The Black Panther (T'Challa) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is the first modern Black superhero.^{[citation needed]} Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966). Although there have been numerous men who have used the Black Panther identity during the history of the Marvel Universe, this article refers solely to the modern-day Black Panther, also known by his birth name, T'Challa.

The Black Panther, whose name predates the use of the October 1966 founding of the Black Panther Party but not the segregated World War II Black Panthers Tank Battalion, is not the first Black hero in mainstream comic books. That distinction is split between Waku, Prince of the Bantu, who starred in his own feature in the multiple-character omnibus series Jungle Tales, from Marvel's 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics; and the Dell Comics Western character Lobo, the first African American to star in his own comic book. Previous non-caricatured Black supporting characters in comics include Daily Bugle managing editor Joe Robertson in The Amazing Spider-Man, and U.S. Army infantry private Gabriel Jones of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos.

Following his debut in Fantastic Four #52-53 (July-Aug. 1966) and subsequent guest appearance in Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967) and with Captain America in Tales of Suspense #97-99 (Jan.-March 1968), the Black Panther sojourned from the fictional African nation of Wakanda to New York City, New York to join the titular American superhero team in The Avengers #52 (May 1968), appearing in that comics for the next few years. During his time with the Avengers, he made solo guest-appearances in three issues of Daredevil, and fought Doctor Doom in Astonishing Tales #6-7 (June & Aug. 1971), in that supervillain's short-lived starring feature. He later returned in a guest-appearance capacity in Fantastic Four #119 (Feb. 1972) during which he briefly tried the name Black Leopard to avoid connotations invoking the Black-militant political party the Black Panthers.

The Black Panther's first starring series was in Jungle Action vol. 2, #6-24 (Sept. 1973 - Nov. 1976), written by Don McGregor with art by pencillers Rich Buckler, Gil Kane, and Billy Graham. One now-common innovation it pioneered was that of the self-contained, multi-issue story arc.

McGregor's first arc, "Panther's Rage", ran from Jungle Action vol. 2, #6 (Sept. 1973) through #18 (Nov. 1975). A second arc, "Panther vs. the Klan", was truncated when the series was canceled with issue #24. Jungle Action #5 and #23 reprinted, respectively, The Avengers #62 (March 1969), which featured the Black Panther, and Daredevil #69 (Oct. 1970), in which the Panther guest-starred.

Immediately following the initial series was Black Panther, written and illustrated by Jack Kirby for 12 of its 15 issues (Jan. 1977 - March 1979), with a corresponding shift in tone from McGregor's lyrical naturalism to Kirby's trademark high adventure. A four-issue miniseries, also titled Black Panther, appeared in 1988, written by Peter B. Gillis and penciled by Denys Cowan.

McGregor revisited his Panther saga with Gene Colan in "Panther's Quest", published as 25 eight-page installments within the bi-weekly anthology series Marvel Comics Presents (issues #13-37, Feb.-Dec. 1989). He later teamed with artist Dwayne Turner in the square-bound miniseries Panther's Prey (Sept. 1990 - March 1991).

Writer Christopher Priest's and penciller Mark Texeira's 1998 series The Black Panther vol. 3 utilized Erik Killmonger, Venomm, and other characters introduced in "Panther's Rage", together with new characters such as State Department attorney Everett Ross, the Black Panther's adopted brother, Hunter, and Panther's protégé, Queen Divine Justice. The Priest-Texeira series, which was under the Marvel Knights imprint in its first year, earned critical plaudits,^{[citation needed]} but sales of the comic were never high.^{[citation needed]} Priest said the creation of character Ross contributed heavily to his decision to write the series. "I realized I could use Ross to bridge the gap between the African culture that the Black Panther mythos is steeped in and the predominantly white readership that Marvel sells to," adding that in his opinion, the Black Panther had been misused in the years after his creation.^[1]

The last 13 issues (#50-62) saw the main character replaced by an African American New York City police officer named Kasper Cole, with T'Challa relegated to a supporting character. This Black Panther, who became the White Tiger, was placed in the series The Crew, running concurrently with the final few Black Panther issues. The Crew was canceled with issue #7.

