Wednesday 21 February 2018

Black Panther –Hype or Racial Equity?


A scene from “Black Panther.”Matt Kennedy/Marvel — Disney 

I have a weakness for superhero films and I am a dyed-in-the-wool Marvel fan.  So, of course I had to go and see Black Panther.  Typically, I go as close to the film’s release date as possible so I can sit in the cinema with an audience of like-minded fans and share in their enthusiasm.  We are like an unofficial club and it’s very easy to separate the hardcore from the casual among us.  Who watches for the Stan Lee cameo?  Who waits until after the credits roll to catch the teaser for the next film in the sequence? –not to be confused with the previews before the film.  And then we all stand around and trade notes.

Much has been made of the Black Panther film as being “the first Black Superhero film”.  The problem with that pitch is that it’s just not true.  What about Blade in Tomb of Dracula in January 1973?  I thought it was interesting that Wesley Snipes, who played Blade, came out and said that he wanted to make Black Panther 20 years ago but was unable to for a varied of reasons.  Oh!  I forgot about Luke Cage in Hero for Hire in 1972.  And then there was Storm in 1975; many will remember Haile Berry playing her in the X-Men trilogy.

The iconic image of Black Panther crouched on the hood of a pursuing vehicle  (in the film) struck  me as downright funny.  I thought it looked like a pun on the Jaguar hood ornament…indirect product endorsement?

One of my favourite scenes in the film took place in a museum.  In it, the film’s villain comes to reclaim an artifact that originally belonged to his tribe.  I got a kick at the banter between the museum curator and villain and all the post-colonial digs.  I am not going be a spoiler and tell you how the scene ends because I want you to see it for yourself.

Oh and as for me and comic books, we go back far enough that I remember when I could spend 12 cents of weekly allowance and buy one.  I never bought Archie like the other girls.  I went for Marvel or Golden Key.  I first discovered Plato’s philosophy in Golden Key. Here’s to encouraging kids to read!





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