What I knew about Black Panther was from the movies since I didn't read the comics. I assumed that this character had great meaning and weight on a social level, but not as much as this book manages to convey.

Here we see the origin and how the history of Black Panther was over the years, the amount of Marvel comics there is is incredible. I think that everything that has been written and drawn will never be finished. That is why I would love, little by little, to read everything. Although I see it very complicated.

Returning to this specific book, everything that tells us about the background of this character is really interesting and makes it have a much higher value.
I wish I had known these things before.

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration is all about the history behind the Black Panther comics and what they meant to society in the time they came out. I really enjoyed reading this as I loved the Black Panther movies (especially Shuri!) and wanted to learn more about the history and culture surrounding the comics, especially in the early days, where comics like this allowed Black people to be represented and feel seen in media, which is very important. I loved reading about the different takes on Black Panther comics and the various adventures the characters went on, and how different elements were added to the canon over the years. I enjoyed learning more about Black history and culture and what these characters meant to people, who were able to see themselves as heroes and not stereotypical representations, and how this was a bold move at the time because it broke these stereotypes. It was a fantastic read and I would love to get a physical copy because I loved reading all about both real life Black history and the history of the fictional world Wakanda, home of T’Challa, the Black Panther. I thought the balance of real life and fiction was managed very well and I would definitely recommend this to Marvel fans and anyone looking to learn more about Black history and diversify their reading!

I thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author of this book for providing me an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.

Black Panther's part in the history of super heroes has been one of utmost importance and the opportunity to explore the cultural history was something I wouldn't like to miss.

This book had all the elements that I had expected with details and snippets of the history, its impact then in 1966 and now when the world has changed. The inspirations behind its creation and what it meant to successive generations of people of African descent in America and across the world as they made their way in continents outside Africa. We also find out about the artists & designers who developed and designed the character.
Womack tells us how the Panther was launched a zillion times always with gaps of time unrelated to its success and how from its earliest issue it resonated with the community and Wakanda became the new el dorado and the ultimate aspiration and the ultimate screen/book hero.
The snippets about how this was a role model during a time of great upheaval in the American society for the Black community (i.e. the Afro-American). How the Panther and the comics adapted to the changing world and Wakanda reflected the society.
The worldwide success of the movies both at the box office and amongst critics is a testament to the importance of the character to the super-hero pantheon.
This book by Womack is a treasure trove of information packed into a short book and is blockbuster material for all fans and people who would like to know the origins, history and its impact to and from society by Black Panther.
Solid recommended reading.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Quarto Publishing Group for an advance copy of this history of one of the most royal of characters in the Marvel Universe. A King, a husband, an Avenger, a diplomat, a brother, a son, and most important of all a hero, the Black Panther.

The advent of the Marvel universe had opened the world of comics to a lot of new ideas. Characters had flaws, sometimes they failed even when they won. The world still thought of them as losers, or freaks, even as the world was still breathing from these heroes actions. Success has many owners but in the year 1966 Stan Lee and Jack Kirby decided to add a new character to their new pantheon. The character was Black Panther, and this character has been a member of the Avengers and other super groups from the beginning, though there might be some years that bad writing and bad ideas kept him from the main stage. Black Panther opened the door slightly for more black heroes, but more importantly he gave people who looked like him a chance to relate, and more importantly to dream. Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration
by filmmaker, dancer, futurist and writer Ytasha Womack is a look at this important character from his beginnings to the billion dollar movies of today, with looks at history, philosophy and cultural representation.

Black Panther appeared on the Marvel scene in 1966, in an issue of Fantastic Four, where he challenges the First Family of Comics to a duel of wits, strength and ingenuity, to test himself and to test them for the trials of being superheores. Created by Stan Lee writer and editor and artist/writer Jack Kirby T'Challa aka Black Panther was the king of the nation Wakanda, a nation that was technically ahead of most nations on Earth, all powered by the metal Vibranium. T'Challa was the first black comic book hero, that actually had superpowers, and was the first in quite awhile. T'Challa was followed by other black heroes, Falcon, Blade and Power Man, all characters who continue to sell comics and movies for Marvel. Over the decades there have been some different origins for T'Challa, different names, even different people filling in. It was not until Christopher Priest, one of the few African Americans working in comics, took over that the T'Challa we know now came to the forefront. The book looks at all these runs, the odd decisions, and writing, along with the cast that has grown to be quite diverse, and very popular. The author also looks at the cultural impact of Black Panther, the movies and the history that some story lines are based on.

Not the book that I expected at all. I had thought this would be an expanded Official Mavel Handbook- like book, only stretched out. I was wrong, and happy to be wrong. Instead this looks at Black Panther, Afro futurism, history, lost history, behind the scene information on the movies and much more. Womack has done an incredible job bringing everything together, and never losing the narrative which is quite easy in books like this. There are lavish illustrations, sidebars loaded with information and lots of blurbs from the famous and not so famous on the allure and heroism of the character, with a lot of looks at T'Challa's actions as King, and the role of monarchy in a growing society. The writing if very good, and very interesting, with a deep grasp of the subject and much of what Womack includes is information one would not expect to attach to comic book research. One of the best character guides I have ever read.

Recommended for fans of course, but also for fans of Afrofuturism, comic book history, and race history in comics and society. I book I cant wait to add to my comic reference library.

As a Marvel and Black Panther fan, this book about the cultural significance of the Black Panther comics and MCU films is absolutely fantastic.

It is packed full of gorgeous photos and highly informative text. It would look stunning in print and any Wakanda lover could easily have this book in their collection on a shelf or even on their coffee table.

I wasn't expecting this when I started on this book, and I was very surprised, in a good way.

This is a detailed and engaging deep dive into the history of Black Panther, from what first inspired the creation of the character to all its adventure, from the 60s until today. Ytasha Womack also introduces the different Marvel designers and artists who got to create the different styles throughout this time period. He then dives into the cultural influences that helped shape the character and that inspired some of his well-known and less-known adventures.

I would it very interesting and engaging. The language is very easy to follow and the style is quite direct and concise. I found the description and history of Afrofuturism fascinating, along with how famous black people through history shaped this hero and its story.

A compelling backstory of a beloved character that every fan should have in their collection.