Cover Image: Black Panther

Black Panther

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

This is a comprehensive look into Black Panther, its origins and ties to the Black Panther Movement. Ms. Womack does an excellent job sharing details and insights into how the comic aligns with real life. You will get a history lesson as well as a look into the minds of the creator. An excellent addition to any Marvel fan's collection.

Was this review helpful?

An in depth exploration of both the film but more importantly the culture that this film is highlighting. With brief introductions to the Civil rights movement and an chapter on the various women characters in the film and who they can represent, this is an interesting deep dive into the images and history behind this film. Love how we are getting more diverse film writers.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Anything Black Panther I give five stars to! This was amazing! So informative about Black Panther, which has been a household name since I was a child. I will definitely be recommending this and even buy it for my Black Panther obsessed brother lol!

Was this review helpful?

This is an awesome collection of all the facts about the Black Panther comic. I feel like I learned so much about this comic and the people behind it. For example, 2023 is the first year that a female comic artist is lead for Black Panther. Black Panther was almost called Coal Tiger. One of my favorite authors wrote a few of the comics: Ta-Nehisi Coates and made some social commentary while maintaining a great story line. If you want some in-depth background on this comic, this is the ultimate collection.

What I loved most: the sections, the images and examples from the different comics - it was awesome to see the evolution of the comic.

Was this review helpful?

It was a satisfying read, and I wish I could give it a higher rating, but the formatting for this book needs to be adjusted to better work as an eBook. Right now, it functions more like a series of scanned pages than an eBook.

It’s a shame because aside from that, there’s really interesting stuff in the book about the history of the character and the impact it’s had. All art is inherently political and needs to be treated as such.

Was this review helpful?

Fantastic. Great for Marvel fans, particularly those who enjoy the comics. Starting with Black Panther's debut in 1966 in Fantastic Four to his very own first self-titled comic in 1977.

The histories of Black and Egyptian cultures, the vision of Wakanda and the mythology of big cats is all very interesting.

Was this review helpful?

To many, the Black Panther is a modern hero, but he has been changing lives since the 1960's when he was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration gives the reader a deeper appreciation for the hero of generations past and future.

This book is clearly a labour of love for the author as she delves into the history of not only the character of Black panther but of the inspirations that shaped his world and influenced many. It’s worthy of your time as you learn so much about what T’Challa means to generations of Americans who were disenfranchised by a society who now scream ‘Wakanda Forever’

As someone who is a big Marvel fan and has read a lot of the graphic novels discussed in this book, I discovered new & interesting facts that have made me appreciate the stories even more.

Was this review helpful?

This is the most serious, well-researched, and well-presented book about a superhero that I've ever read. Womack didn't just rehash the basic story of how Black Panther came to be and rose to international popularity, she went all in on presenting every possible aspect of him.
Yes, this book talks about the influences that led to the creation of Black Panther, Wakanda, and all the characters that inhabit his world, but it also does a deep-dive exploration of all the ways that the character has changed and inspired things in the real world. And it's not just the movies, it's the comics from the very beginning and his first appearance in Fantastic Four.
The one tiny nitpick I have is that I wish there were a few more images. When you're talking about something as visual as a comic book character, it would be great to get as many images in there as possible. I get why there aren't that many and I applaud the excellent layout design with the images that are there, but a wider range of images would have made this even better.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and becker&mayer! books for the educational read!

Was this review helpful?

Title: Black Panther
A Cultural Exploration
Written by: Ytasha Womack
Pub Date:: 3 Oct 2023 |
Publisher; Quarto Publishing Group – becker & mayer!, becker&mayer! books ISBN
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels | Entertainment | Multicultural Interest

As well as providing background on Black Panther as a character and both their development through comics and the movies, we see what a cultural affect they had on the POC community especially in the African American community.

Not only could young black men see them selves as a main supper hero but also black woman. Both groups often been seen as side characters or baddies prier to Black Panther.

Even the animal it's self is discussed in the book. Its habitat and why the name suits the character so well.
For readers who are interested in the history of the comic its self there is tons of information about the artists and writers. Including information about the female writers who work together to bring the female Black Panther to life.

I learned a lot from this book not just Black Panther had FIVE children with Xmen's Storm, I didn't even knew they were married/ Or that Roxanne Gay wrote for the comic. I learned historical facts about how the Black Rights Movement in the US influenced the comic and vise versa.

While I probably will continue to stick to the movies I think this book is worth buying. I think there is a lot of information worth having.

My only suggestion is that a physical copy is probably better. I think there was something lost with an e copy.

Was this review helpful?

Amazing story telling behind Black Panther and some of the history behind the movie. Illustrated beautifully and incredibly interesting.

Was this review helpful?

Black panther was one of my favourite movies and it killed me when I got to know about the actor. This book gives you a unique insight into Black panther Universe. As someone who followed all comics and Marvel movies, it's an amazing angle to see for one of your favourite movies.

