Marvel's
BLACK PANTHER The Responsibilty of the Black Superhero Movie BY JOE WALKER
R
esponsibility. No movie based on a comic book character should have so much. Yet that’s the burden of Marvel’s Black Panther starring Chadwick Boseman in the lead role. A character created by legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966, it took the first black superhero in the history of
mainstream comics 50 years to appear in a movie. After an impressive debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War as a supporting yet integral role player, tremendous anticipation began to mount for Panther’s 2018 solo outing. With its Black History Month theatrical release (February 16, 2018) he has a great deal of opposition to contend with. Sought after comic illustrator and writer Corey “Roc Bottom” Davis of Truthful Comics believes it’s the right time to have a proper depiction of a stout black superhero. “We live in an age where diversity is important now more than ever,” says the South Carolina native and creator of Jet Boy, another popular Black superhero. “We've seen Iron Man on the big screen, we've seen Captain America on the big screen. And with that we’ve seen the diversity. But one issue: the black men were sidekicks. We've seen Wonder Woman hold her own so far as a lead heroine, and the time for an established black male superhero in the age of diversity is long overdue.” Onscreen Black Panther must battle fictional villains wielding high-tech weapons. He’ll also tussle with the ramifications of his decisions. Off screen he faces
"This film will be a cultural boost for our self-esteem as a people."
