March 11, 2018 | Dylan Fleury

27 Powerful Facts About The Superhero Black Panther


If you’re like me and only get your superhero fix from the movies and not the comics, then you probably had no clue who Black Panther—real name T’Challa—was when he showed up in Captain America: Civil War. But after a great debut and an amazing performance from Chadwick Boseman, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who can’t wait to see more Black Panther in his feature film debut! So, before Marvel takes you to the wondrous land of Wakanda, read up on some facts about its King!


27. Expanding the Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has taken its audience all over the universe, with films centered in space, on different planets, and in different realms. Marvel will be adding another location to that list with the release of Black Panther: The film takes place in the fictional, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda.

Black Panther facts Scorpzgca

26. Small Screen

Black Panther may have recently made his feature film debut, but he's no stranger to the small screen, having appeared in both the Fantastic Four and X-Men animated series in the 1990s as well as Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. He even had his own animated show on BET for a short time.

Black Panther facts The Avengers: Earth

25. Creators

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby are the minds behind nearly every Marvel superhero, so it should come as no surprise that they created Black Panther as well. Black Panther is also credited as being the first ever black superhero in mainstream comics.

Black Panther facts

24. Fantastic Debut

It's common for superheroes to make their debut in established comics, and Black Panther was no exception, debuting in issue #52 of the Fantastic Four comic in 1966.

Black Panther facts Polygon

23. Starring Role

After years of being a featured player in other superheroes' comics, Black Panther finally got the chance to star in his own when he headlined Jungle Action #5 in 1973.

Black Panther facts Pinterest

22. Got There First

Black Panther wasn’t inspired by or named after the Black Panther movement that came in 1966, but actually debuted a few months before the group appeared. There was even a brief period when Marvel decided to change the character's name to Black Leopard to avoid any assumed affiliation with the group, but neither Marvel nor the fans were too keen on the name, and Marvel changed it back.

Stephen ShamesStephen Shames

21. Everyone Wants to Be the King

Like any role in Hollywood, several actors auditioned for the role of Black Panther. Among them were Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Anthony Mackie, Djimon Hounsou, and John Boyega. Other than Boyega, these actors all still managed to land a role in the MCU, with Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Hounsou having parts in Thor: The Dark World and Guardians of the Galaxy, respectively, and Mackie playing Sam Wilson—aka Falcon—in numerous films. Don't be sad for Boyega,though: he's got a little thing called Star Wars.

Black Panther facts

20. Power Couple

Black Panther became one half of a true power couple when he married X-Men member Storm in his homeland of Wakanda. Unfortunately, after Wakanda was attacked, T’Challa realized he needed to focus more on being a king than a husband, and the marriage was annulled.

Black Panther facts Movie Web

19. New Era

Just before Black Panther made his official big screen debut in Captain America: Civil War, Marvel Comics released the first issue of the new Black Panther comic, written by MacArthur Genius and National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Black Panther facts The Daily Beast

18. Punching Racism in the Face

Following in the footsteps of Captain America, who punched Adolf Hitler, Black Panther traveled to the American South–Georgia, to be exact–and took on the KKK.

Black Panther facts Pop Matters

17. Passion Project

Before Chadwick Boseman became the King of Wakanda, Wesley Snipes did his best to claim the throne. Back in 1992, he expressed his intention to bring Black Panther to the big screen, and even had the backing of Lee. He fought hard for over a decade, but wasn’t able to get the deal done.

Black Panther facts

16. Finding the Right Fit

Before Ryan Coogler was hired as the director of Black Panther, Ava DuVernay was in talks to direct the film and even met with Kevin Feige and Boseman to discuss it, but parted ways after creative differences. Other plans included a version directed by John Singleton–who wanted Chiwetel Ejiofor as the titular character–and F. Gary Gray.

Black Panther facts Cinefilos

15. Tagging in

When Daredevil decided he needed a break from protecting Hell's Kitchen, he got Black Panther to fill in for him. During this time, whenever Black Panther wasn’t patrolling the streets, he went under the civilian name of Mr. Okonkwo, an immigrant from the Congo, and was the manager of the Devil’s Kitchen diner.

Black Panther facts Hiram 67 DeviantArt

14. Building a Nation

Coogler brought in experts on African history and politics to help set up and establish Wakanda and add legitimacy to the nation.

