BLACK SUPERHEROES BEAMS : US COMICS

EIGHT American comic characters that dominated various universes. Before the Marvel comics Black Panther became a box office hit, superheroes were almost always white.

In the late 1940s and during the 1950s, Black comic book characters evolved from their comic relief niche or their roles as helpful sidekicks for the white heroes to major characters.

Compiled form DW here is a list of 6 black superheroes from US comics:

1.- Spider Man [2011]

In 2011, a young Black superhero took the lead in top-ranking US mainstream comic. Marvel Comics had Afro-Latino teenager Miles Morales slip into Spider-Man's costume, while the series with Peter Parker as the original superhero continued as well.

Morales in the 2018 film adaptation Into the Spider-Verse, acquires his abilities, like Parker, through a spider bite.

2.- Green Lantern [1971]

The first African American superhero to appear in DC comics was John Stewart in 1971. He is part of  the  ''Green Lantern Corps,'' the intergalactic militarised law enforcement organisation that keeps order in the universe.

As of 2012, in the continuation of the comic series, Simon Baz is also a part of corps. Baz has roots in Lebanon, is Muslim and lives near Detroit, Michigan.

3.- Storm [1975]

The descendant of an African witch priestess is one of the most popular Black comic book superheroes. Storm, Ororo Munroe, is born with superhuman abilities and can, as a mutant, control the weather. Since the mid-1970s, she has been an integral part of the X-Men, who fight for peace between mutants and humans.

4.- Icon [1993]

Due to a malfunction, the alien Arnus' spaceship explodes and his escape capsule lands in the South of the US.

He then takes on human form, but retains his superpowers.

He is virtually invulnerable and can fly. Due to the similarities to one of the greatest figures in the superhero comic genre, Icon is often referred to as ''Black Superman.''

5.- Black Panther [1966]

T'Challa alias Black Panther was the first Black superhero with supernatural powers in US mainstream comic books.

He was created in 1966 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. T' Challa is king of the fictional, vastly developed African nation of Wakanda. The acclaimed film adaptation from 2018 with Chadwick Boseman in the leading role garnered three Oscars.

6.- Luke Cage [1972]

The invulnerable ex-convict is the first Black hero with comic series named after him : Luke Cage, Hero for Hire appeared in 1972 and emerged from ''Blaxploitation'' genre of the 1970s.

The cheap, garish productions were supposed to appeal to the previously neglected market segment of the African American population. Luke Cage now has his own series on Netflix.

7.- Black Lightning [1977]

Jefferson Pierce, born in the slums of a big city, manages to break out of his environment and wins Olympic gold as a decathlete. He returns to where he grew up  to work with young people as a teacher.

In the process, he comes into conflict with a delinquent gang. Equipped with a belt that gives him electromagnetic superpowers, he goes on the hunt for criminals.

8.- Static [1993]

As a teenager, during a police operation, Virgil Ovid Hawkins comes into contact with radioactive tear gas which gives him superpowers.

He joins the TeenTitans and, as Static, watches over Dakota City.

There are repeated conflicts with other teenagers who have also gained superpowers during the police incident, but who do not use them to serve as public good.

The World Students Society thanks the author : News Desk : The Express Tribune.