The Coal Tiger!

Above is one of Jack "King" Kirby's takes on the Black Panther, at this point referred to as the "Coal Tiger". It's a bright and dynamic design, but one far removed from the costume we eventually get for the character, though you do see in this illustration the origin of the lines which added some design details to the Panther's gloves and boots. 

I first saw this design as a special page in the pages of Jungle Action,a comic dedicated at the time to the adventures of the King of Wakanda.

And finally, here's the costume we know which first appeared in the pages of Fantastic Four. The Panther went from being a member of the colorful cast of FF background characters and became an Avenger where he served faithfully for many years before returning to his duties as King of the Wakandans. These days the Black Panther is one of Marvel's more successful heroes.

The Black Panther appeared on the scene suddenly in the pages of the Fantastic Four magazine during its most fecund era. Lee and Kirby had just given us delightful creations like the Inhumans, Galactus and the Silver Surfer and suddenly we are hit with another hidden kingdom, this one in the depths of darkest Africa.

When Reed Richards gets a present from "The Black Panther", the apparent leader of a remote kingdom named Wakanda, he is at first smitten with the grand technology of the flying machine he receives. This unfortunately lowers his guard and he and the rest of the FF head to Wakanda, a land they find to be a technological jungle of a spectacular nature and come under attack by the Black Panther himself. It appears to be a test of some sort, a ritual hunt which the Panther pursues by isolated the members of the FF and using his advanced technology and extreme agility to capture or momentarily defeat them. But he had not reckoned with the unexpected addition of Wyatt Wingfoot, a college buddy of Johnny Storm, who frees the team and allows them to bring the King of the Wakandans to bay. The issue ends with the Panther making peace with the team.

In the very next issue we get a very Panther centered story as amid the splendor of his rich kingdom we learn of his history. He is T'Challa, son of T'Chaka who was killed by a high-tech robber named Klaw who came for the mysterious metal called Vibranium.

He has trained himself for ten years pending Klaw's return and of course now is the propitious moment. Giant strangely red animals attack hunters in the jungle and soon enough the edges of the Wakandan territory itself. The Panther and the FF alongside battle a giant red ape, a giant red elephant and even eventually the Panther confronts a red panther. These are the creations of Klaw, a master of sound and the creatures themselves are solid sound. But the Black Panther confronts the slayer of his father and destroys his technology ending the threat. In the explosion it seems Klaw is killed but we see he is not as he enters the still operating portal which will alter his tissues. But that story will come at a later time. For now the FF and the Black Panther part ways.

(Unused cover for Fantastic Four Panther debut.)

This is era when the FF stories swiftly moved from one high concept to the next and so the Panther had to make way for the FF's next adventures against the likes of Prester John, Doctor Doom, Blastaar, and the Kree Sentry.

He is little seen for quite some time but does make an appearance along with about all the other FF creations in the Fab 4's fifth annual where the team battles the Psycho Man.

The Black Panther presents a problem for Marvel for sure. For one thing he's their first black superhero, though not an American one. But his name of course doesn't immediately make one think of the King of the Wakandans,

But rather of the somewhat infamous militant political group headed by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. This notorious party came along in 1966 the same year Marvel's new hero debuted. Given the racial tensions all too evident at the time T'Challa's name was problematic to say the least. I'm frankly surprised to see him called the "Black Panther" on the cover of the FF annual because subsequent cover appearances all shied away from his full title and called him merely "Panther" or referenced his name not at all.

Marvel was savvy in that they encased him in a suit which hid his race completely, at least at first so this allowed the character to be distributed in areas of the United States where a black superhero would've caused quite a ruckus if they'd known what was underneath the cover. You'll note the cover which was not used ultimately shows the Panther with a mask revealing his lower face, but that was replaced by one which did. Discounting the fact the latter is a better and more mysterious design, it also had the benefit of confusing the race issue for those overly bothered by it.

