Marvel’s Black Panther hits theaters on Friday, but the character’s history and the legacy of his home nation is decades in the making. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the duo responsible for most of the beloved Marvel characters flooding the box office, and first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 in 1966.
T’Challa, king of Wakanda and man behind the mask, holds the crown as the first character of African descent to hit mainstream comics. So it’s only suitable that he’s also the first character of color to get a solo movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (better late than never).
While the character has existed for more than fifty years, he’s about to be introduced properly to the world at large and with increased exposure comes increased scrutiny. So, what is the secret to the Panther’s success? In a word: Vibranium.
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