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After months of anticipation, weeks of counting down the days, tickets purchased and seats reserved we finally saw Black Panther! We were a few days late of the premier night but right on time for my family! Here’s why… P.S. No Spoilers I Promise!
Marvel’s Black Panther
Leading up to the release of Black Panther I tried to avoid too much of the public opinion of the movie. I wanted to have my very own first impression reaction unbiased by the thoughts, opinions and perspective of others. Still, with a movie that saturated social media as much as Black Panther did this wasn’t easy. I couldn’t help but see, hear and be impacted by the pride many african americans felt in seeing a major movie released with a cast which was majority faces just like their own. I share in that pride.
Myths
The First Black Super Hero?
Okay so we are all super excited to see the story of a black super hero on the screen BUT this isn’t the first black super hero to make it to the movies.
Here are just a few that come to this comic lover’s mind:
Blade – Blade is a vampire/human hybrid who lives his life fighting the evil of the vampires he shares his powers with. This black super hero made it to the big screen three times with the BLADE movie series (1998, 2002 and 2004) in which Wesley Snipes plays the comic book fan favorite.
Sam Wilson (Falcon – Avengers) – this is one I’m not sure we could miss since he has been in at least 2 of the Avengers Movies recently. Sam Wilson is an American soldier who takes his skills and some pretty amazing tech to transform himself into Falcon. As an Avenger he fights side by side with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk and Black Widow.
James Rhodes (War Machine – Avengers) – here’s another familiar face from the Avengers franchise who just so happens to be one of the Avengers. James Rhodes a/k/a Rhodey is Tony Stark’s best friend and once of the first people he calls on to help the Avenger’s as they battle earth’s enemies.
Storm (XMen) – this weather controlling beauty makes several appearances in the XMen Series played by Haley Barry. Like Black Panther, Storm a/k/a Ororo Munroe is African Royalty. A descendant from a line of High Priestesses, she even claims a dual citizenship for Wakanda once she is betrothed to guess who – Black Panther himself!
That’s right. There have been others. Several actually but the difference between them and Black Panther is this is the first time a Black Super Hero has been given such a major opportunity to not only take on the big screen but in such a big way. Marvel’s Black Panther has been promoted, supported and acknowledged in a way we haven’t seen before. The proof is in the 4 Day Total of $427 Million Worldwide and too many other records broken to even mention!
Coming To America The Movies?
Still there were a few things I heard that seemed no more than myth. For instance, I kept seeing pictures of people getting ready for the Premier dressed as characters from Coming To America. You know, the movie with Eddie Murphy where he is a Prince from Africa who comes to America looking for a Princess before he must take the thrown as King? I couldn’t wrap my head around how the two things related. I mean Black Panther does tell a similar story of an African Prince but honestly I think that is where the similarities end.
Black panther : Wakanda awekening
I still loved getting to see everyone’s outfits and looks as they attended their first showings of Black Panther. It was amazing to see how one film could unite an entire community of people. Unfortunately, I waited to long and ended up going in a t-shirt and jeans but trust me my lack of fashion in no way diminished my enthusiasm!
The Black Panther vs. The Black Panther[S]
One other thing that kept popping into my feeds were people thinking this was a movie about the history of The Black Panther Movement. The Black Panther actually predates the Black Panthers Movement so this movie is not a history of who they were or what they did. I chalked this myth up to it being related to people who most likely knew nothing about the comic book history of Black Panther. They simply heard the name and related it to the first thing that came to mind. *Interested in learning more about the history of the comic? Read THIS.
I don’t blame them, not many people share in my comic book obsession. It is a somewhat easy and easy mistake to make.
Truths
I See Me
The truth about Black Panther is this is a film that has broken barriers many may not have even acknowledged existed. Comprised of a cast of up and coming as well as A List actors this movie has set a new standard for what a African American want to see on screen – people who look, feel, relate and believe as they do.
Sitting in the theater with my 4 beautiful black children I watched their faces as they stared at the screen. It was amazing to see. I never really noticed that they haven’t had the opportunity to see characters who looked like them in so many roles in one film. My youngest son whispered to my oldest: “I think I kinda look like him” in reference to Black Panther nemesis Killmonger. I must admit I wish he focused on the hero but knowing seeing how excited he was to find similarities with such an amazing actor still made this mom’s heart happy.
The truth is this has never happened before in such a big way. It should have but it hasn’t. It’s long overdue and we were all ready. I hope this is the first in many more to come. Movies that bring our stories to the screens in an epic way.
Hope
Black Panther has opened doors and minds that I don’t think I even realized were closed. There are times in life where you are so accustomed to what is that you fail to think beyond to what can be. I didn’t know how big a gap there was in entertainment for a movie like this but now that I’ve seen it all I want is to see more and more.
Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther/T’Challa) BTS on the set of Black Panther.
Ph: Matt Kennedy
©Marvel Studios 2018
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