Superhero comics are nonetheless dominated by white creators and white characters, however there have all the time have been voices of shade contributing to the adventures all of us love a lot. Black Historical past Month is the right time to evaluation the affect that Black writers, artists, and characters have had on the world of superheroes.
Be aware: Among the gadgets featured right here haven’t aged nicely. I included them as a result of they nonetheless contributed to comics historical past and helped make the trade what it’s at present, for higher or for worse.
1940 – E.C. Stoner creates, attracts, and writes the character Phantasmo, Grasp of the World for Dell Comics. He’s the primary Black creator identified to have labored on a superhero comedian and created a superhero.
1947 – Matt Baker, the primary distinguished Black artist in comics, revives the character Phantom Woman for Fox Characteristic Syndicate. The following yr, he attracts a canopy so scandalously sexual that it will be held up for example of degeneracy in comics.
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1966 – Black Panther debuts in Improbable 4 #52. He’s Marvel’s first Black superhero.
1967 – Eartha Kitt assumes the position of Catwoman on Batman, making her the primary Black actor to play a supervillain.
1970 – Mal Duncan debuts in Teen Titans #26. He’s DC’s first Black superhero.
1972 – Nubia debuts in Marvel Girl #204. She is DC’s first Black superheroine.
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1975 – Misty Knight debuts in Marvel Premiere #21. She is Marvel’s first Black superheroine.
1983 – James Rhodes turns into Iron Man in Iron Man #170. He’s the primary Black character to imagine a white hero’s identification frequently.
1989 – Author Dwayne McDuffie mocks Marvel’s one-note portrayal of Black characters by sarcastically pitching a brand new collection referred to as Teenage Negro Ninja Thrashers.
1993 – Milestone Media, an imprint of DC Comics, debuts. Based by a number of Black creators, together with McDuffie, Milestone was dedicated to publishing tales about Black superheroes, who, per the memo above, had been pigeonholed by white-owned publishers.
1997 – Spawn (Picture) and Metal (DC) hit theaters inside weeks of one another, changing into the primary movies to star Black superheroes.
1998 – Blade hits theaters, changing into the primary movie to star one in all Marvel’s Black heroes.
1999 – Alitha Martinez turns into the primary Black feminine penciller at Marvel, first receiving credit score for her work with Cable Annual #1. She would later draw for DC as nicely.
2000 – The cartoon collection Static Shock debuts. The present, starring Milestone’s teen hero Static, turns into the primary cartoon to star a Black hero.
2001 – The Ultimates model of Nick Fury debuts in Final Marvel Staff Up #5. Modeled on Samuel L. Jackson, his creation results in Jackson being solid as Fury in Iron Man and, finally, to Marvel making their main Nick Fury a Black man within the comics as nicely.
2009 – Felicia D. Henderson and Angela Robinson change into the primary Black ladies to put in writing a DC superhero comedian (Teen Titans and The Internet, respectively).
2016 – Nilah Magruder turns into the primary Black lady to put in writing a Marvel comedian.
2018 – Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther hits theaters. It grosses over $1.3 billion worldwide and wins three Oscars (out of seven nominations), making it by far probably the most profitable Black superhero movie thus far.
On the lookout for extra Black historical past makers in comics? Dive into these 4 comics starring Black heroines in STEM and return deeper into our archives to study 30 Black comedian guide writers.