In February 2005, Marvel began publishing the ongoing series Black Panther vol. 4, written by filmmaker Reginald Hudlin and penciled by John Romita, Jr.. Hudlin said he wanted to add "street cred" to the title, although he noted that the book is not necessarily or primarily geared toward an African American readership.^[2] As influences for his characterization of the character, Hudlin has cited comic character Batman, film director Spike Lee, and music artist Sean Combs.^[2]

The Black Panther title will be relaunched in February 2009, with Hudlin still on scripting duties, and it will introduce a new, female Black Panther.^[3]

The Black Panther is the ceremonial title given to the chief of the Panther Tribe of the African nation of Wakanda. In addition to ruling the country, he is also chief of its various tribes (collectively referred to as the Wakandas). The Panther uniform is a symbol of office (head of state) and is used even during diplomatic missions.

The Black Panther is entitled to the use of a heart-shaped herb that grants the person who consumes it enhanced strength, agility, and perception. The present-day bearer of the Black Panther mantle is T'Challa, who has had a lengthy career as a superhero, including a longstanding membership in the Avengers. For a brief time upon joining the superhero team the Avengers,^[4] the Black Panther wore a cowled half-mask, similar to that of Batman. In stories published in the 2000s, it came to light that the Panther originally joined the Avengers with the intention of spying on them. This drove a temporary wedge between T'Challa and his teammates.

T'Challa is the son of T'Chaka, who was the Black Panther before him. In the distant past, a massive meteorite made of the sound-absorbing mineral vibranium crashed in Wakanda, and was unearthed a generation before the events of the present day. Knowing that others would attempt to manipulate and dominate Wakanda for this rare and valuable resource, T'Chaka concealed his country from the outside world. He would sell off minute amounts of the valuable vibranium while surreptitiously sending the country's best scholars to study abroad, consequently turning Wakanda into one of the world's most technologically advanced nations. Eventually, however, the explorer Ulysses Klaw found his way to Wakanda to covertly create a vibranium-powered, sound-based weapon. When exposed, Klaw killed T'Chaka and other Wakandans, only to see his "sound blaster" turned on him by a grieving T'Challa, then barely a teenager. Klaw's right hand was destroyed, and he and his men fled.

During his youth, T'Challa also met and fell in love with apparent orphaned child Ororo Munroe, who would grow up to become the X-Men member Storm; the two broke up over T'Challa's need to avenge his father's death.

T'Challa earned the title and attributes of the Black Panther by defeating the various champions of the Wakandan tribes. One of his first acts was to disband and exile the Hatut Zeraze — the Wakandan secret police — and its leader, his adopted brother Hunter the White Wolf; later, to keep the peace, he picked "dora milaje" ("adored ones") from rival tribes to serve as his personal guard and ceremonial wives-in-training. He then studied abroad before returning to his kingship. T'Challa invited the American superhero team the Fantastic Four to Wakanda, then attacked and neutralized them individually in order to prove himself worthy as his people's defender and to test the team to see if it could be an effective ally against Klaw, who had become a being made of living sound.^[5] After the ruler made proper amends to the superhero team for the incident, they befriended and helped T'Challa, and he in turn aided the heroes against the supervillain the Psycho-Man.^[6]

T'Challa later joined the Avengers,^[7] beginning a long association with that superhero team. He first battled the Man-Ape while with the Avengers,^[8] and then met the American singer Monica Lynne,^[9] with whom he became romantically involved. He helped the Avengers defeat the second Sons of the Serpent, and then revealed his true identity on American television.^[10] He encountered Daredevil, and revealed to him that he had deduced Daredevil's secret identity.^[11]

The Panther eventually leaves his active Avengers membership to return to a Wakanda on the brink of civil war, bringing Lynne with him. After defeating would-be usurper Erik Killmonger and his minions,^[12] the Panther ventures to the American South to battle the Ku Klux Klan.^[13] He later gains possession of the mystical time-shifting artifacts known as King Solomon's Frogs.^[14] These produced an alternate version of T'Challa from a future 10 years hence, a merry, telepathic Panther with a terminal brain aneurysm, whom T'Challa placed in cryogenic stasis.