After the Black Panther's debut and subsequent appearances in the Fantastic Four it was probably a great question what to do with him. And so he would become an Avenger, taking a seat at that table of heroes and bringing at long last a bit of racial diversity to a team which while having had mutants and humans had always to that point had only a white face (save for the Hulk of course). But the process to make him an Avenger begins really in the pages of Tales of Suspense and the involves the great Captain America.

The battle begins in Tales of Suspense #97 immediately after Cap has revealed to the world his identity as Steve Rogers. Hard on the heels of that he comes under attack from many in the underworld and he fights for his life as in Wakanda the Black Panther finds unusually garbed soldiers guarding odd installations on the outskirts of the kingdom. He too comes under attack. Agent 13 (not yet named "Sharon Carter") takes on a mission too and longs to spend time with Cap who likewise misses her. After the Panther's battle he contacts Cap and says his problem is something related to Cap and sends one of his high-tech ships to bring the Living Legend to Wakanda.

(Reprints Tales of Supsense #98 - this time with words.)

In Tales of Suspense #98  Cap arrives in Wakanda and in is set upon by the Panther who does so test his mettle and confirm his identity. The two heroes exchange pleasantries and then the Panther fills Cap in on the threat which is a deadly death-ray satellite operated from Wakanda territory.

The two head to confront the enemy and come under attack. Meanwhile Agent 13 assumes the identity of "Irma Kruhl",a deadly agent who delivers vital coordinates to the very villain Cap and the Panther are confronting. The two heroes are captured in a pit and the enemy is revealed to be the thought-to-be-dead Baron Zemo.

In Tales of Suspense #99 Cap is staggered that Zemo, the man who Cap holds responsible for the death of Bucky Barnes, is still alive the Black Panther and he climb out of the pit but are still prisoners. The battle Zemo's forces and furiously so,but eventually are brought low again. Agent 13 has arrived and is forced by Zemo to shoot both heroes. The story ends as she is about to do just that.

Tales of Suspense becomes Captain America with its hundredth issue and the tale concludes. After a brief intro which reprises the events of Avengers #4 in Cap's groggy memory,

Agent 13 is able shoot over the heads of Cap and the Panther as they duck and Zemo is, for the moment convinced of her loyalty. But she quickly turns the tables and produces a flame thrower in her attache case and she and the two heroes battle Zemo's forces once again.

The battle is ferocious but in the end they defeat Zemo and it is revealed that he is in fact not the Baron but his former pilot who stole his identity to gain a following for his schemes. His henchmen shoot him dead and then realizing their plight surrender to the Black Panther's forces.

Cap and the Panther wrap things up as Agent 13 gets rid of the deadly satellite's defenses which allows Nick Fury and SHIELD to blow it up good. On the way back to New York, courtesy of the Panther's high-tech ships Cap suggests the Prince of Wakanda step in and take his place in the ranks of the Avengers. The Panther seems amenable to that idea as the story ends.

It is in the pages of Avengers #52, the very next month that the Black Panther follows up on Cap's recommendation. He arrives at Avengers mansion just in time to find the team at one of their lowest ebbs. Only Goliath, the Wasp and Hawkeye remain as members, and they have been captured by the new menace of The Grim Reaper. The Black Panther is key in defeating the Reaper and proves himself worthy to join the ranks of the Assemblers who welcome him.

The Black Panther serves the Avengers with distinction and plays a crucial role in many stories. Of some note is that the Panther's mask was altered to show some of his face for a few issues, a bold move at the time it's sad to say. It didn't last.

The team even travels to Wakanda where T'Challa must defeat the menace of The Man-Ape who seeks to unseat the absent king.

Later still he finds himself fighting the Sons of the Serpent and the series even takes an issue to give us a closer look at the Black Panther's origin.

The Panther even becomes a frequent partner with Daredevil, The Man Without Fear. Eventually the Panther will play a decreasing role with the team as his responsibilities as monarch loom larger and larger. But that's a whole bunch of other stories.

Note: The current administration might be a dodgy about celebrating "Black History Month", but I wanted to make sure the Dojo did so. 

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