It's great to see the successful opening for the new Black Panther film, which is breaking box office records and also scoring a fantastic 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I covered a release of a Black Panther motion comic back in 2010 and was impressed by the adaptation (please see below).
Based on the wonderful artwork of John Romita Jr., this trailer for a Black Panther animated series features the voiceover talent of Djimon Hounsou (Gladiator, Amistad). It's not clear whether the rest of the animated series will be produced in the style of a motion comic, but the series will be adapted directly from the first six issues of the Marvel Comic written by Reginald Hudlin. The animated series premiered in Australia on January 16th.
A joint production by BET Networks and Marvel comics, the Black Panther is arguably one of the first attempts to capture an African-American audience within the televised superhero genre. The following excerpts from a BET Networks press release, signify their intent.
BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA)(NYSE: VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.
"It's a blessing for African Americans and minorities to have a Super Hero they can identify with," said Hounsou. "While the Black Panther is a powerful force for good, he is also a respected world leader who takes pride in his African heritage. He embodies the past and future of his culture, demonstrating the endless possibilities of an Africa that is truly free."
The animated series premiered in Australia on January 16th 2010.
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