Later, while searching for and finding his mother, the Panther contends with South African authorities during Apartheid.^[15] T'Challa eventually proposes and becomes engaged to Monica Lynne,^[16] though the couple never married.

Years later, the Panther accepts a Washington, D.C. envoy, Everett K. Ross, and faces multiple threats to Wakanda's sovereignty. Ross assists him in many of these threats, often fighting side by side (or attempting to). In gratitude, the Panther often risks much for Ross in return. The first main threat to Wakandan soveriengty he and Ross encounter is 'Xcon' — an alliance of rogue intelligence agents — backs a coup led by the sorcerer Reverend Achebe. Afterward, Killmonger resurfaces with a plot to destroy Wakanda's economy. This forces T'Challa to nationalize foreign companies. Killmonger then defeats him in ritual combat, thus inheriting the role of Black Panther, but falls into a coma upon eating the heart-shaped herb — poisonous to anyone outside the royal bloodline, which had a hereditary immunity to its toxic effects. T'Challa preserves his rival's life rather than allowing him to die.

Later, T'Challa finds he has a brain aneurysm like his alternate future self, and succumbs to instability and hallucinations. After his mental state almost causes tribal warfare, the Panther hands power to his council and hides in New York City. There he mentors police officer Kasper Cole (who had adopted an abandoned Panther costume), an experience that gives T'Challa the strength to face his illness, reclaim his position, and return to active membership in the Avengers, whom he helps secure special United Nations status.

T'Challa then helps Storm, with whom he had a brief romance during his teens, reunite with her surviving family members in Africa and the U.S. He shortly afterward proposes, and the two are married in a large Wakandan ceremony attended by many superheroes.

One of the couple's first tasks is to embark on a diplomatic tour, in which they visit the Inhumans, Doctor Doom, the President of the United States, and Namor, with only that last ending well. After the death of Bill Foster, the Black Panther and Storm side with Captain America's anti-registration forces. During the end battle between both sides, the Wakandan embassy in Manhattan is heavily damaged, though no actual Wakandans were hurt. After the confrontation, the Panther and Storm briefly fill in for vacationing Fantastic Four members Reed and Sue Richards before returning to Wakanda.

The title "Black Panther" is a rank of office, chieftain of the Wakandan Panther Clan. As chieftain, the Panther is entitled to eat a special heart-shaped herb, as well as his mystical connection with the Wakandan Panther God, that grants him superhumanly acute senses (especially eyesight, night vision, and sense of smell) and increases his strength, speed, stamina, and agility to the peak of human development. T'Challa is a rigorously trained gymnast and acrobat, proficient in various African martial arts as well as contemporary ones and fighting styles that belong to no known disciplines. He is a skilled hunter, tracker, strategist, and scientist — he has a Ph.D. degree in physics from Oxford University. He is a genius in physics and advanced technology, and is a brilliant inventor. His senses are so powerful that he can pick up a prey's scent and memorize tens of thousands of individual ones.

As king of Wakanda, the Panther has access to a vast collection of magical artifacts, advanced Wakandan technological and military hardware, as well as the support of his nation's wide array of scientists, warriors, and mystics. The Wakandan military has been described as one of the most powerful on Earth. His attire is the sacred vibranium costume of the Wakandan Panther Cult.

In Volume 3, writer Christopher Priest expanded the Panther's day-to-day arsenal to include equipment such as an "energy dagger", a vibranium-weave suit, and a portable supercomputer, the "Kimoyo card." In Volume 4, writer Reginald Hudlin introduced such specialized equipment as "thrice-blessed armor" and "light armor" for specific tasks, and also outfitted him with the Ebony Blade.

