nation's population. The costume worn is a symbol of office and is used even during diplomatic missions. The Black Panther is entitled to the use of a heart-shaped herb that grants the person who consumes it enhanced strength, agility, and perception. The current bearer of the Black Panther mantle is T'Challa, who has had a lengthy career as a superhero, including a long-standing membership in The Avengers.

T'Challa is the son of T'Chaka, who was the Black Panther before him. At some point in the distant past, a massive meteorite comprised of the sound-absorbing mineral vibranium crashed in Wakanda, and was only recently unearthed. Knowing that other, more powerful nations would attempt to manipulate and dominate Wakanda for this rare and valuable resource, T'Chaka concealed Wakanda from the outside world. He would sell off minute amounts of the valuable vibranium while surreptitiously sending Wakanda's best scholars to university abroad, consequently turning Wakanda into one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. However, eventually the explorer Ulysses Klaw found his way to Wakanda, and using lies and subterfuge covered up his work on a vibranium-powered sound-based weapon. When he was exposed, Klaw killed T'Chaka and many other Wakandans, only for his "sound blaster" to be turned on him by a grieving T'Challa, who was then barely a teenager. Klaw's right hand was destroyed by the overloaded sonic weapon, and he and his men fled.

T'Challa earned the title and attributes of the Black Panther by defeating the various champions of the tribes of Wakanda. He would then go on to study abroad in New York City before returning to his kingship. T'Challa revealed himself to the Fantastic Four, defeating them in individual combat before teaming up with them to battle the returning Klaw, who would soon return as a being made entirely of living sound. T'Challa went on to become romantically involved with the American singer Monica Lynne and to begin a long association with the Avengers. The role of Black Panther briefly fell into the hands of T'Challa's rival Erik Killmonger when he defeated T'Challa in ritual combat, only for Killmonger to fall into a coma upon eating the heart-shaped herb, which was toxic to anyone outside the royal bloodline, who had a heriditary immunity to the toxic effects of the herb.

Although it would have been far more convienient to allow him to die, and thus be unquestionably entitled to the title of the Black Panther, T'Challa preserved his rival's life - causing complications when he subsequently woke up. At present, only an uneasy accomidation allows T'Challa to use the ritual garb and title.

Powers and abilities

As a result of eating the "heart-shaped herb," T'Challa possesses enhanced senses and stamina.

He is an accomplished and intelligent statesman and scientist.

External links

• Black Panther Message Board
• Christopher Priest's website
• Reginald Hudlin's website