The Road to Wakanda a Brief History of Modern Black Superheroes, from Paul Robeson to Black Panther
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Culture HIGH, LOW + EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN MOVIES The Road to Wakanda A brief history of modern black superheroes, from Paul Robeson to Black Panther 42 NEWSWEEK.COM FEBRUARY 23, 20 18 TIMBERLAKE BACKLASH 101 A forner king of pop faces the media music » P.46 EvEn bEforE it hit thEatErs on fEbruary 16, Black Panther Eartha Kitt was on track to be one of the biggest superhero movies ever, thanks Batman to record levels of advance ticket sales. But as the first entry in the Marvel 1967-1968 Cinematic Universe to feature a lead black superhero (he first appeared in Three actresses—two white and one black— 2016’s Captain America: Civil War), the film has a significance that extends portrayed Catwoman, beyond the box office. “You can connect to a character that doesn’t look like Batman’s nemesis/love you, but there’s an added bonus here for people of color,” the film’s director, interest in the campy Ryan Coogler, told The Sydney Morning Herald. “Representation is something 1960s TV series and that can be very powerful.” feature film. All were seductively ferocious, Introduced in Fantastic Four No. 52 in 1966, Black Panther is more than a but only Kitt’s version superhero—he’s also the king and protector of the fictional African nation was transformational. Wakanda. (Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates reimagined the character and his African roots for the current comic book storyline, which began in 2016.) In the film, Sweet Sweetback’s T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), assumes the throne—and the mantle of Black Baadasssss Song 1971 Panther—after his father’s death. But he must fend off a challenge to the Black Panthers co- crown from Wakandan revolutionary Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). founder Huey Newton Black Panther might be the highest-profile black superhero movie ever, but called it “the first truly the characters (including a badass band of warrior women) didn’t emerge revolutionary black from a vacuum. Modern history is filled with heroes of color, real and imag- film.” Written, directed and starring Melvin ined, who helped clear their path to the screen. —Dante A. Ciampaglia Van Peebles, Sweet Sweetback became the template not only for the Paul Robeson prevented from Oakland, California. blaxploitation genre, but The Emperor Jones marching for their right The Panthers—in for a whole new brand of 1933 to vote by squadrons their urban soldier cocky urban hero. He might be best known of white riot cops uniform of black berets, for singing “Old Man galvanized the civil sunglasses and leather Richard Roundtree River” in the 1936 film rights movement. Martin jackets—energized Shaft Show Boat, but this was Luther King Jr. led black communities here 1971 Robeson’s seminal role, the successful march around the world. The film launched playing a Pullman porter the following day, but blaxploitation into the who becomes the ruler national coverage of Sidney Poitier stratosphere, and star of a Caribbean island. the violent response In the Heat of the Night Roundtree’s effortless The powerful singer and to the first marchers 1967 cool gave private actor—a movie star with transformed a group Four years after detective John Shaft wide appeal when there of ordinary Americans becoming the first undeniable cross-cultural were zero black leading (among them future black man to win the cachet. But it was his men in Hollywood—was U.S. Congressman John best actor Oscar, for righteous defiance of the forefather of Sidney Lewis) into real-life Lilies of the Field, authority—including Poitier and Denzel superheroes. Poitier played take-no- spitting in the faces of Washington. shit Northern police white police officers— The Black Panthers detective Virgil Tibbs. that made the character a Selma-to- 1966 One line, delivered to legend of empowerment. Montgomery Voting A seismic shift in the Rod Steiger’s bigoted Rights Marchers civil rights movement Southern police chief, Cleopatra Jones 1965 occurred when the became a slogan of 1973 The footage of peaceful Black Panther Party dignified defiance: “They Tamara Dobson—the black men and women hit the streets