This guy is one cool cat
Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we'll be counting down our picks for the top 10 facts about the Black Panther
Number 10: Black Panther first appeared in a Fantastic 4 story
Many Marvel heroes got their start as guest stars in already established comics
For the Black Panther, his launching pad was none other than the Fantastic 4
He leaped into action in 1966 Fantastic Four #2 sending Mr. Fantastic and his company a flying car as a gift
Then in true Marvel fashion, he attacked them
Of course this was only to see if they were really as fantastic as they're rumored to be
Their friendship quickly developed and the Panther has continued to be involved with them frequently throughout the years
Number 9: He rules the fictional country of Wakanda
The Black Panther's real name is T'Challa and he is not your average joe superhero
He's actually the king of an entire country
The African nation of Wakanda
Centuries ago, Wakanda was struck by meteorites which contained a rare metal known as Vibranium
This metal is said to be one of the most powerful in the world
As a matter of fact, Captain America's shield is made of it
And black panther's costume also makes use of it
Vibranium has made Wakanda a wealthy country allowing it to become one of the most technologically advanced in the world
Number 8: There have been Black Panther heroes for 10,000 years
T'Challa is the best known Black Panther but he's far from the first
Black Panther is in fact a ceremonial title bestowed upon the leaders of Wakanda
Although they must prove themselves worthy of it
It is said the first to carry the name Black Panther ruled Wakanda 10 thousand years ago
The Black Panther costume is also not just for heroics
It's actually official ceremonial garb and is worn during specific ceremonies and often on diplomatic missions
T'Challa is but the latest in a long line of individuals to carry the honorable name of Black Panther
Number 7: Daredevil Asked him to watch over Hell's Kitchen
The legendary Manhattan neighborhod known as Hell's Kitchen has long been the stomping grounds of the man without fear,
But even Daredevil needs a break on ocassion
It just so happened that on one occasion, an injured T'Challa slipped into a coma
When he recovered from that situation he needed to ease himself back into his superhero duties
By taking over the patrol of Hell's Kitchen for Daredevil, the Panther got his heroic feet wet again
And Daredevil got a change of scenery for a while
Not that he could see it
Number 6: Captain America Civil War is his live action debut
Although the Black Panther has been seen numerous times on various animated Marvel projects,
Captain America Civil War marks his live action debut
That's not for lack of trying though
A Black Panther film project has been considered as least as early as 1992
And one was announced as early as 2005
All hope is not lost for the Wakanda king though as after Civil War, he will finally appear in his own film
and will presumably be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
About time too
Number 5: Wesley Snipes wrote a black panther screenplay
for himself
Back in the 1990's, Wesley Snipes was a significant name in the movie business
It's no wonder then that the charismatic actor was interested in playing T'challa on the big screen
and he worked hard to make the Panther movie a reality
Snipes even went so far as to craft a screenplay for the project himself
Unfortunately, Snipes' Black Panther hit various snags along the way
and the projected film was never made
Snipes did of course create another Marvel character on screen
The Vampire Hunter: Blade
What exactly is a graphic novel?
That's something that's kind of open to debate
But it's a term often applied to a lengthy story told in comic book form
Usually with a recognizable story arc
The phrase gained popularity in the 1980's with the groundbreaking Watchmen and Dark Knight series
But many people apply the term to earlier tales
Comic's Bulletin publisher Jason Sacks believes the Panther's Rage saga from the 1970's
deserves the designation as Marvel's first graphic novel
And we're not going to argue with that
Many talented and gifted writers work on comic books every month
but it's doubtful that any of these author's have been the recipient of both The National Book Award and The MacArthur Genius Grant
That was before Tallahassee Coates was announced the writer of a series of Black Panther stories
Known for his best selling reflection on life as an African American
Between the World and Me
Coates' involvement adds even more luster to the legend that is the Black Panther
T'challa was definitely not the first black person in mainstream comics but he was the first to dawn a costume
and behave in the traditional superhero manner
Marvel had laid the groundwork with their introduction of Gabe Jones as a member of the Sergeant Fury War comics
Dell Comics had even had a black male star in his own title, the western deemed Lobo
But it was the Panther that made a splash in the superhero comics
Paving the way for later characters such as Luke Cage and the John Stewart incarnation of Green Lantern
Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions
The timing is close, but anyone who thinks that The Black Panther character got his name from
The Black Panther Party is mistaken
The latter was officially founded on October 15, 1966
T'challa made his debut in a July 1966 issue of Fantastic Four
Given the traditional post dating of comics, that means the issue was likely on sale in April or May
Still as the party was quite controversial at the time, Marvel had at one point change T'challa's name to the Black Leopard
A change that didn't end up lasting for very long
Do you agree with our choices?
What other facts about the Black Panther should we have included here?
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