"Black Panther" Redefines The World Of Superheroes. Breaking New Ground In Film. The Story Of The "Black Panther"

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Lee Sparks
5 years ago
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Opinion: "Black Panther" gives me a personal reason to cheer for a new superhero By Brandon T. Harden, Philadelphia Inquirer, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.12.

1 Opinion: "Black Panther" gives me a personal reason to cheer for a new superhero By Brandon T. Harden, Philadelphia Inquirer, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 887 Level 1040L Chadwick Boseman in the film "Black Panther." Photo by: Matt Kennedy/Marvel Studios When I was 6 years old, I thought being a superhero was life. At every free moment, I draped towels across my back to form capes and created masks out of colorful construction paper. As much as I loved and believed in the fantasy of heroism, I felt inadequate. The heroes, both men and women, that appeared in the movies and on television never looked like me. I didn t believe that stories about people of color could be fantastical that we could live in different worlds, and fly, and have super strength. We didn t do stuff like that. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 "Black Panther" Redefines The World Of Superheroes For decades, superheroes like Batman and Wonder Woman have come to symbolize honor, courage, and bravery. In those same decades, blackness has not been part of the picture. African-Americans have been underrepresented not only in Hollywood but in the superhero/sci-fi/ fantasy genre. Now, after 17 films since the Marvel Cinematic Universe began, Black Panther will redefine and expand the world of superheroes. It does so by placing the fate of the world in the hands of a black man. The idea of a black superhero is appealing to quite a lot of people. Though the movie doesn t officially hit theaters until February 16, Black Panther has already set a record for most advance tickets sold in the Marvel Universe, beating previous titleholder Captain America: Civil War. Breaking New Ground In Film André Carrington teaches African-American literature at Drexel University. Sadly," he said, "I do think that we [the black community] are excluded from the main stage where the public, including most black people, see superheroes and stories of extraordinary things in general. People hold on to preconceived notions "about what black people are interested in" and how they react to storytelling in films, he said. These old ideas are roadblocks to Carrington. "Those things really keep us from doing the work to get our stories told to bigger audiences," he said. Although there have been a few black characters in sci-fi or fantasy films, they usually occupy supporting roles. The characters rarely have any background or depth. Considering all that, I began to resent superhero films. That resentment lasted until I came across the trailer for the Ryan Coogler-directed Black Panther. The Story Of The "Black Panther" In Black Panther, T Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, returns home to the fictional African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. Upon arriving, he finds his throne and honor in jeopardy. T'challa must use all of his powers as Black Panther, the leader of the panther tribe, to defeat longtime enemy, played by Michael B. Jordan. In doing so, he preserves the kingdom and the safety of the world. Finally, a story of a black hero with African roots is being told. While "Black Panther" is not the only superhero that is part of the current cultural conversation, Black Panther feels bigger. It s part of the Marvel Universe, the comic book company and movie making studio that has generated billions of dollars. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 The first look at the heart-pumping Black Panther trailer instantly went viral. Not only do we see a superhero from the black perspective, audiences get to watch an all-star black cast. Philadelphia-based critic and filmmaker Shantrelle P. Lewis is very excited for the film's release. "What's not to love about an all-black universe where black people are not only royalty but superheroes?" she said. The movie will show black people "in a way that we haven't necessarily been depicted before," she added. Black Films Have Done Well At Theaters It s also worth mentioning the power of black consumers. Hollywood is known for its struggle with diversity. The majority of the movies produced in Hollywood are made by and are about a small majority of people, typically white people. Nonetheless, black films have recently and consistently outperformed expectations for movie sales. Movies like Girls Trip, Hidden Figures, Get Out, The Best Man Holiday and Moonlight prove the myth wrong that black stories aren t sought after by large audiences. Black Panther is the type of film that s desperately needed in today's society. People are starting to have harder conversations about race relations. The movie has already started to go beyond the screen, sparking discussion around the power and genius of blackness. The idea of an advanced civilization where black people thrive in the absence of whiteness, in and of itself, is a bold and provocative idea. Black Panther, bridges traditional African tribal culture to a modern, technologically advanced world. It belongs in the genre of Afrofuturism, a cultural movement that has brought blackness into the spaces of sci-fi and fantasy, which have long excluded black people. "Black Panther" furthers that mission. Film Opens During Black History Month Traditionally, Black History Month has been a time of appreciation and reflection of African- American culture. Every year we show respect and appreciation for courageous figures who made it possible for the successful and influential black figures we know today. These are people like Barack Obama, Oprah and Beyoncé. This year, Black Panther allows us to peer into the future. It lets us look at the possibility of what blackness can become. Black Panther sends a message that blackness can and should be portrayed for what it is: beautiful, complex, and dense. We can do stuff like this. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 Quiz 1 Which two of the following sentences from the article include CENTRAL ideas of the article? 1. African-Americans have been underrepresented not only in Hollywood, but in the superhero/sci-fi/fantasy genre. 2. That resentment lasted until I came across the trailer for the Ryan Coogler-directed Black Panther. 3. In Black Panther, T Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, returns home to the fictional African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. 4. Black Panther sends a message that blackness can and should be portrayed for what it is: beautiful, complex and dense. 1 and 3 2 and 4 1 and 4 2 and 3 2 Which statement would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article? "Black Panther" is based on an African king who must use all of his powers to claim his throne and make his kingdom safe. "Black Panther" is set to come out during Black History Month, a time to think about the contributions of African-Americans. "Black Panther" is the 17th film by Marvel Cinematic Universe that focuses on superheroes from comic books. "Black Panther" has generated a lot of discussion by being the first major movie featuring a black superhero with African roots. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 3 Read the sentence from the section "Breaking New Ground In Film." People hold on to preconceived notions "about what black people are interested in" and how they react to storytelling in films, he said. Which of the following phrases from the section provides a context clue to the meaning of the term "preconceived notions"? excluded from extraordinary things old ideas resentment lasted 4 Read the sentence from the section "The Story Of The Black Panther." The first look at the heart-pumping Black Panther trailer instantly went viral. How does using the word "heart-pumping" affect the tone of the sentence above? It conveys a sense of amusement. It conveys a sense of excitement. It conveys a sense of agitation. It conveys a sense of confusion. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5

#BlackSuperheroesMatter The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther

#BlackSuperheroesMatter The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther What is a superhero Superhero is a person who does heroic deeds and has the ability to do them in a way that a normal person couldn t (Stan Lee). Myth helps inspire/fairy