of call me Mister Tibbs!” “soul sister’s answer to Photo illustration by GLUEKIT NEWSWEEK.COM 43 Culture MOVIES James Bond”—hunts Spawn bomb but a giant step a B-grade hero to A-list Star Wars: down a white drug 1997 forward for major comic status 10 years before The Force Awakens kingpin in one of Spawn might be a lousy publishers and their Robert Downey Jr. did 2015 blaxploitation’s most movie, but it was the willingness to adapt the same with Iron Man. Lando Calrissian indelible (and cheap) first adaptation of a characters of color. Blade didn’t launch a (Billy Dee Williams) and films. But unlike Coffy major black comic book cinematic universe, but Mace Windu (Samuel (1973) and Foxy Brown superhero (beating Pam Grier in a post–Batman & L. Jackson) are crucial (1974), Jones was Steel to theaters by Jackie Brown Robin world, it made to the Star Wars about kickass elegance two weeks), opening 1997 the multiplex safe for saga, but they were rather than titillating the door to equal genre More than 30 years superheroes again. secondary characters. vigilantism. representation. after Coffy and Foxy (X-Men was released two Stormtrooper-turned- Brown, actress Pam years later, followed by Resistance hero Finn Roots Steel Grier portrayed another Spider-Man in 2002.) (played by John 1977 1997 tough lady flirting with Boyega) is front and The central character, After Superman’s comic danger on the margins Halle Berry center—as vital to the Kunta Kinte (played by book death in 1992, of respectable society. Catwoman adventure as Rey, Kylo LeVar Burton and John four replacements tried But unlike her ’70s films, 2004 Ren or Poe Dameron. Amos), was a Gambian to take his place. One Quentin Tarantino’s While Berry got screen A cosmic shift in slave brought to the was Steel, aka John homage to blaxploitation, time as Storm in the representation in a American Colonies in Henry Irons, a black showcased a heroine who X-Men films, this gave galaxy far, far away. the 18th century. The construction worker didn’t need to resort to the Oscar winner a massively popular who clad himself in soft-core tactics. game-changing role. Luke Cage TV event offered an armor and carried a big Yes, Catwoman was an 2016 unflinching depiction of hammer. Five years later, Blade epic flop, but as the first Luke Cage—Power Man, slavery (a revelation to Superman superfan 1998 superhero movie led Hero for Hire—debuted much of white America), Shaquille O’Neal Wesley Snipes played by a black woman, it in Marvel comics in but it was Kinte’s struggle brought Steel to the Marvel’s day-walking was also an audacious 1972 at the height of to retain his identity that big screen—a notorious vampire hunter, elevating Hollywood move. the blaxploitation craze. made Roots one of the All that era’s racially great hero journeys. dubious baggage was dropped when Mike Miami Vice Colter brought Cage 1984 to life in multiple The show’s star was Netflix shows more Don Johnson, but it was than 40 years later. Philip Michael Thomas, The character’s as detective Ricardo popularity (across Tubbs, who brought demographics) offered something new to TV: an the first complex authority figure of color superhero of color on imbued with agency the small screen. and passions—a Virgil Tibbs for an America just Black Lightning around the corner. 2018 DC Comics character The Meteor Man Black Lightning (Cress 1993 Williams) might be The first film to feature the star of this CW a black superhero in the show, but it’s his lead role was a spoof daughter Anissa of the genre, written, (Nafessa Williams) directed and starring who is the maverick Robert Townsend. The here: The black female critically panned movie— Muhammad Ali, 1965 superhero—she fights about a guy who gains The raw power of John Rooney’s photograph of the heavyweight crime as Thunder—is extraordinary powers also a lesbian, a after being struck by a champion towering over the crumpled-to-the-mat Sonny Liston representational line piece of a meteor—is now captured one of the 20th century’s most heroic men at the the genre rarely touches, a cult favorite. pinnacle of his prowess—both in the ring and outside of it. let alone crosses. LAVERIS/FILMMAGIC/GETTY JASON RIGHT: THE CW [3]; TOP GETTY STUDIOS; [9]; ALAMY [7]; MARVEL SPREAD: LEFT: PREVIOUS PHOTO; JOHN ROONEY/AP 44 NEWSWEEK.COM FEBRUARY 23, 20 18.