Black Panther Month
posted by Stephanie Lewis | March 2, 2018 | In Arts and Culture, NewsBlack Panther, the next entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is set to be released in theaters on February 16.
Chadwick Boseman stars as the titular character reprising his role from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Marvel fans have been waiting for a theatrical release for the hero since the character debuted in a 1966 Fantastic Four comic book, with talks to create the film since 1992.
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Black Panther was the first Black mainstream superhero, arriving before Black characters such as Luke Cage, Falcon and John Stewart as a version of the Green Lantern. Stan Lee was inspired to create the hero after he came across a pulp adventure hero who had an actual black panther as his helper.
Many thought that the name came from the actual Black Panther Party, the African American revolutionary party, founded in 1966, so the writers briefly changed the character’s name to Black Leopard before changing it back. Among his numerous powers and abilities are enhanced speed, stamina and healing, similar to X-Men’s Wolverine.
Black Panther is being released in the middle of Black History Month, and features an all-star predominantly Black cast including Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker, along with some up and coming actors such as Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan and Daniel Kaluuya. Box office sales are estimated to reach 150 million on its opening weekend, according to Indie Wire. Tickets are selling out fast, so if you haven’t already purchased your tickets, you should do it sooner rather than later.
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