Journalist Joe Gross praised Christopher Priest for his characterization of the Black Panther, stating, that the writer "turned an underused icon into the locus of a complicated high adventure by taking the Black Panther to his logical conclusion. T'Challa (the title character) is the enigmatic ruler of a technologically advanced, slightly xenophobic African nation, so he acts like it". Gross applauded the title's "endless wit, sharp characterization, narrative sophistication and explosive splash panels".^[17]

Comics reviewer and journalist Mike Sangiacomo, however, criticized the narrative structure. "Christopher Priest's fractured writing is getting on my nerves. Like the Spider-Man comics, I want to like Black Panther, but Priest's deliberately jumbled approach to writing is simply silly. I know it's a style, but does he have to do it every issue?"^[18]

Reporter Bill Radford cited similar concerns when the title had just launched. "I appreciate the notion of seeing the Black Panther through the eyes of an Everyman, but the Panther is almost relegated to secondary status in his own book. And Ross' narration jumps around in time so much that I feel like his boss, who, in trying to get Ross to tell her what has happened, complains: 'This is like watching 'Pulp Fiction' in rewind. My head is exploding.'"^[19]

Publishers Weekly gave a negative review to the first arc, "Who Is The Black Panther?", a modern retelling of the character's origin, saying, "Hudlin's take is caught between a rock and a hard place. His over-the-top narrative is not likely to appeal to fans of the most recent version of the character, but it's too mired in obscure Marvel continuity to attract the more general reader. The plot manages to be convoluted without ever becoming absorbing".^[20]

Journalist Shawn Jeffords, citing the lack of appearances of the title character in the first issue, called the new series a "fairly unimpressive launch". Jeffords also said general-audience unfamiliarity was a hindrance. "He's never been a marquee character and to make him one will be tough".^[21]

T'Challa is Chieftain Justice^[22] a Captain Britain Corps member who featured in Excalibur vol. 1 #44 (1991).

In the alternate universe of Earth X, T'Challa has been affected by the mutative event that drives the plot. Like most of humanity, he is mutated; in this case to become a humanoid black panther. He is entrusted with the Cosmic Cube by Captain America, who knows that T'Challa would be the only one to resist using it and to never give it back if asked. In fact, Captain America does ask for it back and T'Challa is forced to refuse.^{[volume & issue needed]}

The Black Panther appears in issues #1 and #6-7 of Marvel Comics/Fox Kids comic book series based on the TV show The Avengers: United They Stand.

A Black Panther was featured in the Marvel Knights 2099 one shots. A new Black Panther rose to fight and thwart the mounting invasions by the successor of Doom. While the victory over the new Doom appeared triumphant, the new Wakandan king was ultimately revealed to be a puppet of Doom.^[23]

Black Panther is one of the few uninfected superheroes in the alternate-universe series Marvel Zombies, where he is kept as a food supply for the Zombie Giant-Man. Despite having lost half of his right arm and his left foot, the Panther escapes and joins forces with the mutant group the Acolytes. Decades later, T'Challa marries one of the Acolytes, Lisa Hendricks, and they have a son. One night he is killed in his sleep by an agent of an Acolyte splinter group, and the zombified superheroine Wasp — an ally after having lost her ravenous zombie hunger — zombifies the Panther in order to grant him continued existence. With the Wasp's help, he survives to the post-hunger stage himself and continues to lead his people, despite his status.^[24]

T'Challa appears in the Marvel Mangaverse as a man with a pet panther. When summoning the spirits, T'Challa and his panther combine to become the Black Panther. He also became The Falcon. This Black Panther was romantically attracted to Tigra.^{[volume & issue needed]}

The Black Panther appears briefly in the premiere issue of the alternate-universe Ultimate Marvel series Ultimates 3, where little is revealed of him other than that Captain America vouched for his inclusion in the team. The Panther appears in issue #3, aboard the Helicarrier headquarters of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D.. It is later revealed that Cap actually is Black Panther in this reality, but is also suggested that he might be covering for the "real" Panther.^[25]

A young African boy named T'Challa Udaku, with metal spikes coming out of his knuckles like the Ultimate Black Panther, is a mutant being experimenting on in Weapon X who is rescued by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D., right before they destroy the facility.^[26]

In Ultimate Captain America Annual 01 the origins of the Black Panther are divulged in a two part story. The first entitled “Favorite Son” and the second “Training Day”.^[27]

T’Challa is the younger son of King T’Chaka of Wakanda. T’Challa is severely injured during the “Trial of the Panther” from which the protector of the nation is selected. The trial is to physically defeat an actual black panther in battle unarmed. T’Challa fails and is severely injured in his fight with the ferocious panther.

