10 Comic Stories You Should Read Before Phase 3 Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe

4. Black Panther: Who Is The Black Panther?

The Black Panther is one of the most important characters in the Marvel universe; the foremost amongst many reasons being that he was the first African American superhero in mainstream American comics. Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, the Black Panther made his debut in Fantastic Four #52, which was published in 1966 at the height of the American Civil Rights movement. Originally created for a jungle action series, the Black Panther series became a platform for Marvel to extol their liberal virtues by telling superhero stories cantered around the theme or race relations. Needless to say, the series was progressive. Eventually, the character morphed into a pillar of the Marvel Universe, as he became a member of the Avengers. There have been a number of important stories about the Black Panther, most notably the Christopher Priest run that redefined the character and is widely held to be the character€™s most important run. However, Priest€™s run is for those who are very familiar with the character and does not lend itself to newcomers. For those who have little to no experience with the Black Panther, you should pick up Black Panther: Who Is The Black Panther?. Written by Reginald Hudlin with art by John Romita Jr, Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther? is a safe place for new readers to dive in. This story focuses on the Black Panther as a mantel and shifts back and forth between T€™Challa€™s past and present. If you want to get familiar with the character, this is where to start.