Black Panther facts King of reads

13. Authentic Accent

Boseman decided that an African accent was not only appropriate, but also necessary for T’Challa. He believes that because Wakanda is a technologically advanced nation that was never affected by colonialism, Black Panther would keep his native tongue and not have a European accent.

Black Panther facts Inverse

12. Film Influences

Executive Producer Nate Moore is cited as saying that Black Panther feels like a crossover between The Godfather and the James Bond franchise, bringing the family drama and competition for power to a world of espionage. Blade Runner has also been cited as inspiration for the design of Wakanda.

Black Panther facts

11. Change for the Better

Marvel decided it was best to change the name of a key character from the Black Panther comic who is featured in the film. The character of M’Baku is actually named Man-Ape in the comic, and is often covered in fur and wears an ape mask. I think it’s pretty clear why Marvel thought some viewers might have an issue with that.

Black Panther facts Movie Web

10. More Than a Name

While most superheroes hide behind a secret identity, this isn’t the case for T’Challa. Black Panther is a title, not an alter-ego, and it's passed down from protector to protector.

Black Panther facts The Level MY

9. The Dark Knight

Black Panther is considered Marvel’s answer to Batman, and he shares similar abilities, intelligence, bank accounts, and costuming with Bruce Wayne. They both also stick mainly to the shadows, and generally work alone unless needed by their respective groups.

Black Panther facts Quirky Byte

8. Vibranium

Vibranium is a rare–and fictional–metal that can only be found in Wakanda. It's the same metal that was used to make Captain America’s shield, and it's what Black Panther’s suit is made entirely of.

Black Panther facts Screen Rant

7. Magical Herb

Black Panther gets his super strength and heightened senses and abilities from a heart-shaped herb found only in Wakanda.

Black Panther facts Comicbook

6. Warriors

The Dora Milaje, also known as the Adored Ones, are an all-female group of Warriors that help protect Wakanda and look after the King. They were a late addition to the Black Panther comics, appearing in 1998, and will be featured in the film as well.

Black Panther facts Get Your Comic On

5. Diversity

Black Panther will mark the first time Marvel Studios has a film staring a black superhero. On top of that, Coogler will have the honor of being the first black director to direct a Marvel Studios film.

Black Panther facts Rolling Stone

4. Coal Tiger

Sometimes creators have to go back to the drawing board to get a character right, and thankfully Kirby knew that. The original concept for Black Panther saw him with his face exposed and no mask on, but the main issue was the name: he was going to be called Coal Tiger.

Black Panther facts Worldof Black Heroes

3. Unique Style

Coogler has said that he feels like the majority of the Marvel films generally look and feel the same, which is why he insisted that Marvel Studios allow him to use the same crew he had on his previous projects to make it feel like more of a Coogler movie than a typical Marvel movie.

Black Panther facts Movie Web

2. Sticking Around for a While

Boseman signed a five-picture deal with Marvel Studios to play Black Panther. So far, he has appeared or will appear in three films–Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, and Avengers: Infinity War–leaving many to speculate that another appearance will happen in a Black Panther sequel.

Black Panther facts Us Weekly

1. Brains and Brawn

Everyone knows Black Panther has superhuman strength and reflexes, but only real fans know that his greatest power is actually his brain. He has a PhD in physics from Oxford University and he's considered to be one of the eight smartest people in the entire Marvel universe.

Black Panther FactsMarvel

Sources:  123456789101112131415


More from Factinate

Featured Article

My mom never told me how her best friend died. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery.

Dark Family Secrets

Dark Family Secrets Exposed

Nothing stays hidden forever—and these dark family secrets are proof that when the truth comes out, it can range from devastating to utterly chilling.
April 8, 2020 Samantha Henman

Featured Article

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.

Madame de Pompadour Facts

Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.
December 7, 2018 Kyle Climans

More from Factinate

Featured Article

I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life.

These People Got Genius Revenges

When someone really pushes our buttons, we'd like to think that we'd hold our head high and turn the other cheek, but revenge is so, so sweet.
April 22, 2020 Scott Mazza

Featured Article

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history.

Catherine of Aragon Facts

Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but very few people know her even darker history.
June 7, 2018 Christine Tran



Dear reader,


Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? We’re always looking for your input! Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your time!


Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. We want our readers to trust us. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Please let us know if a fact we’ve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect it’s inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,



The Factinate team




Want to learn something new every day?

Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter.

Thank you!

Error, please try again.