His older brother M’Baku, finds T’Challa bloodied and near death but derisively calls him a fool for attempting the trial. Despite this statement while T’Challa is receiving treatment for his injuries he tells his father that he does indeed love his brother. He is angry however that his father has decided to share Wakanda’s technology in exchange for America’s help in saving T’Challa’s life. It is revealed that it was T’Challa’s own father who turned him over the Weapon X program. Over a year later a healed and healthy T’Challa, in his full Black Panther garb, is seen talking to a man, possibly a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist, who mentions that he has enhanced speed, strength, night vision, and healing ability.

Yet despite all these enhancements they were unable to repair the damage the panther attack did to his vocal cords leaving him a mute. It is also revealed that like Wolverine the Black Panther is able to release Adamantium claws from his hands although they are much shorter.

When King T’Chaka contacts Weapon X to check on the status of his son he learns from Nick Fury that they now have T’Challa and consider him an asset of the United States and S.H.I.E.L.D.

At the end of "Favorite Son" is revealed that the titular “Favorite Son” in T’Chaka’s eyes is in fact M’Baku who had abandoned Wakanda shortly after his father sent his younger brother to the West. T’Chaka goes so far to say that he says could endure loosing T’Challa, but not M’Baku.

The second part of the book entitled “Training Day” opens with Captain America and Black Panther engaged in a violent sparing session at the Triskelion in which Black Panther holds his own against Captain America. Despite Black Panther’s impressive skills after three hours Captain America is able to gain the upper hand at which point Nick Fury ends the session. Fury reveals later that the reason he had the two spar was to see if Cap thought the Black Panther would be a good fit in the Ultimates. He also reveals that he believes that Black Panther can possibly be just as good as Cap himself if he would mentor him.

Captain America apparently agrees to train and mentor him and weeks later Black Panther displays his skills as he quickly dispatches a super powered criminal named Thunderball. After the fight however Captain America confronts Black Panther’s apparent secrecy and silence. After a moment of contemplation Black Panther removes his mask for the first time in the presence of Captain America who is shocked to see the damage to his throat.

After returning to the Triskelion Cap confronts Fury and demands to know his past. Fury lies and tells Cap that Black Panther is a mutant like Wolverine. He also says that Black Panther probably received the scars on his throat from his father. When Cap goes to get Black Panther for another training session he finds him on the Internet looking at articles about his father. Black Panther types on the computer that his father is a king and that he misses him. Cap then instructs him to give him the truth of whom he is and where he is from and who says he can’t return home. T’Challa types Fury.

A week later Cap tells Fury that Black Panther is ready to join the Ultimates. He takes him to Janet Pym who now leads the Ultimates where Black Panther displays his athleticism, agility, and fighting abilities. Pym agrees to let Black Panther join the team. It is then revealed that Cap dons a mock Black Panther outfit with gloves armed with Adamintium claws designed by Tony Stark to fool Fury and the other members of the Ultimates and allow T’Challa to return home to Wakanda.

The two board a stealth helicopter and fly into Wakandan airspace. After Cap explains his rationale for helping T’Challa he leaps from the helicopter and is last seen standing in front of Wakanda with his Black Panther mask in his hand. ^[28]

• The Black Panther appears in the "Prey Of The Black Panther" episode of the 1994 Fantastic Four animated TV series, voiced by Keith David. He lures them to Wakanda to see if they are worthy enough to help fight Klaw.
• The Black Panther cameos in the "Sanctuary" episode of the X-Men animated TV series.
• In The Avengers: United They Stand, a portrait of the Panther hangs in Avengers Mansion in Episode 1. While the Black Panther does not appear in the animated series, he does appear in issues #1 and #6-7 of the comic book series based on the show.
• The U.S. cable television network BET announced in April 2008 that it planned to air a Black Panther primetime animated series during the 2008-2009 TV season.^[29] Djimon Hounsou has been announced as the voice of Black Panther.^[30]

• The Black Panther appears in the direct-to-DVD animated feature Ultimate Avengers 2 (2006) as a central character, voiced by Jeffrey D. Sams. Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow features Azari as the son of Black Panther and Queen Storm.^{[citation needed]}

