(gentle music)
- [Narrator] It's been over 60 years
since the first black superhero appeared in comics.
But even now in 2020,
the importance of black representation and black superheroes
is as important as ever.
that Black Panther broke box office records
with nearly $1.3 billion worldwide.
And was the first superhero film to be nominated
for Best Picture by the Academy.
The film broke barriers are being the highest grossing film
from a black director Ryan Coogler.
And solidify Black Panther is one of the strongest heroes
in the Marvel Universe turning him into a household name.
Black stories have always been a telethon.
Whether it's Blue Marvel
having to wear a full face helmet
just to disguise the fact that America's hero is a black man
or Black Panther dealing with compensation
as the chocolate king of Wakanda.
These stories, although fantasy at the core,
continue to shed light o6n the dark spots of America.
Since their inception in 1934 and in 1939 respectively,
DC and Marvel have strived
to take people out of their normal lives
and entertain them with superheroism,
comedic relief and inclusion.
With all that said though,
it was still almost 30 years
until we would see a black superhero join the fold.
To be more specific,
the Fantastic Four issue 52 in July of 1966,
introduced the world to Black Panther
and was the first time we'd see a black superhero
The Black Panther creators dealt with public criticism
due to people thinking T'Challa superhero persona
was aligned the Black Panther Party,
a political activist organization founded in Oakland
to combat police brutality
and other issues faced by the black community.
- More power to the people!
- [Narrator] But the Black Panther Party
was founded in October of 1966.
Three months after T'Challa first appear.
Black Panther originated at a time both far away
and early familiar.
In 1966 T'Challa would have witnessed
the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War
and the rise of Martin Luther King Jr.
And in 2018,
Chadwick Boseman's live iteration of Black Panther,
would have lived through the hope
of Barack Obama's presidency
and Americ6a divided under Donald Trump's administration,
the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.
But black panther was just the beginning.
Following his success in the 1969,
Marvel introduced the first African American superhero
Sam Wilson, also known as Falcon.
(upbeat music)
Starting in Captain America issue 117,
Falcon is seen fighting a Long Captain America
and the rest of the Avengers.
Now movie goers and comic book fans will know this
but spoiler alert to whoever's been sleeping under a rock.
Sam Wilson would later take on the mantle of Captain America
and on the cover of our new Captain America issue number one
in November of 2014
Sam Wilson is seen
with the iconic vibranium shield in hand.
In the years to come
Marvel and DC would answer the public demand
for more representation
by creating many of the black superheroes we know today.
Luke Cage and Jon Stewart's Green Lantern coming in 1971
and Black Lightning in 1977.
Tascam Luke Cage were protecting Harlem
against the likes of Black Maria cottonmouth,
my personal favorite Bushmaster
and making Jefferson Pierce aka Black Lightning
the teacher by day, a retired vigilante by night
protecting the kids in his community,
showcase and humanize not only the black superheroes,
but the neighborhoods they call home.
These characters were instrumental part
in making sure real stories were told and represented.
Because all too often,
Hollywood chooses to portray the stereotypical black guy
or black brain on screen
for Marvel and DC to be debt progressive
in the 1960's and 70's was very rare and courageous.
Now I've been talking a lot
about the first black men to join the superhero folk.
It's time for me to put some respect on the black women.
Although didn't take centuries
for us to`see the female representation
like it did for the woman's right to vote,
the first black female superhero
will come multiple years after the male counterpart.
While, 1971's The Butterfly may have been the first
the era of black female superheroes
goes as far back as 1967
when Arthur Kitt played the role as Cat Woman
in the Batman TV show.
Though Cat Woman was originally created as a white woman
in 1940, representation leads to inspiration.
And kids for trail did just set.
In 1973, DC created a new view
a twin of Wonder Woman made out of clay,
often referred to as black Wonder Woman,
she would forever be Wonder Woman shadow
and never evolved out of the past old worn stereotypes.
Personally, I would love to see what a black woman could do
with this character in today's Hollywood landscape.
Misty Knight first appeared with Luke Cage
and Marvel premiere issue number 21.
At the time, Knight's character was more of a sidekick,
but she was a rising star
who eventually became a lieutenant of the NYPD.
And after the loss of her right arm, it was Tony Stark.
Yes, Ironman himself
who would actually be the one
to give her the iconic bionic arm she's known for.
Launching that same year
but vastly different in origin stories
a woman wrote 'Better known to the world as storm.'
has ties back to Kenya as well as America.
And her adventures with x men encompasses both.
Storm will go down
is not only the first black team leading a Marvel series,
but the first black female lead as well.
And with her abilities
to control the elements as well as fight,
storm is seen as one of the strongest mutants on Earth.
One of my favorite storm storylines
is in Black Panther volume four issue 18.
A story that centers around Monroe's wedding
with the king of Wakanda, Black Panther.
And there's a part of the video
where I'll give you guys a homework.
Beyond the few that I've highlighted here'
there are so many more superheroes stories
and adventures out there.
This is just the beginning
and I'm merely touching the surface.
As a comic book fan, you'd love to see it.
I learned about a black superhero
who was forced to wear a mask like Blue Marvel
and now we got Riri Williams out here
being our next Iron Man.
In 2018, not only did we disprove the notion
that black stories don't do well in Hollywood,
we proved that they could be a worldwide success.
ATnd now with the news of Chadwick Boseman's passing,
we only hope he knew the impact that he had on so many.
The young black and talented Chadwick Boseman,
accomplished with their original Black Panther did
all those years ago.
He's one that opened the doors for more opportunities
to tell black stories of black creators,
with black actors,
for black audience to see themselves represented
on a global stage.
Rest easy king, Wakanda forever.
(gentle music)