Was this review helpful?

This is such a wonderful, informative, interesting piece of cultural exploration that means so much.

Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration does a lot of heavy lifting, spanning the decades between the creation of Black Panther as a character and the character we know from today's Marvel movies. Tied in with the history of T'Challa as a character is a history of Black America, and how various cultural movements and moments helped inform the writing of T'Challa and the path that the Black Panther comics would eventually take.

I've always enjoyed Marvel Comics - first via cartoons as a child, and then via the actual comics as an adult - and how they reflect modern culture in their own way. I never actually read older Black Panther comics, but this book has inspired me to start doing so.

As a non-fiction book, this is a very easy read, and it looks beautiful. I can't wait to see what the physical version will look like, it could make for a gorgeous coffee table read.

Was this review helpful?

Very Well Done! Thorough.

A special thank you to Quarto Publishing Group -- becker & mayer! and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

What a stunning collection of images and thorough cultural explanation of the history of the Black Panther from its origin to now. Just before the birth of the Black Panther Party, The Black Panther was created in 1966 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Therefore the Black Panther origin story began alongside of the civil rights movement.

The Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration pays homage to the legends and myths of this huge icon, the cultural moments that happened to help inform the comic, and the fan base that has grown magnificently along the way. It is definitely worth picking up. Much of it was history that I knew from being a fan, some of it was new as it relates to fiction meeting reality. It is the ultimate backstory!

A Black Panther: A Cultural Explanation releases on 10/3/23.

Was this review helpful?

This is an interesting guide to the creation of the world of Black Panther. It details everything from costumes to the real world inspirations for Wakanda. It's a lovely reference and accompaniment to the original comics and now-famous Marvel films.

Was this review helpful?

I thought this was a great walk through the history of the black panther how was made white was made the evolution of the character, and also who’s played it and who are we playing at coming forward I think this was really intelligent it come with quotes and a stalker references and visual aids, so I would highly recommend if you are Marvel fan and you just want a little extra something from the Black Panther

Was this review helpful?

This book was very informative and interesting. It is a history of Marvel's Black Panther and of Wakanda, the context in which they were created, and the effects they had on the readers, other works of fiction, and pretty much the whole world. It references a lot of interviews with the people involved in the Black Panther comics throughout time, with artists involved in the 2018 movie, but also other writers and artists that were influenced by the character and the comics. It touched on Afrofuturism as a genre and the relationship between it and these comics.

I have to mention that the writing felt very dry, and reading the book I was constantly feeling like something was missing.

Was this review helpful?

Wow, this was such an interesting read!
I loved the deep dive into culture and history and how both influenced the comic (and storytelling in general) and how the comics influenced culture, history and minds as well. I learned quite a lot during this, but also recognized many topics I had learned about before.
The book is written very accessibly, with lots of images supporting the text. It can teach everyone a lot, and Black Panther, who has now become a symbol of pop culture as well, may make this knowledge more accessible to everyone, which is great and important.

I would recommend reading this book in print though, not digitally/as an ebook.

Was this review helpful?

I did not read the blurb as closely as I could have, and I was hoping that this book would be more graphic novel than graphic information book, and would appeal to my Marvel-crazy almost 7 year old. However, that is not what this is. From an adult standpoint, though, this book gives good information about where the Black Panther character came from and other comics and real life people behind the movement.

Was this review helpful?

As a Marvel fan, I was thrilled for the opportunity to read a review copy in advance of the October release date. Like many Marvel fans today, my exposure to Marvel heroes comes from the movies rather than the comic books. This book explores how our culture contributed to the origins of the Black Panther comic book character, influenced many of its elements, and in turn how the character became an icon for real life cultural change. It traces Black Panther from T’Challa’s first appearance as a character in the 1966 Fantastic Four issue #52 through nearly sixty years to the recent movie Wakanda Forever Shuri his sister Shuri takes over the Black Panther mantel. It discusses the influence of the black political influences of the 60’s and how they were represented in this fictional universe. It includes stories about many of the creators involved who created and recreated the character over the years. Every page has at least one photo of a comic issue cover, a Marvel contributor or a political figure.

There are many quotes from people who were influenced by Black Panther, the ideal of Wakanda, Shuri as a Scientist, or strength portrayed by the women in the all-female Dora Milaje army. There is no question that Black Panther provided one of the few positive black role models at the time of its onset and continues to do so now.

<I>I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Quarto Publishing Group – Becker & Mayer! And NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this unbiased review are entirely my own. </i>

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love this book and really want to get it physically. I loved being able to track the history of this story, what it meant to people throughout the years. I also really loved getting to see how the creators were influenced by the world and history around them and how they expressed it in these works. It definitely makes me want to read more Black Panther comics, as well as look into more history and behind the scenes of different artistic works. I'm so glad I got to read this.

Was this review helpful?