10 Things Marvel Wants You To Forget About Black Panther

Before we learned Black Panther's name, saw his face, or knew his ethnicity, readers were won over by T'Challa the instant he pounced on the page, purely because of his incredible costume. With his razor-sharp claws, sleek armour, and menacing mask, we knew Black Panther was a badass before he got the chance to open his mouth.

This just goes to show that a superhero's aesthetic can be more important than their personality, powers, or backstory. If the panther king made his grand entrance while wearing a corny outfit, readers might have dismissed him before they got the chance to know him.

Interestingly, Black Panther's introduction could've played out a lot differently. Firstly T'Challa was meant to go by the moniker, Coal Tiger. As cheesy as that name sounds, it's nowhere near as bad as T'Challa's prototype suit. Originally, "Coal Tiger's" torso, gloves, and shoes were meant to be emblazoned with a yellow-and-black striped motif. He was also envisioned without a mask or hood, robbing the character of any mystery.

Thankfully, Marvel went with an all-black costume, allowing the company to pretend Black Panther's initial attire never existed.