"black panther"

Marvel Studios

Which came first, the comic book or the insurgent political party? The answer is unsurprisingly complex; the two entities cropped up in rather analogous stages, at the peak crisis points of the Civil Rights movement, yet for many ignorant children (like myself) who grew up in the hyper-sanitized '90s, American mainstream audiences' first introduction to the "Black Panther" appeared in Robert Zemeckis' revisionist-Baby Boomer drama, "Forrest Gump." With more of a cloying wink than historical nod, Zemeckis clumsily inserts a group of leftist, counter-culture protestors who forcefully prevent Gump from reigning in his life-time crush Jenny, ignoring all political and anti-war commentary outright. The stereotypical angry Black man, wearing a beret, leather jacket, and black sunglasses, becomes none-too-pleased with Forrest's violent antics, even as he rails against imperialism with fists clenched and visible shotgun bullet loops. Thus was cemented the image of an indignant agitprop movement, glossed over like many other aspects of the film; segregation, southern despotism, and the long-term generational divide over the Vietnam War. Treated as humorous footnotes in the unfettered annals of a dubious U.S. history, Forrest softly excuses himself for ruining the "Black Panther Party" — without giving much thought to the compelling words hollered into every orifice of his thick skull. 

Which is ostensibly why, 25 years later, Ryan Coogler's work is being hailed as a seminal moment in Black American pop culture. The film shines, not only from a technical standpoint, but as commemorative artifact, chiefly in terms of Hollywood's long-established refusal to pump millions of dollars into non-white stories. Arriving hot off the heels of Trump's now infamous "shithole" nation remarks, "Black Panther's" stunning $400M domestic box office haul ($700 mil worldwide) feels equally as important, at least from an un-jaded mindset, as Barack Obama's rousing defeat over John McCain and Sarah Palin in 2008. And the victory that accompanied that warm feeling meant that one could actually embrace their otherness, or in this case, "Blackness" as a means to win, rather than the other way around. In fact, Barack Obama running with his real name, over a seemingly less threatening "Barry," mirrors "Black Panther's" very own predilections toward Africa, specifically the jabs taken at Martin Freeman's character as "colonizer," re-appropriating the connotations of that word, and what it might represent for the mythical motherland of Wakanda — an Afro-futurist re-imagining of a bountiful world unencumbered by Western imperialism. Though, once those pesky Avengers get wind of it they're gonna have to swap out the locks on their fancy labyrinthian passageways. 

However, where credit is due Marvel DID opt to give U.S. audiences "Blade" and "Spawn" long before it was a household name, and years before "Iron Man" sealed the studio's fate as an eventual money-making juggernaut. Though its heroes weren't necessarily Gods, Kings or crimefighters in any traditional sense — either damned to hell or forced to day-walk with their vampire brethren — "Black Panther" marked the first chapter in Marvel Studios' attempt to create a standalone film for a superhero of color on par with the likes of Captain America, Thor, Spider Man and The Hulk, lending a vibrancy and richness to Wakanda's own Elysium-esque mystique — a pulse-pounding bizarro chronicle depicting the affluence of a continent that could've been, had it not succumbed to years of colonialist malpractice, political & economic malfeasance, and a systemic carving out of "hope," which has only begun to return in the wake of a defeated Apartheid. Even if it's only a short-term win for the marginalized voices of America, it's a win nonetheless. For kids who sat back and waited for Mattel to design dark-skinned Barbies (or G.I. Joe's who didn't look like replicas of Stretch Armstrong), there are new cinematic poster-children of achievement, and surprise, they ain't white. The question is, with movies being made by female directors and people of color finally succeeding at the box office, will Hollywood implement sufficient enough changes to address the evolving demographics and tastes of a new post-racial America? Or will this just be Obama 2.0? A friendly, albeit fleeting flash in the pan that crashes and quickly fizzles out the next time we (stupidly) let our guards down? 

"BLACK PANTHER" Rated PG-13. Running time: 2 hours 14 minutes.