5 things you need to know about "The Black Panther"
Unfamiliar with the Black Panther?
Marvel launched an 11-issue reboot of the comic on Wednesday, but "The Black Panther" is far from your typical superhero story. For one, the book centers on one of the few black comic book heroes ever to headline a book.
Here are five things you need to know about the comic's reboot.
1. It's written by much buzzed about author Ta-Nehisi Coates. The writer won the National Book Award for nonfiction for "Between the World and Me" in November and also has a MacArthur "genius grant" under his belt. The Atlantic columnist is known for writing about race issues in particular. He has described himself as a comic book enthusiast since childhood.
2. "The Black Panther" is set in the fictional nation Wakanda. The story follows the Black Panther, whose name is T'Challa, as he struggles to protect the African nation of Wakanda, where he is king. Wakanda is a modern country that boasts top-notch technology, but a superhuman terrorist group called the People has sparked a violent uprising among the country's people.
3. The rebooted comic has no white people in it. The setting in Wakanda is central to the series, as much of it is focused on the Black Panther's effort to lead his country. This means it does not involve any white characters, a decided break from traditional comics.
4. The Black Panther used to be married to Storm. T'Challa and X-Men member Storm were once married, but later divorced. Storm was the love of T'Challa's life.
5. Two characters are queer. It's 2016, and that means comic books are much more progressive than they used to be. "The Black Panther" introduces two queer characters and the relationship between them.