• In June 1992, Wesley Snipes announced his intention to make a film about the Black Panther.^[31] By August, Snipes had begun working on the film.^[32] In July 1993, Snipes announced plans to begin The Black Panther after starring in Demolition Man.^[33] Snipes said in August 1993, "We have a wide-open field for comic book characters on the big screen and we've yet to have a major black comic book hero on the screen. Especially the Black Panther, which is such a rich, interesting life. It's a dream come true to originate something that nobody's ever seen before." Snipes expressed interest in making sequels to The Black Panther.^[34] In January 1994, Snipes entered talks with Columbia Pictures to portray the Black Panther in the film adaptation of the comic book superhero.^[35] The following March, Stan Lee joined the development process for a film about the Black Panther.^[36] By May, the film was in early development with Columbia Pictures.^[37] In January 1996, Stan Lee said that he had not been pleased with the scripts he had encountered for the Black Panther.^[38] In July 1997, the Black Panther was listed as part of Marvel Comics' film slate.^[39] In March 1998, Marvel hired Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti to work on the Black Panther film adaptation.^[40] In August, corporate problems at Marvel had put the Black Panther project on hold.^[41] In August 1999, Snipes was set to produce, and possibly star, in the film featuring the Black Panther.^[42]

• In Marvel's June 2000 deal with Artisan Entertainment to develop film and television adaptations, the Black Panther was one of the four names (among Captain America, Thor, and Deadpool) that surfaced.^[43] In March 2002, Snipes told Cinescape magazine that he planned to do Blade 3 or Black Panther in 2003.^[44] In August 2002, Snipes said he hoped to begin production on Black Panther by 2003.^[45] In July 2004, Blade 3 director David S. Goyer said that Wesley Snipes would not likely be Black Panther. "He's already so entrenched as Blade that another Marvel hero might be overkill," said Goyer.^[46] In September 2005, Marvel chairman and CEO Avi Arad announced Black Panther as one of the ten Marvel films that would be developed by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures.^[47] In June 2006, Snipes told Men's Fitness magazine that much work had been done toward a film adaptation of the Black Panther, and that he hoped to have a director soon.^[48] In February 2007, Kevin Feige, president of production for Marvel Studios, stated that Black Panther was on Marvel's development slate.^[49]

• In July 2007, director John Singleton said that he was approached to do Black Panther.^[50]

• The Black Panther is a playable character in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance voiced by Phil LaMarr. He has special dialogue with Nick Fury, Namor, Ghost Rider, Doctor Doom, and Deathbird. In his simulator disc, he has to battle Dark Captain America in Arcade's Murderworld.

• Dwayne McDuffie on the 1970s "Black Panther" series : "This overlooked and underrated classic is arguably the most tightly written multi-part superhero epic ever. If you can get your hands on it (and where's that trade paperback collection, Marvel?), sit down and read the whole thing. It's damn-near flawless, every issue, every scene, a functional, necessary part of the whole. Okay, now go back and read any individual issue. You'll find seamlessly integrated words and pictures; clearly introduced characters and situations; a concise (sometimes even transparent) recap; beautifully developed character relationships; at least one cool new villain; a stunning action set piece to test our hero's skills and resolve; and a story that is always moving forward towards a definite and satisfying conclusion. That's what we should all be delivering, every single month. Don McGregor and company did it in only 17 story pages per issue".^[51]

• Jungle Action vol. 2, #5-24 (July 1973 - Nov. 1976)
• The Black Panther #1-15 (Jan. 1977 - May 1979)
• Marvel Premiere #51-53 (Dec. 1979 - April 1980)
• Black Panther vol. 2, #1-4 (miniseries; July-Oct. 1988)
• "Panther's Quest" Parts 1-25 in Marvel Comics Presents #13-37 (Feb.-Dec. 1989)
• Black Panther: Panther's Prey prestige-format miniseries #1-4 (May-Oct. 1991)
• Black Panther vol. 3, #1-62 (Nov. 1998 - Sept. 2003)
• Black Panther vol. 4, #1- (April 2005- )

• African characters in comics

• Black Panther at the Marvel Universe
• Template:Imdb character