Black Panther

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.

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.

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.

An incredibly engaging, informative and fascinating look at the history of Marvel Comics Black Panther that also shows how the character, and his world has both shaped and in turn been shaped by mythology, society and history.

Special thanks to Quarto Publishing Group, becker&mayer! books and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

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.

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 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.